The quest to build a better dog house! And with the prairies seeing temperatures of-46 C and -50 C, there is no better time.
We all want our partners to be comfortable while at home and to be rested up and ready to go. While some handlers may allow their K9 partners to sleep inside their homes, (and this could be another discussion), most general purpose dogs have seperate quarters outside. Depending on where you live, temperatures can fluctuate rapidly and become quite frigid.
Not to mention, after building a dog house or any project for that matter, there are always ways to "one up it."
Which brings us to the structure itself. Police Dog House plans are dog houses made from K-9 Law Enforcement dog house plans which are are available to the general public in various sizes and models.
The dog house blueprints also come with the instructions for an optional outside kennel attachment. No special woodworking skills are required. They also have 2 dog and 3 dog designs for handlers who needed more than one dog.
The K-9 Law Enforcement dog house can be adjusted to match the weather condition of where you are located.
It is imperative that your dog house is sized to match your dog, so he or she sleeps in a space small enough that he or she is able to heat. Larry's plans have been proven suitable in any climate. In the cold winter months, insert the wind wall, and lower the roof. The wind wall breaks the wind and creates a smaller space inside the house that your dog can easily warm with it's own body heat.
INSULATION
The plan for the dog houses require styrofoam insulation between the plywood interior and exterior walls. But again, another option out there is P2000 Insulation. In a test performance, one inch of P2000 was comparable to 6" fibreglass batting. The insulation has reflective facers that stop air, moisture, and vapor infiltration giving a building product that will not only address heat loss/gain, but will protect against the elements.
HOUND HEATER
In a recent study (published in Gun Dog magazine, Dec 2008 Jan. Feb 2009) conducted at the Nestle Purina Pet Care Center," it was confirmed that dogs that are housed outdoors require, on the average, 14 percent more calories for each 20 degree drop in temperature!" The study goes on to say that moderately to hardworking dogs will need 25 to 50 percent more calories during cold weather. It states that a hard working dog often times needs 80 percent more food in the winter than in the summer. Hence thew creation of the Hound Heater.
The newly designed Hound Heater Dog House Furnace now features an incredibly long life heating element, a 100,000 cycle life thermostat and an internal and external heat shield for incredible safety and efficiency. You simply set it and forget it! I purchased two of these last week and notice a considerable change in both of my dog houses.
DOG HOUSE DOOR
The ultimate dog house door comes from Gun Dog House Door. The heavy duty dog door® is weather tight, chew proof, indestructible, energy efficient, easy to install, fits dogs up to 120 lbs, and has a lifetime warranty that includes chewing. It boasts the only two-way dog door on the market with "special" heavy-duty spring loaded hinges that provide a positive weather seal!
When your dog goes "out" the door, the inner clear plexiglass panel and the outer welded aluminum frame move.
When your dog goes in the door, the welded aluminum outer frame stays stationary and only the inner clear plexiglass panel moves.
Of course all these accessories come with a price, and are they all need, probably not, but generally your service/department "owns" the police dog. So why not work these comforts into the kennel budget for any new dogs joining the unit.
A proper sized dog house and a good sealed door is probably a good starting point. Depending on the exterior temperatures, some may choose a heater to make it more comfortable for your partner.
Read more!
