How Big Should an Outside House for a Great Dane be?

Q: How big should a Great Dane's dog house be?
My husband is planning on building our dog a dog house for outside. We have Great Dane mix puppy only about 5 months old, he's far from being full-grown so I'm not sure what his full-grown measurements will be. How big should an average Great Danes dog house be?

We've looked at a few designs and we want to build one with a door on the front left side and inside it has a little half wall kind of thing so he can go to the right side and be blocked from the wind and rain and everything else.

Answers and Views:

Answer by cowgirl_kir
the ideal dog house should be large enough for the dog to stand up in and turn around without hitting the wall. so basically you need a cubby house!!!!! I have no idea what the actual measurements for your full-grown Great Dane will be but it's gonna have to be BIG!

Good luck!

Answer by BBBYpsi
If you have a fenced-in yard for your great dane mix with a garage may I suggest you build an entrance to part of the garage & make it from there. Back in the early 1970s bought myself a great dane with the money I made from the paper route & paid to fence in the yard about 1/2 the yard. Our garage had a built-in dog house in the back of the garage which was very nice size & would let my dog out while I was at school so she could move around & exercise when she wanted to. Also gave her cover for if it rained cooler in the summer (it was dirt for dog house floor) & shelter in winter for also heat. At night she was always in the house & was my best friend growing up.

Do not let them play after eating this can cause bloat. Also, the myth that you should put their dishes up higher is a lie it is natural for them to eat & drink from the ground & actually better for them. It is how they are designed. But like another poster said make it big enough for the dog to move around some. If you have a garage then make an attachment I would say 4 feet high 4x5x5 should be good. Make the door with a flap so he can get in easily probably 3x3. Hope this helps.

Answer by thefinalresult
I like the idea of a center wall so he can go from side to side whichever is better for him at the time.
Also, the height from the ground must be high, for a dane I’d say a foot with skirting around it to keep the wind out from under.

Don’t use any cedar woods in the house not even some in the flooring. The temptation of it for repelling fleas isn’t worth it as it doesn’t do that great of a job to begin with plus the cedar isn’t good for breathing in the odor and can cause asthma and even digestive problems.
He needs to be able to stand without his head touching the ceiling.

Bedding should not be straw. Find good crate/doghouse bedding with raised sides. They come in many sizes, thicknesses and such. They are not cheap. Try a catalog from Jeffers 1-800-Jeffers or a Tractor Supply or Agway.
You want the bedding to be washable with a zip-off cover.

Also, throw in a few blankets in addition so he can make a nest to his liking.
You don’t say your climate but with wanting the house to be two-sided inside to get away from wind and rain I’m thinking you’re not in southern CA or TX or FL.

I hope this is only for his comfort and protection while being outside during daytime hours on some days and that he will not be a 24/7 outside dog.

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Answer by nerakian
Depending on the mix part I would say that he will get to at least 3.5ft at the withers (shoulders) and will be slim if kept on a good diet and gets exercise. I would plan on a rather large dog house. The extra-large air kennels will house a Dane so maybe you could take some measurements from there and add some to accommodate him. I would dare to say double the size, I had two and used a playhouse as a dog house. You want to make sure that it is not too big or it won't be able to keep him warm.

Answer by Goldengal
Geeze it might be cheaper to buy a shed! I'm not kidding either. Danes get very big and you know already that they dont do well out in the cold of winter. Their skin to too thin to with stand the bitter cold.

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Answer by spaz050201
Well first off what is he mixed with? I would make it big enough that he will not outgrow it over the winter, but I am sure by next winter he will need a new one (if he is mixed with another big dog)... Make sure that there is enough room for him to stand up, and turn around but don't make it so big that he will get cold because it's not holding in enough heat for him.

What I would do for now, is look around at garage sales and get something that would last until you know your Great Dane is full-grown and then build him the outside dog house... something that he will be able to continue to use.
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