How to make a doghouse step by step

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 26 January 2021
Update Date: 18 May 2024
Anonim
Simple Large Dog House Build DIY
Video: Simple Large Dog House Build DIY

Content

If you have a dog and a yard or garden, you've certainly planned to build a doghouse at some point instead of buying one ready-made. It is normal for you to worry about your pet's comfort, it is one of the most important points to make your dog happy.

But if you're not sure where to start, don't worry, at PeritoAnimal we'll show you how to do this work so you can build the ideal house with the right measurements for your dog.

Check out all the materials you'll need, advice and more. Continue reading this article from your favorite pet site about how to make a doghouse step by step.

Preparation prior to building the doghouse

Before you get down to business it's important that you know that creating a haven for your dog is a fantastic detail, but that doesn't mean your dog can't spend time with you. Even if he has a space all to himself, ideally, he can freely enter the house during the day. Don't forget your pet is a member of the family.


There are tutors who think that just because the dog is in a yard, it is already content and satisfied. But that is not true. In fact, there are many cases of pets that are never allowed to leave the yard, and for that very reason, they suffer from separation anxiety.

Where to put the doghouse?

Put the little house in a place with lower incidence of drafts. This will be very important, especially during cold weather, as the dog will be more sheltered.

Another point to take into account is the specific place where you should put the house. It must be a place exclusively for the dog, it will be its space. To decide where to put it, the ideal is that you observe where he usually lies down in the yard, this indicates that he likes this spot.

How to make a cheap doghouse

If you want to know how to make a cheap doghouse the secret is, of course, in the materials you will use. To build your dog's shelter, you'll need some items, the main one being wood. The recommended thickness for it is 1.5cm.Check out the other materials now:


  • Anti-moisture paint or oils (never toxic)
  • screwdriver
  • Galvanized screws
  • Silicone
  • Router cutters
  • Broaches and brushes
  • Varnish
  • asphalt blanket
  • saw

Don't forget that you always have the option to buy the house ready-made. There are wooden and plastic houses on the market. The best choice are wooden ones that will protect and insulate better from the cold. The advantage of plastic ones is that they are easier to clean.

Another option if you don't want to make a doghouse is to look for one on websites or apps where people sell used products. There are definitely good options.

Here's how to build a cheap doghouse step by step.

1. House for big or small dogs

Before starting to build, the first thing you should think about is how big the house will be. In order for the house to be pleasant for the dog, it should not be not too big, not too small.


That it's not small is obvious. But how to assess size? Think that your puppy should be able to get around inside it without any problem.

Do you think the bigger the better? No, it can't be too big because it won't generate a hot environment inside. Don't forget that one of the goals of creating this refuge is for your pet to be protected from the cold and rain.

And since you're going to build the house on the outside of the house, it can be helpful to know how to get rid of fleas in the yard.

2. Assess the importance of the base

The foundation is one of the fundamentals of a good house. If you had in mind not having a base, it's good to know that without it, you won't protect your dog well, as it will sleep directly on the floor, with the cold and humidity that this involves, not to mention that it can to rain.

What should be evaluated when building the base of your dog house?

Isolation: the ideal is to insulate the floor with cement or concrete. Always look for materials that are waterproof.

Height of base: it's not a good idea to build the doghouse at ground level as this allows moisture to enter and if it rains heavily it can even get flooded.

Measurements for a doghouse

The measurements of the doghouse always depend on the dog size. Here we have some guidance in this regard:

  • Length: 1.5 times the dog's length (without the tail)
  • Width: 3/4 of the dog's length (without the tail)
  • Height: About 1/4 taller than the dog's head height.

Since we are talking about how to make a doghouse, in the video below, we clarify where your dog should sleep:

3. Buy the woods

If you have the right tools, you can buy the boards and cut them yourself.

  • Recommendation: First draw the sketch of each wall or board you need on paper. Then, when you are sure, draw this sketch on the wood.

If you don't have a saw or chainsaw, make the sketch on paper and go to a carpentry shop to have the wood cut for you.

We at PeritoAnimal recommend that you build a house with a gable roof (not flat). That way, if it rains the water will fall to the ground.

To make the roof, you must cut two boards corresponding to the entrance and the back wall must end in a triangle. All on the same board, never in two.

  • advice: The size of the entry is very important. If you make it too big, you'll let out the heat and lose the warm and cozy atmosphere we talked about earlier.

4. Raise the walls of the house

To assemble the walls you will simply have to apply silicone to the corners of the pieces. To reinforce the support, use screws.

It is always good that the interior parts of the walls, for reasons of hygiene, have a layer of varnish.

  • advice: if you want to give more strength and support, you can use metal hinges in the corners, screw them into the corners of the walls.

5. Put the ceiling

Now that you have the four walls of your dog's new home, all that's left is to assemble the roof.

As we did with the walls, we put some hinges on the inner walls of the front and rear triangles (in the middle). That way, when putting the roof on you can screw on these hinges.

  • Recommendation: when installing the roof, be careful that the planks are at a 90 degree angle. This way you will avoid creating a channel where water can infiltrate. Another solution would be to put tape between the ceiling boards.

To reinforce the roof, you can use various materials such as asphalt blanket or tar paper.

6. Paint and customize the doghouse

buy one paint that withstands moisture well and climate change, such as oil or synthetic enamel. Buy a good mattress with pillows so that your dog has extra comfort and warmth. Don't forget to also put some of your toys in the house.

If you have children or like to paint, you can decorate the walls. Try to make the house another well-integrated element in your garden. Try drawing flowers, trees, etc...

If you have enough wood and you are very good at these jobs, you can also saw each letter out of wood and then glue it to your dog's house.

Now that you know how to make a doghouse cheap and easy, in this other PeritoAnimal article you can also be inspired on how to build a dog playground.