Do-it-yourself heating of a dog house

If we decide to have animals at home, then we are obliged to take care of them. Cats live next to their owner. There are dog breeds that also live in the house. At the dacha, the dog is kept to guard the area and lives in its own separate room. How to protect your animal from freezing during the cold season? Our article contains information about the dog house heaters used.

To organize heating of the booth, it is necessary to bring the electrical network closer and install a closed socket.

Do I need to insulate a doghouse for the winter?

Many owners of four-legged pets wonder whether the dog’s kennel is cold in winter. There is no definite answer to the question - it all depends on the climatic characteristics of the region and the breed of the dog.

Dog handlers agree that long-haired, wire-haired and short-haired dogs with thick undercoat can withstand frosts down to -40°C. Some breeds, such as Huskies, Leonbergs, Moscow Watchdogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs, prefer to sleep in the snow and stay outside even when it gets cold.

However, whether a dog freezes in a kennel in winter depends not only on the breed, but also on the conditions in which the pet grew up. If he previously lived in an apartment, it will be difficult for him to spend the winter in a kennel without insulation. In a warm room, dogs shed more and lose their warming undercoat. It is necessary to adapt the animal's body to new living conditions gradually.

If the region is dominated by cold winters with long periods of sub-zero temperatures, then it is better not to risk the pet’s health and set up a warm dog house.

Following a number of rules will help create an insulated kennel and reduce heat loss from the structure:

It is better to locate the entrance to the pet’s home in a place where the likelihood of drafts is minimal.
It is advisable to use wood for the construction of walls - the material has low thermal conductivity.
The dog house should not be placed on bare ground. The structure must be placed on bricks or wooden beams. The air gap will protect the bottom from freezing.
A draft is worse than frost for dogs. Therefore, the hole must be curtained with a thick canopy. The material should be dense and weighted so as not to sway in the wind.
It is important to maintain the optimal size. The dog can warm the compact booth with his breath. However, in a structure that is too cramped, the animal's movements will be limited.

It is necessary to prevent leaks in the winter hut - eliminate all cracks in the roof and take care of waterproofing the roof even before insulation.

Use solar energy

If you don't want to run wires from your house to your dog house, you should use solar power. This will help save on energy costs and give your dog the energy he needs to stay warm. You only need a small array for the dog house. Additionally, smaller solar systems tend to be affordable and easy to install without requiring technical knowledge.

All you have to do is place the panels on the roof of the kennel and attach the inverter to the back of the house so it is not exposed and connect the heaters. You can also use solar panels without an inverter if you want to achieve the greenhouse effect. During the day, the sun's rays penetrate the dog house and raise its temperature, and it will remain relatively warm even after the sun goes down.

How to insulate a dog house with your own hands

Thermal insulation of a dog kennel is carried out using standard technology for insulating a living space. The method of installing insulation depends on the type of booth structure: collapsible or solid.

Wall insulation - choice of material and instructions

The walls of a collapsible model can be covered with a heat insulator from the inside or outside. If, when building a solid booth, you do not take care of insulation in advance, then the only option for improving the microclimate is external cladding.

The most popular “internal” insulation for a dog house:

Mineral wool. The weak side of the insulation is its susceptibility to moisture and low strength. Before sheathing the booth with mineral wool, it is necessary to cover the walls with film waterproofing. The insulation must be covered with a sheet of OSB or plywood on top so that the dog, while playing, does not destroy the insulation.
Felt is a natural, breathable, safe and affordable material. To insulate a doghouse with felt, you will need regular nails with heads. The heat insulator does not require additional finishing.
Roll insulation. Foamed polyethylene, polyethylene foam or penofol are fastened without sheathing.

To insulate a dog house from the outside, you will need polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.

Technology for insulating a doghouse with polystyrene foam:

Use wooden blocks to fill the sheathing around the perimeter of the kennel.
Cut the foam. The canvases should be 5-10 mm wider than the prepared cells - this will ensure tight fixation.
Install insulation into the frame.
Cover the foam with polyethylene. The protective layer will protect you from drafts, and the insulation will protect you from getting wet.
Finish with board. There is no point in postponing the work, as the foam is susceptible to UV rays and moisture.

Insulating a doghouse with polyurethane foam is an additional rather than a primary method. Foam is perfect for “blowing out” cracks and holes from the outside of the structure.

Floor insulation options

Installing a heated floor in a dog house involves laying insulation and bedding. Often, owners use only bedding material. This option is acceptable in warm regions, provided that the building is raised above the ground.

The procedure for insulating the bottom and floor with your own hands:

Turn the kennel upside down and treat it with an antiseptic impregnation to prevent the appearance of rot.
Cover the bottom with roofing felt.
Turn the booth over and line the floor with glassine. Lay the insulating material overlapping, forming sides about 10 cm high around the perimeter.
Before installing the insulation, it is advisable to install logs from bars.
Place mineral wool, penofol, expanded polystyrene or other heat insulator into the cells.
Use OSB boards or slabs as the finished floor.

Be sure to lay bedding on top. There are many options for what to put in your dog’s kennel in winter to ensure warmth and dryness.

Hay and straw. The easiest method is to put hay in the dog's kennel. This bedding will have to be shaken up and changed weekly, otherwise the hay will begin to cake and become damp.

Some dog breeders speak negatively about bedding made from hay and straw due to the high likelihood of the pet becoming infected with ticks or other parasites. There is a risk of infection with E. coli and salmonella. In order to suppress parasites, the bedding in the dog house is supplemented with herbs: wormwood, sage and thyme.

Mattresses and fabric bedding. A removable cover that can be washed can be sewn onto a warm blanket or pillow. The bedding is made from natural, dense fabrics - optimally wool. The disadvantage of the insulation method is the need for frequent drying.

It is better to choose sawdust for a dog’s kennel from cedar or pine. The material is soft, absorbs moisture well and repels fleas. You can partially replace sawdust.

Using a heated mat in a doghouse requires a 220V power supply. The heating temperature is adjustable in the range of 30-70 °C. Bedding is made from moisture-resistant fabric or PVC film.

Insulation and insulation of the entrance

The final stage of insulation is closing the hole. It is the entrance that is the main source of heat leakage. Without high-quality protection of this structural element, all previous actions are meaningless.

How to close the entrance to a doghouse for the winter? To solve this issue, curtains and curtains made of tarpaulin, rubber and thick woven materials are usually used.

To make your own curtains for manholes you will need:

a piece of dense fabric (worn flannelette blanket, felt);
wooden slats;
nails or screws;
scissors;
hammer.

Pros and cons of an insulated dog house

But let’s return to our topic and see what happened to our booth during the winter season, let’s look at all its pros and cons

The first thing we noticed was that it turned out to be a good “thermos”, the heat losses of which turned out to be minimal. And the dog perfectly compensated for these minor losses with the warmth of his body (well, the puppies also helped a little)

Back then, no one thought about installing heating in a doghouse. Moreover, they did it in the fall in relative haste, so they didn’t even line the foam interior with anything. For this, you could use anything: plywood, boards, osb or mdf boards, and other materials. And this is what happened as a result.

We see that the insulation in places of intense contact and constant friction of animals has crumbled. And the puppies also contributed when they bit off or scratched out pieces during their games. Therefore, to ensure durability, it is advisable to hide even such dense insulation as penoplex from dog claws and teeth. And in those places where contact between dogs and the material was absent or minimal (for example, on the ceiling), penoplex looks like new.

But in the summer we learned that our wonderful booth had a significant drawback. Pepsi gave birth again this summer. And in this litter there were already six beautiful puppies.

The sultry heat turned the warm booth into a real sauna. After all, in addition to the entrance, it turned out to be absolutely sealed and did not even have any cracks for the flow of fresh air. The situation was saved by the fact that the design of the booth included a roof that could be raised. This allowed for a slight draft, but it was still quite hot throughout the summer.

The conclusion suggests itself is that when designing an all-season booth, it is imperative to provide removable insulation. The same penoplex can be removed from the walls, and the roof can be raised for ventilation. As an option, you can make a booth for your pets in an enclosure or a booth with an open, uninsulated veranda and an opening roof (as in the picture below).

Such a booth will provide excellent protection from the sun and provide a draft.

In our case, too, everything ended well. The puppies, like Pepsi, escaped the heat in the coolness under the garage, almost without going into the kennel. They have grown up well and today all six are in the good hands of their new owners.

Heating a dog house

Heaters that provide high-quality and safe heating for a dog house must meet a number of requirements: quiet operation, durability, low-temperature operation and heating efficiency. To a certain extent, panel heaters, film thermal insulation and cable heated floors have the declared parameters.

Panel heater

The most popular and easiest to implement DIY heating method is installing a panel heater. Electric infrared panels allow you to maintain optimal temperatures inside a dog’s home without special expenses for electricity and insulation.

Distinctive features of using a panel heater in a dog house:

quiet operation;
compactness of the equipment - the standard thickness of the heating model is 2 cm;
heating temperature no more than +50 °C - thanks to moderate heating, the air is not “burned” and there is no need to cover the device with a protective wooden grille;
ease of installation - the panel is fixed to the surface with self-tapping screws;
resistance to wet environments – degree of moisture protection IP66;
The presence of fire-fighting characteristics allows the heater to be operated around the clock without monitoring the kennel.

An infrared heater for insulating a dog house operates on the principle of thermal radiation - objects are first heated, which in turn transfer heat to the air.

High-tech models are equipped with a thermostat placed inside a protective metal box with a lock.

Film thermal insulation

Infrared film is an ultra-thin heater whose operation is based on the radiation of infrared waves. The heating element distributes heat evenly, preventing the animal from overheating.

A low-temperature film heater, regardless of the manufacturer, consists of three elements:

Heating element – converts electrical energy into thermal energy.
Foil – promotes uniform distribution of heat over the entire surface to be covered.
Laminated double-sided PET film - provides insulation and protects internal system components from mechanical damage.

A warm heated dog house made from IR film has a number of advantages:

economical energy consumption;
“healthy heating” - the length of the infrared radiation of the film coincides with the wavelength emitted by animals, which increases the immune functions of the animal’s body;
high level of heat transfer - due to the uniform distribution of energy there are no “cold zones”;
Heating foil for dog houses does not change the air humidity.

The main disadvantages of the systems: the high cost of insulation and the complexity of installation. The installation technology involves covering the film heater with a protective coating.

The entire DIY installation process can be divided into several stages:

Surface preparation. It is necessary to level the wall - this is an important condition for uniform heating and uninterrupted operation. It is advisable to insulate the surface before installing the IR film to reduce heat loss.
Film preparation. Cut the material. The incision is made strictly along the marked lines. Subsequently, the sections will be combined into a single “warm carpet”.
Installation of film heat insulator:

plan the layout taking into account that the copper bars are directed towards the rough surface;
remove 1 cm of insulation from the supply wires and attach the terminal;
attach the films with tape to the wall, connect and crimp the contacts with pliers;
Cover the joints of the wires with insulation.

After installing the thermostat and temperature sensor, cover the walls with plasterboard or OSB boards.

Cable heated floor

An interesting option for creating a heater with your own hands is laying heating cables.

To create a homemade heating and insulation system you need to prepare:

thick plywood;
wooden beams;
thermostat;
heating wire (power 80 W);
silicone sealant;
steel wire;
scotch;
sand.

The following tools will be useful: a jigsaw, a drill, self-tapping screws, nails and a hammer.

"Heated floor" assembly technology:

According to the size of the kennel, cut two rectangular sheets from plywood. This will be the top and base of the floor.
Nail wooden blocks to the bottom. The prepared frame should easily accommodate the thermostat.

Place the finished structure in the dog’s home, connect the cable and lay a rug for the pet.

Alternative heating

In search of an alternative method of heating and insulating with their own hands, some owners resort to bold, but not always effective methods:

Heating a doghouse with a light bulb. An IR heating lamp is able to raise the temperature to the desired level. However, the animal runs the risk of overheating or being burned by a hot device. The minimum distance from the lamp to the dog should be 50 cm, but with the standard dimensions of the kennel this is difficult to achieve.
Autonomous booth heater. As a rule, devices operate on batteries. Some models are heating pads with filling that retains heat for a long time. In order for the heater to work and accumulate heat, it is preheated. A battery-powered heating pad can be used in a dog house as an addition to the main heating system.

If you want to carry out insulation and organize heating for your beloved pet’s booth, you can do it yourself, spending a minimum of money on the work. The technologies of various methods are quite simple and can be implemented within one to two days.

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Last very frosty winter, our yard dog decided to move from the kennel to the garage, closer to the stove-stove. But at night she still has to go to “work”; she’s a security guard, after all, despite his 14 years and short hair.

Pity for the poor old animal haunted me for a whole month. I decided to install a small, low-power heater in her kennel. But which one exactly - an oil heating cable, install an old glosser or photo flashlight, hang a light bulb in a vertical iron pipe? However, these options disappeared at the deliberation stage: either it was expensive, or there was no material, or it was flammable.

Basic requirements for thermal insulation of a kennel

First, you need to understand one important point: we are talking about a creature that is guided, first of all, by its own instincts. It is impossible to explain to him what can and cannot be done. Therefore, you need to follow certain requirements.

The walls of an insulated kennel should not be such that they can be easily damaged.

It is better to give preference to natural heat insulators that emit a minimal amount of harmful substances into the atmosphere.

A great idea is to arrange a canopy. It is important that it is very durable, because the dog will most likely want to play with it. Vinyl or regular tarpaulin most likely will not be able to hold out for long (more details about the canopy in the next paragraph of the article).

Finally, the insulation should be properly insulated from the interior of the kennel. Mineral wool, for example, irritates the human respiratory system, and there’s nothing even to say about a dog’s sensitive sense of smell.

Now let’s find out how to insulate a dog house and what materials to use for this.

Installing a curtain (canopy) in a kennel

The hole in the kennel should be protected from the penetration of precipitation - this will require a special curtain. Often, tarpaulin or rubber is used to make it. Also, the curtain should be weighted somewhat so that it does not flutter from the wind. You can, for example, sew small pockets to the bottom of it and pour sand into them.

By the way, today ready-made canopies or curtains are also sold; they can be found in many specialized stores.

How to insulate a frame house

Previously, we talked about several options for insulating a frame house and described the entire process in detail; in addition to this article, we advise you to read this information and read about it here

Choosing insulation for a dog house

When choosing a particular insulating material, you should be guided, first of all, by what the booth itself is made of (it can be slabs, wood, and so on). Let's consider the possible options.

Option #1. Minvata

This is perhaps the most popular insulating material today, which, however, should be used with extreme care to insulate a kennel. This is explained by the fact that the dog can destroy the insulating layer, causing it to lose its original characteristics. Moreover, this can harm the health of the animal itself. Finally, due to the small size of the dog house, the isolation procedure will be troublesome and time-consuming.

However, if you still prefer mineral wool, then use it in accordance with the following requirements.

Never use glass wool.
The insulating layer must be waterproofed.
Finally, there must be cladding, no matter what the exterior/interior decoration is.

Option #2. Styrofoam

An excellent thermal insulator for use in a kennel. First of all, its thermal insulation parameters are no worse, and in some cases even better, than those of mineral wool. In addition, foam plastic is not so susceptible to external influences, therefore, it does not need waterproofing in principle.

If you like polystyrene foam for insulating a booth, then you should know what types there are. Here they are:

penoplex;
expanded polystyrene.

Although the dog, be that as it may, will gnaw and scratch the heat insulator, which means that it will still have to be covered with something.

Option #3. Roll type heat insulators

Another option suitable for insulating a kennel is rolled thermal insulation materials. This could be, for example, ordinary polyethylene, which is quite easy to attach to the surface even with a stapler (although there are also modifications of the film that are already on an adhesive base). Penofol has similar characteristics.

All of these materials have excellent thermal insulation properties, but, again, they require additional cladding.

Option number 4. Felt

This is a material of natural origin, characterized by safety and an affordable price. In a word, this is an ideal option for a kennel.

We also note that it is vapor-tight, which means that moisture will not accumulate (the booth will always be dry). It is not blown by the wind. Finally, it does not need to be covered with anything, and ordinary nails can be used for fixation (the main thing is that the heads are large).

Video - Thermal insulation of a pet booth

Instructions for insulating the booth

Now let's talk directly about how to insulate a doghouse. The procedure consists of several stages; let’s look at each of them in more detail.

Stage No. 1. Bottom and floor of the kennel

Step one. First, the floor is insulated and the bottom is protected. For this purpose, the structure is turned upside down, all surfaces are treated with a special substance (it will protect them from destruction) and covered with roofing felt (the latter, by the way, can be secured with wooden blocks). So, the external floor protection in the kennel is ready.

Step two. The booth is turned back over and the insulation procedure continues. First, the floor is covered with a waterproofing film (as an option, you can use the same roofing material for this). The material is laid with slight overlap to avoid the appearance of cracks. The joints are shot with a mounting stapler. It is also advisable that the film be extended a few centimeters onto the walls.

Step three. After this, a layer of insulation is laid, which, in turn, needs to be covered. If you are using a soft heat insulator or a large volume, then it is preferable to fill some miniature analogue of logs from the bars so that you can build a finished floor.

Step four. The finishing floor is being laid. It can be constructed from pre-processed boards or, alternatively, plywood or OSB boards.

Step five. It is also advisable to carry out additional insulation work that will protect the kennel from freezing or leaking. Where the structure will be installed, a hole 20 centimeters deep is dug along its perimeter, an expanded clay or gravel “cushion” is poured into it, and an insulating layer (roofing felt or ordinary film) is laid on top with a slight approach to the surface. If insulation is carried out from the outside, the film is hemmed under the facing material. When installing the kennel on this type of base, freezing of the floor, as well as the flow of moisture inside, is minimized.

Stage No. 2. Wall construction

Let’s immediately make a reservation that the procedure for insulating walls depends on the specific material that is used for this. Simply put, you need to act in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Below is just a brief step-by-step instruction.

Step one. The walls are cleaned and treated.

Step two. If necessary, a waterproofing layer is laid.

Step three. Insulation material is installed.

Step four. If necessary, additional vapor barrier material is attached.

Step five. The walls are finished (if required by the type of heat insulator used).

Note! The main condition for thermal insulation of a dog kennel is the following: it is unacceptable to have blown areas in the structure, as well as for moisture to penetrate inside.

Stage No. 3. Ceiling, roof

A ceiling-roof (that is, a single structure, in one design) is suitable for a kennel, which will be located under a canopy in a special enclosure (where water cannot leak), if not, then it is preferable to build a pitched roof for the kennel, but it is mandatory removable type order. This is one of the mandatory points on how to insulate a dog house.

A kind of “attic” of the roof is insulated in the same way that the floor was insulated. First, a polyethylene film is attached for waterproofing, followed by insulation material. An important point: here the insulation installed in the roof does not need to be protected, since the dog will not have access to it in principle. It is also recommended to protect the internal slopes from water and wind - cover them with insulation or insulation around the perimeter.

Film heaters for booths

More recently, film booth heaters operating on the basis of far infrared radiation have appeared on the market. The main advantage of using such heaters is that they heat up evenly over the entire area to a temperature of + 60 degrees. Long-wave radiation of the infrared spectrum is as close as possible to the natural radiation of the animal’s body. Your four-legged friend will not only be warm, but will also receive a wonderful effect - an excellent immune system.

The conductor strips in the ultrafine system are connected to each other in parallel. If one or more strips are damaged, the heating system still works. Due to the high thermal conductivity of the carbon used and the maximum heat transfer of the film, these heaters are the most economical devices.

Before you start setting up a dog house outside, you should take into account the climate of the country. Not every breed is suitable for living outdoors. Even if the dog is adapted to harsh winters, its kennel must be insulated. Another important point for the safe living of a dog in a kennel is its bedding.

There are general tips for choosing and arranging bedding for your four-legged friend:

It is necessary that the bedding matches the size of the dog.

How and with what to insulate a dog house for the winter: materials, tools and brief instructions

To do this, you need to know the height and length of the dog. Height is measured from the front foot to the top of the head, and the distance from the nose to the tail of the dog will be its length. If the bedding is too close in size, it will be very uncomfortable for your pet to sleep, as it will not fit and will partially lie on the floor. It is also possible that the dog will generally pull the bedding out of the kennel and refuse to sleep on it; It is desirable that the bedding be made of a material that can be easily washed, cleaned of hair and dust, and that reflects the dog’s body temperature.

Chemicals must not be used due to the high sensitivity of dogs' sense of smell;

The threads and material for the bedding must be dense and wear-resistant so that your four-legged friend cannot tear it;
You cannot decorate the litter with ribbons, ribbons, bows and beads. Most likely, the dog will tear off the jewelry on the first day. You can decorate the litter with a sewn applique;
For dogs with short hair, soft bedding is more suitable to avoid scuff marks on the fur.

Fix any spaces

To ensure your dog house is properly insulated, you need to seal all the cracks in the dog house. One of the best materials is foam, but you can use any material that will seal the gaps to improve the warmth in your dog house. If there are crevices that your dog can easily reach, be sure to use wood or other materials that are less tempting to chew. This is important because foam is a potential choking hazard.

Materials used for bedding

For optimal conditions for keeping your four-legged friend outdoors, it is necessary to build a good quality enclosure or kennel, taking into account all the physiological characteristics and needs of the dog. The building must be reliably insulated. It is also necessary to equip a special place where bedding material will be stored. There should be no moisture or rodents there. You also need to think about a place suitable for feeding your pet. It should not be in the open air. When all this is prepared, you need to think about the material for the bedding.

A dog that lives in a kennel needs good bedding. It should not only be warm, but also soft, comfortable and safe for health. Not all materials meet these requirements.

All materials that can be used as bedding have their own nuances, features, positive and negative sides. However, no matter what you choose, the main condition should be the dryness of the litter. If your pet has a thick undercoat, then she will be able to withstand severe frosts.

There are dogs that do not need bedding at all. They just pull it out of the box, regardless of the material from which it is made. But constant drafts, moisture and dampness can cause irreparable harm to a dog’s health.

So, what can you put on the floor of a dog's kennel? Most often used:

Straw and hay;

Mattresses and other fabric bedding;

Wood shavings and sawdust;

Buckwheat husk.

Insulation

Today there are easily insulated or heated dog houses that are quite economically priced. However, you can still insulate your current dog house. It is best to insulate dog houses made of plastic or wood. You need to insulate your kennel with materials that will trap heat inside and prevent it from escaping, such as foam.

To insulate a kennel, you need to cover the roof frames, wall frames, floor joints, and even the door with 1-inch thickness or apply foam or boards. You should also carpet the dog house floor because the ground tends to be the coldest area. While foam insulation is perfectly safe, non-toxic, and easy to install, it is also soundproof and expensive. Using a rug to cover the inside of the dog house can be a cheaper alternative, but is less effective.

Hay and straw

If your four-legged friend lives in outdoor conditions, then it is highly undesirable for him to use hay or straw as bedding. There is a high chance that your pet will become infected with parasites such as fleas and ticks. In addition, all organic litter is characterized by the presence of enterobacteria: intestinal bacteria, salmonella. Also in straw and hay there are intestinal eels, which cause a wide variety of diseases in dogs. Another significant disadvantage of these materials is that they cannot be disinfected.

However, despite all the dangers and warnings, many owners like to use hay and straw as bedding. They motivate this by the fact that these materials are environmentally friendly, have a pleasant smell and retain heat well.

To prepare hay for bedding, care must be taken not to overdry it. It must be shaken periodically to prevent the hay from becoming rotten. To prevent infection by parasites, it is necessary to regularly, every week, make new bedding with the addition of herbs that have antiparasitic properties: thyme, sage, wormwood. The litter must be shaken every day.

Mattresses and other fabric bedding

You can use an old blanket, mattress, towel or pillow as a soft, warm, comfortable and tear-resistant bedding. It is very convenient to buy or make a removable cover for such a bedding that can be washed. The material for the cover must be very dense and not tearable so that the dog cannot chew it and eat feathers, cotton wool or other filler. The edges of a flannelette blanket need to be trimmed.

Bedding made from an old blanket, bedspread or sweater is the most comfortable bedding for pregnant bitches and newborn puppies, as it can be easily washed and disinfected. But you should carefully ensure that there are no holes, protruding threads, zippers or buttons. It is advisable to give preference to natural fabrics, especially wool.

The disadvantage of such a bedding is that it is not entirely practical, as it tends to get wet. It must be dried and ventilated frequently. In addition, some owners complain that their dog pulls out the fabric bedding and tears it to shreds.

Sawdust

The best option for bedding for a dog that lives in an enclosure is pine or cedar sawdust. They are environmentally friendly, easy to recycle, easy to find on sale, and quick to replace. The sawdust is quite soft and very pleasant for your pet to lie on. The filler has a very pleasant and aromatic cedar smell. Another advantage is that sawdust absorbs moisture and unpleasant odors well, and also repels fleas and ticks. When removing sawdust, you can only change the most contaminated part of the material.

However, this material also has its drawbacks. Sawdust must be constantly loosened, as it tends to sag quickly. The next disadvantage is that this material often gets into the animal’s eyes, thus causing conjunctivitis and eye injuries. To avoid such problems, it is necessary to use large sawdust and regularly check your pet's eyes and ears.

You should be extremely careful when purchasing sawdust, as sometimes unscrupulous sellers add wood waste, which contains parasites, to the sawdust. Sometimes they contain enterobacteria that penetrate the trees even before they are processed. It is necessary to buy sawdust only from trusted companies. But still, sawdust is not recommended as bedding for pregnant bitches and puppies. If there is an infection in the bedding material, it will most likely get into the dog's nipples and vagina, causing an infection in the body. Infection of babies occurs through the mother's umbilical cord. They often die before diagnosis is made.

A fisherman's dream

Fishing video | Winter fishing | A fisherman's dream

We present to your attention a video on the topic: “DIY winter fishing booth, drawings.” There is something new and educational for every fishing enthusiast. This video may well become a source of interesting solutions in matters of fishing and everything connected with it.

Dogs are man's faithful friends. They help us hunt, graze livestock, protect private property and our lives, and participate in search operations. Therefore, it is the duty of every diligent owner to take care of the health of his pet and provide him with comfortable living conditions. This kind of care is especially relevant for animals living in a booth all year round.

Construction of a booth: main aspects

The general principles of building a comfortable and convenient booth are known, and anyone can get similar information on the Internet on numerous sites and forums. Therefore, we will not dwell on these aspects; we will consider the issue of thermal insulation and heat supply to the building during the cold season.

When building a dog kennel, even at the design stage, you should carefully consider the dimensions of the structure. The booth should not be too cramped for the future tenant, but it should not be too spacious either. The main source of heat in an unheated dog's home is the animal's own breath and body temperature. Just imagine, if the room is 2-3 times larger than the size of the dog, how much energy will have to be spent on heating it. Naturally, if you initially plan to place a puppy in a kennel, then the structure must be made “for growth” so that an adult dog feels comfortable in it.

The second point that you should pay attention to is the insulation and waterproofing of housing for animals. The walls and floor of the room must be insulated. Firstly, in winter, it will protect the dog from hypothermia and significant heat losses, and secondly, in summer, on the contrary, it will protect our guard from overheating. Stone and mineral wool, polystyrene foam, and ecowool can be used as thermal insulation material.

Warm heated dog house

quote: the booth is good, but what about the floor? Will the dog get sick or not? is there anyone who did it?

There is no need for heating in the booth - none. neither on the wall nor under the floor. This is bad for the dog's health. I don’t have this practice, but in all the books they write that the dog’s place should be away from heating devices and not in drafts. Temperature changes have a bad effect. But many of my friends have experience (repeatedly) of keeping chickens in an enclosure. All the descendants of my male dogs were kept in the yard since childhood. This is the mentality of villagers - they won’t let a dog into the house. The booth should be very warm, with foam, etc. Do not put any rags inside. The rags become damp and the dog throws them away. not because it’s hot, but because it’s damp. Hang a tarpaulin (for example) at the entrance to the booth to prevent the wind from blowing. You can also have a booth with a vestibule (as in the example above). In winter, don’t lock the enclosure—don’t limit its walking, let it wander. And one more thing - the dog is transferred to an kennel in the spring. Over the summer, having shed, in the fall (towards winter), with a gradual daily decrease in temperature, the undercoat grows - the Kurts have a very dense one, similar to batting - and the dog successfully winters in the kennel. And you translate in late autumn - the dogs may freeze.

if we are talking about a booth, then there must be a separate vestibule and no drafts. It is imperative to consider the issue of ventilation - you should not lock the dog in an unventilated space. As for heating, it’s a must. The chicken will not withstand temperatures of -20 on its own heating, I’m not even talking about temperatures higher. The temperature in the booth should be no more than +15, so thermostats with sensors will help you (quality things cost good money). When the dog spends significant time in the kennel, it breathes and additionally heats up, the temperature rises significantly. Jumping from +25 straight to -25 is harmful for the dog. In addition, it is desirable that the vestibule also have some heating - the dog itself will choose where to sit at the moment - either in the warmest room, or choose a cooler one. As for the material inside the booth, the wood absorbs the smell very strongly, and there will definitely be one, this is a dog, so think 100 times whether to save a penny or just do it right away for many years and not have any problems.

Then I saw an original heating solution - a heated film floor was turned into warm walls and a warm ceiling with separation into zones when connected. But this is already a perversion and a strong reinsurance, because heat rises from bottom to top and accumulates at the top, i.e. where there are no dogs. All these bells and whistles a la “good warmth” are not our option, because... It does not heat effectively, plus there is every chance that the dog will chew it off at some point. Laminate is perfect for finishing the inside of the booth; it does not absorb odor and is easy to clean, plus it can be quickly replaced at any time and is not expensive. Treating the inside of the wood with chemicals, as you understand, is not suitable. It is also advisable to spend money on the entrance hole and buy, for example, Ferplast gates (2,500 rubles). A dog can also chew tarpaulins and other rags, and if it’s young, it will chew it 100%. And keep in mind that you are building a kennel for a short-haired dog, on a budget, as you can’t get away with for a husky or a shepherd dog.

quote: As for heating, it’s a must. The chicken will not withstand temperatures of -20 on its own heating, I’m not even talking about temperatures higher.

They can withstand it easily - it has been confirmed repeatedly by two generations of Kurdish people. I myself am against kennel keeping - my dogs are (all) apartment dogs. But those who took puppies from my chickens have a different opinion. The dogs were kept outdoors ONLY - all in kennels. But not in enclosures, but in flight around the yard. Warm kennels, plentiful high-calorie food (during the cold season), unlimited movement and everyone lived to an old age. A female under 12 years old (got a cold in the November water and not treated in time), a male under 11 years old (hunting accident), another male under 13 years old. died of natural causes. These are the ones I constantly saw on hunts. I don’t know how long the others lived. But I repeat - the puppies were immediately placed in a kennel in the spring. The undercoat grows the same as that of short-haired mongrels, and gradually even the belly becomes overgrown. It’s not worth taking risks before winter; a dog without an underwear is practically naked, and the fur doesn’t provide warmth—it’s the undercoat that does.

Installation of heated floors

The booth is ready, but you can make it even more comfortable. To do this, it is worth installing an additional heating system inside the pet’s house. Modern heaters from the electric “warm floor” series are ideal for this:

Naturally, the simplest option is an electric heated mat. Its installation will not take much time - just place the device on the bottom of the booth. However, the rug also has its drawbacks. Mobile heated floors are available in standard sizes, which may not coincide with the dimensions of the booth. When fixing such a device, certain difficulties may arise, since you do not know the exact location of the heating elements inside the product.

If the dog kennel is planned not for one season, but for a long time, it is better to use stationary heated floors, implemented using infrared film or a heating cable. To do this, the above products must be laid on the floor according to the instructions. Be sure to provide space for installing the temperature sensor and thermostat.

After installation, it is necessary to limit the animal’s access to the heaters. This will not only save the heated floor from damage, but also protect the life of your pet. To do this, it is enough to install a finishing floor covering on top of the heaters, for example, a sheet of plywood, fiberboard, chipboard. And you can rest assured that the dog will be warm and safe even in harsh winter conditions.

Warm heated dog house

Many owners, due to lack of space, allergies or the presence of other animals, simply cannot afford to live with a dog in the same house. In order to avoid remorse or other worries, you just need to provide the dog with a decent living on the street. This is very easy to do - you just need to have a good quality booth.

Modern architects, designers and caring owners have made sure that your dog has a home no worse than yours. All kinds of variations of material, shape, insulation, design, etc. But in addition to external improvements, people also made sure that the dog was warm and comfortable, regardless of external circumstances. One of the know-hows of dog housing is a kennel with heated floors ! Did not hear? Then we will tell you now!

Warm floor in the booth

is a modern solution for caring and loving owners. It comes in several types:

infrared film heaters;

mobile warm mat.

Today we will talk about an infrared film heater, since it is one of the most popular, cheapest and safest means for heating the floor.

What is an infrared film heater?

Infrared Film Heaters

They look like a thin plastic plate on which there are strips of a heating element. A simple design is installed under the floor of the dog house - an infrared heating system. The remaining elements of the system: heating element, wires, temperature sensor are neatly and safely hidden behind the floorboard, and are also additionally protected with film. Also, if desired, you can attach reflective material to the heating element to reduce heat transfer, followed by heat-insulating material. This system is connected to the electrical network using a conventional “plug” switch. The heated floor is equipped with a temperature sensor and thermostat.

Infrared Film Heaters

— are convenient in that heating occurs directly inside the booth. They evenly distribute warm wave flows providing warmth and comfort throughout the entire booth in the same quantity. The main advantage of such heating is that it is absolutely safe for your animal. Also, infrared heat has a beneficial effect on the dog, because it strengthens its immunity, which is so necessary in the cold seasons.

The main advantages of this type of heating:

the price is absolutely affordable and acceptable;

ease of installation;

safety – will not harm your dog’s health;

reliability - in case of damage, not the entire structure fails, but only a certain area;

the degree of heat is at a safe level (up to 40 degrees), which cannot harm the dog in any way, but will only give it natural comfort and a favorable temperature;

So, to summarize, we can safely say that heated floors in a booth are affordable and practical. To ensure that your dog is not afraid of any bad weather, install a heated floor made of infrared film heater in the booth. This type of heating is not capable of harming the pet’s health; on the contrary, it is also useful. Remember: love manifests itself in caring! Take care of your four-legged friend - provide him with warmth and comfort, and he will definitely repay you with his loyalty and long service.

Features of installing heating for a dog house

Although the heating system for a dog house is most often called a warm floor, dog handlers recommend not installing it under the floor, since the animals themselves warm themselves well under themselves and additional heat can upset their temperature balance. It is best to mount it under the roof, but if the roof is removable, then on one of the side walls.