Help me design a sturdy doghouse that I can build in a snap

[farmergirl]

It's COLD here! BRRRRRR! Well, okay, not Minnesota cold, but it's cold to me (40's). Anyhoo, I need to devise some sort of small dog house for my blue heeler pup to stay in during the day when it gets cold. At night she sleeps inside in a dog crate, but during the day she's out in our large front yard that faces due north. Our front porch is covered, so shade isn't an issue. I just need something she can crawl into when the icy rain is blowing sideways or when it is really windy. I have a small stack of lumber in the barn that I can use, including 2x4's and a few 2x6's, plus a couple sheets of 3/4 in plywood. I realize whatever I build will eventually need to be painted to weatherproof it for the long term, but I need to throw something together tonight or tomorrow morning that will get her out of the cold. Keeping her inside during the day isn't an issue, cause she needs to run her energy down :baby04:

A plastic 55 gallon barrel while do quick. I found out a long time ago that dogs prefer a plastic barrel over their fancy plywood/stud built dog houses. So what I started doing was cutting a square opening on the end of a barrel and then build two square frames out of 2 X 4's and place on each end of the barrel and then nail a peice of plywood on top the length of the barrel. Then they would have a choice, either sleep inside when cold and rainny or sleep on top when weather is fair.

Also, put hay or cedar bedding inside the barrel for comfort.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Use moldy square bales to build house, bales will heat and be soft, my dog used one for 2 years before it fell apart.

[DaleK]

Yep barrell and an old blanket will do the trick. 40s is hardly worth building a doghouse for here though. Neighbour has about 50 huskies, they don't even go in the barrels until it hits -30. Before he died my dog would sleep on top of a round bale in the feeder outside for the heifers down to about -20, if it got colder he'd go in the barn.

[Scrounger]

Straw bales work wonders.

[buffalocreek]

My red heeler has survived 15 Nebraska winters in a simple wood dog house. She wouldn't know how to survive winters in Austin, TX.

[paulaswolfpack]

I used a old small chest freezer tore out all the wires painted it,put old pillows and blankets in it and I took off the lid. worked real well for the 3 dogs I had at the time.
When I moved didnt bring them with me wish I had.
In the summer I would turn them upright and fill with water for the dog baths,paula

[farmergirl]

Thanks for all the creative ideas! It's a little less nasty today than I expected it to be, so I put off building her "house" until I'm off work tomorrow. I pulled together quite a pile of building supplies this a.m., though, including 3 landscape timbers, a bunch of 1 x 6 reclaimed fence boards and some corrugated tin. It won't be pretty, but I should be able to come up with some sort of dog-warming contraption in a couple hours tomorrow morning

BTW, I would LOVE to just use a stack of square straw bales, but I can't find straw anywhere around here. It's all just coastal grass hay and rye grass.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Sometimes the big box W store has straw bales for fall landscape projects.

[Scrounger]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

BTW, I would LOVE to just use a stack of square straw bales, but I can't find straw anywhere around here. It's all just coastal grass hay and rye grass.

It will work.

[farmergirl]

Do you mean that I could just build a wall of grass hay bales for a wind break? That would be SO easy! Though I would have to buy the square bales at $5.25 a pop.....

[Shrek]

If you have a house with crawlspace, a plastic flap doggie door to replace a access cover is easy and quick. A piece of scrap carpet and a perfect dog condo.

[js2743]

go to walmart and buy you one of those plastic ones they are about 35or 40 here and last for ever you cant build one for that and cover it.

[TxAprilMagic]

I have the igloo kind for 10 years and they are great. They last forever. Soap and water and they look new again. Put a blanket or hay in it for winter and it is very warm and cozy for the pup/dog. They are ventalated for the summer. Hope this helps. Any feed store carries them or you can order one.



http://www.all-about-dog-houses.com/...-dog-house.htm

[Nel frattempo]

We did the big trash can house too. Took one of those square'd off type rolling plastic trash cans, turn it on side, put pieces of wood outside on edges to keep it from rolling, flapped the lid over top to keep it open, stuffed it full of straw and there is was! Dogs used it last year, two full size Labs got in it. We also took a tarp and flapped it over about 1/2 the front opening to keep out wind.

[PineRidge]

Originally Posted by Shrek

If you have a house with crawlspace, a plastic flap doggie door to replace a access cover is easy and quick. A piece of scrap carpet and a perfect dog condo.

That's where my dog lives The crawl space is small, just half our dining room, and has three walled sides. He goes under the fourth side, that is south facing. We threw some hay down this winter, and might get fancy and put more of a wind break on the open side for him. Sometimes the cats join him, which he doesn't care for much, lol.

[QuiltingLady2]

Originally Posted by js2743

go to walmart and buy you one of those plastic ones they are about 35or 40 here and last for ever you cant build one for that and cover it.

And cheaper than the straw bales at $5. plus. It will last a lifetime. Then get a sleeping bag or thick blanket at the secondhand store. (dog bedding) One to go inside and one to cover it. Throw over a tarp (also secondhand store) and weight it down with rocks.

Your dog will be toasty.

[fantasymaker]

Now if ya really want to get fancy with that plastic barral ya dig it into the ground a bit then heap dirt over it, keeps it warmer in winter and cooler in summer be sure not to sink it to deep or water will drain in . and if ya rehang the cutout from the door you get a dandy doggie door.

[comfortablynumb]

give them a car.
the sun in the windows all day will keep it nice and warm.

take the door off or prop it open.

[farmergirl]

I timed it, and it took me roughly 2 hrs 45 minutes to complete, but I managed to build a decent looking dog house. I built it like you would a livestock shed, only free standing and with a floor to keep the pup up off the cold porch boards. I will have DH post a photo of it for me tomorrow. Total cost, not counting my labor, was $0.00