Important Considerations When Building a Dog House

Article by Stephanie Hetu

So you'd like to know how to build a dog house? Well, that means we're talking to less than 50% of all dog owners. Why? Because current survey information at OpinionTrone says most dog owners (over 50%) allow their pets on the family couch. Furthermore, if you allow your pet on the couch, chances are that you do not HAVE a dog house!

But for those of you who do, there are really good things to remember about how to build a dog house:

1. Any good how to build a dog house plan should begin by making sure the house is big enough to accommodate your dog's ultimate grown-up size. You would not like to live in a house whose ceiling was below your head height–neither would your dog. Most humans like about 2 feet of air above themselves in a room in order to live without feelings of claustrophobia! That comfort zone is about 1/3 of their standing height. Allow your pet the same airiness. Figure out how tall it will stand as a mature pet and make sure the ceiling of the dog house is 1/3 again taller!

2. Raise the house a few inches off the ground to allow air and water to flow beneath. Ventilation is important for the health of your dog and to dissuade pests from invading its home. A few nickel-sized holes in the walls under the eaves should be sufficient. Install a wind block inside the house so the dog can use the heat of its own body to warm up the area if it is really cold and windy outside. Any good plan for how to build a dog house will have a house big enough so that a partial wall will allow the dog to escape the elements. The dog can choose whether to just sleep in the entry room or go around the inner archway maze wall into the inner sanctum. Both areas could have bedding or a pillow, such as one filled with cedar chips to discourage fleas.

3. Make the floor just the littlest bit slanted toward the doorway. Any good "how to build a dog house" plan will make certain that any rain that does enter via the ventilation holes or doorway automatically drains out. Make sure that the roof is built at a slant, as well, for obvious run-off reasons. Do not paint the inside of the house, but do make sure that the house is well insulated.

4. Make sure the dog house faces away from the major storm direction. Most how to build a dog house plans will suggest that the ideal placement of a dog house door is to the east. That way, even in the wintertime, the cold south wind will not whip inclement weather into the dog's entryway.

5. Finally, almost all how to build a dog house plans will have you put hinges on the roof of the house for easy cleaning. When you clean the dog, you should clean its house and bedding–just as faithfully as you would wish your pet to be to you!