Does Your Outdoor Dog House Model Ensure Your Pet’s Physical Safety?
Make no mistake about it. The moment you decide to put your dog outside, you are going to be involving mother nature. There’s really no two ways around it. I know you’re probably in denial. I know you probably would rather not think about it but this is the absolute truth. Your dog will be in contact with the elements and all sorts of things can go wrong.
We’re not just talking about snow storms, blizzards, hail or rainstorms. We are also talking about heat and uncomfortable humidity. Your dog, for all practical purposes, is going to have to take punishment outdoors. Now, I don’t mean to lay a guilt trip on you but this is the absolute truth. I know that you probably don’t have a choice. Indeed, most pet owners if given a choice, would keep their dogs indoors.
However, for a wide variety of reasons, may they be financial, legal or practical purposes, you might not be able to keep your pet indoors. This is why I need you to focus on maximizing on your pet’s physical safety and well-being when it comes to your outdoor dog house model.
This is a big choice because your choice will determine how safe your pet will be for a long time to come. Unless you’re extremely loaded and you can spend tons of dollars swapping from one outdoor dog house model after another, you’re going to be stuck with your purchase for at least a few years.
To top it off, your pet will be relying on your choice. This is why it’s crucial that you make a truly informed decision. The good news is you only need to consider the following factors to increase the likelihood of making the right call.
Pay Attention To Your Pet’s Size
The first consideration you should keep in mind is the size of your pet. The outdoor dog house you pick for a St. Bernard will necessarily be different from your choice for a Pomeranian or a Boston Terrier. Pet size goes a long way, but you also need to factor in the temperament of your pet. If you are a Chihuahua owner, you know that it packs a lot of energy for such a compact size.
If you own an English Bulldog, on the other hand, you know that your pet can be quite mellow regardless of its medium size. So don’t get too caught up in the size of your pet. It is not dispositive. You also have to factor in your pet’s temperament and most importantly specific personality.
For example, while Chihuahuas on average tend to be high energy pets, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all Chihuahua’s behave the same way. You may have locked out and you might have a very mellow Chihuahua. Still, factor in your pet’s size and temperament when choosing different outdoor dog house models.
A Little Cover Goes A Long Way
Since you don’t know whether it will be snowing or raining outside on a day to day basis, invest in a covered unit. A little cover definitely goes a long way. It ensures that your pet can stay dry and warm. You need to also make sure that the cover is very easy to pull apart.
One of the most common mistakes that I see pet owners make when it comes to selecting the right outdoor dog house is when they pick a fixed cover. While a fixed cover makes a lot of sense in a place that gets a lot of rainfall, that cover can be a hassle. Why? It gets in the way of you reaching in and cleaning up the internal space.
This is a big deal because debris, fur and all sorts of dirt can pile up very quickly in those internal spaces. This pile up can then increase the likelihood that your dog will develop an allergy. It can also invite all sorts of fleas, insects and it can get really messy. So, do yourself a favor, make sure that you’re going to be investing in a covered unit and that it is a modular cover.
Plastic Parts Might Be Safer… Up To A Certain Point
On the whole, a plastic outdoor dog house can be safer. In most cases, they are made of plastic that doesn’t absorb liquids. The plastic also normally doesn’t attract fur and other debris. With that said, there are manufacturers that produce plastic that can catch or contain debris. Also, some plastic parts are easy to chew off. I hope you don’t need me to explain why this can be a serious health hazard for your four-legged companion.
Keep this factors in mind. If you’re going to go with an all plastic construction, make sure that the model you pick is made up of hard-to-chew plastic. This really all boils down to the type of plastic as well as the design. There are certain designs that feature easy to chew edges. Those are precisely the kind of designs yo need to shy away from.
While picking an all plastic outdoor dog house is often a good idea, this is not a slam dunk. Keep the factors I raised above, in mind. Otherwise, you might be creating more problems than you’re solving by going with a plastic unit.
A Wood Outdoor Dog House Doesn’t Have To Pose Safety Hazards
Most pet owners think that a wood outdoor dog house would be a safety hazard. Wood, after all, tends to be heavy. When chewed, it can also irritate intestinal track and even cause tears. There’s just so many things that could go wrong. Well, just like with plastic, a wood outdoor dog house doesn’t have to suffer from automatic assumptions.
You can’t outright assume that a wood unit would pose safety hazards. First of all, if it features a wood of a certain finish, then this tells you that it won’t be absorbing your pets’ bodily fluids. The right finish also guards against the wood trapping all sorts of debris.
Finally, if you pick the right wood construction, the wood panels may not be heavy enough to injure your dog. In fact, there are many wood dog houses out there that are not only light, but sturdy and completely hygienic. Don’t automatically assume that because an outdoor dog house is made out of wood that it’s necessarily bad news. All in all, make sure that your pet is safe and safety also involves hygiene issues. The more hygienic the model, the safer it is.