{"id":16524,"date":"2018-02-02T12:02:57","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T17:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ozcobp.com\/?p=16524"},"modified":"2021-10-21T17:56:22","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T17:56:22","slug":"diy-outdoor-doghouse-building-rustic-retreat-rover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozcobp.com\/dev\/diy-outdoor-doghouse-building-rustic-retreat-rover\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Outdoor Doghouse: Building a Rustic Retreat for Rover"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The best thing about having friends that are as close as family is that you get to share in their most embarrassing moments. One of my favorite of these memories has to do with a doghouse that my friend\u2019s father built for a beloved old mutt named Taco. Inspired by a surfeit of concrete left over from creating a patio and some concrete casting techniques from a survivalist magazine, my friend\u2019s father decided to cast a doghouse instead of building one. Unfortunately, he failed to realize that, in his case, the concrete mix called for rebar reinforcement, and his initial effort collapsed. So did the second and third attempts. Undeterred, my friend\u2019s dad pushed on. He finally succeeded by thickening the walls and thinning the roof, creating a bunker that Taco stubbornly refused to use even though my friend\u2019s father squeezed himself into it to prove that it was safe.<\/span><\/p>\n

This was when my friend and I arrived in the backyard to find his father stuck in the doghouse with Taco licking his face. Our feelings were, and are, that if the dog knew better than to go in, then my friend\u2019s dad should have, too. But even if you don\u2019t try to use concrete, building a DIY outdoor doghouse is a challenge. It\u2019s a project that usually begins with someone saying, \u201cHow hard can it be?\u201d and ends with a mess. Instead, try starting with the question, \u201cWhat does my dog need, and why?\u201d You should end up with a great doghouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why Your Dog Needs a Doghouse<\/b><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not as common as it once was for people to leave their dogs out in the yard for long periods of time. A part of that change is a concern about leaving an animal unprotected in summertime heat or in winter rain and snow. But, most dogs enjoy being outside and can benefit from having freedom to run in the yard, which can make up to some extent for the lack of exercise that many of our dogs suffer from. <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s where a doghouse comes in. A doghouse provides shelter from the worst extremes of weather, and makes it safer for your dog to be out in the yard for longer periods of time. Ideally, a doghouse isn\u2019t where your dog lives around the clock, but it\u2019s a place of refuge that can give you some peace of mind if you\u2019re not around when the snow starts to fall. However, not all doghouses are equally good at keeping your dog cool in hot weather and warm when it gets cold.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keeping Your Dog Cool in Summer and Warm in Winter<\/b><\/h3>\n

One of the most important things your doghouse will do is provide your dog a break from extreme temperatures. What counts as \u2018extreme\u2019 will vary by breed. Huskies are able to shrug off very cold weather, but can suffer in even mildly warm temperatures. Local climates should also be taken into account: a fall day in Minnesota is different from one in Mississippi.<\/span><\/p>\n

When building your doghouse, the solution to dealing with either warm or cold weather is the same: lift the doghouse off the ground. The airflow beneath the floor provides a way to cool a doghouse in warm weather, and that same air gap helps keep the cold ground from leeching your dog\u2019s body heat away in winter. Whether or not this space is closed in can make a difference, too. An open space beneath the house works better in warm climates because the airflow will help cool the house. In cold climates, it\u2019s better to block the air gap beneath to keep wind from blowing your dog\u2019s body heat away. Another plus of elevating your doghouse is that it keeps water out of the house when it rains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sizing a Doghouse to Fit<\/b><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s almost equally important to make sure your doghouse is the right size for your pooch. Bigger isn\u2019t always better. An oversized doghouse will be too large for your dog\u2019s body heat to effectively warm. A perfectly-sized doghouse is just large enough for your dog to enter, turn around, and lie down in. The three vital dimensions are:<\/span><\/p>\n