Benefits of Insulated Kennel Covers

Do you transport your dog in a kennel in the back of your vehicle or kennel your dogs in an unheated or drafty area of your house? If you do either of these, you should consider using an insulated kennel cover. Insulated kennel covers offer many benefits, ranging from warmth, sheltering from the elements, and providing a sense of security.

Provide Warmth

An insulated kennel cover is going to provide additional warmth for your dog in the event that they are being transported in the fall and winter months or if your dog sleeps in their kennel in a colder area in the house. Insulated kennel covers will keep the dog’s body temperature inside the kennel, preventing heat loss from your dog. This is particularly beneficial to both young pups and elderly dogs that struggle to regulate their own body temperature, which is normally around 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the breed and age of the dog, exposure to temperatures less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit will result in your dog beginning to feel cold. As the air temperature drops, dogs will also begin burning more calories to maintain their body temperature, leading to weight loss or increased need for additional food.

For even more warmth, we recommend using Red Cedar Bedding inside your kennels. The wood fibers provide a natural insulation, keeping in the dog’s body heat. For more information about Red Cedar Bedding read, Why You Should Be Using Red Cedar Bedding.

Shelter from the Elements

When transporting dogs in their kennel sitting in the bed of your truck in the fall, winter, and early spring, the dogs are doing to be exposed to low temperatures, bitter winds, and rain/snow. Having a quality, insulated kennel cover will provide waterproofing, protection from the wind, and insulation from the cold. Combination of low temperatures and the wind flow through the kennel can quickly pull body temperature from the dog.

Provide a Sense of Security

Dogs have a natural instinct to seek out a den, especially when they are cold or anxious. A kennel cover provides not only insulation for retaining warmth, but also blocks out light and muffles sound. This provides your dog a dark and cozy place to lie down. This is important for inside homes, as it will allow the dog to relax, even if other members of the house are still up and around. If you have a dog that gets anxious when you have guests over, having this “safe space” for the dog can definitely come in handy. We also recommend using kennel covers for dogs that experience anxiety with loud sounds, making thunderstorm and firework shows less of a nightmare. For more information about anxiety from sounds, please check out Prevent Noise Aversion and Anxiety in Dogs from Fireworks.

While transporting a dog in a truck bed, having the kennel dark and less noisy can make the truck ride easier on the dog. If you have a dog that isn’t conditioned to travel or that experiences motion sickness, having the kennel covered, dark, and quieter can help relieve these symptoms.

Key Features of a Quality Kennel Cover

When choosing a kennel cover, whether insulated or non-insulated, there are a few key factors to look for in the kennel cover.

Insulation – When choosing to cover your kennel with an insulated kennel cover, it is important to ensure that it is well insulated and will retain the dog’s body heat when the kennel is exposed to low temperatures. Heavy insulation also works to dampen sounds to provide a quieter sleeping area and reduce anxiety.

Windproof – A kennel cover is designed to provide protection from the elements. Shielding from winds is very important, especially when transporting your dog in their kennel during the winter months. Wind flow can quickly wick away heat and make the dog’s body work harder to produce enough heat to keep itself from experiencing hypothermia.

Water-Resistance – If your goal is to provide a safe, warm, and dry place, waterproofing or water-resistance is key. You do not want your dog to be exposed to rain and snow during transportation, nor do you want their bedding to be soaking wet from precipitation. Leaving your dog wet not only will affect their body temperature, but that also puts them at risk for respiratory infection and fungal growth, which can lead to an outbreak of hot spots.

Durability – If you are going to be spending the money on a kennel cover, the cover should be durable and high quality. The kennel cover is going to be exposed to the elements and is responsible for protecting your dog. The last thing you want to see is it failing and falling apart. It is important to ensure that the kennel cover has stitches that are tight and non-tearable. A quality kennel cover should also be chew-proof.

Recommended Kennel Cover

In our opinion, the best kennel covers on the market are the Mud River Insulated Kennel Cover and the Mud River Uninsulated Kennel Cover. The Mud River Insulated Kennel Cover is heavy duty and water-resistant; they choose not to use a 100 percent waterproof material to provide the cover with breathability, as to not risk suffocating your dog. The kennel uses a MicroLite3 insulation that will keep the inside temperatures of the kennel 20-40 degree warmer than the outside air temperatures, depending on the size and type of dog. The Mud River kennel cover also includes roll-up front door cover and removable window flaps for ventilation. As an added feature, the covers can also be used to store your dog training gear in the 10 storage pockets located around the kennel cover.

Conclusion

With insulated kennel covers offering the many benefits of providing warmth, shelter from the elements, and providing a sense of security, it is hard not to recommend every dog owner that transports their dogs or kennels their dogs in unheated or drafty areas to get a insulated kennel cover.

It should also be noted that kennel covers, not matter the amount or type of insulation, will not provide protection from extended exposure to frigid temperatures. Additionally, insulated kennel covers should never be used during warmer weather, as your dog could overheat and potentially become fatally ill. For the signs and symptoms of hyperthermia in dogs, please read Beat the Heat: Prevent Heat Exhaustion in Dogs.

If you have any questions about dog kennel covers or any other products, please leave a comment below, call our customer service, or send us a message via our live chat service and we will be happy to assist you!

Thank you for reading!

- Michael Cassatt, LCS Director of Marketing