Question: What materials would be best to make a dog kennel and why? Think about the roof, the walls, the inside, the bed and the door?

Kirsty Ross answered on 19 Jun 2012:

I think that the best material to make a dog kennel would be wood. It is cheap and can be easily painted or stained a number of different ways. It would keep out draughts and provide insulation against cold. I’d put a layer of thick roof insulation under the floor to prevent cold from the ground seeping up through the floor. In terms of the bed, you’d want something that would be easy to put through the washing machine to keep it clean! Synthetic fabrics like polyester would be good for that, and it should have plenty of stuff so that it is comfy to sleep on. If you want the dog house to only be available to your dog, you could install a dog door to the front. You can buy ones nowadays that have magnetic catches or RFID tags that can be put onto your dog’s collar. That way the door would only work for your dog, it would keep out cats and foxes, and it would also keep draughts out. If your dog gets fleas then you could also put in some flea repellent into the bed (as long as it won’t irritate your dog’s skin when it lies on it)