In many counties there are legal requirements for owning a dog, aside from the dog license. For example, in many counties the law states that you must provide water, food and shelter for your dog. That means, that if your dog lives outdoors, or spends much time outdoors not only does he need to have a water bowl filled with water at all times, sufficient food to eat but he also needs an outdoor kennel where he will find shelter from not only extreme temperatures, but also from rain, wind, snow or sleet.
If your dog is happy when he is outdoors, and he does not try to run away or escape, but he is happy to just stay close by home then there is no real need for a run, or a pen. But a dog kennel or dog-house is a must! The kennel should be big enough for your dog to stretch out and sleep in and it should be high enough that the dog can stand in it without having to lower his head below his shoulders.
You can either buy a ready made kennel, or you can try to build a dog house yourself. This should be one of the first things you do if you are planning on keeping your dog outdoors either at night or during the day. If you fail to do so you may find you get in trouble and are fined for not providing your dog with decent shelter.
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