If you want to learn more about keeping your dog happy then keep on reading, if you’re more interested in purchasing a kennel take a look at some of these best selling kennels.

The truth is that most dogs are content while spending time in their dog kennels, but there are a few steps you, as a dog owner, can take to ensure a good experience.

Placing a dog pillow in the kennel will allow the dog a more comfortable experience. Believe it or not most dogs enjoy a snug fit. In addition to a snug fit, the pillow offers the dog something familiar to come back to every time he/she returns to the kennel. Having a pillow could be compared to your own bed within your house. It isn’t that your bed is the softest bed in the world, but it is your bed and it is the bed that you sleep best in.

Dogs require some training to get used to their kennels. If you properly train your dog by being firm and by being consistent, then your dog will excitedly go to the kennel when it is time. The real key here is being consistent. Have a set schedule so the dog knows the difference between kennel time and play time. If you have your dog properly trained, he/she will excitedly enter the kennel when it is time.

Place your dog’s favorite doggie toy within the kennel. This will allow your dog to be familiar with his/her kennel environment, similar to placing a pillow in the kennel as discussed above. Having a favorite toy will give the dog extra incentive to enter when the time is right.

Make sure to give your dog regular exercise. If a dog is well exercised, then some time in the kennel will not bother the dog at all, in fact he/she will probably enjoy it. However, if a dog has been neglected and left in a kennel all day without any chance to stretch its legs, you can bet that the dog will be hating life within the kennel. This has another negative affect; it causes the dog to associate bad experiences with the kennel, which is why some dogs resist entering a kennel at all cost.

The last time for a happy kenneled dog is to make sure the kennel has adequate space. Dog’s don’t mind a snug fit, but they should have some room to move around and play with their toys.

By training your dog, keeping it on a regular schedule, and helping it have a positive experience your dog should enjoy the time spent within its new little home.

This metal dog crate (pictured above) is a huge fan favorite (in fact it’s the number one selling kennel on Amazon). It comes with a nice satin-black finish that makes the crate look a little nicer than your standard metal crate.

As you can see from the picture above, the kennel comes with two doors (this is more convenient than you might think; especially in car situations or when training smaller dogs).

This crate comes with a nifty divider that comes in super handy when you are training smaller dogs. Believe it or not, dogs don’t like a lot of extra space in their kennel (read my article on what size of kennel should I get for my dog?). If they have too much extra space, they have a tendency to start going potty within the crate. The divider helps younger dogs potty train and you can keep moving the divider back to give the dog more space as it grows. Eventually most people end up taking the divider out completely.

This kennel comes in many different sizes to accomodate your the size of your dog. The largest size can hold dogs that weigh up to 50 lbs. Pricing starts at around $40 and includes free shipping.

Chances are you’ve seen this plastic kennel before. It’s a great option for those of you who travel a lot and it’s really handy when you need to go into see the vet.

The kennel pictured above is the medium option from Petmate. They also have a large version that isn’t quite as popular. Both versions work great in my opinion, but you have to understand the amount of weight these crates can handle before purchasing. This intermediate portable kennel is only designed to hold pets that weigh up to 20 pounds. So it’s great for those of you with smaller dogs. If you have a large dog, I’d go with the metal crate option above or with the vari kennel design which I’ll talk about next.

 The idea behind the vari kennel from Petmate is to create a little higher quality more sturdy version for larger pets (and for those who just want a sturdier model). You have to pay a little more for the vari kennel so if you have a smaller dog I’d recommend going with the normal version talked about above.

For those of you who plan on having your dogs travel by airline the vari kennel is a good option for you because itl is certified by the USDA and the IATA for dog travel.

This small pink kennel isn’t for everyone, but it might be just the ticket for some of you with smaller dogs who like the pink look. I wouldn’t recommend putting pets in here who are taller than 8 inches.

I know, I know it’s not a kennel, it’s a pillow. I just wanted to mention these awesome pillows quickly because they come in many different sizes and are super cheap at Amazon. Also, I’ve written before that a dog pillow can mean a happy dog in the kennel.

This pet pen is another crowd favorite because it allows your dog to have a little more space to play. I’ve actually seen these used both inside and outside. This specific pen comes in many different sizes, starting at 23 inches tall you can get them up to 48 inches tall. The area covered is about 4 feet by 4 feet.

This white pet pen is a very popular among small dog owners. It comes with a four panel smaller option or an eight panel option that is pictured above. The height for the eight panel option is just around 34 inches and it’s 64 inches by 64 inches in terms of area (a little over 20 square feet).

For those of you looking for something a little bigger, this is a great dog run that also comes with a roof. This run is about 6 feet tall and it’s four feet by four feet in terms of area. It’s made out of some attractive and durable welded wire. The two things that really sets this run apart from all the other runs out there is the roof and the ease of assembly.

Last but not least is this outdoor run from Precision Pet which comes highly recommended from dog trainers. This bad boy is made out of steel panels that are rust resistant. It also has that “silver crackle” look to it.

The run comes with 6 panels that are each 38 inches wide and 36 inches tall. Basically you can connect them in any way you like. The most used is probably the octagon formation.

Conclusion

There are lots of kennels, runs, and crates to choose from. Hopefully you’ve got a better idea of what you’re looking for after reading this article.

While some people only look at price, we recommend looking at true value. Value is defined as price divided by quality. This basically means that if price is held the same and quality is increased, then you are receiving better value. You could have a very low priced item with high value, but you could also have a low priced item with low value.

Petco

Advantages: It is nice to be able to go and physically touch the dog kennels. In addition, you will be able to talk with a human being face-to-face.
Disadvantages: Selection is limited compared to online stores. Don’t expect any customization and you’ll most likely be purchasing something that looks close to a cardboard box.

Overall Assessment: Petco provides good value. If they didn’t, then they probably wouldn’t be one of the world’s large pet stores. We personally weren’t very impressed with their website (we typed in “dog kennels” and they showed us all sorts of random odds and ends). We had to spend a lot of time to actually find the dog kennels. If you are afraid of the Internet, this may be your best option for dog houses.

Dogkennelsandcrates.com (yes we realize this is a long name)

Advantages: Dogkennelsandcrates.com is an excellent online choice for buying dog kennels. They have a live chat feature which allows you to ask any questions you may have without having to go to the store or even pick up the phone.  Customer service and quality are the name of the game at this store.

Disadvantages: Customer service and high quality materials come with a price. The price of the kennels at dogkennelsandcrates.com is above average.

Overall Assessment: If you are looking for a high quality home for your dog and lots of customer service than this is the place for you. If you are looking for a cheaper, Wal-Mart like experience than this option may not be for you.

This is all the time we have for reviews today. If you would like us to review a certain dog kennel shop or website please place a comment in the comment box below.

Probably the number one concern of most dog owners when it comes to buying dog kennels is the size of the kennel. Dog owners don’t want their dog to be too cramped, but they also don’t want the kennel to take up an unnecessary amount of space. Besides, dog owners may have heard that is actually a bad thing if the dog has too much space in the kennel.

To determine the proper size of dog kennel, the dog owner must first ask what the kennel will be used for. Will this be a kennel that is stationary? Or will this be a kennel that is used for traveling?

If the kennel is used for traveling, then it should at least be large enough for the dog to stand up, turn around, and then lay back down (you may have seen other dogs do this while in a kennel). If a dog can at least do that much, then they are generally happy while in the kennel.

Dog Crates, Dog Kennels, Dog Houses

Before the discussion on size can be finished, it is important to distinguish between a dog crate, a dog kennel, and a dog home. Dog kennels usually refers to a larger area (5 feet by 10 feet) that is fenced off for the dog to play in. Dog kennels are commonly called dog runs, although in some dog owners’ minds a dog run is larger than a dog kennel. A portable dog kennel is much smaller and can best be explained as a small box that contains the dog.

Dog crates are for all intensive purposes the same thing as a portable dog kennel. The two can be used interchangeably and most people note no difference between the two.

When the term dog house is used, this usually refers to a dog crate that is spruced up in some way to look homier. For example, you may have seen dog igloos or dog cabins.

Now that we have the three distinguished, we can return to the size debate (who would have thought that so much goes into dog kennels?). For an at home dog kennel you will want to consider the size of the dog, the level of activity of the dog, and the dog’s waste habits.

For a larger and more active dog, you will want a large dog kennel (5 X 10 or 10X10). This will of course all depend on the space available within your yard or home. Another very important consideration is the dog’s waste habits. Most dogs will use the outside reaches of the kennel as their restroom. The dog owner must ensure that the kennel is large enough so that the dog doesn’t have to eat, sleep, and play in its own waste. This will prevent the dog from becoming sick.

Large dog kennels/runs – most large dog kennels and runs will cost around $200-$300. However in some situations, depending on the size, material, and kennel customization the cost may be upwards of $600. We recommend shopping around as we have seen some 10 feet by 10 feet kennels for $300 and some for as low as $100. While you will probably get higher quality material for the more expensive kennel, that may not be the best option for you and your dog (especially if you are unconcerned with your dog chewing through the kennel).

Medium Sized Kennels – This type of kennel will usually run from $50-$150. This may be a good option if you have a smaller dog as this type of kennel usually still gives the dog room to walk around.

Small Kennels/ Portable dog kennels – Portable dog kennels will usually cost around $30-$75. To get a quality kennel you will probably need to spend around $50.

Dog Houses – This type of kennel represents the small box like kennels that are customized to look more like a person’s home. For example a dog igloo or a dog cabin. The wooden dog houses run anywhere from $100-$400. When you are buying a dog house, you are paying for looks not size. The more accessorized and better looking the dog house, the more you will end up paying.

Plastic dog houses are usually less expensive than the wooden ones for obvious reasons. The plastic dog houses may be a better buy if you want a cute dog house at a more affordable price.

Luxury Dog Houses – It is probably best, that we clarify what we mean buy a luxury dog house. This type of dog house is huge. For example a luxury dog house might be a replica of your own house (but a smaller version). The idea is to provide the dog his own home that looks like your home, but it isn’t. This type of house requires you to talk with a contractor and they will usually give you an estimate of the price. Just to give you an idea, you are probably looking at around $7,000 at least.

Hopefully this has given you some valuable information on what pricing is like for dog kennels. Feel free to contact us through the comments box with any pricing questions.

Are you good at building things? If you are anything like us here at The Dog Kennels Guide, then that answer would be no. Although building a dog house may sound like fun, from past experience we know that it might not be a good idea for us. That being said if you are good with wood and tools and have the desire to create, then by all means create!

Pricing Consideration: Some people may erroneously believe that building their own dog house will save them money. In some situations, building your own dog kennels will save you money (for example if you were to buy a card board box and cut holes in it). In most situations buying a dog house will actually be less expensive.

It is less expensive to buy a dog house because of the materials, learning curve, and time involved for you to build your own dog house. If materials were the only factor, then you may indeed save money by building your own. However, you must consider your learning curve. You will need to take time to create dog house plans. You will have to make sure you have the right tools. You will need to consider dimensions, materials etc.

The truth is that most people who build their own dog houses do it because they really want to. We are talking about the same desire that people have to paint, draw, or sing. This is a great reason to build a dog house and it may even be therapeutical.

Time – Are you in a hurry to get your dog in a kennel or are do you have time before the dog needs one? Also, you may want to consider how much time you have. Once you have the plans, it will probably take a full day’s work to build the dog kennel (and this isn’t taking into consideration that you may make mistakes and have to rebuild in the future).

Another item that you’ll want to consider is the size of the dog house. Are you looking to build a really large house because you have a big dog or are you simply needing something small for an indoor dog? You’ll probably want to find out more information about dog cages for large breed dogs if you have a dog that fits this mold.

Whether you decide to build your own dog house or purchase one, we wish you and your dog the best.