Snazzy Dog Houses

I made these dog houses for my cousin, Angela, a while back. I worked with the family carpenter to make the house shell since I’m an eyeball kind of girl. And you really don’t want to eyeball a dog house that will be occupied by a breathing dog.

If ever you plan to make one for your dog, make sure you use non-toxic materials in case Fido decides to make a chew toy out of his home. The wood used was regular 1 x 4 plywood and 2 x 2s for joints and reinforcements. Don’t forget to make the entryway big enough. I remember putting in a least 5-6 inches extra all around. Plus, we added vents in the back to help circulate the air.

The bigger dog houses for Sam and Cleo featured detachable roofs to make it easier to transport. For embellishments, the houses had hand-cut, hand-stenciled designs, a wood bone nameplate (gotta love that puzzle saw!), and details made of homemade playdough (the letters for the name, the black paw, the stars, and everything on Trixie’s doorframe). For Sam and Cleo’s houses, I stenciled the interior as well.

Angela placed these dog houses in a covered garage allowing for simple varnish to keep it fadeproof and waterproof. If you wanted to put your doghouse outdoors like a yard, adding feet and treating it to become weatherproof would be a good idea—but then again, I can’t imagine not sharing my bed with my dog on a rainy night.