What is the best heater for dog houses outside? Keep your furry friend cozy with these top safe choices for outdoor kennels.
Okay, so the weather started turning nasty cold a few weeks back. My dog, Buster, he's getting on a bit, you know? And I noticed him shivering in his bed in the garage, even with his blankets. Didn't feel right leaving him like that.
So, I figured, gotta get him some heat out there. First thought was just maybe more blankets, but that only does so much. Then I thought about those heat lamps, like for chickens or whatever. But man, those things look like a fire waiting to happen. Especially in a garage with stuff around. Plus, Buster’s clumsy, might knock it over.
Figuring Stuff Out
Started looking around online, just seeing what other folks use for dog houses or garages. Saw a bunch of options. Some were like heated mats, others were small space heaters. The mats seemed okay, but I worried he wouldn't stay on it, or chew the cord. Always gotta worry about the chewing.
Ended up focusing on actual heaters, but specifically ones made for safety. Things I looked for:
- Tip-over protection: Absolutely needed this. If it falls, it shuts off.
- Overheat protection: Same deal, don't want it running itself into meltdown.
- Cool touch exterior: Didn't want Buster burning his nose sniffing it.
- No exposed elements: Like those red-hot coils? No way. Too risky.
Found a small, ceramic heater that ticked those boxes. Looked sturdy enough, wasn't too expensive either. Decided to give that a shot.
Setting it Up
Got the heater home. First thing, cleared a space for it in the garage. Had to move some junk around, make sure there was nothing flammable nearby – like, a good few feet clear zone all around it. Found a spot near his bed, but not so close he'd be cooked. More like aiming it towards his general area.
Plugged it in. The cord was a bit of a pain, had to run it carefully along the wall so he wouldn't trip on it or get tangled. Used some tape to keep it down, seemed safer. The heater had a couple of settings, low and high, and a thermostat dial. Started it on low, pointed kinda towards his bed area.
Watching and Waiting
Then came the waiting game. Let it run for a bit to warm up the corner. Buster just looked at it. Sniffed it once from a distance, then ignored it. Typical. Went out there a few times to check – touched the casing, it was warm but not burning hot, so that was good. The floor around it wasn't getting crazy hot either.
Left it on low overnight. Peaked in later, and what do you know? He wasn't shivering. He’d actually moved his bed a tiny bit closer to the warm air flow. Success, kind of!
Played with the thermostat a bit over the next few days. Found a setting where it just kicks on when it gets properly cold, keeps his corner comfortable without turning the whole garage into a sauna or running constantly. It’s been running like that for a couple of weeks now. Seems to be working out alright. Buster’s definitely more comfortable, sleeping better through the cold nights. And I feel better knowing he’s not freezing out there. Simple setup, but it did the trick.
