Why Won't Your Dog Use Her Dog House?

Dog houses come in many different styles ranging from fancy custom construction to plastic igloos from the big box store.  No matter, dog houses can get the job done.  They protect the dog from the elements, keep the dog warmer, give her a comfortable place to take a nap, and more. 

But what happens if your dog doesn't love her new dog house?  She'd rather take a nap on the hard ground in the rain and wind.  In fact, she won't step paw inside it. Why?

First of all, don't take it personally.  You know the expression, "Build it and they will come"?  Well, that doesn't apply here.  Let's go over some reasons why your dog might not care about her new doghouse.

* There are no familiar smells.  It smells like wood or plastic, not like home should smell.

* Her ideas of house and home is the one YOU are in.  She doesn't want a new home where you are not.

* If the dog house doesn't have insulation, it may feel really cold.  Have you ever been in an uninsulated house?  Brrr.

* Check out the texture inside the dog house.  If you built it yourself, did you sand the wood so it doesn't feel rough?  Are there any nails poking through?  If it's plastic, is the bottom surface slippery to your dog? 

* It doesn't look like home.  Not only are there no smells of home, there are no objects from home.

* It's tucked away around the side of the house or in the back corner of the yard.  She can't see what's going on in her territory and she can't watch the backdoor.  She wants to be the first to know when you come outside and she has to protect her turf from bird or squirrel invaders.

Each of the previous objections come with their own solutions:

* Before you put the top half of the dog house on, step inside it and invite your dog in with you if there's room. Rub up against the sides to leave your scent.  Give your dog attention while you are in it together and she'll remember happy thoughts associated with his new house.

* Buy a comfortable dog bed and have her spend time on it inside.  Then put it in her dog house so she has a comfortable surface to walk and sleep on.

* Give your dog plenty of attention so she doesn't feel slighted when you stick her outside.  If she's well exercised she might look for a more comfortable place to nap than the hard ground.

* Kit it out with an old favorite toy or two and a raggedy security blanket.

* Locate the dog house where she can see what's important to her.

* It never hurts to occasionally hide a treat in her house.  When she figures this out, it means she will go inside and it will become more familiar to her.

There are some legitimate reasons your dog might not like her new home.  Once you resolve these issues, you should see her use it just like you imagined she would.