What Color Lightbulb to Put in a Doghouse?

Lightbulbs are used in a doghouse for two different purposes: to provide light and to provide heat. When used for lighting, the color of a lightbulb does not matter: an ordinary incandescent bulb -- either tinted or clear -- or LED bulb is sufficient to your dog̵7;s need for light. By contrast, heat lamp bulbs come in red and clear to fulfill specific purposes.

  1. Light

    • Dogs appreciate a lighted enclosure, just as people appreciate lights in their homes. Depending on the size of the space being lit, a low-wattage, white incandescent bulb is sufficient. If a larger space is being lit, your dog might benefit from the use of a white LED bulb. The LED bulb is actually superior in this situation to the incandescent bulb, since the incandescent bulb wastes a lot of energy in heating the area. Not only is the LED bulb cooler -- reducing the risk of doghouse fires -- it also lasts for up to 20 years.

    Heat

    • Lightbulbs are often used to provide the heating elements for devices called doghouse heaters. However, some doghouse heaters use ceramic emitters to provide heat. When using a doghouse heater, which encloses the lightbulb inside a metal box, the color of the lightbulb does not matter. Clear and red heat lamps provide an equal amount of heat for the watts consumed. However, on occasion, lightbulbs are used in reflectors rather than within doghouse heaters.

    Clear Lamps

    • Used in a reflector, the clear heat lamp and the red heat lamp provide the same amount of heat. The clear heat lamp provides the additional benefit of light, which reduces or eliminates the need to have a dedicated light source inside the doghouse. Halogen incandescent bulbs are heavy-duty and suitable for outdoor use, but the light they provide might be too harsh for use in a doghouse.

    Red Lamps

    • Unlike the clear heat lamp, the red heat lamp is inefficient in providing light. The dimmer light provided by a red heat lamp makes it a more pleasant for dogs with eyes that are sensitive to light, such as very old dogs or puppies that have just opened their eyes.