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( Cobalt doesn't
trust the camera. Note: Stairs are for puppies that Cobalt was
nursing at the time I took this photo.)
It's surprisingly easy to build a tough, comfortable dog house that dogs love. The flat room may seem unimaginative, but dogs really enjoy napping up there on a sunny day.
All you need is a sheet of plywood, some 2-by-4s, 2-by-2s and basic hardware. I just built a couple of these in early September and the lumber cost about $35 per house.
Look at the pictures included on this page to see how the 2-by-4s
and
2-by-2s are used. Also, I've inlcuded a diagram
at the bottom of this page that shows how to cut all the sides,
floor and roof from one sheet of plywood.
I'm no construction engineer, but what I do is cut the 2-by-4s to 29-inch lengths for the dog house's legs (length is optional), then screw two legs onto the front panel, where the door goes. And I screw the other two legs onto the back panel. I use my new cordless drill because it's a toy, but a hammer and nails work fine. Then all that's left is to screw the side panels to the front and back to create a box.
You can then tip the dog house on its back and use a circular saw to rip an 11-inch square doorway (if you haven't done it before you assemble the house).
Then you screw 2-by-2s around the base to support the loose floor board(You have to cut corner notches in the floor board so it fits inside the house, which will become obvious). Then attach more 2-by-2s around the edge of the roof board to make a rim. I use silicone seal between the 2-by-2s and roof to retard rain seepage.
All that's left is the chin rest/rain visor, which the dogs love. Screw scrap pieces of 2-by-4 around the edge of the doorway.
You've got a dog house.
If you want the deluxe model, you can buy a 2- or 3-quart steel mixing bowl (bread pans also work) and cut a circular hole in the roof with ajigsaw. Then use tiny, half-inch screws to bolt that bowl to the roof. It's a little challenging and if it's not weather-tight, you end up with a seriously leaky roof.
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