Outdoor Dog Kennel Health: A Practical Guide

When you think of a dog kennel, what comes to mind? Is it a vision of a happy home for your pet, or a dirty and cramped pen that leaves your dog living in miserable squalor? Often, kennels are more like the second option, but they don’t have to be! 

In this article, we focus on how to create a healthy outdoor dog kennel. We cover everything from features you should have in your outdoor dog kennel to tips you can do to make your dogs happy and healthy. Follow these tips, and you’ll soon have a home your pet will love.

Essential Features of a Healthy Outdoor Dog Kennel

Proper Size and Space

A properly sized kennel is essential to the health of your dog. Here’s a handy guide to the proper kennel size for your dog:

Flooring

When prioritizing the health of your dogs in your outdoor kennel, flooring is an important aspect to consider. There are a variety of options to choose from, and here are some of the best choices for your outdoor dog kennel:

Rubber flooring- Rubber is a great choice for kennels since It’s comfortable, durable, and easy to clean. One downside is that it can stain and retain odor if not cleaned regularly. 

Epoxy flooring- Epoxy flooring is a durable and relatively maintenance-free flooring choice. It’s extremely easy to clean and can withstand harsh disinfectants. However, it requires a lengthy installation process, and can become slippery when wet. 

Polyurea Flooring- This type of flooring is like epoxy flooring in many ways. However, the final product is stronger and more slip-resistant than epoxy. It’s more expensive than epoxy and is fairly difficult to install and requires special equipment. Here’s an article on the benefits of polyurea flooring.

For more options and details on outdoor dog kennel flooring, check out this article. 

Shelter and Weather Protection

Depending on where you live, your outdoor kennel may be exposed to brutal heat, bitter cold, and other harsh weather conditions. When buying a kennel and placing a kennel, It’s important to consider how you’ll keep your dog healthy and comfortable year-round.

Here are a few ways you can keep your dog comfortable and protected:

Place your kennel under the shade- This will keep it from being exposed to direct sunlight most of the day, keeping it cooler inside for your dog

Optimize air flow–  Adding air vents and windows to your outdoor kennel is a great way to keep it cooler inside. Adding a fan will also help regulate the temperature

Add insulation– Insulating your outdoor kennel will help to regulate the temperature inside, especially in extreme cold or heat.

Adding insulation is a relatively easy DIY project and can be done using foam board, fiberglass insulation, or foil bubble insulation. Check out this blog for more information on doghouse insulation. 

Add the right bedding– In the peak of summer, you could opt to give your dog a cooling mat or cooling bed, instead of the typical pine shavings which tend to trap heat.

Add A/C and Heating – A/C might seem like an unnecessary luxury, but it could give you peace of mind knowing your dog is happy and healthy, no matter the weather.

Having a reliable heat source for your dog’s kennel is essential for your dog’s comfort and health, especially if you live in the northern United States. Here are a few great options for your outdoor kennel:

• Heat Lamp Bulbs– Popular for their simplicity and low cost, these heat lamps are a great choice for smaller kennels. However, they won’t be very effective in large kennels or cold temperatures. 
• Electric Heaters- There are many options available, from wall-mounted units to plug-in space heater units. 
• Heated Pads– A heated pad or blanket is a great option for smaller sheds, as long as the weather doesn’t get too cold. They are often fairly cheap, making them a great choice for milder climates.

Security and Safety Measures

Approximately 2 million dogs are stolen annually in the United States, with criminals often being motivated by financial gain. Here are some ways you can prevent your dog from being a victim of theft. 

• Keep your kennel close to your house: This way, you’ll easily be able to check up on your dogs, while also providing a deterrent from thieves.
• Make sure the outdoor dog kennel area is well-lit: Adding a motion-detecting light or a dusk-to-dawn light is a great way to provide extra security near your outdoor dog kennel. 
• Install security cameras: Installing cameras inside your outdoor kennel is a great way to check up on your dogs when you’re not around, as well as giving you a great theft-prevention tool.
• Keep your kennel doors locked: This is probably the most effective theft prevention measure and it will help keep your kennel doors from accidentally opening.

Health and Hygiene Practices in Outdoor Kennels

Regular Cleaning and Sanitization

Cleaning your outdoor dog kennel is essential to the health of your dogs. Keeping a regular cleaning schedule is a great way to keep track of it and make sure it actually gets done. Here’s a schedule you can use to keep your kennel clean and your dogs happy:

Daily Tasks

• Clean food and water dishes and add fresh feed and water 
• Check bedding and clean out any feces or other debris

Weekly Tasks

• Clean out and replace bedding shavings and wash other bedding
• Sanitize food and water dishes
• Remove and wash toys and other objects 

Monthly Tasks

• Remove all bedding, toys, and other debris
• Clean and disinfect the floor, walls, and any other surface 
• Rinse the kennel and move everything back in after it’s finished drying

This is a rough guide, and can be modified to your specific needs and preferences.

Parasite and Sickness Prevention

When it comes to parasite prevention, regular checkups and medication can go a long way in keeping your dogs healthy. Here’s a great blog on how to treat dogs with common parasites. 

Here are a few ways you can prevent parasites with proper kennel care.

• Regular Kennel Cleaning: This is your first line of defense in preventing parasites and other sicknesses in your pets, and should always be a top priority.
• Rodent Prevention: Dogs often get parasites and diseases from mice, rats, or other rodents. Prevent rodents from coming into the kennel by removing brush and high grass from the area surrounding the kennel.
• Insect Prevention: Many parasites and diseases can also come from bugs like mosquitos, ticks, and fleas. Clear away high grass and stagnant water nearby to keep these insects away. 

Mental and Physical Stimulation in Outdoor Kennels

When it comes to having healthy dogs, providing opportunities for mental and physical stimulation is essential. When a dog doesn’t have opportunities for mental and physical exercise, your dog could soon display signs of anxiety, stress, and restlessness. Common symptoms of this include excessive barking, destructive chewing and digging, and aggressive behavior. 

If you want your dog to be happy, it’s important that you put some thought into your dog’s mental and physical well-being. Here are some great tips that will make your outdoor dog kennel into a proper home for your dog. 

Give your dogs chew toys

It’s natural for dogs to want to chew on things, so it’s important to give them a quality chew toy. They’ll be much happier with this mental and physical stimulation, and it’ll keep them from other destructive behavior

Give your dog a large kennel run area

When choosing an outdoor dog kennel, a kennel with a large run area is a great choice for the physical well-being of your dog. A dog run should be a minimum of 4×8 for 1 average-sized dog. Keep in mind that your kennel run is meant to be used primarily as a secure holding area and not as a substitute for regular outdoor play. 

Make your dog work for its food

A creative way to give your dog more physical stimulation is to add a feeder or toy that makes your dog work for its food. A great example of this is a snuffle mat. A snuffle mat is essentially an oversized rug that can hide treats and dog food, allowing your dog to use its nose to sniff out the food and give it mental stimulation. For more information, check out this article on the best snuffle mats. 

Of course, there’s no substitute for getting your dog out of the kennel for a walk or run. The physical activity and mental stimulation of a new environment will go a long way in increasing your dogs overall well-being.

Socialization in Outdoor Kennels

One of the biggest risks with outdoor dog kennels is the lack of socialization a dog may get from living in one. Dogs are pack animals and are inherently social, so being penned up in a kennel alone for long periods of time isn’t great for your dog’s overall health. 

Organize a play-date– If you only own one dog, you could organize a regular playdate with another dog for socialization. If this is something that interests you, make sure your kennel is large enough when you go to buy it. 

Get more pets– This may be obvious, but if you want your dog to be more socially adept, it helps to have more animals for your dog to socialize with.

Take your dog to the park– Just being in an environment where your dog can see other dogs can be helpful for your dog’s socialization skills. Even if it doesn’t interact with other dogs, it could still be helpful to be around them.

Kennel Cough in Dogs: FAQs and How to Treat it

One potential hazard for dogs in a kennel is the spread of sickness. One common sickness is kennel cough in dogs. Here, we’ll break down common questions about this sickness, and also some treatment options.

What is Kennel Cough?

Kennel cough in dogs is a highly contagious sickness that commonly affects dogs where large numbers of the animals congregate. In many ways, it’s similar to the common cold in humans and includes symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sneezing, fever, and lethargy. Although it’s usually not serious, it tends to affect puppies younger than 6 months and immunocompromised dogs more severely. 

What Does Kennel Cough Sound Like?

The main symptom of kennel cough is a persistent dry cough that can sound almost like a goose honk. However, just because your dog has a cough doesn’t mean its kennel cough. If your dog has a persistent dry cough longer than 3 weeks, you should get a proper diagnosis from a veterinarian and seek treatment. 

How Long Does Kennel Cough Last?

Kennel cough in dogs is usually not extremely serious in otherwise healthy dogs, and will often resolve itself in 1-3 weeks. In some cases, symptoms can linger a little longer than this. 

If you choose to treat the kennel cough with medication, it’s possible it will go away quicker than this. However, In dogs with compromised immune systems, the effects could last longer and be more severe.

Can Humans Get Kennel Cough?

Kennel cough can spread to humans, although it is very rare. People who have a compromised immune system or a respiratory illness of some sort are more at risk. Symptoms in humans may include a persistent cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, and other breathing problems.

How to Treat Kennel Cough:  

In most cases, kennel cough can be treated with plenty of rest, hydration, and time. It will often clear up in a couple of weeks if proper care is taken. 

In more severe cases when the symptoms are harsher and last longer than 3 or 4 weeks, or If your dog is very old or young, or has other health issues, a veterinarian should be consulted. Treatments may include antibiotics, cough medication, or steroids.

CONCLUSION

Your dogs are important to you. Creating a healthy kennel environment will go a long way towards giving them the life they deserve, and will give you peace of mind knowing your pet is healthy and happy. 

If you’re interested in an outdoor dog kennel of your own, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to check out our inventory for kennels in stock, or request a dog kennel quote!