Need insulated doghouse help

[sixdogs]

I need a little leeway here regarding posts but I need an answer from a tractor guy that understands my situation. I need help ASAP.
I am building a doghouse for my neigbor that leaves his three beagles out over the winter. Nice guy but isn't around when the wind is blowing and can't see the old doghouse is insufficient.
The new house is 35" W X 60" L X 25" high (to eve) (gable roof) with a 30" W X 30" WX 20" high super-insulated "sleeping compartment" inside. The sleeping compartment has 1 1/2" foam on all four sides sandwiched between plywood. It's a box within a box thing. I'm a tractor guy not a builder. The dogs will have an open door to this compartment that is 8" X 10" and an offset outer main house door that is bigger, maybe 10" X 12" ? Should I vent the enclosed sleeping compartemnt since dead air/moisture could get trapped in it?

My concern is with the potential for condensation inside this sleeping compartment and what to do about it? I don't want to do more harm than good but have searched the web to no avail and need help. How do I avoid condensaton? Less insulation? Leave gaps?.

I wonder if vents at the gable will help but how will that small space/ventilation vent three dogs in a tight compartment? Remember this is a box-in-a-box thing with an indirect/separate door to the outside. There is a door to the sleeping area and a separate door to the outside.

Can someone help? The climate is mid-Ohio with a typical winter and flat ground with often windy conditons. Any help appreciated. Am trying to build ASAP.

[woodlandfarms]

Build a Dog House

A couple of holes at the peak of the roof should suffice....

[KHNewman]

I built a number of dog houses for beagles that lived outdoors year round and we never vented the roof. We made the roof flat and covered it with steel. We always use an offset entrance to keep the wind out and sometimes used a flap to add further protection. The box was always lined with 2" foam on all 6 sides and filled with staw which let them build a nest inside and really punch up the insulation factor.

The most important point I recall when we built the sleeping area was to make sure it was only just big enough for the dog to stand up and turn around. Keeping the box as small as possible allowed the maximum amount of heat to be trapped inside and keep the dog warm. I know this worked because when we hunted in the adirondack park the dogs had no trouble staying in the back of the pickup in their portable boxes at -15F. It can sometimes be hard to picture how small an area a dog actually needs to turn around so you need to test this out depending on the size of the dogs.

My concern about the vent would be that in really cold conditions it would allow too much heat to escape. If you do use a peaked roof consider building the interior like a house with an insulated flat roof inside and then vent the peaked attic. I think this is the best solution.

[KHNewman]

woodlandfarms...

That dog house design in the link wouldn't keep my dog alive at -15F for a week! It is a great backyard doghouse for mild climates too keep the dog sheltered from wind, rain and sun but it isn't meant for a dog that lives outdoors year round in a cold climate.

[woodlandfarms]

Originally Posted by KHNewman

woodlandfarms...

That dog house design in the link wouldn't keep my dog alive at -15F for a week! It is a great backyard doghouse for mild climates too keep the dog sheltered from wind, rain and sun but it isn't meant for a dog that lives outdoors year round in a cold climate.

This is the whole reason I left Wyoming for the left coast ;-) enjoy your winters guys, I think it hit, like, maybe 60 outside last night. Brrrrrr.. Had to put a dog on the bed to keep warm and please, no, it was not my wife.

[Matt_Jr]

I agree with Woodlandfarms. A couple of vent holes in the roof should suffice. In cold weather survival training we were told to poke 1 hole with a stick or tent post through a snow shelter near the top for ventilation. Hadn't thought about the moisture part though. My grandfather put a light bulb in the one he built to add warmth. You'd be surprised how much a light bulb helps.

[KHNewman]

check out this link...

Insulated Dog House

They have great info on doughouses for outdoor climates and it is a canadian site so they know winter...

No mention of venting, specifically mention FLAT ROOF design and even provide guidlelines for size based on the dog size!

[Matt_Jr]

Originally Posted by KHNewman

check out this link...

Insulated Dog House

They have great info on doughouses for outdoor climates and it is a canadian site so they know winter...

No mention of venting, specifically mention FLAT ROOF design and even provide guidlelines for size based on the dog size!

Looks like a pretty good link. I'd go with building one of those.

[EddieWalker]

For condensation to form, you need the tempature on the inside to lower the humidity level down to the point of moisture. This happens in summer on metal roofs all the time, but I'd very suprised if this was possible in winter. Especially on an insulated wood box. I think you are overthinking this and by venting the sleeping area, are being counter productive. I would not vent it.

Use exterior grade plywood on both the inside and ouside of the dog house because they will bring the moisture in there with them on their fur. The floor also needs to be rated for exterior use as that's where the moisture will end up. Getting the animals off of the floor would be more important then trying to vent for humidity in the air that might cause condensation. A drain hole in the floor might work if it's kept clean. Rubber mats with holes in them like they use in resturants would also help.

Eddie

[studor]

Why not run wire and put in a doghouse heating pad? That way you are sure the dog will be OK and condensation will not be a factor.