Every pet owner is concerned with the safety and comfort of their furry friend. Creating a safe and comfortable environment is especially important for dogs, which are lively and full of energy, so they need a lot of space only for themselves. Get inspired by this collection of best free dog house plans and material list to build a comfortable shelter for your dog.
If you decide on such a responsibility as getting a dog, it’s best to do some reading to know their basic needs, the most common problems and how to deal with them (you can check out websites such as MySweetPuppy to get this information).
Some owners decide to share a room or even a bed with their dog, but others want to create separate space for their puppy. While arranging a dog bed doesn’t seem like a big challenge, building a dog house on your own might be problematic at first.
However, with a few guidelines, it is possible to build a perfect house for your dog without too much effort. In this article, you’ll find a guide on creating an ideal dog house in your garden or yard.
Choose Appropriate Materials
Before you begin, you need to think carefully about the materials you’d like to use. As this will be a shelter for your beloved puppy, the materials should be of high quality to provide shelter from both cold and hot weather.
As for the building materials for a basic dog house, you will need:
- utility panel or plywood – as a primary material – is thinner and lighter than wood, but also more ergonomic and ecological
- studs to build the frame
- screws and box nails to join the panels together
- balusters and drip edges to finish off the construction and make it safe
- roof shingles if you want the dog house to look more like a traditional one
You’ll also need some tools, such as:
- a power drill to join the construction together
- knives to cut lighter materials
- standard box of utensils (a screwdriver, pliers, a hammer)
- electric saw to cut heavier materials
If you need more guidelines as to the choice of tools, visit this website.
Once you have the tools and materials ready, it’s time to start the work.
Make a Plan
The first step to build a dog house is making a plan. You can do it on paper first, but you can also frame the wooden base at this point.
You need to answer some important questions:
- What size of the house do I need?
- Where will it be placed?
- How much time will my dog spend there?
Of course, if you have a small breed dog, a smaller house will be enough. Remember, though, that even tiny puppies need to have some personal space.
The location of the house is equally important. If you have a big garden, it can be higher and broader, but in a small yard, a more practical house would be needed.
Also, remember that a dog cannot stay in the house all the time. As the owner, you have to provide some extra space to your pupil (e.g., inside the house or in the garden).
Frame the Base
Once you have answered these questions, you can shape the house’s frame, using studs, a knife or a saw, and a hammer.
First, cut the studs with the knife of the saw to give them the desired length. Then, join the studs together using a hammer and nails.
Once you have the frame of the roof and walls, make the construction of the floor.
You’ll need one panel and, again, some nails and a hammer to attach it to the walls.
Frame the Walls
Once you’ve prepared the construction of the building, it’s time to frame the walls.
To do this, you’ll need three panels – for the back and side walls (without the front one).
Cut the studs so that they fit in the construction and joint them with nails and a hammer.
As for the front wall, it’s best to cut the entrance in it – it should be, more or less, ⅓ of the whole door, depending on the dog size. Then, you could hang a piece of cloth or other material over the door – so that the inside is protected from the weather conditions.
Finish off the Roof
If you have constructed the floor, the three walls, and the entrance, it’s time for the roof.
You can make it simple and use another panel, but you might also want it to be fancier and add some roof shingles.
You can trim the shingles so that they fit in the roof using a utility knife. Remember that they can be a little bigger than the construction.
Customize
Who says that a house for a dog needs to be boring? It can be customized just like our regular houses.
You might want to paint the walls to make them look elegant or even paint some patterns on the outside walls. You can find some inspiration by looking at other dog house plans online.
Conclusion
Building a dog house doesn’t have to be problematic and confusing. It’s enough to follow the guidelines mentioned above, and you should be satisfied with the result.
Try to use high-quality, sustainable materials and design the whole house carefully. Remember that if you have any problems and are not sure about the construction, there are some ready dog houses available in stores or online for you to buy them or simply find inspiration.