So you have purchased our unique
shed plans and now you are wanting to build a home for
your little buddy with some leftover material? Great,
we've decided to post this great free guide on how you
want to put together your doghouse plans. This story
was sent to us by a long time customer.
Planning
We designed this
dog house for our two dogs, who are full grown females of
the Rottweiler/Australian Shepherd breed combination. I
built my dog house at my old house, and moved it to my new
house, six miles away. I mention this as a reminder to keep
in mind that it maybe a lot easier to build the dog house in
one place (where there is good electricity, lighting, roof,
whatever) and move it to another, where it is more
appropriately situated. My dog house weighed probably 250 to
300 pounds but was relatively easily moved using a small
pickup truck and was hoisted over a four foot fence by four
men who will most likely not compete in any of this year's
premier bodybuilding competitions.
Function
Get out a tape measure and measure your dog. Measure her
standing straight up, sitting on her haunches, and above all
measure the full dimensions of your dog when she is in the
most comfortable, relaxed, and stretched out position that
she can assume. You should build a doghouse where this
position can be easily attained by the dog. The dog should
be able to look out the front entrance while standing up and
sitting. The entrance way should be high enough that she
will not have to significantly lower her front shoulders or
scrape belly to get in. It should also be wide enough to
accommodate the width of your dog. Stand above the dog and
measure the width of the widest point of the dogs’
shoulders. Add at least four inches to this measure
and don’t forget to consider future pregnancies or the adult
girth of that roly-poly mastiff puppy you are adopting.
Remember that the roof of the dog house should overhang a
few inches for water runoff. Draw a sketch of your dog with
the dimensions indicated to help with planning.
Form
Must be dictated by function (see above). I could (and will
at some future time) go off on a tangent about residential
architecture theory, but for now just make sure the dog can
get in and out safely and be protected from the elements
while inside. Never compromise functionality for the sake of
style. Once you satisfy the functional demands, you are free
to design the house in style you want. You probably already
have an idea of what style you want, or you might just want
the classic snoopy style, which is the route I went. My goal
was to have the doghouse look like it belonged on the
grounds of my home, not to make a miniature version of my
house (that could be cool though, as long as functionality
was job one). I used a similar roofline, the same shingles,
and painted the dog house the same color as the human house.
Site Considerations
Again, functionality is the main consideration. Do not put
the dog house in a poorly drained area where rain frequently
accumulates. Do not put it near a river or stream bed area
where it (and Fido) might be swept away during flood stage.
Do not put it on an unstable ledge where erosional or
seismic effects might cause trouble. If you have a large dog
that can jump, keep in mind the dog may climb the roof in
order to leap across a fence to freedom. Do think about site
placement as it relates to your aesthetic concerns: do you
want it to be prominently viewed or cleverly concealed? What
does your dog need to be able to see out of the door (or
window). What might she want to see? Having the door facing
towards a prevailing wind is not very smart (or nice).
Likewise, a bright light shining in at night will jacklight
the dog and reduce her surveillance proficiency to zip-
kiddly-squat.
Drawing the Plans
After you have:
1) determined your dogs shelter needs
2) considered the site where the house will be situated
3) thought about the style and appearance of the new dog
house
you are then able to sit down and draw out the plan for the
project with exact measurements. Do yourself a favor and
plan on building materials that are readily available close
to home. Visit the place where you buy building materials.
See what is available, measure boards with a tape measure,
seewhat kind of brackets, nails, etc. are available. Make
notes and go back to the drawing board, remember the
thickness of the wood figures in when you make the drawing.
Use graph paper. Don't get real fancy on roof plans. Unless
you are confident that you have the skills to plan, cut, and
build that double-hipped, mansard, or Victorian-style roof,
I recommend the simple gable or shed styles.
A Note on Planning Extra Features
Legend has it that a now defunct televangelist once counted
an air-conditioned dog house with a wet bar among his
worldly possessions. I have heard apocryphal tales of
various heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing scenarios
for dog houses, and I decree that my dog house and my
website are not about that.
I designed and built my dog house to be a place where my
hounds can seek shelter from the rain and wind, not as a
permanent residence. I like to think of it as a pavilion or
gazebo. When it gets below freezing or particularly
inclement, the dogs come in for the night.
Dogs, especially younger ones, get off on chewing and
scratching. Even little dogs can destroy amazing volumes of
stuff in short order with their needle-like teeth. That is
why I would be really nervous about introducing insulation,
live wires, or a beer tap into their midst.
When this doghouse was built, my dogs and I lived in North
Georgia, with very mild winters and insignificant snowfall.
I welcome folks from every place in the world to let me know
how environmental factors have influenced their approach to
dog house design and construction.
Phases of Construction
Floor Structure and Decking
The 48" by 48" frame has two joists spaced at sixteen inch
intervals. I used 2X4 pressure treated lumber. Since this
wood will be close to the ground and unsurfaced, pressure
treated wood is mandatory. It is the only wood that will
resist rotting and infestation. Pay the extra money for this
part of the construction materials. Just like with any
construction, the sixteen inch structural support spacing
seems to work fine. The decking was half inch plywood. Since
my dogs weigh as much as people do, so I used the thicker
plywood for the floor, and the thinner (three/eighths inch)
wood for the sides.
Side and Back Walls Construction
Examining the dog houses at the competition led me to the
conclusion that 2X2 lumber was suitable for sidewalls. One
of the houses was over eight feet tall with interior
balconies, windows, and a beautifully crafted cedar shake
roof. I was surprised to see 2X2 construction throughout,
but it was sturdy and larger than 999 out of 1000 dog houses
will ever be. The two sides and back of my dog house were
almost identical, the sides measuring a bit shorter to allow
for the width of the back. The height was 36 inches, which
in retrospect was excessively high, but better too much than
too little. All four sections were assembled separately,
using galvanized L-brackets with wood screws and a few
nails.
Front Entrance Wall Construction
The front piece resembled a Japanese gateway shrine. The
height of the lintel was determined by my largest dog's
standing height.
Fastening Walls to Floor Structure
The pre-assembled sections were then fastened to the decked
base with wood screws and nails. Additional screws, nails,
and L-brackets were used to tie the four sections to each
other.
Roof Construction
To me, this was the trickiest part. The greatest help I had
was a steel 30-60-90 triangle and my jug head buddy, Pendejo,
who (because he was struck in the base of the skull by a
small meteorite at age ten) is good at geometry. I knew that
a 30 degree roof pitch would be adequate for runoff, and
looking at my own house's roof showed me the technique of
notching the joist so that it rests atop the wall structure.
Finesse is involved at this stage, my measurements on the
plan did not exactly match the reality of what I needed so
adjusted the measure so that it would work. We made one
accurate prototype "V" joist out of 2x4 lumber and used it
as a template for the other two. Remember please to allow
the roof to overhang by a few inches for decent runoff. The
three roof joists on my project were fastened to the frame
with nails and spaced at 24 inch intervals. The joists were
then reinforced with a 2x2 spine. I urge you to have someone
help you out during the entire framing process but
especially during the roof part because it is complicated
and can be physically impossible for one person to do,
depending on the size of the dog house.
Siding and Roof Decking
I am a big proponent of plywood. I say this because I do not
like the way that particle or chip board warps and puffs
under the influence of moisture. Even if you live in a
desert climate, your dog might knock over water or
inadvertently whiz in or near her structure. So that being
said, measure and cut the sheet wood carefully, it is the
most expensive material in the project and the easiest to
mess up. A lot of places that sell plywood will cut it for
you, but you might have to pay a fee for each cut. I would
recommend this if you can afford it. Be absolutely dead sure
about your measurements. Even though having a pro cut your
sheets will save you major coniptions, they probably wont
cut those weird triangle or trapezoid pieces that comprise
the gable or roof of even the most basic structure. If you
do not understand the fundamentals of how to use a circular
saw, log off the internet now and learn how to or get a
skilled individual to do the cutting for you. No part of
this project is potentially more dangerous than this. Just
be careful.
Oh, yeah. Nail the siding to the frame. When you finish this
phase you can look inside the house and see how it looks
enclosed. If you have built one as big as mine, you can
actually get inside and check it out.
Roofing
Asphalt shingles were my material. I picked ones that were
the same color and texture as the roof of my house. If you
use some other kind of roofing material you are on your own
to discover it's worth. If you use shingles wear heavy
gloves or you will grate your skin down raw. The way to
shingle the roof crest is by folding or cutting the shingle
into three pieces and using them folded across the crest.
The last one will inevitably need to be glued down, so use
roof cement (tar), liquid nails or something of that ilk to
stick it down.
Finish Trim and Paint
Finish trim is used to cover gaps in the plywood. If you
need some ideas for how to do it or what kind of materials
to use, look at your house or the closest building to where
the dog house will be situated. I say, let the site dictate
the final appearance of your dog house. If you love your
house and yard, make your dog house an integral part of your
grounds (think Kennedy Compound or that computer guy's
house, only on a smaller scale.) I used white paint because
our new house was painted white, and because I happened to
have some white paint on hand. When I paint the human house
with a new color or get a new roof I will, of course, make
these changes manifest on the dog house.
Foundation
Use bricks, cap blocks, concrete blocks, stone blocks or a
similar masonry material to raise the house up above the
soil line. Having a level comes in handy here. It is
probably a good idea to leave a ventilation crack or two on
at least two sides.
Floor Structure. Structure is a 48 inch square constructed
of 2x4 pressure treated wood with joists at sixteen inch
intervals. The lovely blonde model is about 34 inches tall.
Side Wall Structure. Structure is a 48 x 36 inch rectangle
constructed of 2x2 lumber with studs at sixteen inch
intervals. As a bonus, you also see Mavis, a genuine
blue-eyed Rottweiler, and the buttocks of Lana, her
camera-shy mom.
Side walls being attached to floor structure. Structure is
constructed of 2x2 lumber with studs at sixteen inch
intervals. Decking of floor is half-inch plywood. No
children were harmed in the construction of this dog house.
The total assembly of walls and floor. Note the use of "L"
brackets at the corners for greater stability. If you are
doing the job right at this point, the structure will become
less flimsy as you attach one section to another.
Roof "V" joist. Consists of 2x4 lumber with notches cut so
that this form can rest atop the side walls of the
structure. A tape measure revealed the notch corners to be
exactly 48 inches apart, a perfect fit! Note that the apex
of the inverted "V" was accomplished by careful "toe
nailing" of the boards using at least six nails.
The total assembly of walls and floor. Note the use of "L"
brackets at the corners for greater stability. If you are
doing the job right at this point, the structure will become
less flimsy as you attach one section to another.
Fastening roof joists to frame. The 24 inch spacing of
joists is nowadays bad juju in residential construction, but
this is after all, a dog house with sixteen square feet of
living area and a load of less than 100 pounds. I do not
recommend going over the 24 inch spacing (take heed Irish
Wolfhound aficionados).
The roof spine. Ironically also captured in this view is the
spineless hell-spawn living zygote without which this
project would not have been possible. Kudos to Pendejo
Jones, lets all hope "they" don't discover the interstellar
iron chunk lodged in his medulla oblongata the next time
"they" go to replace the microchip in his ferret-like brain
pan. 2x2 lumber was used, nailing in the second middle
connection was difficult but do-able.
Complete framing before the application of plywood. Note
crowbar.
With plywood siding installed.
Roof decking being applied. Again with the plywood
(three-eighths inch thickness). I would like to tell you
that I used four sections of plywood because it is
structurally superior, but it's really because temporary
dementia caused me to make a goofball miscalc on plywood
measurement and I was running out of sheets. For your
information, most sheets of plywood are 96 (not 84) inches
long. I do not recommend the use of particle board for the
roof decking.
Interior shot of completed dog house. This picture reminds
me of the slight gap that was left where the roof overhangs
the side walls. I would be proud to tell you that it was a
brilliant innovation designed from the very outset to
provide adequate ventilation, but that would be a tissue of
lies. It is indeed an innovation that provides ventilation,
but it was the result of a jug head oversight. Thank you.
Shot showing dog house completed except for paint. Gable
fascia board is 1X4. Lattice used on front and back is one
and a half inch width. Corner trim was most expensive lumber
used, approximately 75 cents per linear foot.
Shot showing finished dog house complete with paint and
construction detritus.
We hope you
enjoy this free doghouse plan story and continue to visit our
site for more great plans. Our catalog is always
growing. If you want to build a project like this, you
need a good set of wood plans. Currently, our best value package is our
shed
plans package that contains thousands of woodworking
plans and wood tips such as this. Our categories are always available on
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