So, you have a new four-footed member in the family! Dogs are our best friend as they bring so much of love, laughter and good times. It makes sense that you either build a nice dog house or buy one to give them a shelter to call their own. Whether you choose to build one or simply buy a den, it is important that you take exact measurements for the dog house size. In this article we will tell you how you can ensure that you have a perfectly sized dog house, not too big and not too small.
Why do you need the right size?
Getting the right size of dog house for your beloved pet may be more important that you think. The right size will provide comfort and security to your dog. If you buy a small house, then your dog will feel crammed and uncomfortable. He may not want to stay in. On the other hand, if you buy a large size then it won’t provide the required protection and warmth in the winter months. A very large house will not be effective for heat retention.
To get that ideal dog house for your pet, you need to ensure that it is just big enough for the dog to enter comfortably, turn around and rest. However, anything larger than the size of your dog is absolutely upon your discretion.
Now that you know that the right size is important for your dog house, spend some time to take the exact measurements. Spending a little time can bring about a lot of difference and save you from repenting later on.
How to take measurements for dog house?
To ensure that you buy a dog house with the correct size you need to take four different measurements when your dog is standing in a comfortable position.
First of all, you need to measure the complete length of the pet from his nose to the base of the tail. You don’t need to include the tail. This measurement is used to determine the width and depth of the inside of the dog house. The width and depth should be equal or almost close to this measurement.
Next, measure the full height of the dog from the toes to the top of his head. This size is used to measure the height of the house. While building a house or buying one, you must ensure that the height of the dog house is close to this measurement. The height may be twice the height of the dog if you want a taller house for your pet. Even if the house is tall, it may still provide heat retention for your pet during cold weather.
Take measurement of the shoulder height, starting from the ground to the front shoulder. This size ensures that the entrance of the dog house is good enough for your pet to enter comfortably. The height of the door should be at least 75 percent of the total shoulder height. As dogs have the habit of ducking down in order to enter the house through small openings, the door does not necessarily have to be equal to the dog’s shoulder height.
The fourth most important measurement is the width of your dog and in most breeds, this will be between the two front shoulders. The measurement helps in determining the correct width of the door opening to ensure that your dog comfortably enters the house. The door opening should ideally be one inch more than the accurate measurement.
If you live in a region that is extremely cold in winters, you must make sure that you don’t exceed the above two measurements more than 50%, unless there’s a provision for supplementary heat source inside the dog house.
Conclusion
If you are planning to buy a dog house from a vendor, make sure you get it from a trusted and reputed vendor who is able to guide you with the sizing. If you are planning to build a dog hose from scratch, then your job will be a little more involved. Based on the above measurements, you can make changes depending upon the climatic conditions of the place where you live and the breed of your dog.