How to insulate a dog kennel. How and how to insulate a dog house for the winter: materials, tools and brief instructions

The dog is constantly on the street, and its activity is highly dependent on the living conditions. In order for the vitality of the pet to be always positive, it is necessary to improve its habitat. This article is about insulation. dog house.

Floor insulation in a dog house

Insulation of the kennel begins with the floor. The work is performed in the following sequence:

Wall insulation in a dog kennel

The main requirement for a dog house is the absence of drafts. If there are gaps or holes, fill them with boards. At in large numbers Stuff the entire wall with a piece of plywood or similar material. The booth will become warmer if you make the walls double, and put foam or other insulator between them. True, the weight of such a booth will double.

For wall insulation, you can use traditional heat insulators (felt, foam, mineral wool), which are mounted according to the standard scheme:

Waterproofing.
Heater attachment.
Facing work (to protect the insulation from dog claws and teeth).
Vapor barrier.

If mineral wool is used as a heater, follow these rules:

Do not use glass wool, it is fraught with the health of the animal.
A protective lining is required.
Perform waterproofing.

Insulation of the roof of the booth for dogs

Check the roof for leaks. To protect against leakage, make a pitched roof, nail a sheet of linoleum on top. The roof must be removable. Fix the insulating film on the inside first, and then the heat insulator. Insulation from the inside can not be closed with a wooden ceiling.

Entrance to the dog house

Make the entrance opening as small as possible. If necessary, reduce it with boards. Curtain the entrance with a curtain made of dense fabric, which is attached to a plank nailed on top. The curtain should be wider than the entrance by 5 cm on each side and 10 cm below the threshold. The design should not be an obstacle for the dog.

An economical way to insulate a kennel

If the booth is located in an aviary and is protected from precipitation, the cracks in the walls can be sealed with several layers of plastic wrap. Thermal film Tavic, Ozospan, etc. will cost a little more. The film is attached to the walls with a stapler. The canvas is rolled out so that the fibrous side is adjacent to the boards, and the smooth side is out.

The dog obeys only his instincts, and he does not understand why it is not necessary to tear the foam on the wall or tear the canopy at the entrance. Therefore, choose durable materials for insulation or take measures to protect against claws and teeth. For the same reason, it is desirable to use natural materials for thermal insulation.

Pet owners usually decide in favor of their pets whether they need warm housing. They are serious about the problem of how to insulate a dog house for the winter, they know how to create normal conditions for wintering pets.

Regardless of the breed, the pet needs to find a place on the estate, from where the house, the gate, and most of the yard will be visible. The watchman needs to see the protected area.

The dog house should not be located in the wind, under the open sun, the entrance should not be flooded with rain, covered with snow. Nearby you can not place buildings for animals or birds - dogs are sensitive to smells.

The pet should like the chosen place. If he likes to lie, climbing higher, they arrange a dwelling with a flat roof and set it on a hill.

Design, dimensions

In windy cold weather, the dog, huddled in the far corner of the booth, is warmed by its warmth. In summer, when the shelter becomes stuffy, he prefers to survey the surroundings, leaning out or sitting on the roof of the booth.

Therefore, it is advisable to arrange a dwelling from two departments. The first is a remote windward place behind the internal partition, where the dog will sleep in winter. The second is an entrance vestibule open to the outside, so that in summer it can hide from the heat, fall apart, stretching out its paws.

Given these considerations, the dimensions of an adult animal determine the internal dimensions of the dog house. The height is set according to the growth of the dog at the withers, adding 15 cm, the depth - along its length from the withers to the ends of the paws in the prone position, plus 15 cm.

The width of the bedroom is determined by the length from the nose to the root of the tail, adding 15 cm, the entrance vestibule - adding another 10. The height of the entrance is arranged according to the growth of the animal at the withers, subtracting 5 cm, the width - by the size of the chest plus 5 cm. body, it will be comfortable when living.

Reducing heat loss

Heat loss will be much less if the booth is built without gaps, a tarpaulin or felt curtain is installed above the inlet. For convenience, the canopy is cut into strips in height, fastened above the manhole with a bar. The size should be sufficient to block the entrance on the sides and bottom. Additional comfort is created by a piece of felt or a wrinkle-resistant bedding on the floor.

Such priority warming of the booth for the dog significantly reduces its heat loss and is sufficient for thick-haired breeds.

Short-haired dogs can winter in a booth if the structures do not allow heat to pass through. Therefore, to reduce heat transfer, they are provided with an insulating material (insulation).

Types of thermal insulation

General requirements:

high insulating properties - heat transfer through the material should be minimal;
environmental safety - no dust formation, emission of harmful substances;
fire resistance;
biological stability - inedibility for rodents, moths; resistance to mold, fungus, microorganisms;
durability, ability to retain shape, ease of use.

Sheet felt - made from sheep wool, is a unique insulation used in many industries, construction.

The material breathes, does not support combustion - it goes out if it is set on fire. It has low thermal conductivity, low weight, keeps its shape well, does not gain moisture. Microorganisms, fungi, mold do not start in it. Produced in roll form, convenient for work. These properties make it one of the best to insulate a dog house. In application, an inexpensive analogue, technical felt, is also quite good.

Before starting work, measurements are made of the internal surfaces of the house, including the floor and ceiling. According to the obtained dimensions, patterns are made with scissors or a knife. Felt sheets are fastened with capped nails. Reflective foil is additionally placed under the felt for better heat retention. On the side walls, the floor is sometimes covered with board or plywood so that the insulation lasts a long time.

Mineral wool - artificial fibrous materials with high thermal insulation properties. In terms of thermal characteristics, they are at the level of foam plastic. They have high fire and biological resistance.

The main disadvantage of most of these heaters is the presence of fine glass in the composition of wool, which requires good surface insulation on both sides. They are characterized by increased fragility, danger during work. Violation of the skin is fraught with danger to the pet.

Polyfoam exists in two modifications: molded and extruded polystyrene foam ( tradename penoplex). Both can be used for warming the booth. The first is brittle, combustible, absorbs moisture. It is used as a heater laid in the cavity, covered with waterproofing. To avoid damage, the foam is covered with plywood or board sheathing.

The second is a durable, moisture-resistant, non-flammable, dense material. Due to its low thermal conductivity, it practically does not transmit heat.

When insulating an existing large-sized booth from the inside without dismantling it, only by removing the roof, it is better to use expanded polystyrene. It comes in solid, lightweight, conveniently sized plates that won't significantly reduce living space.

With new construction, any of the materials will do. Each structural element of the dog house is made and insulated separately.

Foamed polyethylene (trade name - penofol) - rolled two-layer material for thermal insulation, equipped with one or two layers of foil. The standard thickness is 2-10 mm, the reflectance is over 90%. Unlike analogues, it does not accumulate, but reflects thermal radiation. Moisture-resistant material, non-flammable, easy to use, resistant to weather conditions, aggressive environment. They perform insulation both inside and outside, followed by cladding.

Hay. Warming with hay is quite simple. Before the cold weather, a cover made of tarpaulin or burlap is fixed on the outside of the dog house. Hay is stuffed around the cover, which serves as a heater. If snow falls from the sides - it does not matter. Laying hay inside is not practical - replacing it with a fixed roof covered with a cover will be a problem. It is more rational to put felt on the floor. Before melting, the snow is discarded, the cover is removed.

Liquid insulation. It is made on the basis of water or varnish. Supplied in bottles. It has a pasty consistency, due to which it is easily sprayed, applied with a brush. It has good adhesion to any material. The product is non-flammable, does not emit hazardous substances, has a low cost, is easy to apply. Several of its layers on the structures increase the temperature in the premises by 2-4 °C.

Warming

When the existing structure is insulated from the inside, all its internal dimensions will be reduced, which will create inconvenience for the pet due to tightness. In addition, work inside is difficult - it is preferable to produce insulation from the outside.

They start from the bottom, for which the roof is removed, the dog house is turned over. The bottom is cleaned of dirt, treated with an antiseptic, covered with roofing material. Having decided how to insulate, wooden blocks of the required height are stuffed around the perimeter and in the middle of the bottom as a log.

According to the size of the resulting nests, thermal insulation and a layer of roofing material are cut and laid. They complete the work on the bottom with a boardwalk with antiseptic treatment.

Insulation of all side walls, roofs is carried out according to the stated sequence. For insulation, felt, polystyrene, expanded polystyrene, foamed polyethylene and other materials are used.

The height of the bars stuffed for laying the selected insulation is set according to its thickness. Waterproofing is carried out using roofing material, glassine, polyethylene film, and other film materials. The outer skin is made of plywood, profiled sheet, board and other materials.

Important! Insulation work should be accompanied by smoothing out sharp corners, burrs, protrusions, elimination of cracks on the floor so that the pet does not get a splinter, does not break the claw.

Electric heating

They are used when the possibilities of insulating materials have been exhausted. They are used instead of warming, when they consider it inappropriate, if you need a quick result during a cold snap.

To apply heating, an electric line is connected to the booth, a waterproof socket is installed.

Important! The laying of electrical cables across the territory is carried out secretly in polyethylene pipes low pressure or in metal with a wall thickness of more than 2 mm.

All purchased heaters operate in the infrared range, which is beneficial for the animal. They do not create excessive heat, consume a small amount of electricity, are silent, do not burn oxygen, and are reliable in service.

Types of heaters:

Panel

It is produced in the form of a heating plate 2 cm thick. The heating temperature is up to 50 °C. It is fastened with ordinary self-tapping screws, the installation site is a wall. Has a temperature controller. For insurance, a protective metal mesh is installed on top.

Film

It is produced in the form of a heating roll, the heating temperature is up to 60 °C. The radiation does not harm the dog, because it corresponds to the natural radiation of the body. Mounted inside the wall dog house on a substrate of a reflective screen and a layer of mineral wool. Be sure to cover the inner lining.

Flexible

Represents the most modern type of heater. Made as a hanging rug 50 cm wide, can be up to several meters long. It is hung on the wall of a dog's dwelling, protected from mechanical damage by a grate. Simple constructively, durable in operation, harmless to the health of the pet.

Warm floor

Installed under the floor boards. The heating element is made in the form of a thin plastic plate. Complete with thermostat and temperature sensor. It is protected from moisture ingress by a film. It heats the floor boards within 40 ° C without overheating and causing damage to the health of the pet.

Homemade

They may differ in design, principle of operation. Must not create a risk of fire, electric shock, overheating of the animal. Must comply with electrical installation regulations.

Summary

How to insulate a doghouse, everyone decides on their own, based on its internal dimensions, available materials, and financial capabilities.

Important! No matter how insulated the dwelling is, in severe frosts the dog must be treated like a human being and invited into the house.

Equipping the area around a country house, you have to solve various problems, including the place of residence for the dog and its comfort. Just building a booth will not be enough. In order for the animal to be comfortable in winter conditions, its house must be insulated. What should be considered when choosing a home for a pet?

Booth selection

The size of the booth matters a lot. The house should be large enough so that the dog feels comfortable, can sleep peacefully and hide from the scorching sun and rain.

Therefore, the height of the house should be equal to the height of the dog, and to determine the width, you need to measure the distance from the nose to the tail.

How to insulate a booth

Insulation of the booth is one of the most important activities. What is the best insulation option?

Natural and environmentally friendly materials, such as wood or felt, are best for warming a dog house. If the dog wants to gnaw on his own booth, no harmful substances will remain in his stomach.

Here are a few more material options you can use:

Sawdust or wood shavings

It is difficult to fix this insulation on the walls and ceiling, but it will fit for bedding.

Felt artificial

The raw material for its manufacture is polypropylene, it retains heat well and is easy to install.

In the process of warming, you just need to beat the inner surfaces of the booth with this material.

Styrofoam

Styrofoam is the number one insulation. It is very light, cheap, easy to install, well insulates the room from cold and extraneous sounds, does not rot and is not damaged by mice. It can be glued, can be screwed to the surface with self-tapping screws.

They say that it is harmful and contains toxic substances, but the manufacturers deny this. But if there is a danger of a fire, then it is better to refuse it, since the foam plastic burns easily.

Penoplex

Belongs to a new generation of thermal insulation materials. It has low thermal conductivity, does not rot and, like polystyrene, is produced in the form of plates.

Mineral wool

The material consists of the smallest fibers, it is obtained from molten rocks. Mineral wool perfectly insulates rooms from heat loss, does not rot, and can last for a long period.

But if the insulation gets wet, it will no longer be suitable, so the wool should be insulated with a film.

Heating appliances

In addition to traditional insulation materials, heating devices can be used. For example, film-based heaters.

Thermal films work on the basis of infrared radiation and can be heated up to 60 degrees.

They are attached to inside the buildings.

The panels are powered by electricity. They are assembled in a metal case 2 cm thick and operate in the infrared range. Can heat up to 50 degrees.

Install the heating panel inside the booth, attaching it with self-tapping screws. You will also need to drill a small hole to bring the electrical wire out.

Warming technology

It is necessary to insulate all structures: walls, floor and roof. The booth is quite small, so cracks and gaps between the insulation materials should be avoided. Even a small draft can spoil all the work.

The insulation you have chosen should be fixed with your own hands on the inner surface of the walls and ceiling of the booth. How to fix? Felt can be nailed. Styrofoam is glued or screwed. But the insulation structure must be sewn up. To do this, it is better to use thin plywood, lining, OSB board. It is better not to use fiberboard and chipboard, because after wetting they are deformed and disintegrate.

It happens that over time the plywood begins to exfoliate. To fix it better, you can nail a semicircular glazing bead in the corners and around the perimeter of the booth.

To prevent heat from leaving the house through an open entrance, the hole can be closed with a curtain made of felt or tarpaulin. It is important that the curtain covers the entrance with a margin. It is better to fix it on top of the entrance with a wooden plank.

The floor of the house should be covered with dry straw or hay. These materials will retain heat if left dry. Such insulating bedding sometimes needs to be changed and shaken every few days.

But if you insulate the house with your own hands, even a well-insulated booth may not be a salvation for the dog during severe frosts. This is the best time to take her home.

Many people dream of having a dog as a child. But in a city apartment there is not enough space for her, but a country house gives the opportunity to finally realize her childhood dreams. It will be spacious enough even for a large dog. The dog that will live here will become not only a watchman and reliable guard of the site. He will be a true friend. The main advantage of a dog is that it loves its owner for who he is, without demanding a reward for his affection. But friendship requires mutual care and attention. A good owner will not leave his faithful dog without a comfortable home. A do-it-yourself dog house is the surest way to take care of your friend.

The kennel should not be blown by the wind, so the most frequent wind direction must be taken into account.
The place for such a dwelling should be bright, but within reach for the dog there should be a shaded area where the animal could hide in the heat.
It is better to place the booth in a dry place - on a hill, so that water cannot accumulate under it.
The kennel is placed near the entrance to the residential building, on the south side.
From his observation post, the dog must see the main part of the site and the entrance gate (gate).

The last principle of site selection requires special explanation. Owners of dogs whose pets live with them in city apartments know that the dog always tries to find a position in which he has the maximum view. Even if it sometimes interferes with the owner, who believes that the dog is simply getting under his feet. The centuries-old instinct of the guard makes her choose the best place to protect the owner.

The booth is best located in a dry place and on a hill

From his observation post, the dog must see the main part of the site

Stages of building a dog house

Winter warm booth for a dog is not always needed, even if it will be on the site in winter. It is better to make a universal kennel that can be operated in both warm and cold seasons. Such a booth should consist of two parts - a vestibule for the entrance and a sleeping place, where the dog will not be afraid of any cold.

Preparation of the necessary material

When deciding how to make a dog house, do not complicate yourself and your faithful dog life. It follows from his understanding of comfort, and not your boundless material possibilities. Dogs do not need stone palaces, artificial lighting and vinyl siding.

Particularly loving owners build entire castles for their pets

The animal will experience discomfort in such dwellings.

There should be no protruding knots or protruding chips on the surface of the tree.

ordinary wood conifers- the best material for a dog house. It is breathable wood that can provide the air circulation necessary for the dog and, therefore, the microclimate he needs. The tree that forms the basis of the booth must first be prepared: cleaned so that the animal does not get hurt and does not hurt its paws.

Note that the service life of coniferous wood is 7-8 years. After this period, it is necessary to check the structure for strength and replace failed elements in time.

Building may require:

bars of the following sizes (in mm): 100x100, 40x40, 100x50;
lining;
plywood;
batten;
decorative slats;
ruberoid;
mineral wool or polystyrene;
bituminous tiles;
glassine;
polyethylene;
tarpaulin;
galvanized nails;
pinoteks;
antiseptic impregnation type "Senezh";
sand.

The booth from the inside does not need to be treated with antiseptics and others odorous substances. Remember that dogs have a finer sense of smell than humans. For us, a foreign smell may be imperceptible, and it will torment and annoy the dog.

Determining building parameters

Of great importance are the size of the booth for the dog. In a too spacious kennel, it will be cold in winter, and in a cramped one, neither lie down nor turn around. Therefore, we will build a kennel based on the individual parameters of our dog.

For each dog, it is better to make a booth of an individual “cut” - it is necessary to calculate the optimal dimensions

We take measurements and immediately do the calculation:

The height of the booth is determined based on the height of the animal at the withers with the addition of the thickness of the expected bedding and another 10-15 cm. The dog must move around the booth, bowing his head, and sit in it without touching the ceiling.
The depth of the kennel should allow the animal to lie on its side with legs extended. To determine this parameter, you need to put the dog down and measure the distance from its withers to the tips of the front paws, add 10-15 cm.
The width of the dwelling is the total width of the vestibule and the dog's bed. The bed can have a width that is 10-15 cm greater than the distance from the dog's nose to the base of its tail. The width of the vestibule is determined depending on the build of the dog. It should be comfortable for her to get in and out of the booth. Sometimes the vestibule is made more than a sleeping place, because here the dog can lie on its side in summer, and in winter it will rest in a sleeping place, curled up.
The height of the entrance hole (manhole) is 5-9 cm less than the height of the dog at the withers.
The width of the hole should be 5-8 cm wider than the dog's chest.

The scheme of the booth for the dog is needed after the owner has finally decided on the parameters of the future building. Having such a drawing, it will be easier to calculate the need for materials so as not to purchase anything extra

Description of the assembly process

So, putting together a booth for a dog is not so difficult if all the necessary tools and material are at hand. Here is a sample list of jobs:

Bottom and frame. We assemble the frame for the bottom from 40x40 bars, after which we nail the floorboards, trying not to leave gaps so that it is warmer. If the dog is heavy, you can additionally strengthen the floor with 40x40 bars so that it does not sag. At the corners of the finished bottom, we vertically fix the bars 100x100. They will become the basis for the walls. Now the design resembles an inverted table. Between the main bars, perpendicular to the bottom, we install bars 40x40. They will support the roof, reinforce the walls and mark the entrance.
Walls. For sheathing the outer part of the booth, it is better to use lining, which, unlike plywood, will not delaminate over time. We fix the sheathing with galvanized nails with small hats.
Ceiling. If the booth is to be located in an aviary or under a canopy, then you can get by with such a ceiling, which is also a roof. If the kennel does not have any additional weather protection, you need to make the ceiling and the roof separately, leaving a space between them - the "attic". For the ceiling you will need plywood in size and bars 40x40. How to insulate a dog house? Warm it up mineral wool or foam, lay with glassine. From above strengthen the second sheet of plywood. It is better to make such a ceiling removable in order to be able to clean the booth and provide veterinary care to the animal. If there is no additional roof, the ceiling is covered with roofing felt and shingles.
Waterproofing and insulation. Turn the structure upside down. We treat it with antiseptic impregnation, cover it with roofing material and nail additional 100x50 bars on top of it, which we also impregnate with Senezh. We turn the structure over again, line the bottom with glassine, then put the insulation and glassine again. Laying the clean floor. Similarly, we insulate the walls and sheathe them from the inside with clapboard. We make a frame for the manhole and a threshold.
Roof. Initially make the gables of the roof. For the perimeter, bars 40x40 are needed, glassine is attached from the inside, and the structure is sheathed with clapboard on top.
Laz. It is recommended to close the inlet with a tarpaulin curtain. So that it does not open from the wind, you can sew small polyethylene pockets on it below from the inside, into which you can pour sand.

Outside, the booth can be covered with Pinotex. This will extend its service life and give the product a pleasant aesthetic appearance.

It is simply necessary to use antiseptic and waterproofing impregnations, otherwise your booth will have to be rebuilt in a year

You can use glassine as a heater, or you can use any other material that you prefer.

The crate of the lining is covered with roofing material and shingles - this is the easiest and cheapest option

Dog kennel care

Now that we know how to build a dog house, all that's left to do is figure out how to take care of the dog house.

The ceiling can be made removable to be able to clean the booth and provide veterinary care to the animal