Dog Kennel Guide

Dog owners love their pets and, most of the time, are happy to have them in the house with them.  However, there are times when a sheltered outdoor space for your pet can come in very useful.  You may have guests who are nervous of dogs, your dog might not like young children who are visiting or you may just have things to do and not want your beloved pet beneath your feet.  In these situations you need a dog kennel.

If your dog has to stay outside for a period of time then you will want to ensure that he is safe and comfortable, protected from the elements.  This way he is much less likely to get stressed and start howling and making a fuss about being left outside.

Luckily for us, building dog kennels is not too difficult a procedure if you have the time and inclination.  First you need to decide on the style of dog kennel that you would like.  Will it have one room or two?  Will the roof be pitched or sloping?  Will it just be a kennel or a dog kennel and run? Then you need to ensure that your dog house is an adequate size by carefully measuring your pet.  In height it will need to be high enough for Rover to sit up straight and it will need to be long enough for him to lie down with his paws stretched out in front and behind.  The width should be gauged by seeing how much space is taken up when your dog is lying on his side.  Dog houses need to be large enough to be comfortable and by considering all these measurements you will make sure that it is.  Make sure that the entrance to the kennel is not too large as you don’t want to lose heat from it, shoulder height is about right.

The next part of the procedure is to gather together supplies that you will need: a tape measure, saw, nails, roofing felt and, of course, wood!  Remember that an outdoor dog kennel is constantly in the weather and so needs to be able to withstand heat, cold and rain.  It is therefore important that you use a good quality, treated wood. Shiplap is a popular option.

The final stage of your dog kennel build is the construction.  First build a frame and fix it to your base, then add the side and back panels and the front entrance.  It is a good idea to have a hinged roof so that it can be opened for easy cleaning.  Cover it with bituminous felt or some other covering that will be rain proof.