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Courtesy of catsplay.com

Pads for Pets
From Doghouses to Kitty Condos, There are Many Options
By Sharon Cunningham

Today's pampered pets have the best of everything. By day they may lounge about outdoors in a shelter that is an exact replica of your home, while at night their sleeping accommodations may rival those of royalty.

There are towering cat condos covered in carpet that resemble castles and doghouses that look like rustic log cabins. If it can be imagined, it can probably be built for your pet. La Petite Maison makes luxurious custom doghouses, from its plans or yours. It will build any style doghouse, from fairy tale cottage to an exact replica of your home. Paw Homes, Top Dog Houses, ClassyPetShop.com, and All Dog Houses.com offer a wide variety of quality, insulated wood doghouses that are fun and unique.

Buying a doghouse can be as complicated as buying a home when it comes to size and options. Doghouses run from under $100 upward into the thousands, depending on your imagination and bank account. Many wood doghouses can also be "winterized" with the addition of a small heater.

Fashion Isle offers wallcovering options and a spacious interior. (Courtesy of La Petit Maison)

PetSmart, Petco, and other pet department stores also offer a variety of dog shelters made of cedar, pine, other woods, and plastic. Plastic igloo doghouses are very durable and relatively inexpensive but many pet owners feel they are too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.

For the do-it-yourselfer and as a fun parent-child project, build your own doghouse. You can download easy plans and tips from DIYNetwork.com and Topdoghouses.com.

When choosing a doghouse, find one that you feel your dog will be comfortable in. When bringing a new puppy into your home, you'll want to purchase a doghouse early in the training cycle. As your puppy grows you will need a larger doghouse.

Be sure to stay away from very small doghouses. Most dogs prefer to have room to stretch out and move about. Most important of all, your dog needs to be comfortable and secure in the new shelter if that is where your prized companion will be spending his time when you are away.

Some dogs spend all their time outdoors, like John V.'s hunting beagles. He lives in Pasadena with his wife, Dawn, and their two inside family dogs: Brady, a 3½-year-old, 110-pound golden retriever and lab mix, and Sadie, a 2-year-old, 75-pound keeshond and lab mix. For the beagles, an outside kennel provides is the shelter they need.

R. Hunter luxury doghouse. (Courtesy of La Petit Maison)

Dawn advises, "As far as kennel requirements, it would have to be large enough to allow them a little bit of exercise, tall enough that they couldn't jump it (or climb it, as a beagle would), and definitely have a concrete pad. The concrete pad makes it easier for cleaning and disinfecting as well as helping to keep their toenails filed down so you don't have to clip them as often. Straw could be scattered on the pad if desired. The dogs always love it when we put fresh straw down."

Whether you have a small dog like a beagle or a larger dog like Brady or Sadie, there are so many options available for outdoor kennels and dog runs that you are sure to find one to suit your needs. Wire mesh and chain-link dog kennels come in various heights, widths, and lengths and are priced accordingly. Plan on spending upwards of $200 for a kennel system. Kennel covers are also available, to offer pets protection from the weather, and are relatively inexpensive. ClassyPetShop.com and Options Plus, Inc., are good places to start your search for these.

Unlike dogs, which need their shelter to be easily accessible, cats seem to like a challenge. They are attracted to nooks, crannies, and hard-to-reach places. Cats are fueled by curiosity and the need to explore. Thus, one of the most popular products on the pet market today is the cat condo, raised high above the ground.

Loretta, who prefers to remain anonymous, has been a cat lover for more than 25 years. She is known in many circles as the proverbial "Cat Lady"; she has been rescuing stray and abandoned cats since 1980.

Dog Mansion (Courtesy of La Petite Maison)

"I think the first we saved was Gray Lady, but maybe not. There have been so many. People in the apartments where we lived would just move and leave their animals behind. They were so terrified and malnourished. We would feed them and try to gain their trust. We found homes for the ones we could catch," Loretta explains.

"As far as what cats prefer, there are no set rules. Kittens usually like those kitty condos. Some like their own beds, some don't. Some like to sleep on tufted cushions, some like plain-depends on what makes them comfortable. They're like people-they're all different. They have different personalities. You've got the sourpuss or the happy little kitty prancing through the grass with a butterfly on her nose. Most cats are happy just to bat a foil-wrap ball around the floor!"

At ClassyPetShop.com choose from insulated outdoor cedar cabins with deck or loft, in single, duplex, or townhouse! Cozy Cat Furniture offers an assortment of indoor cat palaces and outdoor cat bungalows. The Angelical Cat Company also carries a full line of indoor and outdoor wooden structures for cats as well as kitty condos, trees, scratching posts, and cat furniture! Plan on spending about $200 to $500 on the average housing unit for a cat.

Don't be surprised if your cat prefers sleeping on the top shelf of the bookcase and your dog in a cozy hole dug beneath the rhododendron. But if caught outdoors they'll need shelter, and maybe that house you built or bought will do the trick.

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Canine Cottages

Crates
For Training and a Place to Call Home

Joyce Brown has owned Doberman pinschers for 35 years and has been showing and obedience training them professionally for the last 26 years. She feels the use of dog crates both at home and while on the road is critical for the safety and well-being of the animal. Joyce's 4-year-old Doberman, Whitney, has traveled the country.

"Once they're crate trained, they love it. Whitney gets her blankie in there and covers up. You don't even know she's in the car!" Brown says.

When it comes to choosing a crate for your pet, she says that proper ventilation is crucial. "You want a dog crate with ventilation on all sides. Dogs can take higher temperatures than humans but they have to have ventilation. They make inexpensive fans that run on batteries that you can hook to the sides of the crate," advises Brown.

"I've gotten into the plastic crates because you can drill holes into the sides. The wire crates give great ventilation but they don't afford the privacy that makes dogs feel secure. They don't offer any shelter from the sun, either. You can use a cover to make them feel sheltered and more secure but then you have a ventilation issue."Never use crates for punishment. Never send them to their crate in anger. The crate is a good place where you go to get cookies and rewards. It's their safe place."

Pet store chains operating in the area, such as PetSmart and Petco, carry a wide assortment of crates that start at about $50 and go up, depending on construction, features, and size. You can buy them in person or on line from those companies and on line from many other pet supply dealers. For smaller dogs, cute little plastic, wicker, and cloth carriers are available for the pooch on the go. You can even buy dog tents for those lucky dogs who accompany their owners on camping trips and nature outings.