Pet Zone Tuff-N-Rugged Weather-Resistant Dog House. (Durable, Double Walled Plastic Dog House) [Outdoor Dog House, Indoor Dog House, Large Dog House]

I have 4 feral cats that have called my deck their home. It all started when I fed one cat and word got around the neighborhood that I was running a soup kitchen for homeless cats. I purchased an Our Pets Tuff-N-Rugged Dog House about 5 months ago to give them some shelter. Unfortunately only two cats fit so I just ordered a second one. This is a well made easy to assemble dog (or in my case cat) house. I have built three very large sheds in the past so I could have easily built something out of wood with a shingle roof but why bother. Wood will eventually deteriorate and my homemade dog house would weigh much more so it would be difficult to move. I did not buy the door because I don't know if cats will be willing to push in or if they will be fearful of being in a totally closed in structure. The psychology of a cat is way different than that of a dog. So I decreased the size of the opening using a piece of composite decking and some plexiglass. The last image with the feral cat inside was taken before I made the entrance smaller. I also put a warming mat inside as well as led lights. There is a bed of straw in there as well. I put the doghouse on a stand about 2 feet off the ground so that it will be above most accumulations of snow should there be snow. Because of of the fears cats have is being trapped in a structure with one exit/entrance I cut a side door which can be used in an emergency such as when a hungry predator (likely a raccoon) comes in for the kill or even just to investigate. Cats are very vulnerable to predators despite their reputation as rodent and bird hunters. The side door is plexiglass and has a barn door configuration using brass hinges. A slight push on the doors from the inside and they will open easily. I have not noticed any issues with rain coming in. If I used this as a dog house I would have purchased the manufacturer's recommended door for the front which would be an additional barrier against rain and wind infiltration. If used for cats, be aware that it may take some time for them to accept the dog house as they fear being trapped and also because new items in their environment are often viewed with apprehension.There is room for improvement despite this glowing review. Since the sides and roof have double wall construction it would have benefited greatly from spraying some expanding foam (low expansion door and window version) between the panels. That would offer more insulation and it would cost the manufacturer no more than $10 per doghouse. It would have increased ridgity without increasing weight significantly.My conclusion is that this is a very good product that is worth buying. I would not have ordered a second one if I had any major issues with it.Addendum 7/30/2013I now have 3 of these dog houses. I found that feral males do not like to share a house even when neutered. However, one particular male and the only female of the group will share one house. The houses are used throughout the winter and during heavy rains. I made transparent doors from inexpensive flexible vinyl and the cats did not like them. I saved the expense of buying the manufacturer's doors only to find them unuseable. I stand by my original evaluation as to durability.

I ordered this crate even though it will be a bit big for our Portuguese Water Dog (he'll probably be 50 lbs). It's a bit long, but very cozy inside. The bottom is a cushion plastic, flexible, not hard. I put it together myself, it's a sturdy snap in, would be easy to clean too, if I'm able to get it apart. Once it's snapped together it's really sturdy.We got it for our outdoor run, we're making a little doggy condo for our dog so he'll be able to be out there and be happy when we're off doing biking or golf activities. PWD's want to be in the house.... so I'm taking care to make sure he likes it. A few training tips - I've got it set up inside, I put it up when he was out of the room, then dropped some dog biscuits outside and some REALLY good treats/chews inside and just ignored him so he could explore it himself. After that I'll just treat it like a crate, reward him every time he goes in. Once he's laying in there waiting for a treat, we can move it outside and I'll know that he's not afraid of it. (He's a little skiddish that way).I'm going to set up a potty station in the back (see Ian Dunbar's "Before and After Getting Your Puppy"). I'm training him to pee on a large tile, and then I'll move it to the kennel behind the dog house. HOPEFULLY he will pee on that and not in the kennel as our last dog did.I've never reviewed a product before, but had to comment on this one! It's great - a little big, but still a winner.

I bourght this dog house several months ago and was concerned if my two Shelties would go into the doghouse as they have been indoors most of the time. Well, now I can leave them out all day with peace of mind that they have a place to go if it rains. Both fit very comfortably in the doghouse at the same time, and my female Sheltie LOVES the dog house and sleeps in it a LOT. I go out and she looks out of the dog house to see why I disturbed her. The house was easy to put together and is very sturdy and looks really nice on my patio. There is a little sliding window at the top in the back so air can go through. I am definitely satisfied that this was one of my best purchases from Amazon,.

I have owned this for over a year and I can write an honest review. WORTHLESS. Buy something else or build your own. I wanted a doghouse for our 85# doberman. Some of the reviews spoke about dogs larger than mine, so I figured this would work plus our dog is 50/50 inside and outside so I knew it wouldn't have heavy use.Basic requirements:1. Large enough for him to curl up inside: Pass (barely-THAT photo has to be a small lab)2. Keep the wind off of him in the winter: Fail3. Keep the sun off of him in the summer: Pass4. Keep him dry. Fail--miserably.Problem: The sides of the house do not line up flush with base(see pic) so any rain that hits the side rolls down and goes inside the dog house instead of down onto the ground outside. (either that or its curling under the roof(which I don't think so)) I have to constantly replace cedar chips, even a slight rain will seep inside.Its not just at the opening thats getting wet. It apparently leaks all the way around as evidenced by the rain we got last night, since the bottom piece is concaved inside it looks like a cedar chip swimming pool. ( I am ticked off - this thing cost $200.00 bucks)The picture that is posted is misleading. The fit is not that good. If the reviews from 3-4 years ago are honest(I am suspicious) then the manufactuer has fired its quality control person. I recieved all the parts and it snapped together easily enough--this isn't a heavy duty dog house - it is just an expensive shelter. But even shelters should have the ability to keep a dog's bed dry. (call me crazy for thinking this is a basic requirement)