Over 50% of the population allows their dog to stay indoors and sleep on the couch or in their owner’s bed. For those of you who are interested in building a dog house for you beloved pet here are some simple rules to follow when considering what type of shelter you want to provide.

1. You should begin your dog house building process by making sure the house is big enough to accommodate your animal’s potential adult size. Humans enjoy having about 2 feet of air above us in a room in order to live without feeling claustrophobic. Your dog will probably also enjoy having that much room. The comfort zone for both humans and dogs is about 1/3 of their standing height. To figure out how much room the dog will need get out a tape measure and measure your dog. Measure him standing straight up, sitting on his haunches and above all measure the full dimension of the dog when he is the most comfortable, relaxed and stretched out position he can get into. Your dog should be able to look out the front entrance while both standing up and sitting. So the dog will not have to significantly lover his front shoulders or scrape his belly make sure that entrance is high enough. Stand over the dog and measure the width of the widest point of the animal’s shoulders.

2. Remember to raise the dog house several inches from the ground to allow air and water to flow underneath. To dissuade pests from invading the dog house and taking your dogs health into consideration remember how important ventilation is. Put in a few nickel-sized holes in the walls under the eaves. Install a wind block inside the house so the dog can use the heat of its own body to warm up the area if it is really cold or windy outside. Consider adding a partial wall which will allow your dog to escape the bad weather. Your animal can choose to just sleep in the entry room or go around the inner archway maze wall into the inner sanctum. Your beloved pet would probably love having a pillow or some sort of bedding to sleep on.

3. To avoid rain coming into the dog house make the floor just a bit slanted toward the doorway and build the roof a little bit slanted, as well. Make sure the house is well insulated but you should not paint the inside.

4. In the United States most storms come from the south and west so make sure the dog house faces a different direction. Most dog house plans suggest that the dog house door faces east. The cold air will not be able to whip through the entryway then.

5. It is suggested that you put hinges on the roof of the dog house. This makes it easier for you to clean out your dog’s home. You should clean the dog’s house as often as you give your dog a bath.

If your dog lives outside then he deserves to have a comfortable place to sleep and get out of harsh weather. Hopefully these easy tips on building a dog house will help you get started.

Before you start dog breeding as a business or past time, you should first know about its fundamentals.

When you decide to do something, you should set your goals. This is also true with dog breeding. First on the list is good temperament; the dogs you breed should have good temperament so that future owners will not hesitate to care for them. As a breeder, it is your responsibility to lookout for unexpected changes in the behavior of the dogs like shyness, fear, excessive activities, and negative response to leave their common environment. Such characteristics are easily passed to their puppies. Genetics is a very important factor when breeding dogs and you should ensure that good temperament is passed on to the puppies. Try to check if the ancestral genes of the dogs possess good temperament.

Many breeders tend to put a male and a female dog in a certain room in the hope that the dogs will mate eventually. This is wrong. You must be certain that the female dog is already sexually matured so that she can be impregnated. The heat period will often start from the 6-month to one year. Still, this is not the perfect time for breeding. You need to wait until the female dog reaches two years or so because this is the best time for the female to carry a pup.

Good breed of pups can be realized if you’ve chosen the perfect parents. The male and female dogs should not possess any inborn or inherited faults. Get to know the dog breed by discovering more about their ancestors. You must ensure that the mother dog does not possess negative characteristics such as savageness and shyness. The male dog determines the sex of the puppies because he possesses the sex chromosomes. As a breeder, you should also ensure that the male does not have any reproductive difficulties. Such defects are hard to correct; if the male does not have enough sperm, the female will not be impregnated.

Before you start dog breeding, you should be well informed about the ancestry of the dogs you’re handling. You should determine the mixed, recessive, and dominant characteristics of the dogs. Dog breeding is a rewarding activity; you can increase the number of your pets through breeding and you can also earn money if you decide to embark on a business venture. You should be prepared mentally and physically. Why? Well, dog breeding requires breeders to conduct a lot of research. You will need to spend a lot of time researching because if you’re not well informed, you’re not going to be a good breeder.

Dog breeding has its advantages. You can raise many pups which you can take care at home or you can also share them with your relatives and friends. Puppies make excellent gifts, right? If you want, you can also sell the puppies. Good natured and intelligent pups are saleable and since most households have pet dogs, you will mot find it hard to get a buyer.

Now that you know the fundamentals of dog breeding, you should find out more about the different dog breeding methods such as line breeding, cross breeding, and out breeding. Take your time in reading books and other information materials. Don’t forget to consult the expert breeders in your area as well as the local vet; these people can help you.