Some people like dogs; you love them. You don’t understand how anyone could possible have just one dog. And now, you’re considering new cedar dog houses for your pets. Your main problem, of course, is that you don’t just own one dog. You have three basic choices. You can buy individual cedar dog houses for each pet. You can buy one large dog house where the dogs sleep together. Or you can buy a doggie duplex, which divides a single house into compartments, or “rooms,” for each dog.

If you have considered individual cedar dog houses for each pet, you have probably discovered that the price can add up quickly. Perhaps the price is your main objection. You might also object to multiple houses littering your yard. You love dogs, but you donÂ’t want your neighbors calling you every time they go on vacation because they think youÂ’re running a kennel out of your home. Maybe your dogs enjoy being together, and you feel bad separating them. In any of these cases, individual dog houses may not seem like a good option to you.

In this case, you might consider one large dog house where your pets can rest and sleep together. When you visit a pet store, the puppies that share a space seem happier than the ones who stare with drooping eyes from their lonely cages. But every dog should have room enough to stand up, turn around, lie down, and stretch out fully inside the dog house. You might be afraid that if the dogs pile into a house together, they might step on one another and get into a growling, tangled knot. Or maybe they might hurt each other, you fear. You have another option for your pets.

Cedar dog houses come in duplex models. These houses have internal dividers that split the house into individual compartments, or “rooms.” If you compare the prices of two small cedar dog houses and one small cedar duplex, you will find that the price of the duplex is more affordable than the price of two individual cedar dog houses. Duplexes also reduce the number of houses in your yard by half. They allow your dogs separate breathing space but keep them close together.

You will want to take note of the measurements listed in the product specifications. The measurements of the compartments in a duplex may not exactly match the measurements of an individual houseÂ’s inside, even when the products come from the same manufacturer. Ensure that the room in each compartment will be adequate for each dog. Also compare your dogsÂ’ measurements to the door openings. Dogs should not have to crouch and crawl into their homes; neither should they need to bend their heads much to enter.

You may have considered both individual dog houses and large dog houses for multiple pets. If you have decided that neither option meets your needs, check to see if your favorite style comes in a duplex model. You could save money on a duplex and keep your dogs happy and comfortable.