How to Set up a Garage for a Dog - Garage Expert (2024)

How to Set up a Garage for a Dog - Garage Expert (1)

It’s no secret that the dog is man’s best friend. But what if you want to keep your furry friend in the garage while you’re out for work or running errands? Generally, keeping your canine in the garage isn’t a bad idea. After all, who doesn’t want some time alone far from their dogs from time to time? In essence, your garage might be the best place to ensure that your dog remains safe and joyful while you’re out. More so, your garage may be the ideal place if your dog tends to suffer from anxiety while you are away from it.

Typically, dogs are known to have a den-mentality. This means that they enjoy having space that is entirely their own, a space that they can organize, poop and sleep at their own pleasure. And although outdoor kennels might seem perfect for dogs, this is not always the case, especially if you live in areas with extremely cold weather. After all, it’s not the kindest thing to always force your dog to lie in a kennel outdoors, regardless of how demanding the dog might be!

If you concur with taking care of your hairy friend, why not consider giving your dog ample space in your home? Of all the spaces that you have in your home, your garage space is perhaps the most ideal place to ensure that your dog remains comfortable. Not only will your garage give you a better option of making your dog comfortable, but your garage will also go a long way in ensuring that your canine friend remains comfortable, away from cold and pests.

Although cheating a haven for your dog isn’t a walk in the park, this article will guide you through the process. Read on to find out more on how to make your garage space ample for your dog.

Let’s Take a Look at the Basics

As mentioned above, converting your garage to a serene space for your dog isn’t an easy fit. It requires proper planning and organization to successfully pull it off. However, before delving into the nitty gritty of what you should put into consideration when converting your garage into a space for your dog, it’s of utmost importance to first identify the various benefits of doing so. The most important basic benefits are discussed below.

  • Your garage will be the perfect place for your dog to have fun without compromising on safety or comfort. Ideally, this is a no-brainer. In every sense of things, an outdoor kennel drastically limits your dog’s ability to move freely. However, converting your garage space to accommodate your dog does the opposite. Your dog will be able to move freely when playing around (after all, dogs will tend to fully have fun when playing around in a free space). This is not the case for every pet dog, however. If your dog feels safer remaining or sleeping in a cage, then you can still place the cage in the garage space. In such a case, ensure to always leave the garage door open, to make your dog feel at ease. Of course, this will entirely depend on how you trained your dog.
  • It goes without saying that any pet (whether a cat or dog), will really appreciate the comfort of warmth. This is especially true if your do is used to sleeping in a kennel outdoors. During the cold weather, it’s integral to ensure that you provide your dog with a warm place during the cold season. With there being very few spots in your home to accommodate your dog during such harsh weather, your garage is the only reasonable place to house your dog. Remember that just like humans, dogs can suffer devastating illnesses, such as frostbit caused by cold weather. Therefore, placing your dog in your garage will mean a whole lot of difference between offering your dog the best comfort and leaving it to suffer in the cold during the most biting winter days.
  • Housing your dog will tremendously reduce its anxiety levels. If you are a dog enthusiast, then you probably know that their senses are quite accurate, and will tend to bark whenever someone new comes through your gate. The barking is mainly attributed to the visual aspects of the dog. However, placing your dog inside your garage will eliminate some of your dog’s visual stimuli. This way, your dog will be able to bark less often and offer you and your neighbors the much needed serenity. While this may sound as less welcoming when it comes to your security and that of your family, you can agree that experiencing less barking will eventually give you the much needed peace of mind.

Although these are some of the basic benefits that you and your dog will have once you place your dog in your garage, you cannot achieve them without making these basic considerations.

Insulation

If you are a dog lover, the most important thing to do is to ensure that your dog gets food, necessary medication and most importantly, adequate shelter. If you plan on moving your dog to your garage, you should ensure that the climate within the garage is optimally ideal for your dog. The last thing you need your dog to experience is uneasiness or being at a constant frenzy due to the condition outside.

To ensure that you make the internal climate of your garage ideal it’s important to first of l ensure that you properly insulate your garage. Make a point of insulating every part of your garage, including the walls and the garage door. Insulating your garage for your dog will ensure that the garage remains warm during winter and humid during hot seasons. While this may aim at benefiting your pet friend, insulating your garage space will also go a long way in minimizing your energy bills as well.

Security

Making a decision to move your dog to your garage may seem quite simple, until you consider the security implications. It’s not only enough to simply wake up one day and decide that your pooch should start living in the garage. Apart from the environment, its also important to consider the dangers of leaving your dog alone in the garage. |How secure is your garage? Can it be broken easily? What security measures are in place to secure your garage? How secure are the other items in the garage? Can they cause harm to your dog?

It’s important to remember that although your garage might be an extra living space, it equally houses numerous items that can potentially cause harm to your dog. Regardless of whether you store hammers, drills, cartons or broken equipments in your garage, it’s important to keep in mind

Therefore, if you want to set up a perfect dog haven in your garage, ensure that you safely (or totally) do away with any potentially dangerous item in the garage. The good news is that there are myriad ways that you can ensure that all harmful tools and items are kept away in your garage |one of the best ways is to ensure that you invest in a shelving unit. This way, you will easily range all your tools, boxes and any other items that may cause harm to your pet dog.

Ambiance

Now that you’ve guaranteed your dogs safety and comfort, it’s time to heighten the aesthetic value of your garage. Remember that once you decide to house your dog in the garage, you will also have to ensure that the garage is well decorated. Just like a kid, a dog will nourish in proper environments, with one of the most basic needs being proper decoration.

Ambiance isn’t all about painting the garage with colorful images and other happy dogs. It goes way deeper than that. You will have to invest in comfortable dog bedding, dog flaps, reasonable toys and quality dog bowls. The good thing is that how far you decide to make your dog comfortable with proper ambiance is up to you.

Even so, it is of utmost importance to keep in mind that dogs, naturally, enjoy familiarity. This means that when decorating the garage for your dog, you should always ensure to provide your dog with its favorite blanket as well as toys. This will not only make them comfortable, but will go a long way in ensuring that your dog settles well in the new garage environment. Equally the same, you should ensure to maintain the dogs feeding and grooming schedule. Changing these routines will go as far as affecting your dog’s general health.

To ensure that your dog stays comfortable all through the day and avoids anxiousness, you can go further to leave some of your clothes in the garage, just to reassure your dog. Alternatively, if you are planning on coming late, you can also leave the radio on in the garage. This will go a long way in soothing your dog and ensuring that it remains cam all through the day.

Conclusion

Contrary to common belief, your garage is a place that can suitably accommodate your dog. Although your dog will take some time to get accustomed to the new environment, you should ensure to help your dog get comfortable by following the above points. In a nutshell, you should always make sure to make your garage safe and comfortable for your dog before moving it in.

How to Stop Condensation in Garage

Contents

How to Set up a Garage for a Dog - Garage Expert (2024)

FAQs

How to Set up a Garage for a Dog - Garage Expert? ›

Make sure you set the temperature in your garage to at least 50 degrees F (10 degrees C) in the winter. In the summer, set it to a reasonable temperature and/or leave windows open (out of reach of your pets) to get some ventilation in the space. Humidity in the garage is something you should also consider, as well.

How to set up a garage for a dog? ›

Make it Comfy

Make an area for them that contains a dog bed, crate, blankets, or other safe space so they can be comfortable in the garage. Garages tend to have hard concrete or epoxy flooring and if your pets spend an afternoon in the garage, you'll want them to be able to rest.

How to cool down a garage for dogs? ›

Install a Garage Attic Fan

If you have a garage roof, you may want to consider installing an attic fan. An attic fan keeps the space cool by pushing hot air out of the garage through its attic. An attic fan circulates air frequently, keeping the air cooler for your pet.

What temperature is too hot for a dog in a garage? ›

So most importantly, always remember that dogs should never be in temperatures lower than 50˚ F or higher than 85˚ F for more than 4 hours, and always provide them with shade and water, and never leave them unattended in closed cars.

How cold is too cold for a dog to sleep in the garage? ›

On garage temperature and isolation

No pet should be kept in an uninsulated space. A well‑insulated and weathertight garage is the best option for your pet, whether it's in the cold weather of winter — keep the interior temperature at or over 50℉ (10℃) — or the summer's burning heat.

Can a dog sleep in a closed garage? ›

Ensure the garage is well-insulated, heated, and provides adequate shelter. Consider potential hazards and secure the area to prevent accidents. If the garage meets these conditions, leaving a dog overnight may be acceptable. However, dogs are social animals, and they generally thrive on being close to their owners.

Can a dog stay in an unheated garage? ›

Garage Temperature and Insulation

Insulating your garage is essential if you wish to keep your dog in it while you're away. This doesn't just apply to those colder climates either. Insulation can keep extreme heat out as well, which is vital to the health of your pet.

Can dogs sleep in a hot garage? ›

Your dog could end up getting heat stroke or dehydration during the summer or frostbite or hypothermia in the winter regardless of whether or not they are outside or in a garage. Much like being kept in a hot car, when dogs are left in hot garages, they can feel the effects of the extreme heat.

How can I cool my garage cheaply? ›

Cooling a Garage With No Ventilation: Portable Options
  1. Open the Garage Door. Depending on the angle of the sun and how well-insulated your garage is, opening the door will provide a big breath of fresh air. ...
  2. Add Powerful Portable Fans. ...
  3. Try a Dehumidifier. ...
  4. Build a Low-Tech Swamp Cooler. ...
  5. Buy a Portable Air Conditioner.
Jan 18, 2018

Is 100 degrees outside too hot for a dog? ›

Generally, at temperatures above 89° Fahrenheit, most dogs are at risk of heat stroke and you should avoid walking your dog when it's 90°F or hotter. For many dogs, outdoor activity at temperatures above 82°F can be dangerous, and for some dogs even temperatures in the 70°-77° range can be too hot.

Is it humane to keep a dog in the garage? ›

Don't keep your dog locked up all day inside a garage. Dogs are affectionate creatures; they love spending time with you. They need regular exercise, at least once a day. Greet them before you leave and when you get home, so they feel appreciated and cared for.

How hot is too hot for dogs indoors? ›

Indoor and Sheltered Housing

Dogs cannot be housed in temperatures above 85 °F for more than 4 consecutive hours. If the temperature rises above 85 °F for any length of time, you must provide additional ventilation such as fans, blowers, or air conditioning.

What temperature is unsafe for dogs? ›

Temperatures above 85°F are too hot and below 32°F are too cold to keep your dog outside for long. You can take precautions to keep your pooch safe, like checking hot pavement with the back of your hand or wiping snowy paws with a damp rag. Extreme hot and cold weather can be dangerous to your dog.

How much warmer is a garage than outside? ›

Beat the heat with clever garage cooling solutions

Extremely hot days are certainly a problem if you enjoy spending your free time in the garage. Without air conditioning in your garage, its temperature can be as much as 10-18° F (5-10° C) warmer than the outside temperature.

Should I cover my dog with a blanket at night? ›

Do Pets Need Blankets? Pets who are older or young and growing, with less muscle mass to keep them warm, might benefit from a blanket while being supervised. Pets who have anxiety might benefit from using a blanket for comfort's sake. Not all pets need a blanket for warmth and comfort.

Is it safe to keep dogs in a garage? ›

Plus, garages aren't really suitable places for dogs to live, and they can be dangerous. Since the temperature in your garage is unlikely to be controllable, your dog is left in a place where they could easily be too hot or too cold.

How to insulate a garage for dogs? ›

The best way to keep a garage cool for your dog is to install garage insulation, garage door insulation and a garage mini split ac unit. Not only will our SRX insulation keep your garage cool in the summer but its also helps regulate the temperature for keeping your dog in the garage during the winter.

How to puppy proof a garage? ›

In a nutshell, you need to organize everything properly so harmful items are outside of reach and the space itself is clean. Then you can scope out climate control options if it's summer or winter. Plastic Bins – Instead of leaving loose items on shelves or on the floor, store all of them in plastic containers.

Can I put my dogs kennel in the garage? ›

If your dog is already kennel trained, you can always place the kennel in the garage, but choose to leave the door open so your pet can easily move about when needed.

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