Why would you need to worry about heating your dog's house? When it's really cold. In winter in some parts of the country, the temperature gets so cold that a dog's body heat and furry coat is NOT sufficient to keep a dog warm in his doghouse. If that's the case in your part of the country, you need to think about adding dog house mats and dog house heaters to your doghouse. This will asure that your dog stays healthy and comfortable regardless of the weather.
Heated Dog House Mats
One popular way to heat a dog house (and the dog) is with a heated mat or pad. The advantages of a heated pad are that they require no maintenance, have no moving parts to get out of whack, are completely safe and can also be used in an unheated garage and basement. Most have an internal thermostat and some manufacturers offer an optional temperature control rheostat for heat adjustment.
Another alternative is to buy your dog its own heated throw or dog bed. A heated throw will cost about $73 for a large size.
The cost of a heated pad varies from $43.59 for the small size up to $66.99 for the large. A thermo throw will normally cost about $73 for the large size.
You can get more information on heated pads, throws and beds by visiting Future Pet.
Dog House Heaters
Another good way to keep your dog warm is with a dog house heater. One heater I found, The Hound Heater I, is 5.5" x 5.5" x 5.5") and is said to produce dry, reliable heat. When it's zero degrees Fahrenheit outside, the dog house will stay around 40-degrees F. This manufacturer also offers a small version called the Hound Heater II. It's a smaller version of the Hound Heater and uses a light bulb to keep the temperature at a constant 130 degrees when the outside temperature is below freezing. The manufacturer says, "The best part is, it is so safe and easy to install. It is made out of galvanized metal so it is super strong and will last for many years, unlike your traditional mat heaters." The one source I was able to find for a standalone heater is Hound Heater. The cost of Hound Heater I is $54.95 and Hound Heater II is $52.95.
You can get more details by visiting Gun Dog Supply.
Combination Dog House Heater/Cooler
A third alternative is a combination heater/cooler for areas that are both cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I was able to find only one example of this, the portable PetCool unit. This unit looks very easy to install with 2500 BTU heating and cooling capacity. The manufacturer says that it "adjusts automatically to maintain a constant comfortable range of temperatures both as a dog house heater for winter and dog house air conditioner for summer, while also providing additional functionality as a de-humidifier lowering humidity levels 70%. Washable pollen filters control pet dander and hair, and slip out quickly and easily."
Be forewarned that this heater/cooler is not cheap with a price tag of $415.95.
You can get complete details on the PetCool unit by visiting Cedar Wood Furniture
Next >> Dog House Plans