Best Heated Dog Houses
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Heated dog houses provide a dry, comfortable shelter for your dog during the winter months. They offer insulation, a raised floor, and a door flap.
Additional features like heated beds, pads, or portable heaters can be added. These houses ensure your dog stays warm and comfortable during the winter and cool in the summer.
Keep reading to find out more about heated dog houses, their benefits, and which ones we recommend.
Wood, Plastic or Metal Dog House?
When buying a heated dog house, your first decision will be to choose from wood, metal, or plastic materials. Obviously, a plastic dog house is lighter and cheaper than a wooden one. They are also easier to keep clean, with fewer cracks and spaces for fleas, ticks, and other creatures to stow away.
Wooden dog houses are usually more solid than plastic ones. They will also be more sturdy and offer your pup better protection against the winter elements. Wood is also a better insulator than plastic, which means your dog is more likely to stay warm but not overheat. Also, a cedar wood dog house will keep ticks and fleas away because they hate the smell of the cedar oils.
Metal dog houses are usually used to provide temporary shelter when travelling or moving around temporarily. Therefore, metal dog houses are not ideal because they lack insulation for winter and summer weather extremes. They can still be used if you want to insulate them yourself.
Product Reviews: The 5 Best Heated Dog Houses
Pets Imperial® Norfolk XL Insulated Wooden Dog Kennel
Product Info
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This dog house wood cabin lookalike is stylish, insulated and keeps dogs warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. It is made with weather-resistant insulated panels that combine timber, foam, and plywood, and this dog house offers better heat retention than standard plywood. The sturdy floor can hold pups weighing up to 154 pounds and is raised two inches off the ground to keep heat from escaping and to protect your dog from the elements.
K&H Pet Products Outdoor Multi-Kitty House Cat Shelter Heated or Unheated
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K&H houses are made with high-quality materials for your dog's comfort and safety. This house is excellent for use in barns, garages, porches, and anywhere your small pup additional protection. The K&H Outdoor Houses are made with heavy denier polyester that makes it water as well as weather resistant. The walls and roof are insulated to protect your dog from the harmful elements of winter. The roof of the K&H Outdoor House hangs over the door to keep heat inside, and pups safe and dry. It features two exits with removable clear plastic flaps so pets cannot be trapped by predators and yet still have sufficient protection.
Petmate Indigo Dog House All-Weather Protection
Product Info
- Brand: Petmate
- Product Dimensions: 30.5"D x 37.5"W x 22.8"H
- Material: Blend
- Color: TAUPE/BLACK
- Style: Medium
Indigo Dog House is a sturdy and spacious shelter designed to provide comfort for pets year-round. The insulated dog house features a heavy-duty construction that keeps pets cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The outdoor dog house's extended, offset doorway helps protect pets inside from wind and rain. To promote air flow, the vented top of the dog igloo circulates fresh air inside. The raised floors are equipped with side moats that are designed to drain off moisture and keep floors dry.
Petmate Husky Dog House
Product Info
- Brand: Petmate
- Product Dimensions: 33.2"D x 33.5"W x 26"H
- Material: Foam
- Color: Grey
- Style: Traditional
The Petmate Husky Dog House provides the ultimate outdoor protection for your dog. Rain, wind, sleet and snow cant take down this well crafted and innovative outdoor dog house. The offset entry shields your pet from the elements and has been engineered for superior load strength when compared to traditional square dog houses. The heavy-duty structural foam construction can be assembled quickly and easily.
Akoma Hound Heater Dog House Heater, Outdoor Pet Furnace 300w with 6 Foot Anti-Chew Cord
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The Akoma Hound Heater Deluxe is the best choice to keep your dog safe, warm and comfortable this winter with it's thermo sensing bulb that allows for accurate control of the heat. This Hound Heater Deluxe lasts for years (100,000 on/off cycles) and is powered by a long-life 300W heating element. It is equipped with a heavy duty chew-proof cord and rounded corners for added safety and an internal heat shield protects all wires and components. The mounting bracket allows the furnace to be mounted on igloo type dog houses as well.
How to Set Up Your Heated Dog House
Depending on whether you purchase an insulated dog house or heating products to increase the warmth, there are a few ideas to help you cut down on the cold. When choosing what and where to set up your dog house, you may want to consider a few things.
- Shelter: Place the dog house in a place that shelters it from rain, flooding, and wind, if possible. You can always face the opening toward a fence, wall or structure to keep elements from blowing inside the dog house.
- Direction: You may also want to place your igloo dog house so that the opening faces the direction of the most sunlight, which is usually south or east. If the ground typically freezes or there are open areas where cold wind and rainwater can impact it, you can consider raising the dog house a few inches off the ground by placing it on top of concrete blocks or a slab of cement.
- Add insulation. When choosing a house, remember that wood retains heat better than plastic, but plastic keeps out drafts since the walls are sealed and solid. You may want to add EPS foam to the walls of a wood or plastic house for extra insulation as well.
- Look for a raised floor. Look for a dog house that has a raised floor, which can help to avoid moisture that may seep in and cause the home to get cold. You can layer the floor with wood chips, dry straw or even a dog bed.
What to Look For in a Heated Doghouse
When you are looking for a heated dog hour, there are a few things to consider to keep your dog safe and warm.
- Quality Material: You will want the dog house to be weatherproof and a roof you can lift or open will make the cleaning process much easier. Most of these types of dog houses are usually made from high-quality plastic, metal, and insulation. It is a good idea to research the reviews and the manufacturer’s warranty to learn about the materials and how well they hold up.
- Good Insulation: Insulation helps keep the cold out in the winter months and, in turn, keep it cool in the summer. Any and all insulation should be covered with plywood, due to it being toxic if ingested by your pup.
- Size: Your dog needs to be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably when inside the dog house. However, there is no need for a lot of extra space because dogs like to find shelter and use body heat to keep a small area warm. Consider a space with a height and length that are about 1 1/2 times your dog’s size, with a width about the same length as your dog. Measure from the floor to the top of their head and ears to determine the height and from the tip of their nose to the base of the tail as far as length when taking measurements.
- Electrical Cord Safety: Be sure all cords are hidden and covered with a protective coating to prevent chewing, fire, or electrocution if you choose to heat your dog’s house this way.
- Price: Depending on the size, materials used in construction, and quality of craftsmanship, most heated dog houses will cost you anywhere from $150 to $500. The higher you go, the better heated dog house you can get to protect your dog from the elements for years to come.
- Entrance: The door should be offset to one side or have a small vestibule or flap to help keep rain, snow, sun, and wind from getting inside. The door needs to be high enough for your dog’s shoulders to get through, and just wide enough to accommodate your dog’s widest point.
Final Thoughts
Heated dog houses are designed to insulate and keep your dog warm in a small area. They are ideal for dogs spending time outside in the winter or needing a cozy den to nap in, providing a safe and content environment for your furry friend.
