Whether your dog will be spending a lot of time outdoors in his dog kennel or just some time, you need to ensure that it is a comfortable environment, and that it offers plenty of protection from either extreme of weather.
Proper location of your dog kennel plays an important role in keeping it at a decent and bearable temperature for your pet. Placing it so that it avoids the hot afternoon sun, and so that there are natural wind shields or breaks around help keep things comfortable. So does facing the door of the kennel away from the direction you get most of your wind and rain from. Aside from this, though, what else can you do?
The most recommended method of keeping your pet cool in summer and warm and cozy in winter is to insulate the kennel. You can use the same materials to insulate your dog pen as you would use for your house. Some materials are easier to work with, and you may also base your decision on what to use on whether you are building it from scratch, or you're attempting to modify an existing one.
One of the more common materials used for this purpose is the fiberglass panels. One con to using this material is that the fiberglass itself is very irritating should it get into eyes or onto skin. The fiberglass is normally sandwiched between two panels so that it doesn't come in contact with skin or eyes, but if your dog chews on things you may want to reconsider using this. My pup gnaws on everything she can find, particularly when she's penned up for an afternoon, or a few hours, and I wouldn't risk lining her kennel using fiberglass. But if yours doesn't have the bad habit of chewing, you may be fine to go with this type of insulation.
I've also seen cork board used quite effectively to provide decent insulation. It's a very soft board though, and delightfully tempting for furry friends to chew on. You'd need to also cover this with a harder board paneling if you want to keep it intact. Of course, it doesn't post the same problems if it somehow finds its way into your pet's mouth--but it's safer to cover it and keep it out of sight.
If you've already built your kennel, or you purchased a pre-made one that wasn't insulated, there are things you can do to add it to the outside walls and roof. Different material can be used for this, and you could choose depending on your budget and what is available at your local store. Some suggestions for what to use include foiled tar paper or pre-colored plaster. This may not look as aesthetic but it does the job quite nicely if need be.
Of course it is possible to purchase an already insulated pen, there are plenty available even for ordering online. They are more expensive than the regular ones, but if time is an issue or if you are not able to insulate yourself, you might want to look into these and see if you can find something affordable. Whatever you decide, it is important that your dog kennel and run is comfortable for your pet.
