How do you size your dog for the perfect dog house?

The most asked question by dog owners is by far..

“What size of doghouse is best for my dog”? 

Back in the old days, this questioin was answered by another question…”How much does your dog weigh”?  For some reason, as dog house experts answer generic questions with ambiguous answers.  Nevertheless, it has come to pass that the weight of a dog has very little to do with dog house sizing selection.

A good example of this is a Doberman Pincer.  His weight is around 50 to 60 pounds but he is thick in the chest and long legged, making dog house selection difficult..

The primary question that first needs to be adressed is door size.  It doesn’t matter how large or small the house is….the dog has to be able to comfortably enter through the door opening.

The first measurement that must be taken is the measurement of the dog’s chest size.  Measure from the top of his shoulder to the bottom of his chest.  Add one inch to this measurement and that is the minimal door height that your dog can utilize.  There are other factors to consider like age, arthritis and such but keep in mind….a coyote is nearly as tall as a labrodor retriever and the entrance to his den is normally a 10 inch hole.

The next consideration is the height of the door off the ground.  We’ll get into that tope tomorrow.

If you have any comments or questions please blog me.  I have been designing and building dog houses for twenty years and if I haven’t heard every question concerning dog houses then it simply isn’t worth talking about!!

The dog house doctor

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