The Proper Dog House
A must
If your dog doesn't live inside the
house and sleeps in the exterior, he must have a protected space where
he can be safe from cold, wind, and rain among other factors. This
way, unless you already have a safe and protected place which your
dog can use as his dog house, you must either buy or build one for
him.
Aspects to consider
There several aspects to have in mind
at the time of buying or building a dog house. One of the most obvious
but often misunderstood aspects is the house size. The size of your
dog's house must be big enough for your dog to stand in it with some
spare space between his head and the roof as well as it must be wide
enough for him to turn in it. At the same time, you should be careful
not to choose a house too big for him since it wouldn't protect him
appropriately from cold. This way, if your dog hasn’t reach his adult
size yet, you should find out which this size will be in order to
buy or build a house which fits him properly, or otherwise you would
need to buy a new one once he grows.
Another important aspect you should
consider at the time of choosing a dog house is the geographical location
where the dog lives. If the dog lives in a place in which he might
experience very low temperatures, the dog house should be built with
a much thicker and stronger material than if it is a geographical
area where temperatures are rather high year around.
Using it
Sometimes it might not be easy to help a dog understand that the
dog house is where he should sleep. If your dog doesn't want to go
into his house or sleep in it, you can help him understand that it
is his own and friendly space by placing his food into it. Besides
this, you can also place his toys in this house and congratulate him
when he enters in order to help him connect that space with nice things.