How to Choose an Outdoor Dog House (and Keep Your Dog Safe)

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An outdoor dog house gives your dog a dry, shaded, wind-sheltered spot while they spend time in the yard. It is not a replacement for living indoors: animal welfare groups agree that dogs belong inside with the family, and that no dog house makes extreme cold or heat safe. This guide covers when a dog house helps, how to size one, what to look for in the floor, door, walls and vents, how to set it up for winter and summer, the warning signs of cold and heat stress, and the one related product in our catalog.

How we wrote this: the safety advice comes from Humane World for Animals (formerly the Humane Society of the United States), the ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, the RSPCA and PetMD, checked on 31 October 2026. Product facts come from the makers’ own pages. We looked for hands-on tests of outdoor dog houses by independent review sites and found none we could rely on, so this page is a how-to and names dog houses without links. We did not test these products ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

First: a dog house is not a home

Before you buy, it helps to know where the welfare groups stand:

  • Humane World for Animals: “Keep your pets inside with you and your family.” It adds: “Don’t leave pets outdoors when the temperature drops” (Humane World for Animals).
  • RSPCA: “We don’t advise keeping dogs outside in any weather.” It says meeting the needs of dogs kept outdoors is very hard, even more so in very low temperatures (RSPCA).
  • VCA Animal Hospitals: “Generally, it is not safe to leave dogs outside during the winter” (VCA).

So think of a dog house as a daytime shelter for a dog who enjoys the yard, with an open door back into your home. Bring your dog inside in extreme weather, and every night.

When a dog house helps (and when it does not)

For a dog who is outdoors for part of the day, Humane World says they must be protected by “a dry, draft-free shelter that is large enough to allow them to move comfortably, but small enough to hold in body heat” (Humane World for Animals).

A dog house is much less useful in the heat. Humane World says “A doghouse does not provide relief from heat” and that it in fact makes heat worse. It recommends tree shade and tarps instead, because they do not block air flow (Humane World for Animals). VCA notes that even excited or over-exercised dogs can be at risk of heat stroke in a poorly ventilated space or a dog house, even when the weather does not seem very hot.

How to size a dog house

Size is a balance. Too small and your dog cannot turn around and lie down; too big and their body heat cannot warm the space. That is the point of Humane World’s rule above: big enough to move comfortably, small enough to hold in body heat.

  • Start with the maker’s chart. Dog houses are sold by dog weight. Petmate says its Indigo comes in medium, large and extra-large sizes for pets from 25 to 125 pounds (Petmate); Suncast says its Deluxe Dog House accommodates dogs up to 70 lbs, and adds that this may vary by breed (Suncast).
  • Measure your dog. Weight alone can mislead for long or tall breeds. Measure your dog standing (nose to base of tail, and floor to top of the head) and compare with the interior dimensions, not the outside ones. Our dog crate size chart explains how to take these measurements; the same idea of room to stand, turn and lie down applies.
  • Check the door. Makers list the door opening separately. Suncast gives a door opening of 11.75 in wide by 20.75 in high for its Deluxe Dog House (Suncast). Your dog should walk in without squeezing.

What to look for in an outdoor dog house

A raised floor

Humane World says the floor should be raised a few inches from the ground (Humane World for Animals), and VCA says an elevated shelter helps prevent moisture from accumulating inside (VCA). Many plastic houses build this in: Petmate says the Indigo has raised floors with side moats designed to drain moisture and dry the floor (Petmate), and Suncast describes a crowned floor with a channel around the inner edge to capture fluids (Suncast).

Insulation

VCA says a dog who must stay outside needs “an insulated shelter” (VCA). Not every dog house is insulated, so check the maker’s description. Petmate describes the Indigo as a shelter designed to withstand all weather conditions (Petmate). ASL Solutions, now owned by Escalade, makes the Dog Palace line of insulated dog houses, which Escalade says are engineered to help pets stay warmer in colder weather and cooler in warmer conditions (Escalade). Suncast’s page describes weather-resistant resin, vents and a crowned floor, but does not list insulation (Suncast).

A sheltered door

Humane World says the doorway should be covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic (Humane World for Animals). Some houses offset the door so wind and rain do not blow straight in: Petmate says the Indigo has an extended, offset doorway for extra protection against rain and wind, and sells a separate Indigo Door accessory (Petmate). Face the door away from the prevailing wind.

Ventilation

Even a winter shelter needs air flow. Petmate says rooftop ventilation promotes continuous airflow in the Indigo (Petmate), and Suncast says vents in its unit provide air circulation (Suncast).

Easy to clean and to secure

Bedding gets damp and dirty, so a house you can open is easier to keep dry. Suncast says its roof removes for easy cleaning, and recommends using stakes (not included) to secure the house to the ground (Suncast). Both Petmate and Suncast say their houses snap together without tools.

Set it up for winter

  • Dry bedding, off the floor. Humane World says to cover the raised floor with cedar shavings or straw (Humane World for Animals). VCA suggests blankets or a padded bed (VCA). The ASPCA says pets need a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts (ASPCA). Replace bedding that gets wet.
  • Cover the door with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic (Humane World), or a flap made for your model.
  • Water that does not freeze. Humane World says to check the water often so it stays fresh and unfrozen, and to use plastic bowls in the cold, because a pet’s tongue can stick and freeze to metal.
  • A heated bed, used safely. If you add a heated pad, choose one made for outdoor shelters and follow the maker’s rules. See the product below.
  • Bring cats in. Humane World says that under no circumstances should pet cats be left outdoors in the cold, even if they roam outside during other seasons.

For walks in the cold, see how to walk a dog in winter.

Set it up for summer

  • Shade that breathes. Because a dog house can trap heat, Humane World recommends tree shade or tarps, which do not obstruct air flow (Humane World for Animals). The ASPCA says to make sure your pet has a shady place to get out of the sun, and to keep pets indoors when it is extremely hot (ASPCA).
  • Plenty of fresh water. The ASPCA says pets can get dehydrated quickly when it is hot or humid outdoors.

More ideas, including cooling mats, are in how to keep a dog cool in summer.

Warning signs: when to bring your dog in and call the vet

Cold

VCA says to watch for signs of discomfort such as shivering or whining, and that frostbite and hypothermia can happen if a dog is wet and exposed to frosty air, not only at freezing temperatures. It says frostbite shows as blanched, pale or blue skin on the ears, tail or toes, and may look raw or blistered or feel firm; be gentle and never rub the skin to warm it. PetMD says signs of hypothermia range from shivering and lethargy to collapse and a slowed heart rate, that you should never use direct heat sources such as heating pads on a hypothermic dog, and that you should take your dog to the vet immediately if you suspect it.

Heat

Humane World for Animals lists signs of heatstroke including heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, lack of coordination, profuse salivation, vomiting, a deep red or purple tongue, seizure and unconsciousness. It says to move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area and take them directly to a veterinarian. VCA adds that dogs with heat stroke can have dry or sticky gums or abnormal gum color, and that flat-faced breeds can show signs when it is only moderately warm and humid.

These are general signs, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your dog, see your vet.

The product we list

We do not list an outdoor dog house, because we could not find an independent hands-on test that met our evidence rules. We do list one product made for outdoor shelters:

The K&H Lectro-Soft Outdoor Heated Pet Bed is a heated pad with a thermostat that warms the surface to your pet’s normal body temperature when they lie on it, made for sheltered spots such as sheds, garages and barns, on 110/120 volt current (K&H). Spots.com tested more than 18 heated beds and pads with its own dogs and named it best overall and best for outdoors, liking its steel-wrapped cord. It also found the bed may not get warm enough outdoors in very cold weather, and that it has no on/off switch. Spots.com reports that K&H says not to fold it, not to use an extension cord, and to keep it out of direct rain and snow, and K&H does not recommend it for destructive pets, so skip it if your dog chews bedding.

A heated bed adds comfort in a cool shelter; it does not make a cold night safe. Bring your dog in when the temperature drops.

Dog houses we could not link, named here so you can look them up: the Petmate Indigo (igloo style, raised floor, offset door), the Suncast Deluxe Dog House (resin, removable roof, not listed as insulated) and the ASL Solutions Dog Palace (insulated).

Clearing the yard? See the best dog poop scooper for the yard, with CDC advice on keeping cleanup hygienic.

FAQ

Is it OK for a dog to live in a dog house outside?

Welfare groups say no. Humane World says to keep pets inside with the family, and the RSPCA does not advise keeping dogs outside in any weather. A dog house is a daytime shelter, not a full-time home.

Should a dog house be off the ground?

Yes. Humane World says the floor should be raised a few inches, and VCA says an elevated shelter helps keep moisture out.

What do you put in a dog house to keep it warm?

Dry bedding such as straw or cedar shavings (Humane World), or blankets or a padded bed (VCA), plus a covered door. Replace anything that gets wet. A heated pad made for outdoor use can add comfort, but bring your dog in when it is very cold.

Does a dog house keep a dog cool in summer?

Not on its own. Humane World says a doghouse makes heat worse, and recommends tree shade or tarps plus plenty of fresh, cold water.

How big should a dog house be?

Big enough for your dog to move comfortably, but small enough to hold in body heat (Humane World). Use the maker’s weight chart, then check the interior and door sizes against your dog’s measurements.

For more, read how to choose a pet door, best heated pet beds and the dog beds and crates buying guide.

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