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Dog Forum - General Dog Topics

Puppy age
What is the right age to select a puppy?"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they w...

Paper training
Did you have any experience with paper training?

Re: Hello
Quote from: SageMother on September 24, 2007, 06:02:28 PMI am Sage and live in Colorado. I used ...

New Cute Dog Pictures Site
I started a new site where you guys can post photos of your dogs. here http://www.cutedogbreeds.c...

Re: drooling dogs
We have a Bloodhound puppy, she's about 6 1/2 months old. In the last few days she's been drooli...

Where did you get yours?
Where did you get your puppy?In some places, it's illegal now to even have puppies, because they ...

Re: Dry Skin
Don't wash him too often or it'll take the natural oils out. My dog has the same problem and i us...

Re: drooling dogs
I have a french bulldog and while he doesn't drool usually, he sometimes gets something stuck in ...

Re: Suggested Feedings
I don't even read the suggested diets anymore. Sometimes they seem accurate, but other times comp...

Re: Training session
Maybe controlling her diet will make her less tired? Try to ration out her meals so that you feed...

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Free Dog House Plans & Dog Kennels

Essential Criteria

When coming up with plans for your dog kennels , take the following points into consideration:-

Size of the dog house - Create a kennel which will comfortably house the dog. If you make a very large house, during the cold season the dog won't generate enough body heat to warm it. Design a house which will allow the dog to walk in, turn around inside and stretch out completely. It is recommended that the kennel be more than 1.5 times the dog's height at the withers in all three dimensions.
Make the dog safe from the elements - Be sure water, wind and rain can't enter.
Build kennels away from disturbances from other people.
Space may be added for other activities, such as training or grooming
Plans to evacuate the pets need to be in place in case of disasters such as fire or floods.
Build kennels that will be easy and cost-effective to maintain in the long run.
Use dog safe material when building the kennel. Make the floor, frame and walls from untreated woods (eg softwood & plywood). Do not use wood which is pressure treated (contains preservatives that can be toxic to your dog) in these areas. Pressure-treated wood main advantage is that it can withstand the elements so if you decide to use it ensure you don't use it in areas where the dog is likely to come into contact with. Also, the materials should be able to protect the dog from temperature changes and be easily dismantled and disinfected.

If your kennel has a flat roof then your dog will most probably spend a lot of time on top of it. This becomes a favorite spot for your dogs where they can easily satisfy their curiosity. A retractable roof provides a shady area by reflecting part of the sun rays in the case of extreme heat. Aluminum roofing is an excellent choice for warm climates since it reflects the heat and light of the sun in summer and reduces radiated heat. Other options include fiberglass or plastic sheets and retractable blinds which are rather expensive.

In the sleeping area, disposable material should be used which must be soft, absorbent, provide insulation and not cause intestinal blockages if swallowed by the dog. You have the option of using either sawdust, straw bedding or newsprint. Straw bedding is known to cause allergic reactions if inhaled. Also this type of material is considered a fire hazard. Sawdust is known to provide excellent insulating qualities and can be easily be disposed off by burning.

Rubber mats are considered to be the best economical choice since they are easy to clean and disinfect.

For free dog house plans and dog kennels designs please read these two excellent articles below:-