How to make a dog house for an apartment with your own hands

In pet stores you can buy a variety of houses for dogs of small and large breeds. Here you can find everything your heart desires, but sometimes owners want to do something special and show care for their pet. If you study the master classes and read the step-by-step instructions, it is not difficult to make a dog house with your own hands. This is a good decision, because you can choose better materials, and at the same time learn something new and useful.

Before you build a house, you should prepare everything: choose raw materials, draw up a sketch. But if you don’t want to make a wooden structure, then you can sew a soft house for a dog with your own hands.

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.

Doghouse: what to pay attention to during construction?

• The dog should be comfortable in the kennel. Dog kennels must be exactly the right size for the animal. A kennel that is too cramped will be uncomfortable (try sleeping hunched over), but one that is too spacious is also not good: the dog will freeze in cold weather. The dog must be placed in the kennel while standing, the clearance for freedom of movement is minimal. The height of the door should correspond to the height of the animal at the withers, and the width should correspond to the width of the shoulders.
• Dog kennels must be safe. All materials must be well processed and polished: no splinters, cracks, gaps, protruding nail heads or other traumatic defects.
• It is necessary to properly install and position dog kennels. The booth should have legs or “piles” that raise it above the ground. The gap between the ground and the floor of the booth helps to avoid infection by parasites and provides better thermal and moisture insulation and ventilation in hot weather. The booth needs to be cleaned and processed: it should be simple. The design of the dog house should allow the interior to be cleaned without stress; easy cleaning is usually ensured by elements such as a removable roof or wall.

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

Basic recommendations

If you want to make a dog house with your own hands, we recommend listening to some tips:

1. Firstly, the constructed structure must fully correspond to the size of your pet, as well as its temperament. If you want to make a house for a puppy, then in this case you should also take into account the fact that he will grow up. Please note that the more space there is in the structure, the more comfortable the dog will feel in it.
2. Secondly, before you make a dog house with your own hands, you need to consider what position your dog likes to lie in. For example, if an animal often sleeps curled up, then an oval or triangular design would be an excellent solution. In addition, such accessories can be placed in a corner without any problems, thus saving space. If the dog likes to sleep on its side, then it would be better to build a rectangular structure.
3. Third, consider how shaggy your pet is. After all, when summer comes, it will be hot in such a house, which means that it can be additionally equipped with a removable roof.

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.

Another option

The bottom of the booth can be oval or rectangular. Both options look interesting. For a small dog, you can make a house consisting of inclined walls on both sides. They will also serve as a roof. The partition with the entrance door and the wall opposite it with the window will be vertical. Such a house will look better if it is decorated with foam rubber or padding polyester, as well as fabric.

If you are creating a house for a small pet, you can provide it with a handle at the top of the structure. This will make it convenient to carry it from place to place. The handle can be finished with the same material as the roof. This way it will look more harmonious.

If the booth has an oval base, its upper part can be made from two rectangular sheets. They are bent, making an arc, and then crossed at the top point. The length of the rectangular sheets must correspond to the required height of the booth. The remaining gaps are designed in the form of windows.

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

DIY cardboard booth using papercraft technique

We are talking about a toy booth for a toy dog ​​and thin colored cardboard. A little information: papercraft is the modeling of various figures (cars, animals, houses) from paper or cardboard. Papercraft is a hobby of many people who use both ready-made patterns and create them themselves. So what you need:

• finished pattern;
• thin cardboard;
• office glue;
• scissors;
• non-writing pen.

First you need to print and cut out the pattern of the future doghouse. Now take the handle shaft and draw along the fold line so that the structure can be neatly bent. Next, apply office glue to the gluing areas and squeeze well. Your little craft is ready.

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.

Photo gallery

To make your baby feel comfortable, she definitely needs her own space. To do this, make a cozy home for your animal so that your pet can sleep in it or simply hide while playing. In the photographs below we have selected several options for houses.