Newfoundland Dog and Newfoundland Puppy Owner's Guide.

The Top Five Mistakes Dog Owners Make

-By Tom Masters

Dogs can provide years of pleasure and protection to it's owner.

Dog owners in general take good care of their dogs - except for one thing - proper shelter... extremely important to your dog!

Why are some dog better protected against cold and rain than others?

We've discovered five key mistakes that most dog owners make (and therefore have a detrimental impact on their dog and its health):

1. They don't have a dog house designed for their climate.

The biggest mistake most dog owners make is to buy or build a dog house that is not suitable for their climate.

The design of the dog house determines whether the dog house will be cool or warm. To pick a cool design in a snowy area will keep the dog dry, but unfortunately keep the dog cold as well. Pick the correct design for the area.

2. The size of the dog house is either too small or too big.

If the dog house is too big, the dog will be cold at night, because of the extra volume in the dog house.

If the dog house is too small, the dog will lie uncomfortably curled up at night, and be stiff in the morning.

Determining the correct size is extremely important - to the dog.

3. The dog house is not designed to keep the dog clean and healthy.

The dog house should be designed to keep your dog clean and healthy. Enough ventilation must be built into the design of the dog house. The inside should never be damp, because that causes rot of the dog house and the fungi cause illnesses in the dog. Imagine living with growing fungi on YOUR bed.

4. They don't don't have a dog house proving adequate shelter against wind and the cold of night

Wind at night is normally blowing in one or two dominant directions. Is your dog house placed to protect the dog house from the direction of the wind - and is the entrance of the dog house design placed to protect the dog? We often find that the entrance to the dog house is so big that the wall didn't need to be there at all - it provides not protection against the wind.

Choose a dog house design where the entrance provides protection against the wind. Place the dog house in such a way that it is further protected against the dominant wind directions.

5. They believe that the dog is adequately protected against cold.

We do find (although not often) that people buy or build a dog house with a partition in the dog house. It unfortunately creates a false sense of comfort in the owner, that the dog is protected - come hell or high water. This is not the case and is a false sense of security.

We believe that if the weather outside is 'not fit for man or beast', it also means the dog - whatever the dog house design. It is not protected because of the partition in the dog house. We believe (depending on the dog's purpose and training) to bring the dog inside, as with any other dog house.

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Tom Masters is the publisher of "Smart Dog House Plans", which is a set of three dog house designs to suit your climate and taste. The 86 pages are packed with information, easy-to-follow instruction and diagrams, to accommodate both novice and expert.