Insulated Dog Kennels and Runs
If you’re a dog lover you probably love having your dogs in the house most of the time. You would hardly think about keeping your dogs outside during the cold winter or hot summer months.
But you’ve probably found yourself in a situation when it would have been nice to have a safe and comfortable place for your dogs outside of the house. How can that be done without harming your dogs? Insulated dog kennels and runs.
One situation when it may be ideal for you to keep your dogs outside is when you’re not at home. You might be at work or out running an errand. In any case, your dogs may not do well in a house all by themselves.
If guests come to your house and your dogs aren’t trained to be considerate of guests, you may find it necessary to find another place for your dogs. Keeping them in the basement or in a confined room can cause other problems if your dog is a barker or chewer.
You may find it necessary to move your dogs out of the house if someone in your family or a guest is allergic to dogs. If you can’t bear to get rid of your dogs in spite of the allergies, you may find moving your dogs outside to be the best solution.
Take a Look at this Climate Controlled Commercial Kennel!
Did you give your dog a second chance? Dogs rescued from a shelter may not have received the training they should have received in the formative years (see our dog kennels for rescue shelters). They may exhibit destructive behaviors that are hard to break. If you value the furnishings in your house, you may need to find an outdoor solution for your dogs.
Your house may simply not be large enough to handle all of the dogs in your care. Maybe your heart for dogs has led you to give a home to more dogs than you can handle. Or maybe you find yourself frequently caring for dogs that are not your own as part of your business. Finding an outdoor dog kennel solution, in this case, could be essential to your own health and the health of your dogs.
A final reason for keeping your dogs outside may simply be because you own dogs that are better suited to an outdoor environment. These dogs might find a warm, indoor environment stifling and unsuitable for long-term health. What types or breeds of dogs will normally thrive in an outdoor environment?
Dog Breeds That Are Ideal for Outdoor Living
Large-breed dogs are generally better suited for an outdoor environment. By contrast, tiny dogs like the Chihuahua or Pomeranian are more susceptible to extremes in temperatures and may not need wide open spaces to stay healthy. Large breed dogs that can thrive outdoors include Great Pyrenees, Irish Wolfhounds, and American Foxhounds.
Naturally aggressive and high-energy dogs are also well suited to an outdoor environment. These dogs thrive on lots of action, and their fast-working metabolism produces plenty of energy to keep themselves warm. Examples of aggressive and high-energy dogs include Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Mastiffs.
In cold climate settings, long-haired dogs can also thrive the most when living outdoors. Imagine wearing a thick fur coat and spending all day in your 70-degree house. Large, long-haired dogs have more than adequate protection against cold temperatures that we as humans would consider uncomfortable. Examples of long-haired dogs that thrive in colder climates are Siberian Huskies, Australian Shepherds, and Bernese Mountain Dogs.
As a matter of fact, almost any breed can thrive outdoors if you take the time to adequately prepare the outdoor environment for your dog. The issue isn’t so much whether or not your dogs are indoors or outdoors, but whether or not you can provide adequate socialization, training, and care. So what are the essential elements for keeping your dogs comfortable outside?
Essentials for Keeping Your Dogs Safe and Comfortable Outside
One of the most important elements of comfortable outdoor living for your dogs is an insulated dog kennel and run. The insulated dog kennel can recreate the environment in your home if you add a climate control feature. This includes a heat source in cold weather and a cooling source in hot weather. Your insulated dog kennel should be connected to a source of electricity to make these amenities possible. Be sure to find a dog kennel builder that offers an electrical option. If you have a building already and would like to add insulation yourself, here are some shed insulation tips.
An insulated dog kennel and run should also include shelter from the sun and rain and a clean floor area that is raised at least several inches from the ground. Your dogs should have a designated spot to relieve themselves. You should also be cleaning up after your dogs regularly. Food and water sources should be kept fresh and clean at all times.
In order to thrive in an outdoor environment, your dogs should have space to move around without being tied to a leash. The space doesn’t need to be very large, but your dogs should have frequent opportunities for exercise in a larger space where they can run and play under supervision.
Residential Insulated Dog Kennels and Runs
Commercial Insulated Dog Kennels and Runs
Besides the outdoor dog kennel and run, frequent socialization is one of the most important components of outdoor living. If the main reason for moving your dogs outside is that you don’t have time to care for your dogs, you should find a better home for them. Dogs are social animals that historically traveled in packs, so in the absence of other dogs, you have become the main social connection for your dogs. Outside dogs should not be deprived of social interaction, which is essential for maintaining the health of your dogs.
If you can provide the essentials listed above, almost any dog that you care for can thrive outside of your house. Insulated large dog kennels will allow you to recreate the environment in your house and the attached run allows your dog to move outside at will.
Is there a time when dogs should not be moved outside? The only time your dogs should be kept in your house is when you can’t provide adequate socialization for them when they’re outside, and you can’t provide safe and comfortable, quality dog kennels and run.
The question about whether or not your dogs can thrive outside is best answered by asking yourself the question: “Can I provide the care that my dogs need in an outdoor environment”? Your willingness to do that will determine whether or not your dogs will do well outside.
