Building A Dog House

Building a house for your dog is a great way to show how much you love ‘man’s best friend’.

The first thing to consider when building a dog house is the materials that you intend to use. Make sure the materials are durable and will stand the test of time. This way you won’t find yourself doing the same job again in six months time!

You can accessorize the house if it takes your fancy. Put some special items into the house; maybe a photograph of your and your family...? You could put nice curtains on the windows (if you decide to have them) and maybe even line it with colorful wallpapers. Since many items are inexpensive, your imagination can really take off. Use old scraps of fabric to decorate, and utilize the various bits and pieces you have lying around your home in order to really make ‘being in the dog house’ a unique and personal experience for your pet.

You can experiment all the way and enjoy discussing the various choices open to you with your best friend, as he sits patiently at your side...

The house should have a platform for the floor, which sits far enough above ground to prevent water from entering even on the rainiest days. Raising the floor will also protect your pet against the cold ground. Be absolutely sure that nails are accurately driven. It would be disastrous to have the points of nails sticking into the interior of the house; they could cause serious injury or infection. The interior should also be large enough for your dog to stand and turn around.

Consider the personal habits of your best friend. Some dogs like to sit on top of their house. If this is the case with your pet, don't use shingles or roll roofing on top of the house as they can get very hot in the sun. Instead, use an exterior plywood panel, treated with a preservative like linseed oil (non-toxic, of course!) This may also mean that you may want to build your dog house with a sloping roof rather than the more traditional peaked style.

Don't make the house too large. An animal’s body heat will help keep it warm if the interior is cozy enough. Too big and the heat will escape too easily. Making a really good house for your dog doesn’t have to be expensive. Timber merchants are happy to sell wood scraps cheap and you may just have your own materials lying around in your shed or workshop. Remember, comfort is the key. Your dog won’t mind if you paint his house hot pink with bright blue spots (although the neighbors might!).

Building A Dog House
A guide on building your own dog house.