An Easy Guide to Building a Dog House

If you keep your dog in the yard, it’s only natural that you want to protect it from the elements and provide it with all the comfort that you can. Of course, a store-bought house is a viable possibility. But why not save the money and make a lovely and functional house by yourself? Our DIY project is not only simple and easy to make, but also cheap. Here is a step-by-step guide to making a cozy home for your furry friend.

Getting Started

Create a rectangle by joining two 22-1/2” pieces to two 23” ones – the longer pieces will form the sides, and the shorter ones will be the front and back. The pieces can easily be attached using eight 3” galvanized screws (two per corner).

Using a framing square and a pencil, draw a 26 by 22-1/2” floor plan on plywood (3/4” thickness), cut it, and screw to each corner of the base using 1-1/4” galvanized screws. This floor construction is very important, because it will keep the entire house off the ground. The air between the floor and the ground will provide insulation and prevent the house from getting too cold. This way, your pet will be protected from the cold even during the winter.

The Roof over Your Pup’s Head

Use four 15” long pieces of 2x2s to secure the corners of the house. You can do this by attaching them to the sides with at least 3 galvanized screws per piece. You can then attach the sides to the floor with 7 galvanized wood screws per side. Next, proceed to secure the front and the back in the same way – by fastening them to both the framing and the floor, using galvanized screws spaced 5 inches apart.

Using 3 screws per piece, secure four 13” pieces of 2x2s to the sides of the triangle on the front and the back. These will be your roof framing pieces. Draw and cut two 32”x20” pieces of wood for the roof. Place the roof panels in position, and attach them to the frame using seven or eight 1-1/4” screws. The panels should be secured tightly and have an overhang to prevent leaks. To make sure your dog stays dry, you can look into non-toxic sealant guns and fill in the peak of the roof. Some people decide to go the extra mile and add shingles, too.

The Walls of the House

Using a framing square, pencil and quality woodworking tools, transfer the measurements and cut the walls from a sheet of plywood. Bear in mind that it’s best for your pup if you use natural, non-toxic materials, such as wood. You need two 26” by 16” pieces for the sides. The front and back are slightly more complicated – you will need to cut two house-shaped pieces. You will achieve this by cutting two rectangles, each with a triangle on top. The triangle’s base should be the 24” side of the rectangle, and it should be 12” high. Each house shape should be in one piece.

Of course, your house needs a door! Draw and cut a door-shaped hole in one of the house-shaped pieces. The door should be big enough for your adult dog to pass through, but not too big so that it doesn’t let out too much precious heat. You can create the arch of the door using a compass or any sufficiently big round object, like a plate.

Please bear in mind that our project’s measurements are based on the size of an average pooch. If necessary, you can easily scale up or down to fit the needs of your dog, depending on the breed.

By Guest Author

Puppy Education is a site dedicated for dog owners on how to train and look after their puppy. If you have a puppy and would like to share your own experiences and knowledge, you can write for Puppy Education.