We’ve already put together a list of what some of the Best Overall Dog Houses might be, and also the different ways to heat a dog house.
But, you’re going to want the best insulated dog house for cold weather if you live in a colder climate.
Whilst most people have wooden dog houses, you can actually get insulated dog houses with specially designed polystyrene material and it’s own foam insulation.
Some of these dog houses even come with a floor heater (or a fan for the hotter summer weather).
Whether you have a small, medium or large dog breed, these insulated dog houses come in a range of sizes, so there’s something for everyone.
Let’s check out the options!
(NOTE: this is a general informational and educational guide only. It is not professional advice. See a vet or qualified expert for professional advice)
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Best Insulated Dog House For Cold Weather And Winter
In case you want to view the insulated dog houses straight away, you can check our top choices here:
ASL Solutions Insulated Dog Houses (Box Type Dog Houses)
- View ASL Solutions DP Hunter Dog House on Amazon (For Small Breeds)
- View Brown and Cream ASL Solutions Dog Palace Insulated Dog House on Amazon (For Medium To Large Breeds)
- View ASL Solutions Dog Palace Insulated Dog House With Heater and Fan on Amazon (For Medium To Large Breeds)
Petmate Dog Houses (Igloo Type Dog Houses)
- Petmate Indigo Dog House on Amazon (most popular Petmate Dog House)
- Petmate Dogloo Dog House on Amazon
Other Dog Houses
Other than the dog houses listed above, some dog owners may find the following popular dog houses suitable, depending on whether they are able to make sure the dog house is placed in a location where the dog’s warmth is adequate enough:
– Plastic Dog Houses
- Starplast Dog House Kennel (on Amazon) (comes in two sizes, small and large, for dogs up to 25lbs, and 50lbs respectively)
- Suncast Outdoor Dog House (on Amazon) (for pets up to 70lbs)
- Ferplast Dog Kennel (on Amazon) (largest size is for dogs up to medium and large sizes)
– Wooden Dog Houses
- Petsfit Wooden Dog House (on Amazon) (for dogs up to 80lbs)
- MidWest Homes Wood Dog House (on Amazon) (for dogs up to 80lbs)
- Petmate Precision Extreme Outback Log Cabin Dog House (on Amazon) (for up to extra large size dog breeds)
(Note that you should measure you dog’s dimensions, and check the inner dimensions of the dog house prior to buying to confirm there will be enough room for your dog. Some of the the above dog houses may or may not be suitable for your individual dog, depending on their size.)
ASL Solutions DP Hunter (Small Dogs), & Dog Palace Insulated Dog Houses (Medium To Large Dogs) Reviews
ASL Solutions makes two types of insulated dog houses.
The major difference between the two is simply the size of dogs they are each made for.
1. The DP Hunter Insulated dog house is made for small dogs, up to Beagle, Bassett Hound, and Dachshund size.
The assembled inside dimensions are 17″H x 19″W x 25″ L. The height of the door opening is 12.5″, and the width of the door is is between 10.5″ to 12.5″.
View
DP Hunter Dog House Features:
ASL Solutions – DP Hunter Insulated Doghouse Product Features Video
2. The Dog Palace Insulated dog house is made for medium to large sized breeds of dogs, from Labrador through to St. Bernard size.
The assembled inside dimensions are 30.5″H x 24″W x 35.5″ L. The door dimensions are 15.5″ W X 18″ H.
View
- View Brown and Cream ASL Solutions Dog Palace Insulated Dog House on Amazon
- View ASL Solutions Dog Palace Insulated Dog House With Heater and Fan on Amazon
Dog Palace Dog House Product Features:
ASL Solutions – Dog Palace Insulated Doghouse Product Features
Dog Palace Dog House Assembly Example:
ASL Solutions Dog Palace Insulated Doghouse – ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
The features of both dog houses are very similar:
For Summer and Winter
Designed to keep your dog cool in summer and warm in winter
Looks Great
Dog house look nice in a backyard or front yard
Lifetime Warranty
Lifetime warranty against cracking and breaking (make sure you check the conditions of this warranty though depending on who you buy from)
Easy to Assemble
Easy to put together when you receive it
Made Of Premium Material
Has up to 4 inches of real recycled foam (Styro/EPS) insulation (used in construction) in each panel for optimum comfort and for a healthy temperature. Constructed from LLDPE resin that is UV-8 protected.
Easy To Clean
Sloped floor with a drain hole to make cleaning the inside of the dog house easy – you can hose down the inside and let it drain
Floor Is Insulated and Raised
Floor is insulated and raised 4″ in the Dog Palace to provide a dry and warm bedding area. Floor is raised 5.5 inches in the DP Hunter
Has A Proper Dog Door, Not A Flap
Easy pass-through, self-closing, well-fitted insulated door
See Through Entry/Exit Door
Allows your dog to see outside the dog house while they are inside
Dog House Windows Are Easy To Adjust
Self-storing window panes easily reposition from winter’s closed position to summer’s open cross ventilation position without tools
Easy To Train Your Dog To Use
Removable bottom half door for initial training (if desired)
Two Colors Available
There’s a cream and brown color, and a grey color
With Or Without Floor Heater and Fan
You can get the dog house by itself, with a floor heater, or with a floor heater and fan
Built To Deal With Electrical Cords
There is a heater portal that allows electrical cords to directly exit the rear of the house, and keeps the dog from tripping over the cord
Experiments have been conducted specifically with the Dog Palace with and without insulation, with the results as follows:
The results of the experiment tested heat retention inside the Dog Palace using a common 100 watt light bulb (no other source of heat).
At an outside temperature of 40°, the insulated Dog Palace was 70° inside, while the Dog Palace without insulation was approximately 45° inside.
At an outside temperature of 0° degrees, the insulated Dog Palace was 30° inside while the Dog Palace without insulation was approximately 4° inside.
An average dog’s body heat will raise the temperature inside the Dog Palace 25° in the winter without the floor heater; therefore, if the outside temperature is 25°, with an average dog inside the Dog Palace the temperature was approximately 50°.
These results should be taken as general feedback of the performance of the dog house, and results are not typical for every dog and situation/climate.
Things that could be improved with these dog houses, or might be seen as potential drawbacks could be:
There are black plugs in the dog houses where we assume the insulation has been blown into the walls (although it’s possible the insulation sheeting is incorporated in the manufacture process too).
These plugs may be chewed by some dogs, although it’s unlikely as they are fairly flat against the walls.
The insulation is fantastic, but there is a chance that it may settle lower down in the walls over time, although this is just a maybe
The Dog Palace says it fits large dogs, but that depends on the shape and thickness of your dog too.
Bigger, thicker dogs may have trouble fitting in the Dog Palace – but the inside dimensions are given so measuring your dog is pretty easy
As with any dog product, you want to be careful with aggressive chewers.
The dog house is made of hard thermal plastic, but the most heavy chewers might find a way to get through it
The dog door swings up vertically – some dogs may be confused with this at first
Optional Extras With Each Dog House:
- Dog House Floor Heater (on Amazon) – keep the floor warm for your dog
- Thermostatically Controlled Outlet For Heater (on Amazon) – Plugs into a standard electrical outlet and turns power on and off automatically according to outside air temperature.Saves money by using power only when temperatures require heating.
Petmate Indigo and Dogloo Dog House Reviews
First off, there is a slight difference in the Petmate Indigo and the Petmate Dogloo Dog Houses.
The Petmate Indigo is much more popular because it comes in a range of sizes – you’ll probably end up getting the Indigo if you go with Petmate over ASL Solutions.
But, in terms of specific differences, these models mostly differ in their sizing and design:
The Extra large Indigo has slightly more space and is slighty bigger (has a longer entryway) than the extra large Dogloo XT. The Extra Large Petmate is 51.5″ X 39.3″ X 30″ in dimensions (for dogs 90-125 lbs).
The Dogloo XT also has a Giant size available, which the Indigo doesn’t.
The features of the Petmate Indigo include:
For summer and winter climates
Snap together design dog house – saves you time and no tools required
Made of Microban material which helps fight the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria, mold and mildew
Roof vent which provides air ventilation
Contains structural foam for strength – extremely strong
Raised floors with moats along the walls so that liquid drains off to the sides
Designed to withstand some wind
Extended, offset doorway for rain resistance & wind protection
Dog houses are made in the USA
Available in 3 sizes – medium, large and extra large
Medium size – Doorway is 13.5″ X 12.5″. Overall dimensions are 37.5 x 30.5 x 22.8 inches. It is recommended for dogs that are no more than 26 inches in length and 17 inches tall.
Large size – Doorway is 15.5″ X 14.5″. Overall dimensions are 43.8 x 34 x 25.8 inches. It is recommended for dogs that are no more than 36 inches in length and 24 inches tall.
Extra large size – Doorway is 17.3″ X 17.6″, Overall dimensions are 51.5″ X 39.3″ X 30″, and recommended for dogs no bigger than 42 inches in length and 31 inches tall.
View
Things that could be improved with these dog houses, or might be seen as potential drawbacks could be:
The igloo seems to run a bit small – extra large is probably for medium/large sized dogs. Be very diligent with measuring your dog and if you’re unsure go a size up or hold off. Be conservative when ordering – if you think size is an issue, perhaps look at getting the ASL Solutions dog house instead
Some dogs for whatever reason don’t want to sleep in a dog house – but this differs from dog to dog
Optional Extras With The Petmate Indigo Dog House:
- Petmate Indigo Dog House Comfort Floor Pad (on Amazon) – a comfortable moisture repellant pad for the floor of the dog house
- Petmate Indigo Dog House Door (on Amazon) – to keep wind and cold/heat out
Best Insulated Dog House For Cold Weather And Winter – Buyer’s Guide & Buyer’s Tips
Some helpful tips and information to consider when buying an insulated dog house are:
For any insulated dog house, check whether the dog house is designed to keep your dog cool in the summer, as well as warm in the winter i.e. it’s both a summer and winter dog house
Check that the warranty for the dog house is still valid or whether it has any conditions when buying through third party sellers
Measure the height and length of your dog, plus the dimensions of your dog when laying down, to make sure the dog house door and space inside the dog house is adequate
You can buy heaters and fans for the ASL Solutions Dog houses separately, or included in different dog house packages
Take into consideration the shape of the dog house you want – traditional box shape, or igloo shape
Take into consideration if you will want to run heaters or fans into or out of the dog house in the future – if you do, it’s best the dog house comes with an in built cord port
Other Resources On Dog Houses
Other resources relevant to this guide that you might like to read are:
Best 2 in 1 Dog Houses For Both The Hot & Cold
How To Choose The Right Dog House, & What Kind To Buy
22 Ways To Heat Warm Or Insulate A Dog House In Cold Weather, & The Winter
How To Cool A Dog House Down In Summer & Hot Weather
This guide discusses in further detail what the best bed and bedding for a dog house might be.
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