We’ve already written about potential ways to warm up, heat or insulate a dog house for cold weather.
Some of those heating or insulating methods require no electricity, and in the guide below, we identify those specific options.
Let’s take a look!
(NOTE: this is a general informational and educational guide only. It is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. See a vet or qualified expert for professional advice)
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How To Heat A Dog House Without Electricity: 10 Options
Potential Benefits Of Non Electrical Dog House Heating Methods
Two potential benefits are:
Non electrical methods are cheaper on an ongoing basis
These methods can have safety benefits for your dog (related to electricity and burning)
What Dog House Heating Methods Are Electrical?
The dog house heating methods to rule out that involve electricity ar:
Electric Heated Dog Mats
Electric Heated Dog Bed/Mattress
Electric Heater Bulbs
Electric Dog House Furnace/Heater
Electric Dog House Furnace/Heater with Ventilation Fan
Electric Small Infrared Heat Emitter/Lamp Bulb
Electric Underfloor Heating System
What Dog House Heating Options Are Left That Don’t Use Electricity?
Many options that don’t use electricity relate to the dog house design/construction house itself, where the dog house it put, and preventing cold from getting into the dog house in the first place.
Some of those options might include:
1. Put The Dog House Undercover, Or In A Warm Spot (Like Inside)
A fairly simple one, but maybe one of the most important.
If the dog house is in the open, it is exposed to rain, wind, snow and the chilly elements.
Moving the dog house to an undercover area like the patio or the garage where there are both walls and a roof to act as wind and weather breaks, can help with heating and keeping the temperature steady tremendously.
Putting it inside may also keep the inside of the dog house warm.
2. Buy A New Thermal Dog House
If your current dog house is looking a bit old and worn down, or it just doesn’t look very weather proof, you might look for a new one.
Two dog houses on the market that are made especially with insulation, warmth and ventilation in mind are:
For Small Dogs
For Medium To Large Dogs
- Dog Palace Dog House & Heating Pad (on Chewy)
- ASL Solutions Dog Palace Dog House For Medium To Large Dogs (on Amazon)
For Extra Large Dogs
Another option is this igloo dog house:
If you are looking for a new dog house, these guide may also be useful:
How To Choose The Right Dog House, & What Kind To Buy
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 cooling 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.)
3. Patch Up, Modify and/or Insulate The Existing Dog House
Basically you want to make the existing dog house is water, wind and weather proof so the dog house is warm, and stays warm.
Make sure the floor, walls and roof have no gaps or holes.
If you do find holes, you can patch over them with polyfil glue or another water proof type caulk.
Poly foam insulation in the wall frames, floor joists and roof frame can keep warmth in and the cold out.
Usually 1 inch of foam does the trick.
You can even use soy foam to be environmentally friendly.
A good waterproof roof might be made of water resistant felt paper, a drip edge and asphalt shingles on the roof can keep rain out and keep the inside dry.
On top of this, a solid wood or hard plastic outer shell helps protect the insulation and the inside of the dog house.
4. Raise The Floor Of The Dog House Off The Ground
A concrete floor gets ice cold in the winter. Grass can get soaking wet.
And if you live somewhere were it rains a lot, or there’s snow and ice, the ground is going to be both cold and wet.
A good dog house will have a raised floor (or be highly insulated).
If your current dog house needs to be raised off the ground, you can simple place a wooden crate or pallet under it.
5. Install A Dog Flap
Does the current dog house have an entry/exit flap?
Flaps are great for keeping out a chilly wind.
Buy, or cut to size a vinyl or plastic dog flap yourself.
6. Line The Floor Of The Dog House
Even with a raised floor that is naturally insulated, you can still do more to provide your dog with a warmer dog house floor.
You can put a straw base down under a rug – straw doesn’t wet or freeze so it makes a good insulator.
You can also put a dog mattress over the rug and straw for comfort.
If laying down straw, make sure it isn’t anything irritating like hay that might contain seeds or small parasites that can get into your dog’s fur and skin.
Rugs, and especially thermal blankets inside the house make for even more warmth and comfort.
You might already have warm blankets for your dog, but in case you don’t, you might look at getting some polar fleece thermal blankets like the Utopia Bedding polar fleece thermal blanket (on Amazon) which are very warm.
7. Hot Water Bottle Or Microwaveable Cushion
More of a solution for only a few hours.
You can put a hot water bottle under a blanket on the mattress, or do the same with a microwavable cushion.
Both provide heat, but have them under a rug so they don’t burn your dog.
8. Self Warming Dog Bed/Thermal Dog Pad
You can get self warming crate pads that you can find the right size for for your dog house.
These self warming pads have a reflective layer on the inside that radiates your dog’s heat back to them – at least more so than a regular mattress or pad does.
A popular self warming bed is the Mocha K&H Manufacturing Crate Pad for Pets (on Amazon)
It also comes in a tan color.
9. Buy A Dog Sweater or Winter Coat
Winter coats can be very warm for dogs.
They are soft, comfortable, durable and water resistant. Zack and Zoey has a popular Blanket Coat (on Amazon)
10. Dog Snood
Zoo Snoods or Dogs Snoods (on Amazon) are simple knitted headpieces that are designed to keep your dog’s head and ears warm
What Are Some Non Electrical Heat Generating Methods That Might Be A Bad Idea, Or Not Effective?
Non-electric options that might be a bad idea or non effective might include:
– Gas Heaters
They might be a hazard with propane, and usually don’t come in small enough sizes to be used safely or logistically next to or within a dog house.
– 12 Volt Battery Heaters
Most 12 volt battery heaters might not be very powerful, or they are junk and stop working soon after you get them.
They also mostly come with car cigarette lighter adapter, so you’d have to get an electrician or a suitably qualified professional to wire something up for you that works.
– Ceramic Heaters
People have done something similar with small ceramic heaters and retro fitted them to a dog house.
– Battery Operated Infrared Light Bulb
The same goes for a Battery Operated Infrared Light Bulb.
– 12 Volt Electric Blankets
Same goes for these blankets.
– DC Supply Devices & Systems
Even if you manage to get a DC supply heater of any type going, it’s questionable how much heat they can provide because of how low power they are (there’s a reason most heaters are electric – they use usually at least 100 to 150 Watts i.e. lots of power).
You also then have to worry about retrofitting them which can take skill, time, money, effort and be downright dangerous and a big hazard if you don’t know what you’re doing.
You can also compromise the insulation and weather proofing of the dog house if you don’t seal it up properly after penetration.
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