Although a fully-enclosed building would be the most helpful to the animals, using tarps is the next best solution – and not one unheard of. On farms, for example, run-in sheds, designed for horses and livestock, use this structure. A steel frame, anchored into the ground, has a heavy-duty poly tarp extending from one side to the other. Even though run-in sheds are typically temporary, they can be transformed into permanent structures for animals by adding gates on both open sides and providing hay and a water source.

Similarly, portable dog kennels are made with the same combination of materials but on a smaller scale. Such animal shelters have a powder-coated steel frame and a heavy-duty polyethylene roof. More than one animal is typically kept inside a portable dog kennel.

Wind and heat control aren’t limited to animal shelter, however, and large polyethylene and vinyl tarps are used on construction sites for this same purpose. A large tarp may line a fence between a construction site and a street, keeping dirt and dust inside and away from pedestrians. Similarly, the material is draped against the side of a building to keep heat in and wind out as workers are inside.

Portable dog shelters are used outdoors and can be used for one or multiple dogs. Whether you are a dog breeder or need a place for your dog outdoors, a portable dog kennel is one shelter option that is protective and versatile. Build like a small-scale portable garage, a portable dog shelter consists of pre-assembled powder-coated and nickel-plated steel gated sides to keep your dog inside. For feeding, a door opens on one of the metal sides. The top of the portable dog shelter is a peaked-roof polyethylene tarp made from rip-proof material. Aside from having gated, cage-like sides, a portable dog kennel is often four feet tall, although some designs for holding multiple dogs are six or eight feet tall. For the smallest model of dog kennel, the size typically available is four feet by four feet by four feet and, to hold larger or more animals, the kennel is either longer or taller.

One of the primary advantages of a portable dog kennel, as opposed to a wood or plastic dog kennel, is the ability to be expanded. Portable garages have kits to expand its dimensions and add various walls and doors, and portable dog kennels have a similar set of kits available to either expand the dog kennel’s size or to add dividers for multiple dogs. Portable dog kennels larger than the basic four by four by four model can hold at least two small or medium-sized dogs and, in order to separate the dogs, especially if you’re a dog breeder, a metal divider can be installed in the kennel to divide up the space inside for both animals.