Okay I want a new dog house but what size do I need?

There are several obvious considerations when selecting the right size house for your dog. You will need to consider the height of your dog for the door opening; they need to clear the door when they enter, however it is wise to have the entry as small as possible to help retain heat in the winter or to keep the house cooler in the summer. So if the entry is approximately three fourths of the length (shoulder to ground) of your dog they can enter comfortably. However this is a guideline you know your dog better than anyone. If your dog is elderly “ducking” (as most dogs do while entering a door) may be difficult and should be taken into consideration.

The next consideration is the width and the length for your dog, again breeds vary as does each dog. Your dog needs to be able to enter the dog house and turn around. Is your dog overweight? If so that needs to be taken into consideration. A guideline that can be used is not having the house more than 25% bigger than your dog. So if your dog is 20 inches in length (nose to flank not including tail) then you may consider a house 25 inches in length & 25 inches in width or a little larger. Again this is a guideline. If you are in a warm climate year round having the house a bit larger is not a problem. On the other hand an oversized house in a harsh winter climate is going to be hard to retain heat. If you can’t decide, or if you think your dog is in-between sizes it is wise to go to the next size larger, look at it this way if you were buying a mattress would you want your feet hanging over the end?

Next consideration is the height of the dog house. The 25% guideline applies here as well so if your dog stands 20 inches from head to toes your house should be approximately 25 inches tall or a little larger. It is not a problem if the height is more than 25% as long as it does not exceed 50% of your dog’s height.

So there you have some guidelines, if you are still confused watch your dog and the next time they are stretched out on the floor take note of the space they need to be comfortable get a tape measure and measure that area.