# Dog House Plans



## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Your own house is ideal  I am very against outside dogs, but if it's just for when no one is home I don't see a problem with it. I think it should be a good size, but cozy enough to feel safe- so kind of like a very very large crate.


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## Dog (Sep 26, 2006)

How old is your puppy?


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

One thing that has always bugged me about dog houses is that they have a great big square opening right smack in the middle. It doesn't provide any protection from weather. 

We have dog houses that are rectangle in shape and have a door on the side wall that is set to one end. The roof is slanted to drain off. We built ours using this as a guide.

Outback Log Cabin Dog House with Door - Dog Houses at DogHouses.com


However, my dogs never use the dog house. It's just there in the yard, I guess because I thought if you have a dog you need a dog house. One tip, make sure you raise the dog house off the ground an inch or so, you don't want it sitting flat on the ground.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I agree. I lost a bunny this winter, and I think the little room we made for him did not keep him warm enough because the hole was designed in the middle.

My husband made a dog house for my German Shepherd years ago. A good size, but I don't think it was too big. The only one that ever used it was my cat.


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## kellange123 (Apr 13, 2007)

Shirley said:


> How old is your puppy?


She is 5 months old.


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## JimS (Jan 2, 2007)

It sounds to me like it's too tall. I'd put a ceiling in it not much higher than the dog is tall...otherwise the dog's body heat will be wasted.

Among the hunting community, these folks houses are considered to be pretty well top of the line:
K-9 Kondo - The Professionals' Choice in durable, indestructible dog shelters information page.

You can get an idea of appropriate sizes there...they also sell a door for scratch builders.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

JimS said:


> It sounds to me like it's too tall. I'd put a ceiling in it not much higher than the dog is tall...otherwise the dog's body heat will be wasted.
> 
> Among the hunting community, these folks houses are considered to be pretty well top of the line:
> K-9 Kondo - The Professionals' Choice in durable, indestructible dog shelters information page.
> ...


Wow... those are very interesting. Who would think that something so small would be better.


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## Michelle Laurette (Apr 1, 2007)

It sounds like you have it all planned. I especially like the suggestion of a door on the side, at the end of a wall, and not centered.

Hubby created a dog door (more of an opening) in our side fence which allows Collette to move from the fenced in courtyard to the side lawn. We have her on a 30 foot lead and she can come and go as she pleases. When we want to contain her to one side or another, we just close the door to the opening.

Now he wants to build a dog house, with two doors, and affix it to the dog door in the fence. The idea is that she can still go through but she could also stay in the dog house and see either side. We could still control her access by closing one of the doors. We don't have plans yet, still in the thinking stage. Any ideas?


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## kellange123 (Apr 13, 2007)

JimS said:


> It sounds to me like it's too tall. I'd put a ceiling in it not much higher than the dog is tall...otherwise the dog's body heat will be wasted.
> 
> Among the hunting community, these folks houses are considered to be pretty well top of the line:
> K-9 Kondo - The Professionals' Choice in durable, indestructible dog shelters information page.
> ...


Wow! That looks pretty good. I might have to send this over to my father-in-law who has a strictly outdoor doggie that likes to remodel his house. I had no idea that smaller would be better, but it makes sense if you think about it.


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## kellange123 (Apr 13, 2007)

Michelle Laurette said:


> Now he wants to build a dog house, with two doors, and affix it to the dog door in the fence. The idea is that she can still go through but she could also stay in the dog house and see either side. We could still control her access by closing one of the doors. We don't have plans yet, still in the thinking stage. Any ideas?


Do you have a privacy fence that she goes though that is why you want to let her still see it? Just wondering. It sounds like that could be pretty neat.


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## Taz Monkey (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm not a fan of dogs outside unattended, even if its just while you're gone. My dogs would freak out if I put them outside, shut the door and left them there. They are much more comfortable in the house, out of any elements.


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