Everyone knows Snoopy’s iconic dog house. I’m sure you remember it. It’s totally red, and instead of going inside of the dog house, Snoopy would sit on top. From time to time Snoopy would write letters on his typewriter from the roof.
Often Snoopy would pretend to be a fighter jet pilot with Woodstock as his copilot. But usually they just hang around on the roof together.
Snoopy put his house through a ton of wear. Yet it held up over all these years. This is the standard that we want to hold our dog houses to. Whether our pup wants to sleep inside, outside, on top, underneath- we want the best houses for their comfort.
That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the best dog houses for whatever qualities and uses you might be looking for. Hopefully I can help you find your dog house!
Contents
Best House for Extreme Weather
This Petmate offering is a very attractive and designed like a log cabin. It looks so comfortable that I want to climb inside, get a fire going and roast some marshmallows.
And really, the construction is fit for a human (albeit a small one). It is manufactured with all-weather sealed wood and an asphalt roof to repel wind and snow. Additionally, the floor is raised up off the ground to help with heat dissipation.
The entrance is positioned off center to provide a comfortable section of the dog house away from the elements.
Finally, while it’s not quite as easy to assemble as Petmate’s Indigo as the other houses on this list, the log cabin is ready to use in only 3 steps.
And best of all! Your dog can lay on top like Snoopy!
Hear from a reviewer:
We have a 85 lb shepherd and he fits with room to spare. Easy assembly. Smells great and looks like a quality product. Power drill helps a lot with the installing the feet. My fur baby likes it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RS7R15QWLUT35/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0006L2QF0
Pros
- This dog house is manufactured to provide your dog protection from extreme weather.
- Sealed wood and an asphalt roof keep your pup dry inside.
- Offset door helps keep the snow and rain outside.
- Looks great. A very attractive dog house.
Cons
- Very heavy and not very portable.
- Is not as well ventilated as other dog houses.
Ultimately, this dog house is for you if you live in a climate that gets intense snow or rain throughout the year. It’s perfect for our puppers to find brief shelter during their romps outside!
Best House on a Budget
If you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly, look no further than Petmate’s Aspen Pet Barn!
This plastic crate will get the job done. While it’s not suitable for extreme temperatures, reviewers report that the ventilation is decent and the assembly is very easy.
The design and construction of this house provide pretty good protection from the elements. Additionally, some reviewers say that the plastic is more durable than you’d expect, standing up to some pretty serious chewers:
I have 2 great Pyrenees mixes, a caucasian shepherd and 3 caucasian shepherd/great pyrenees mixes, plus a Husky and a Pittie – so needless to say I have BIG dogs who like to chew. My dogs like to sit on top of their houses and “guard” the back yard and after having 2 of these houses for well over a year, they are still as durable as when they were delivered. I can sit on top of them with no problems (and I am over 200 lbs) and my dogs have chewed on the sides when they’ve been bored. We bought them nice, expensive, wooden houses before and they had them chewed up and destroyed within a few weeks. I would highly recommend this house, especially if you have large breeds like I do
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RT29KF6H9GFA4/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0009ESZL8
Pros
- Inexpensive.
- Superb quality manufacturing for the price point.
- Decent ventilation.
- Simple to set up out of the box.
Cons
- The plastic walls provide little to no insulation.
- The floor is not raised, so heat will dissipate through the ground.
- This house is not for extreme weather, several reviewers indicated that it leaked during a rainstorm.
This is a nice little house that will provide some shelter for your dog. The quality is superb for the price point- just don’t expect it to shelter your dogs in extreme weather. Click to get it now!
Best House For Extra Large Dogs
The confidence outdoor winter house boasts the largest dimensions on the market. If you have an extra large breed dog then this is for you!
It also has some other really nice features worth noting, such as simple setup, raised floor and an extra large door.
But the best feature about the confidence winter house, and the reason it made this list, is that it is the best option for super large dogs.
One reviewer noted that it was large enough to fit his two extra large dogs, one an 80 lb lab and the other a 75 lb wolf/malamute cross.
Needless to say, this house will be big enough to fit your dog.
Hear it from a reviewer:
Awesome dog house! Bought two. Hold our 85 pound lab and 94 pound husky mix individually and they could squeeze in one if they really wanted to although they would have to really like to snuggle! It’s tall and door is as well which we liked. They go in and out easily. Like the elevated floor so no water enters. We used thick Velcro strips to put down a thick shag rug so we can remove to clean but they won’t drag out. Great price. I don’t know why people complained about flooring as has four supports and it doesn’t buckle under our dogs weight.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RRP4DPREEA5YY/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01G88MZXW
Pros
- It’s huge.
- Decent price point, one of the more affordable houses.
- Easy to assemble out of the box.
- Big door as well.
- Raised floor to prevent heat dissipation.
Cons
- Walls are not insulated.
- The construction isn’t waterproof.
This is a good option for you if you have a huge dog. However, it’s not good for extreme climates.
Best Wooden House
I know I have another wooden dog house on this list, but the Petsfit Outdoor Dog House is so cool that it deserves a mention.
The best feature about this house is that the roof can be opened. That makes this wooden house ideal for larger dogs. Also, during really hot weather, being able to open the roof helps greatly with ventilation.
Otherwise this is a solid house. It has a high quality asphalt roof to repel rain. Also, the floor is raised above the ground to prevent heat dissipation. A door flap is also included. Unfortunately, the paneling is not sealed like the Petmate Extreme Weather log cabin. That makes this house more ideal for mild climates and less extreme weather.
Here are what reviewers are saying:
Love the dog house. We needed something off the ground since we occasionally get water up on the porch and didn’t want our dog sleeping in a wet bed. This dog house appears sturdy, the roofing shingle top is not only classy but functional, the lifting lid is much appreciated by myself and my husband so that we don’t have to crawl into the dog house to change out the bedding. Our dog took to it immediately.
The bottom of the dog house is slatted so there is an opportunity for venting, that would be great on hot days, we just slapped a bed down over it as soon as we got the dog house though. The dyed wood is tasteful and the white trim is very classy. It was a breeze to put together and is strong enough to handle the rough spinning and clumsiness of our big silly loving dog.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1PZJKT3LEL9QZ/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B01FH5VZGU
Pros
- Roof opens up, like a lid.
- Ventilation is excellent when the roof is open.
- Easy to set up.
- Decent dimensions inside means the house can fit larger breeds.
- Roof has asphalt to repel rain
Cons
- Wooden paneling is not weather sealed.
- Not a good choice for extreme weather.
I really like the open roof feature. Other reviewers do, too. It’s a great design- especially for use in the summer months and in warmer climates. However, this house is not suitable for colder months or more extreme climates.
Best Overall
The Petmate Indigo is designed for all weather use, borrowing from the timeless igloo style homes of the Inuit. Unfortunately, your dog won’t be able to lay on top of it like Snoopy- but you’d rather your dog be inside of it anyway.
And it is packed with features.
The walls are heavy-duty construction manufactured to keep your pets warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The design includes an offset doorway that keeps rain and snow from coming in.
The Petmate Indigo also includes vents on top that help to circulate fresh air, so your dog stays comfortable inside. Also, the design incorporates raised floors to help insulate from heat dissipation through the ground.
Additionally, the Indigo is very easy to assemble. It basically snaps together out of the box. Reviewers raved about how easy it was to assemble:
It comes in two pieces so you can remove the top half and wash the bottom if necessary. The two halves snap into place with sturdy plastic tabs. Very easy to assemble.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2LTIFI39N1Q7X/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0002AT4ZU
Pros
- Heavy-duty constructed walls are well insulated from both the heat and the cold.
- Intelligently engineered ventilation keeps fresh air circulating.
- Offset door keeps elements out.
- Easy to assemble, just snaps together.
- Raised floor helps prevent heat dissipation.
Cons
- Heavy and bulky, difficult to move around. Would benefit from handles.
- Sizes run small, so if your dog is in between sizes, I would opt for the larger size.
- Your dog can’t sit on top like Snoopy
If you live in an extreme climate and need a shelter for your dog’s brief romps outside then this is the dog house for you. It comes in small, medium and large. Click here to get it now! You can also check out my in depth review here.
Verdict
The best overall house, bar none, is the Petmate Indigo igloo style dog house. This provides for the best shelter in both hot and cold and will keep your pupper warm and dry during snowstorms or monsoons. It really is the best choice.
If you’re looking for something more attractive but still provides a high degree of shelter from bad weather, consider the Petmate Extreme Weather Resistant log cabin.
Otherwise, you can check out the budget Aspen Pet Barn, the Confidence Outdoor Winter House for extra large dogs, or the wooden Petsfit outdoor house. Also, you can see our list of the five best heavy duty dog crates. Crates provide a little more portability than houses.
Hope I helped you find your pet’s dream home!
