Making sure your dog is warm and comfortable outside during the winter can seem like a big challenge. Not to worry though, there are insulated dog houses that will keep any size dog warm all winter long. Whether you plan on keeping your dog outside all day long, or just for a short period, they will appreciate having a warm place to take refuge from old man winter. Our top pick for the best dog house for winter is the ASL Solutions Insulated Dog Palace (Buy Online).
Best Dog House for Winter
| Image | Name | Rating | Available |
|---|---|---|---|
 | ASL Solutions Insulated Dog Palace |  | |
 | ASL Solutions DP Hunter Insulated Dog House |  | |
 | X-Large Indigo Dog House | |
Winter Dog House Features
Insulation
The first and most important reason to get a dog house that is made to handle the winter is to keep your dog warm. Most ordinary dog houses lack insulation, while a most dog houses made for winter will have thick layer of insulation. Having enough insulation in a dog house is vital in order to retain heat, so your dog can keep warm when they seek shelter inside their dog house. The inside temperature of a well insulated dog house can be about ten to fifteen degrees warmer than the outside air.
Another important thing to consider when selecting a insulated dog house is size. Even though we all would love to give our dog the biggest dog house possible, selecting a properly sized insulated dog house is very important. If you pick an insulated dog house that is too large for your dog, their body heat or any other supplemental heating may never be able to keep the interior of the dog house warm. If, on the other hand, you have a large dog, then by all means get a large dog house, since their body will produce enough heat to keep the dog house toasty and warm.
Keep Dry
Making sure a dog stays dry when they are outside in the cold is extremely important. If a dog gets wet in freezing temperatures, it can cause them to lose body heat at an alarming rate. This is where a dog house made to handle winter weather can be a real lifesaver. Since an insulated dog house has to be relatively air tight to begin with, they also tend to be much more waterproof than a standard dog house. The only major entry point for water will be the door, and most good winter dog houses have doors made to protect against water infiltration.
It can’t be over emphasized how important it is to keep a dog dry in the winter. Not only can your dog being wet lead to heat loss, it may also lead to other potential health problems as well. One major concern is if a dog gets wet in freezing conditions they will be much more susceptible to frost bite. The possibility of suffering frost bite will be magnified if your dog has ice actually forming on their skin. For this and other reasons keeping your dog dry is one of the best things you can do for them in the winter.
Block Wind
The wind can also make winter weather much harder to tolerate for your dog. The wind can strip their body of much needed heat even if they have a lot of fur. We all know how bad wind chill can feel, well it can also be a problem for our dogs. A strong wind can make it so a dogs fur is less able to trap heat, and this is even bigger problem for short haired dogs. A well sealed dog house will keep any drafts to a minimum, and it will allow a dog to stay comfortable even when the wind is howling outside.
Even dogs with thick coats can become chilled when a cold wind is blowing. The way dogs and most animals stay warm is by trapping heat in the air pockets in their coat. If a strong wind is blowing, it can cause a dog to lose the trapped heat inside their fur. Short haired dogs and dogs with a single coat will have even less ability to handle cold windy conditions. Since their fur can only protect them for a very limited amount of time in the first place. Most dogs will love having a dog house to stay out of very windy weather it’s freezing outside, or even if it’s just starting to get cold.
Feel Safe
A sense of security can be just as important as staying warm. Nothing really comes close to a dog house in this respect. Even in nice weather a dog house can be a nice place for your dog to relax, and feel safe. Then in the winter when the wind is blowing, and blizzards are laying down feet of snow, a dog house can be the only safe place to go.
Winter Dog House Reviews
ASL Solutions Insulated Dog Houses
The ASL Solutions Dog House (Buy Online) is made of very durable plastic, which is the same kind used in the construction of outdoor playgrounds. All ASL Dog houses are insulated with 4 inches of thick foam in each panel.
Another very nice feature of the ASL dog house is the self closing door. The self closing door is made of the same four inch thick insulated paneling as the rest of the dog house. Which means the door will not be a major source of heat loss during a very cold winter.
The door will also keep any rain out of the dog house, which should give your dog a nice dry place to stay during all winter long. All your dog will need to do when they want to enter or exit the dog house is push the door open with their nose. Then the door will securely close behind them, so no cold air or rain gets inside.
The ASL Insulated Dog House is also very simple to clean. The one thing that really makes clean up a breeze is the internal drain holes. All you have to do to clean up a mess is hose out the interior with water and it will quickly drain out of the structure.
The ASL insulated dog houses also come with self stowing windows. This makes it so you can open it up in the summer months for better ventilation. In addition, if you want to add a heating pad, a built in access port for the extension cord is already conveniently incorporated into the structure.
ASL Solutions Insulated Dog Houses come in two sizes. The Hunter Dog House (Buy Online) is made for smaller dogs, and the Dog Palace (Buy Online) is the for medium to large dogs.
ASL Solutions Insulated Dog Palace
The ASL Solutions Insulated Dog Palace (Buy Online) is made for medium to large dogs. The dimensions of the Dog Palace are 31.5” Width 38.5” Length 38.5 Height. And the weight of the Dog Palace is 55 pounds
ASL Solutions DP Hunter Insulated Dog House
The ASL Solutions DP Hunter Insulated Dog House (Buy Online) is made for small dogs. The dimensions of the DP Hunter Insulated Dog House are 23.25” Width 14.75” Length 14.75 Height. And the weight of the DP Hunter Insulated Dog House is 25 pounds
- Excellent Insulation
- Self Closing Door
- Ventilation
- Easy to Clean
- Insulation Settles
Indigo Dog House
The Indigo Dog House (Buy Online) line of dog houses are some of the best insulated dog houses for use in the winter. These dog houses are built to last and will handle any kind of weather. Indigo dog houses are made of durable structural foam. By utilizing foam in their construction they can provide superior insulation in hot or cold climates.
Indigo dog houses can also be easily assembled in very little time without using any tools. And they are sealed with Microban to prevent mold and bacteria from growing on the outside or on the inside of the dog house.
Indigo dog houses also feature an extended front entrance in order to keep wind and rain out of the inside of the dog house. The extended doorway is a key feature other comparable igloo style dog houses lack. Every Indigo dog house comes with an adjustable vent located at the top of the structure. The vent can either be totally closed in winter weather or left open when the warm weather returns.
Large Indigo Dog House
The Large Indigo Dog House (Buy Online) is designed for medium sized dogs. The large dog house dimensions are 43.75” Deep 25.75 High 34” Wide. And the whole dog house only weighs 11 pounds.
X-Large Indigo Dog House
The X-Large Indigo Dog House (Buy Online) is designed for large dogs. The X-Large dog house dimensions are 51.5” Deep 30 High 39” Wide. And the whole dog house only weighs 16.75 pounds.
- Superior Insulation
- Mold Resistant
- Ventilation
- Light Weight
- Extended Door
- No Small Version
Winter Dog House Accessories
While a well insulated dog house might be enough protection for some dogs during the winter. There are other things you can add to a dog house to make the winter weather more bearable.
Heated Mat/Pad
Adding a heated mat or pad to a well insulated dog house will definitely make your dog even more comfortable in very cold weather. A heated pad might only increase the internal temperature of the dog house a small amount, but they can still be worth it.
The real benefit of a heated pad is that it can transfer heat into a dogs body. This conductive heat transfer will help maintain a dogs core body temperature, and it will keep their bones from getting stiff and sore. A heated pad is almost a necessity in really cold climates if you want your dog to truly be comfortable.
Heated Bowls
If you plan on leaving your dog outside during the winter for and extended period of time, you will need a heated bowl to keep their water warm. You might think a dog needs less water in the winter, but the opposite is actually true. Freezing temperatures can actually make the air much dryer, causing your dog to lose more moisture through their body and breath. A good solution for this is to get a heated water bowl. Pacing a heated water bowl near the dog house will help give you peace of mind that your dog is properly hydrated, even during the worst winter weather.
Heating Pads and Bowls
ASL Solutions Dog House Floor Heater
The ASL Solutions Dog House Floor Heater (Buy Online) is made for times when temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit for a sustained period. This pad is water resistant, and it is designed for use inside of a dog house. This heating pad is made by the same company that makes the ASL dogs house. That means it is a perfect fit for both ASL model, so you can drop it in your ASL dog house without any modifications.
K&H Lectro Igloo-Style Heated Pad
The K&H Lectro Igloo-Style Heated Pad (Buy Online) is custom made to fit Igloo style dog houses. The curved design makes for a perfect fit in Indigo or Dogloo dog houses. The heating pad is made to cover half the floor of an igloo-style dog house The pad is made this way to ensure it does not lose any heat out the front door. The heating pad will also maintain a consistent temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit using a built in thermostat. The pad is made of ABS plastic which means it is very durable. Yet it is still very comfortable to lay on since it comes with a fleece wrap as an added bonus.
K&H Thermal Heated Dog Bowl
If you need to keep your dogs water from freezing solid in cold winter conditions the K&H Thermal Heated Dog Bowl (Buy Online) has you covered. This heated bowl is very energy efficient since it only draws 25 watts of power. And all the electronics are safely sealed inside the durable plastic housing.
