How to make your garage a safe place to keep your dog during the day

This blog won’t cover the construction of a cage inside the garage. Instead, we will discuss how to use the entire garage as if it were a huge comfortable cage for that furry member of your family!

To begin with…

Carefully analyze the advantages of using the garage as a place to keep your cat or dog over putting a cage in the house.

• Obviously, your dog will have more room to freely move and have fun. However, if it is already used to staying in a cage while you are gone, and this place represents its safe place, you can move the cage to the garage and leave the cage door open. This way, the dog can go in as needed
• Your cat or dog will be nice and warm during extremely cold weather. If you are gone all day and leave your pet outdoors, with or without a shelter, there could be a chance for frostbite. Calculate the temperature difference between the interior of your home and the outdoors on a cold winter day. This difference can be extreme for an animal used to the cozy comfort of the house.
• If your dog tends to bark each time someone walks past the window, being in the garage would eliminate seeing some passersby while also being less noisy for the neighbors. A well‑insulated (R‑16) garage door, not only protects cold and heat from entering the garage, but also is a good acoustic barrier to your dog’s barking.

Will your pet be able to stay there?

If your dog or cat has reached a certain maturity, it is advisable to try this new environment gradually, without leaving the animal there for a full day the first time. For a dog, you can also start by defining a certain territory in the garage by putting barriers that cannot be crossed. It is not advisable to attach your pet on a leash.

It must also be remembered that if your dog is already housebroken, it will not try to relieve itself in your garage. For a puppy, that’s another story. You can always put down newspaper or absorbent pads to make things easier. For a cat, a litterbox will do the trick.

Over time, as the experience proves to be positive, you can increase your pet’s area until it can access the whole garage. Be sure to spend some time with your pet in the garage and when you leave, just before exiting, give it a treat. It will quickly associate the garage with a positive experience.

Garage temperature and insulation

If you garage isn’t insulated and you are thinking of keeping your pet there, you need to look into that. It is useless to think about heating your garage if it isn’t insulated! Keep in mind too that an insulated garage will protect against summer’s heat. A well-insulated and weathertight garage will make it a comfortable place to stay for your pet.

During winter, keep the interior temperature of the garage at 500 F (100 C) or higher. For the summer, is you have a window, leave it open a little for some natural air ventilation.

And what about Humidity in the garage? It is another factor to consider. There are different ways of lowering it if it becomes a problem in the winter. If necessary, measure the humidity with a hygrometer; below 50%, your pet will be comfortable. If necessary, a dehumidifier can reduce the level.

Feeding

Be sure not to change your pet’s eating habits. Leaving a bowl of food in the garage is no different than in your home. Just follow the manufacturers’ recommendations found on the label. Remember that your dog won’t be very active while you are absent. Their preference will be to save all their energy for your return and to shower you with affection!

One thing you must not forget: your furry friend should never lack water. Ensure they have a bowl that cannot be accidentally knocked over.

Comfort

See to it that they have a comfortable bed that protects them from humidity and insulates them from the cold concrete, though on hot, summer days, the cool floor may be just what they want. Leave their favorite toys to play with and even an old T-shirt with your scent. If they are used to sounds or music, an old clock radio tuned to your favorite station, with a reasonable volume, will do the trick.

Ensure that your pooch has toys or treats to chew on. This will keep them busy for a good part of the day and distract them from any ideas of getting their teeth into something they shouldn’t.

Remove hazards

It is important to remove any items that could hurt your dog along with any harmful substances that they could swallow or chew on. For the general safety of your family, it has always been a good idea to store any toxics items in a locked cabinet. Sweep your garage floor after any DIY projects to be sure it is free from small objects they could swallow. And don’t forget about taking away ropes, cords or straps your dog could become entangled in.

For larger articles like a lawn tractor or motorcycle, protecting them with a cover will make them invisible to a dog suffering from anxiety who might destroy seats or other softer parts.

If your garage door isn’t well insulated…

If you realize that your fourth wall, that of your garage door, isn’t well-insulated and weathertight, contact us at 519-326-5888. It will be our pleasure to explain the whole range of doors we carry and advise you on the best choice to make so your garage is comfortable and safe for your pet. You can also send us a request for an quotation.

And lastly, if you are planning on changing your garage door in the near future, why not try use a tool like our Design Centre and create exactly the garage door for you. You can also view our image gallery.