If you want to please your pet with a cozy “nest”, you will probably need a dog house pattern. Every pet (even if it lives in an apartment) should have a cozy place where it can take a break from the noise and bustle, and just in the evening hide from bright electric light if the owner is awake and overstayed with his household chores.
Currently, pet stores offer a huge selection of different houses, mattresses and beds for animals. But it’s much more pleasant (and also, importantly, cheaper) to sew a cozy “nest” for your tailed pet with your own hands.
So I decided to please my Jackusik with such a “nest” and sew him a New Year’s gift - a house. I looked in stores for a long time, searched on the Internet for a pattern that I would like. And using a “hodgepodge” I independently designed a pattern that is completely suitable for the house of my tomboy Jackusik. And today I want to share it with all owners of Jack Russell Terrier breeds!
This article will mostly concern the construction of a pattern for a house. Well, I will publish a detailed master class later.
Attention! Attention! I hasten to announce good news. Step-by-step instructions with photos and videos for making a dog house are ready, where I tell and show everything in detail. Please follow this link.
I would like to note that this pattern is suitable for owners of dogs and other breeds. But you will have to “play” a little with the dimensions (make it larger or smaller, depending on the breed and size of the pet).
What is housing for a pet?
House for a dog
Even among experienced dog breeders there is no consensus on what a house for a dog is.
Some believe that this should be a kennel for keeping a dog outside all year round, while others believe that a dog house should be mobile, especially if the pet constantly travels with its owners. There is also an opinion that a kennel does not have to be made of wood. A small house can be made from fabric to create something between a soft lounger and a frame tent. Note! It is the fabric dog house for an apartment that is advertised in pet stores and is a huge success among owners of dachshunds, terriers and chihuahuas.
Basic recommendations
So, when it became clear what a house is for a dog that is kept in an apartment or in a house and there is a desire to create this structure with your own hands, it is worth listening to the recommendations of experienced dog breeders on choosing the shape and material for construction:
- It is advisable to select the size of the house according to the size of the dog;
- To create, it is recommended to take materials with which you have experience working;
- It is advisable not to use material with long pile and containing synthetic fibers;
- Fabrics should be strong and dense;
- When developing a project, it is worth considering that the house will have to be periodically washed and disinfected, which means it is advisable to choose the transformer option so that it can be disassembled into individual elements;
- The house should be attractive - well, who would want to live in an ugly house.
Much when choosing material for construction depends on the character of the pet. For a calm, balanced dog, you can use soft fabric in the design, but if the dog is wayward and likes to chew furniture, then it is better to choose a thick tarpaulin.
Choosing the shape of a dog's home
House for a toy terrier
You don’t have to be a professional designer to choose a shape. It’s enough just to carefully look at what your pet likes best and where his favorite place to relax is. A dog’s house should be functional - it’s not just a place to rest, the dog should feel safe in it, because this is his territory.
Note! If the dog is quite old, then you should start with something simple - put a cardboard box and see how it behaves.
The choice of shape largely depends on the size of the dog. It’s easier to assemble a house for a Chihuahua with your own hands, because the base can be a really small box or cardboard box. But for larger dogs, for example, for a spaniel, it is recommended to use a wooden frame. On the one hand, this will strengthen the structure, and on the other hand, it will be more difficult for such an active dog to carry a heavy kennel.
Among the popular models of apartment houses for pets it is worth highlighting:
- A classic kennel with a stylized gable roof.
- A kennel tent with 4, 5 or even 6 and 8 segment roof parts.
- A transforming booth with a retractable top.
- Kennel tunnel.
- Creative models using old things - suitcases, baskets, plastic cans, umbrellas, furniture.
House for a small dog made of a cardboard box and a T-shirt
If you need a budget option, you should know how to make a house for a small breed dog from a cardboard box and an old T-shirt. The boxes are usually kept in the house after purchasing the equipment while it is still under warranty. The second necessary element is a T-shirt. You will also need a pillow to make your home more comfortable. The box is covered with tape along the folds - this will make it stronger. The pillow is placed inside. The top of the box is covered with a T-shirt so that the neck is at the entrance. You can attach the material at the bottom with a stapler. It won't take much time and won't cost anything.
Working with different materials
Translating a building idea into a real model often faces the problem of choosing a material and technology for working with it. In a home workshop, it is easiest to work with familiar materials. The house project itself can be made in a variety of styles and techniques, from gluing plywood sheets to knitting or crocheting. However, there are some peculiarities when working with each type of material, be it fabric, foam rubber or plywood.
Creating housing from soft material
Plush house in the shape of a pyramid
A house for a dog the size of a Yorkshire terrier does not have to be made of wood or plywood; it can easily be sewn from scraps of durable fabric.
Note! For work, a pattern is first developed taking into account the size of the dog.
It is recommended to choose canvas or linen tarpaulin as the main material for work; the top can be decorated with another type of natural fabric. The frame of the house can be made of steel wire. To prevent the dog from being injured, the frame is first lined with foam rubber and only then with fabric.
The methods for working with fabric are the same as when sewing clothes:
- first the pattern is developed;
- Next, cutting is done taking into account seam allowances and overcasting;
- the main parts are sewn by hand;
- the main elements are sewn together using a sewing machine;
- the finished parts are put on a soft frame;
- At the final stage, the final seams are sutured manually.
When constructing a transforming kennel with an opening roof or a removable top, it is better to use a zipper as a connecting element. If you use Velcro, over time the wool will clog the plastic base and the connection will stop working.
Made from cardboard and plywood
Although working with cardboard or plywood seems much easier than working with wire, foam rubber and fabric, it is not always possible to make a beautiful house right away. In this case, you should start by developing a model, and then transfer the diagram onto a sheet of cardboard or plywood.
To connect parts of a plywood house, it is best to use wooden planks and screws, but for cardboard you can try using the papier-mâché technique. You can make a house for a Chihuahua with your own hands from cardboard, pasting it with several additional layers of paper, but it is better to make a house for a Spitz or Yorkie from plywood.
After assembling the main elements, it is recommended to clean the edges with sandpaper. If decoration will not be performed, cover with 1-2 layers of varnish. Plywood and cardboard make it possible not only to make the structure rigid, but also to cut out interesting external decorative elements, for example, platbands or a beautiful manhole portal.
Note! The plywood booth can also be collapsible; this option is made for moving to the dacha in the summer. It won't take up much space in the car trunk.
From the box
My home is my castle
Corrugated cardboard, used as containers for household appliances, is perfect for creating an inexpensive version of a dog house. Of course, without additional reinforcement and decoration, such a kennel will not last long, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to keep a dog in it on the street, but for the home, this is probably the most successful material.
Corrugated cardboard is easily cut with a stationery knife, it is simply joined using hot glue, and the structure can be strengthened using paper and regular PVA glue. Among dog owners, such a kennel is recommended for keeping small puppies, when it is too early to buy a large house, but raising a dog is simply necessary.
The construction of the booth is quite simple - a hole is cut out and a removable lid is made. A pillow or an old sweater is placed inside. To accustom a small puppy to his house, at this stage it is enough.
Interesting ideas
You can create something special and interesting from ordinary things. For example, turn an old suitcase into a kennel or decorate a house for a Yorkie in the style of a fairy-tale princess castle.
You can use old furniture. For example, a TV stand can become an ultra-modern apartment.
Tied kennel
For small breeds with your own hands
For small dogs of small breeds (Chihuahua, Dachshund, Maltese, Pomeranian and other breeds), you can use cardboard boxes, fabrics and foam rubber.
Small dogs for home
From cardboard or plywood
Original and exclusive
Houses using geodesic dome technology have become widely known on the Internet. Such houses are made of slats and fabric or cardboard. Such houses are used both for children and for pets, including dogs.
The advantage of such home kennels is that they are suitable for small dogs and are easy to make with your own hands. Plus, you can involve your child in doing them!
So, instructions on how to make a booth for an apartment out of cardboard with your own hands:
Step 1. Constructing patterns and cutting out parts. For this you will need:
- Cardboard.
- Scissors/construction (stationery) knife.
- Ruler.
- Pencil pen
Let us conventionally designate a triangle with red edges as “Triangle A” and with blue edges as “Triangle B”. You will also need squares for the bottom of your structure or rectangles. You can choose the sizes of the triangles yourself based on the proportions: use small triangles for a smoother dome shape and large ones for a rougher one; the side of a square or rectangle is slightly smaller than the height of the entrance.
From the edge of the triangles and squares, a 2-5 cm margin is counted, which will later serve as a place for fastening the parts.
Step 2. The triangles are fixed with hot glue or Moment glue along the released strips. You should start working from top to bottom. Form a pentagon from five triangles, then attach the remaining parts to each triangle using the diagram. For a beautiful entrance, you can remove one of the triangles of the last tier. The bottom is glued together from squares, leaving space for the entrance.
Step 3. Proceed with registration. The shelter can be painted using spray paint.
REFERENCE ! This work can be supplemented with a wooden plywood floor, a personalized wooden sign above the entrance or any other decorative elements. The house is painted or covered, and a blanket or sleeping place is placed inside.
Cheap
There is also a simple way to make a dog house with your own hands. To do this, you will need a box of such size that your pet can comfortably turn around inside and sit upright.
How to make it out of the box:
We cut the top part of the box and glue it together as follows:
Use extra sheets of cardboard to create a roof. Cut out the doorway completely.
The final part is decoration (painting, possibly adding curtains for the entrance, etc.). We present to your attention one of the options for such a house:
The work is made of cardboard, covered on both sides with fabric and decorated with bows, ruffles and a decorative teddy bear. Making a booth out of cardboard is quite simple. This option is affordable and allows you to fully express yourself when creating.
Soft foam
The most beautiful and warm options for houses for small dogs are fabric dog beds made of foam rubber. Experienced needlewomen make patterns for houses of the most diverse and amazing shapes.
To create such a house you will need:
- Textile . The best choice would be linen, chintz, velor, fleece, faux fur jeans. When synthetic fabrics come into contact with fur, they will become electrified and give an electric shock to the dog. Your pet will not live in such a house.
- Foam rubber, synthetic winterizer, satin or down.
- Scissors.
- Sewing machine (can be done manually, but the quality of work will be significantly lower).
How to make a house from foam rubber:
- The first stage of your work will be choosing the shape and pattern of the bed-house, cutting.
- The “Foam House” pattern is quite simple and does not require any special drawing skills. Based on the diagram provided above, cut out the parts: 2 pieces for each side of the house and roof, and one piece of foam rubber. For each fabric part, leave allowances equal to 1.5-2 cm on each side; do not allow allowances for foam rubber.
- The second stage - how to sew a house from foam rubber? The fabric parts of the walls are folded with the front side inward and stitched on three sides, leaving a pocket for foam rubber (it is more convenient to leave the lower part unstitched). The base and roof are stitched in the same way.
- At the third stage distribute the foam over the corresponding parts and sew along the front side.
Fold and sew the walls of the house together (the seams go inside the house). We carry out a similar procedure with the lid base. - The final stage - decoration. You can sew ruffles or lace along the edge of the roof, make an embroidered nameplate above the entrance, or anything of your choice. Here's a glamorous and beautiful option you can make:
You can use another pattern.
In the diagram, the unshaded parts indicate the primary building, from which the roof and bottom will be formed during the work.
How to sew:
According to the principle of a “house” pattern, the parts are cut out and sheathed on both sides with material. In the place where the roof and wall are sewn, the seams can be hidden under lace, ribbon or braid. The finished work looks like this.
Both options in one photo. The pink house is made according to the first scheme. The slight differences are the rounded front and rear walls, and the rounded roof due to a different sewing method.
Beds
Handicrafts also did not ignore the production of beds: they make beds from fabric, from tires, mixed compositions (fabric + wood). The most economical and easiest way to create a bed is to alter an old sweater or jacket: imagine, you don’t even need a pattern for a bed!
For work you will need:
- Sweater or textile jacket.
- Pencil/felt-tip pen.
- Filling, padding polyester or foam rubber.
- Scissors.
- Needle and thread/sewing machine.
Lay out the sweater on a work surface. The neckline is sewn up, a stitch is made from one sleeve to the other at the chest level of the jacket. Fill the future side with foam rubber through the sleeve and place one sleeve into the other.
The sleeves are then sewn together. At this stage, you can adjust the shape of the side: make it rectangular (stitch the corners) or round. The bottom is stuffed soft and also sewn; for a rounded shape, the bottom is folded and hemmed to the shape of the side. The final touch is to sew the sleeves to the base.
Comfort and beauty cheap: a dog house on the street
Lounger-pillow with ties
They look like designer ones and will be very suitable for decorative dogs:
Step 1. Constructing a pattern.
To do this, based on the parameters of the dog, draw a rectangle - the base. From the base, make allowances of 1-1.5 cm on all sides for lifting. From each edge, draw more rectangles of the desired height with allowances of 2.5-3 cm upwards. This way you will get a pattern that vaguely resembles a cross. Cut an opening from the side that will be the front.
Step 2. Cut out 2 pieces from the fabric according to the pattern.
Step 3 . Sew the pieces along the top sides of the sides. Turn the product out through the side holes.
Step 4. Stuff the lounger with padding polyester and carefully sew from one side through the center to the opposite. Thus, by sewing all the edges in the center you will get a pillow.
Step 5: Add ribbon or lace ties. Add decorative elements (buttons, bows, embroidery, etc.). You can complement the lounger with a canopy or pillows.
The best enclosures for dogs and puppies in an apartment: how to make them yourself cheaply and with high quality?
Technology of construction of the booth structure
The starting point for constructing a structure is the calculation and construction of a diagram or drawing. This takes into account the age of the dog, the characteristics of the breed, and the place where it is planned to install the booth. Measurements are taken from the following parameters:
- height of the dog at the withers;
- chest coverage;
- length from tip of nose to tip of tail.
The construction of the pattern is done taking into account allowances - 5 cm for each dimension. The diagram shows the installation locations of connecting elements and fastening of the casing, if it is planned to be removable. The required number of fasteners and decorative elements is also calculated.
For a wooden booth, construction begins with assembling the base - cutting out plywood for the base and strips for knocking down the frame. The next stage is the assembly of the frame, walls and roof. After this, the frame is covered with wall elements and the roof is installed. Painting is done before installing removable foam and fabric panels.
Note! For a soft kennel, the wire frame is first assembled. Then it is lined with foam rubber.
To make a pattern on the fabric of all elements more accurately, it is recommended to wrap the frame with foam rubber in newspaper and secure it with tape. After this, it is enough to simply cut the newspaper at the places of future seams and get a scan of all the necessary elements. Then it’s a matter of technique - the scan is transferred to the fabric and traced, taking into account the tolerances for the seams with chalk.
Care
Caring for their appearance involves regular bathing, for which you need to use a special shampoo that does not cause skin irritation and itching.
Eyes and ears should be wiped with a moistened cotton pad several times a week. You should also trim your pet’s nails regularly and brush your teeth monthly using a special paste.
Due to the characteristics of the breed, Toy Terrier puppies are very sensitive to malnutrition. If their diet lacks all the nutrients, they develop ear defects.
Important! The menu should include meat products, cereals, boiled eggs, boiled vegetables and dairy products.
Tools and materials needed to make a house
To assemble the frame and cover it with fabric, you will need tools that are available in the arsenal of any home craftsman. To work with wood you will need:
- ruler, pencil, square, tape measure;
- saw or jigsaw;
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- awl;
- drill and set of drills;
- glue gun;
- screwdriver;
- stapler
To work with metal you will need:
- metal saw;
- a fine file for processing the ends of rods;
- sandpaper;
- pliers or pliers;
- wire cutters
When working with fabric you will need:
- tape measure;
- small needles with a plastic tip for fixing the fabric;
- scissors;
- stationery knife;
- needles for hand sewing;
- sewing machine;
- glue gun
To work, depending on the chosen project, you should stock up on:
- plywood;
- wooden planks 2x2 cm;
- wide strips 5 cm and thickness 4-5 mm;
- corrugated packaging cardboard;
- tape;
- PVA glue;
- hot glue;
- cloth;
- foam rubber 2 cm thick;
- twine;
- furniture fittings - buttons, fasteners, furniture nails with decorative heads.
Frame Installation: Complete Guide
When building a booth from plywood, covering it with fabric inside and decorating the outside, the main load is borne by the frame. Its assembly begins with connecting the bottom and side walls. First, the bottom and floor are cut out if you plan to make it double, so that you can take the booth out into the yard at the dacha.
The next step is assembling the side walls - cutting out sections of bars for the vertical posts and horizontal crossbars. The connection is made using self-tapping screws.
Note! Before screwing in the screw, you need to make a hole with a drill of a smaller diameter so that the wood does not crack.
After assembling the side walls, the front and rear walls are installed. To strengthen the structure, the inside is lined with thin plywood or chipboard. The sheathing is secured with small nails.
Plywood house
Wigwam booth
When creating a house out of a box for a small dog with your own hands, you can pay attention to this option. The wigwam booth has the shape of a pyramid. Its base will be square or rectangular (depending on the shape of the box).
If the cardboard is sheet, 1 square and 4 triangles are cut out of it. It is necessary to correlate the dimensions of the structure with the size of the animal. Triangles must have a base the same as the side length of the square. In one of them you need to make an entrance. It is best if it is round.
Next, triangles and a square are cut out of padding polyester. They correspond in size to cardboard blanks. Pieces are cut out of the fabric with seam allowances. In this case, the thickness of the insulation is taken into account. Using glue, the padding polyester is fixed to the cardboard. Fabric is glued on top. Then all parts of the house are assembled into a single structure. In this case, glue is also used.
Where is the best place to install a kennel?
A house for a pet in a city apartment or house is usually installed in a dry and warm place so that it does not interfere with free passage. If this is a studio or a large living room, it is not recommended to place the kennel near the bed or sofa; it is better to give him a place opposite.
If the kennel has a double bottom and is insulated from the inside, then in the warm season it can be placed on a balcony or loggia. Well, if the family moved to the country, then the house can be temporarily placed on the veranda or terrace.
Requirements for a dog house
In the introduction to our material, we outlined what houses for animals can be. In short, today we will discuss how to make dog housing for the street and home. Thus, the requirements for housing located inside the apartment are minimal. It should be:
- spacious;
- comfortable for the dog;
- comfortable.
However, with housing for the street it is a little more complicated. The booths that residents of the post-Soviet countries are accustomed to are a real mockery of animals, since they:
- tight;
- blown;
- cold;
- uncomfortable.
A kennel for pets living outside must be insulated and ventilated.
Our task after reading this article will be to create a home with completely opposite characteristics for a street dog:
- ventilated booth;
- warm housing;
- soft and comfortable space;
- spacious home for the dog.
And all this in one bottle. The fact is that living on the street, the dog faces such troubles as wind and frost. The only exceptions are those cases in which the animal lives in a climate zone where the cold seasons are slightly cooler than the warm ones. It turns out that in order to protect the animal from bad weather and the dangerous effects of the environment in general, you need to create a full-fledged home for it.
Interesting fact: some owners equip their pets with real palaces, which are also heated. We do not need to create a multi-room booth, however, today we will talk in particular about how to insulate it.
"Palace" for a dog
