Keeping dogs warm in winter is extremely important, especially for short-haired and respiratory dogs such as English & French Bulldog, Pug, etc. In addition to keeping your puppy warm with clothes, you should use heated dog house or insulated dog house. Price of a house in this type is only several tens of dollars higher than that of a typical dog house, but you will feel ensured when raising your beloved dog in all weather conditions.

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I. Best Outdoor winter dog house reviews

Heated dog house (Insulated dog house with heater)

Heated dog house models are suitable for short fur dogs such as Dachshund, Pug, Bulldog, Bully, etc or for small size dogs such as Poodle, Pomeranian, Chihuahua etc when they are raised outdoor in winter.

Heated dog houses usually have very airtight designs and are usually made of wood, soft fiber or plastic in order to hold the heat well. An indispensable part of the heated dog house is the heated mat. This mat is usually electric or battery operated and is placed on the floor so that your dog could sit or lie down on it. This mat will help maintaining the warm temperature for the dog as well for the whole dog house.

Heated dog houses with simple designs and made of conventional materials could be priced about $80 to $150 each, on the average. Those with beautiful designs and made of good heat-preservation materials could cost up to $300. You could refer to some of the most popular models below:

1. ASL Solutions Insulated and Heated Dog House

This is a heated dog house model that is made of plastic and is very solid. The house is designed to keep the heat very well. The interior of the house has a thick cushion to insulate. The door is designed to allow pets to travel conveniently, to be easily opened and closed as they pass. The warm floor mats are attached directly onto the floor, and the wires are designed to avoid danger to pets. This house model is assembled from multiple pieces and could be easily removed when unused.

The house could be used for large size dogs such as Labrador, Golden, Samoyed, Husky, Alaskan Malamute, etc (<90 lbs). The ASL Solutions insulated and heated dog house is available in a wide range of designed models costing from $250 to $300 depending on each model and period sold. You could find detailed information here:

2. K&H Manufacturing Lectro-Soft Igloo Style Heated Dog House

This model is designed much simpler design than ASL Solutions. This includes only a normal house and a electrically heated mat. There is not any insulation layer around the house; hence, it will quickly lose heat. The house also does not have closed door so it is easy to be driven by the wind, you should place it in places where the wind could not reach in order to limit heat loss.

The advantages of this house are it is very light and easy to transport. Especially, you could use it in the summer, what you need to do is just unpluging the heating mat. K & H Heated Dog House prices are also very cheap, about $70 each. You could find more information here:

3. Suncast DH250 Heated Dog House

The Suncast DH250 also has a very simple design. It is assembled by durable and solid plastic pieces and could be easily disassembled when not in use. The door is made of plastic and is not durable but it could keep your dog protected well from rain and wind. Suncast DH250 is suitable for dogs weighing less than 70lbs.

However, it should be noted that this model does not insulate well, so it will lose heat very quickly, especially when it is raining or windy heavily. Therefore, be sure to put it in places where wind and rain could not reach for better warm keeping. The price of the Suncast DH250 Heated Dog House is around $100, you could find more information here:

Create a heated dog house yourself

You could also create a heated dog house by buying a wooden, soft cloth or plastic dog house and a heated mat (available on Amazon and pet stores). The house should be designed to be airtight, avoid using metal cages because they lose heat very quickly. Then, you just need to put the mat underneath.

You should use cotton or soft cloth to line around the house in order to insulate with the outside and to keep the house warmer and better.

Notes when you use heated dog house

Heated dog houses are very useful for short fur or small sized dog breeds. However, for large size and long fur dog breeds like Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed, Chow Chow, Akita Inu, etc, since they have naturally thick and warm coats, you do not need and should not use heated dog houses. For these breeds, you only need an insulated dog house (discussed in details in next section).

For electrically heated dog houses, you need to pay close attention to the wires and the power supply. Naughty dogs often bite anything found and may inadvertently bite the wires. The best way is that you should use the back of the house to cover the electrical outlet and the wire to avoid your dog being curious.

Insulated dog house (without heater)

As mentioned above, insulated dog houses are very suitable for big and long hair dogs. In terms of structure, insulated dog houses have similar structure to heated dog houses, but the former has no heated mat or heating machine. Designs of the former are very airy and they are usually made of good insulated materials. The interior of the house is usually covered with fabric or cotton to keep the heat better. These houses also have a closed door to avoid the wind.

In terms of prices, although there is no heating machine, insulated dog houses are even more expensive than the heated ones. The reasons are because of the “superior” design, better materials and more importantly, insulated dog houses do not required to be placed near the power source and they have no electric wires so that they are not danger for your pet.

Insulated dog house price is about $150 to $300 each, on the average. You could refer to the most popular models below:

1. Pet Zone Insulated Dog House

This model has a double-wall design, which helps to insulate the heat and keep warm in the winter. The house is well waterproof so you could use the Pet Zone both outdoors and indoors. However, if someday has very bad weather, you should take the Pet Zone inside your house in order to keep the heat better. Since this model does not have door, if you use it outdoor, you should place it in places where the wind and the rain could not reach.

The Pet Zone insulated dog houses are available in two versions, priced at $100 to $160. You could refer to the two models here:

2. ASL Solutions Insulated Dog House

The models of ASL Solutions (Dog Palace and DP Hunter) are always well-insulated. The inside of the house is always covered with thick insulated pads that could keep the heat very well. For big and long hair dogs, you do not need to use a heated mat even on the coldest days.

ASL Solutions houses are also equipped with doors to prevent winds and rain. The door is designed to close and open automatically when the pet crosses. Outer shell is very good waterproof, so you can use ASL Solutions Insulated Dog House outdoor in all weather conditions.

You could refer to ASL Solutions insulated dog house models here – https://www.amazon.com/ASL-Solutions/

Notes when you use outdoor winter dog houses

Outdoor winter dog houses should be placed in airtight areas to increase heat retention. In addition, it should be placed in dry places to increase using duration and you should avoid placing it directly on the ground, grass or places with high moisture.

Waterproofing is also important. If water could be flew or dropped into the inside of the house, it will cause the temperature to drop very quickly, the insulated pads and heated mat will also become useless in such cases. Generally, insulated or heated dog houses are usually designed to have good water resistance. However, to make sure and to increase the life span of the house, you should add a nylon layer above the house when it is about to rain.

Before using a dog house, you need make sure your puppy has proper potty training. A dog house with heated mat and insulated pads around it will be extremely difficult to clean if your puppy pees inside.

II. Indoor winter dog house

Indoor dog houses do not require very complicated designs such as being airtight, or made of good insulated materials. You only need an normal indoor dog house and an electrically heated mat or bed underneath the cage. You do not need to cover it much because the house is very airtight, the temperature inside in the winter is also dozens of degree warmer than the outside.

A heated mat or bed will cost around $20 to $50 each, on the average, depending on sizes. You could refer to some of the best bed models below:

With big and thick fur dogs, you only need a normal mat or bed to avoid your puppy directing contacting with cold ground. There is no need to use a heated bed, as it could make the puppy to feel hot.

Dog House, Dog Supplies, Pet Supplies

Best insulated dog house for Winter. Insulated heated dog house reviews