You love your puppy but hate it when he sheds his fur on your bed at night. Build an outdoor house for your dog to keep him dry and warm at night, and to keep your bed hair-free. Follow the steps below to create a custom dog house that matches your puppy's personality.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Building the Foundation
Step 1. Consider what its basic use is
Different dogs will have different needs, but almost every dog will have this need: a closed dry space that he can think of as a home whether it's hot or cold. Keep these factors in mind when building a dog house:
- Think about the insulation. Keep in mind that the base forms the foundation of the entire house and creates an air space between the ground and the floor that acts as a divider for the house. A bottomless house will be colder in the colder months and warmer in the hot months.
- Consider specific elements that might affect the bottom of your outdoor environment. If your area rains a lot, make sure you use non-toxic waterproof material and build the base high enough from the ground to avoid flooding.
Step 2. Use a framing square and a pencil to start reproducing the diagram you made on the wood
Cut a 5x10cm plank of wood into four pieces, with two of them 57cm long and two 58.5cm long for a medium sized dog.
Step 3. Place the 58.5 cm long side pieces inside the 57 cm long front and back pieces to make a rectangle with 5 cm sides as a base on the ground
Use a pipe drill to make pilot holes. Then attach the bases together using 7.6 cm diameter wood galvanized screws at each end.
Step 4. Transfer the floor plan with a pencil and framing square onto a 2 cm thick sheet of plywood
The dimensions are 66 by 57 cm for the upper frame.
Step 5. Using 4.4 cm diameter galvanized screws, secure the floor panels to the base by drilling one screw into each corner of the house base
Part 2 of 4: Installing the Wall
Step 1. Again, use real wood for added insulation and versatility
Using wood for a doghouse will keep the house insulated, even if the wood is thin. For the front wall of the house, make the opening for your dog as small as possible (but still comfortable) to keep the temperature warm in the room.
Step 2. Realize the plan of both sides of the house onto the same piece of plywood used for the floor
Each side must be 66 cm long and 40.5 cm wide, while the front and back must be a 61 x 40.5 cm square, with a triangle 30.5 cm long and 61 cm wide at the top. Cut this shape in one piece for the front and back of the house.
Step 3. Leave an opening in the front wall of the house, about 25 cm wide and 33 cm high
Leave 7.5 cm of space at the bottom of the opening to cover the base of the house. To create an arc at the top of the opening, use any circular object that is versatile, such as a mixing bowl.
Step 4. Cut eight sheets of truss
Using a 5x5 cm piece of cedar, cut eight pieces to use as a frame that will secure the walls and roof. You will need four pieces of corner truss 38 cm long and four pieces of roof truss 33 cm long.
Step 5. Adhere one piece of the 38 cm corner frame to each corner of the side frame using three 4.4 cm diameter galvanized wood screws
Then lay the side panels on the bottom and use galvanized wood screws every 10, 2 - 12.7 cm around the perimeter.
Step 6. Install the front and back panels
Place the front and back panels on the floor base and secure them to the frame using galvanized wood screws at a distance of every 10, 2 - 12.7 cm around the perimeter.
Part 3 of 4: Making the Roof
Step 1. Try making a sloping triangular roof
Not only will this release rain and snow from the doghouse, but it will also give your dog more room to stretch out in his humble home.
Step 2. Draw the roof panel design on a 5x5 cm wooden plank, with dimensions 81 cm long and 50 cm wide
These pieces will be attached to the top of the side panels to form a sloping triangular roof.
Step 3. Attach the 33 cm 2x2 roof truss pieces to the inside edges of the front and back panels, in the middle of the side corners between the top and bottom panels
Screw three 4.4 cm diameter galvanized wood screws into each panel.
Step 4. Place the roof panels on top of the sides, making sure that the tops are tight and that they hang down on each side
Secure the roof panels to each frame using 4.4 cm diameter galvanized wood screws at a distance of 7.5 cm each.
Part 4 of 4: Customizing the Dog House
Step 1. Personalize with paint
Use only non-toxic paint that won't harm your dog, you can paint the exterior of the house to match the colors of your home, or choose a fun theme like an underwater scheme. If you have small children, you can let them paint the dog house as their art project.
Step 2. Make a sturdier roof
To keep your dog's house very dry, you can cover the roof with tarpaulin, or tar paper. Once you've done that, you can add pebbles to give it a cool, traditional look.
Step 3. Decorate the inside
Make your dog comfortable by adding a blanket, dog bed, or a layer of rug. To add a rug, cut the rug to dimensions 2.5 cm smaller than the floor panels and attach it to the floor. Use wood glue if you want the carpet to be permanent, or masking tape if you want to replace the carpet at a later date.
Step 4. Add fun accessories to make your dog's home a comfortable home for him
- Hang a nameplate with your dog's name in front of the opening using small nails and any material strong enough to support the weight. You can buy special plates made of metal, make and paint wood planks, or even hang extra dog leashes. Make sure that the tip of the nail doesn't poke through the inside of the house.
- Attach small hooks on the outside of the dog house to store leash or other dog toys.
Tips
- Make the roof slanted so that snow and rainwater can slide down.
- You can turn your dog house into a solar house by adding a plexiglass roof. Then, add a regular roof with hinges so you can open it when the sun is hard to get on cold days and close it at night or when it's hot.
- Make sure your wood is treated for weather resistance with a non-toxic coating.
- Make sure you use poison-free paint and treated wood.
- If you want to decorate the inside of your dog's house, do so before you install the roof.
- Start with a 1.2 x 2.4 meter piece of 5x5 cm plywood, where you will cut all the pieces except for the 5x10 cm base.
- Do not use permanent carpet, because the dog house will often get dirty.
