I don't have a dog.  But I do have a cat who's bigger than many dogs I know.  And this cat likes to be outside, on my deck.  He just loves to be able to watch the entire neighborhood from the safety of his screen-enclosed haven.  But while the screen keeps him contained and safe, it doesn't keep him out of the rain.  So we bought him a "house" - a place where he can take refuge from the weather.  Yup, our kitty has a dog house.

The Doskocil Ruff Hauz Dog House, from Petmate is perfect for my kitty.  It comes in three sizes, but the smallest was right for our cat.  Its external dimensions are 28" deep x 21" wide x 23" high.  This is plenty big for my 19 lb cat, and for many small dogs. 

The house is made from plastic.  But it's very thick and very durable.  It's just two pieces that snap together without any tools.  The roof is white, and shaped similar to a barn.  It comes to a point on top, so no water collects.  The bottom is green and includes a 2.5" lip, which means that the interior can stay dry, even if rain water puddles around the base.  Four snaps hold the two pieces together tightly.  The "door" is large and there's a small covering over the front to divert rain from the opening. 

Mine was purchased many years ago.  At the time, the houses came with a 1.5" thick pad for the floor.  The outside is vinyl; the inside is foam.  We've washed ours in the washing machine many times, and it maintains its shape perfectly.  I don't know if the houses they sell today come with the pads.  But looking online, it appears that the pads need to be purchased separately.

You could also purchase plastic door flaps separately, but we prefer the "open air" look.

We paid around $60 for our house.  But like I said, this was many years ago.  I don't mind having spent the money, since the house has proven to be extremely durable.  There isn't a single crack in it, or any signs of wear and tear.  Considering it's been outside in the Florida heat, humidity, and lots of rain, I'm pretty impressed.  The only care we take is to bring it in when we're expecting a hurricane.  After all, I know it's durable, but there's no use taking silly chances!  Otherwise, occasionally we take apart the two pieces, and wash the whole thing with a little soapy water.  That's it! 

Note: mine has only been used with cats, not dogs.  Perhaps dogs might treat their houses a little "ruffer". And ours has never been exposed to cold temperatures.  So keep that in mind when deciding if this is the house for you and your pet.  But in our case, the house has remained in perfect condition, and was worth its price to keep kitty dry.

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