IN THE DOGHOUSE Canine comforts

By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
When the dog days of summer are behind us and the bitter winds start to blow, where will your favorite pooch spend the nippy winter nights?
If he's a lucky dog, he'll hunker down in his very own heated doghouse.
There are a variety of ways to heat Rover's abode, ranging from the simple and inexpensive to the elaborate and costly.
HEATED BEDDING
Mike Hagyari of Pet Supplies Plus in Niles recommends heated cloth pads that fit inside the doghouse.
These cloth pads have a vinyl cover and plug into an electrical outlet.
"There are three sizes of pads for small to large dogs, and they range in price from about $45 to $90," Hagyari said. "The power cord is protected with a steel coil so the dog can't chew it and get electrocuted."
Because the pad's power cord is only about 6 to 8 feet long, pet owners might have to extend the length of the cord by plugging it into an outdoor extension cord.
"Whether or not you need an extension cord will depend on where the nearest outlet is," Hagyari said.
Hagyari said heated doghouse pads have been on the market for about five years and are steadily gaining in popularity.
HEATED WATER BOWLS
Another hot item that will help make Rover's home cozy on a long winter's night is a heated water bowl.
Jim Morocco of Petsmart in Niles said a heating coil inside of the plastic water dish keeps water from freezing.
The dish plugs into an electrical outlet, and once again, the power cord is wrapped in a metal casing so the dog can't chew through it.
Heated water bowls sell for about $30 to $40.
"I've been in the pet business for four years, and I am surprised at how popular these items have become," Morocco said. "If a dog can't live indoors, items like these are the next best thing to make sure that the dog is comfortable outdoors."
WHOLE HOUSE HEAT
For really lucky dogs, there are heated doghouses.
For example, at www.solarinnovations.net, pet owners can buy a solar-heated doghouse for about $500 to $625 through Solar Innovations of Lowell, Mass.
Tom Mayrand, the company's owner, said a solar panel is mounted on or near the doghouse.
This panel uses solar energy to charge a battery that supplies power to a heating and cooling unit inside the doghouse.
The heating and cooling unit brings warm air to the interior of the doghouse during winter and a cooling breeze during summer.
A thermostat controls the unit.
During summer, the doghouse can be moved into the shade and the solar panel can be mounted a short distance away in the sunshine.
That way, the solar panel can continue to soak up the sun's rays and activate the doghouse's cooling unit, a fan that removes hot air from the interior of the doghouse while blowing a cool breeze down on the dog.
Mayrand said his solar panels will last for more than 20 years and work well even on cloudy days.
Mayrand makes his solar-heated doghouses from wood and foam insulation.
The insulation helps keep cool air in during summer and warm air in during winter.
Caution against pads
Mayrand doesn't recommend heated cloth pads for doghouses because he said exposed electrical cords pose dangers to pets.
He also said heated pads will trap moisture underneath and create condensation that might eventually rot the floor of the doghouse.
Moisture can also cause mold and mildew or attract insects to the doghouse.
Mayrand says heated doghouses not only keep dogs happy and healthy, they can also help minimize shedding because dogs won't grow as thick of a winter coat if they are staying warm.
HOMEMADE HEATERS
James McFerren of Sebring has a plan for folks who can't afford to dish out a lot of dough for a heated doghouse.
A few years back, McFerren fashioned a doghouse heating unit out of two coffee cans and a light bulb.
"I placed a 3-pound coffee can inside of a 5-pound coffee can and then bolted them together. Then I fastened a fireproof, ceramic light bulb fixture and an octagon electric box inside the cans," McFerren explained.
Next, McFerren drilled several quarter-inch holes in the coffee cans.
"If you don't drill holes in the cans, the interior of the cans will get too hot and cause the light bulb to burn out quickly," McFerren said. "I learned that the hard way after my light bulbs kept burning out after only a few hours of use."
Finally, McFerren mounted the heating unit inside the doghouse and connected it to an underground electrical wire that was linked to his home's electrical breaker box.
"I didn't want to use an extension cord outside, so I just ran an electrical line underground and then up the back of the doghouse," McFerren said. "All of the work probably took me about four or five hours."
The result was a toasty haven for McFerren's two German Shepherds.
"Both of those dogs lived to be 14 years old, which is a long time for German Shepherds. It was probably because they had a nice, warm place to sleep in the wintertime," he said with a laugh.
McFerren said a Mechanics Illustrated magazine inspired him to make his doghouse-heating unit.
"I saw an article in the magazine on how to do it and thought I'd give it a try. I used a 100-watt light bulb, and it gave off a lot of heat. The inside of the doghouse was probably about 60 degrees during winter," McFerren said.