dog house size

[Capt'nMorgan]

I am considering building a dog house in side my garden shed, and by doing that I am limited to 23" wide by as long as I want. I figure this would be warmer for the winter and keep them out of the elements. Was wondering if that would be to small? Its for a GSP.

[jeffreyd]

do you also need to fit in it from time to time? I would go off the dimensions of a metal kennel similar to what a dog would sleep in. That way you know they have enough room. I think rule of thumb is they should be able to stand up, turn around, and sit/sleep with some space around them.

[zelek]

I ordered some plans for a dog house last fall and I'm sure glad I did as the house turned out great. It's insulated with 1 1/2" rigid foam and has a divider in it to keep the dog out of the wind at all times. Our french brittany spent every night outside last winter in this house and he made it fine. It's amazing how much heat a good house retains if it's sized correctly and has a flap on the door.

[MuleShack]

I am considering building a dog house in side my garden shed, and by doing that I am limited to 23" wide by as long as I want. I figure this would be warmer for the winter and keep them out of the elements. Was wondering if that would be to small? Its for a GSP.

Most of the larger crates are not that wide. If you are going to just leave the dog in over night that should be fine. The space will allow it to turn around, curl up and stretch out. Not sure it would be great for extended stays longer than just sleeping over night, but I guess it would still be better than sleeping outside. If it is well insulated and has wind protection it should be fine and i'm sure the dog will appreciate it.

[BLACKJACK]

Sounds a little small to me because ideally you should build the house with two compartments, so the dog can get out of the wind, picture an upside down 'U', dog goes in the door and around the partition, and lays in the other portion of the house. With just one compartment, when the wind blows from the direction of the door, the dog is going to feel the cold winter wind.