How to Build a Dog House: Home Sweet Home | Sajmon P

A dog is not only a pet but also part of your family, and that is why he deserves all the comfort and love he can get. Looking at things in retrospective, a dog house is an important and integral part of your dog’s life. The house is not just his place for sleeping but also shelter from bad weather and other things that to him are scary. In this article we are going to show you through a series of simple steps so you can easily learn how to build a dog house for your pet.

Advantages and Why It Is Better to Just Build It by Yourself

If you have a yard and your dog belongs to the group of big breeds, then it is more practical and easier to let your pet live inside the dog house and indoors. That can also be a place where your dog can rest from the noises and people who live in your house. After you have trained and housebroken your pet, it is always stressful to teach him to sleep by himself in the dog house; however, he will learn to be independent and it will be easier for both of you. Another advantage is that, if your dog already spends too much time outdoors, a dog house can be his perfect place and shelter to rest and get away from rain, bad weather or anything that bothers him.

If you wonder why it may be better to just build it yourself than buy it, then consider the fact that building your own dog house will give you total freedom and control over deciding the size, pattern and everything else.

Of course, you should have at least basic carpentry skills or someone’s help if you are not confident enough to dive into the whole building by yourself. Another advantage is that you can recycle or upcycle your old materials. All in all, building a dog house for your beloved furry friend is an act of love and patience that can bring harm to no one.

What You Should Consider Before Building a Dog House

First of all, you should consider a location. You should always consider a place in your yard that is cool and shady, because overheating can actually kill Fido. Additionally, that place should be always dry during the colder days and warm; plus the house should not be placed where rainwater can stagnate or overflow it. This means that you should look for a place that it not too exposed to the outdoor bad elements.

Another important thing to consider is the materials that your dog’s new house should consist of. That also depends on your budget. People usually use wood because it is easy to handle and it does not get as hot as plastic or metal during the summer. Inserting an insulation layer will make your dog comfortable and safer.

When you decide on the paint you should be careful that there are no toxic chemicals in it; you can do this by studying the label carefully.

How to actually build the Dog House

If you have finally decided on the location, material, size, aesthetics etc., it is time to build a new house for your doggy. This will be a simple tutorial for a basic dog house.

Materials needed:

· Cedar 2x4s

· 1 ½ inch cedar boards

· 3/8 inch outdoor plywood

· ¾ inch outdoor plywood

·  Exterior screws

The Steps:

The cedar 2x4s will be used for building the floor frame which should be a bit raised from the ground so you can prevent the dirt and water from coming in. Depending on your dog’s size, the frame should be around 40 inches. After this you should sheet the floor with exterior plywood which can be attached with an electric screw. Next, you should assemble the back and front wall and screw the walls together after you have attached the other two side walls to the floor. The walls should be sheeted with plywood while cedar trims should be attached to all the corners.

After this, you should paint the house with wood sealer and outdoor stain to protect it. When it is dry, continue building the roof by using the same framing and sheeting it with plywood. Now you can place the roof on top of the frame by putting trim around it and finishing it with asphalt shingles. The roof should be sloping towards the back. After everything is done you can get creative and add decorative items. A big bow if the dog is a girl or a nice bone made of Styrofoam go great with the new home!

How to Make Your Dog Used to the New House

Now that you have finally finished the pretty, warm and cozy dog house… your pet does not want to get in. This is actually a pretty common scenario because dogs need to adjust to the new places and environments sometimes more than people do.

You have spent hours and hours creating it, but your dog is not only disinterested but he also does not want to come close to it. First of all, never try to force your dog inside the dog house. Never beat, push or forcefully lock your dog inside the house because he will see it as a punishment and start hating it. You do not want your dog to feel hurt, do you? The only thing to do is to slowly adjust your dog to the house by spending most of the time near it and by feeding him next to it. If your pet still dislikes the house, then you might check whether there is something that is scaring or putting him off.

In the end, all it matters is Fido’s happiness. To make sure he/she is happy in the new home add some of their favorite toys and make the place as cozy as possible. Fido will slowly learn to love it!