How to Build a Dog House

To build a dog house, size it from your dog, cut the floor, walls and roof from exterior plywood, raise the floor on runners, frame the door opening, and give it a roof that overhangs and lifts off for cleaning. Paint or seal every face and edge before assembly, and the house will last for years outside. The same steps work for a small dog or a large dog; only the sizes change.

What you need

• 1 to 2 sheets of 3/4 in (18 mm) exterior plywood, depending on the size
• 2 × 2 or 2 × 4 runners, or plywood strips, for the raised floor
• Exterior screws, construction adhesive and exterior paint
• Roofing felt or shingles, and rigid foam insulation for cold climates
• A circular saw with a straight guide, a jigsaw and a drill

1. Size it for your dog

Measure your dog's length and height and use the rules in dog house size: inside about 25% longer and taller than the dog, the door about three-quarters of its shoulder height. A house that is too big never warms up.

2. Cut the parts

Plan the floor, two side walls, a back wall, the front wall around the door and the roof on your sheets. Our dog house plan gives the cut list for a modern flat-roof house sized from the inside dimensions and the door you choose:

3. Build the floor

Screw the floor to two or three runners so it sits 2–4 in off the ground. A raised floor stays dry and keeps the cold ground away from the dog.

4. Raise the walls

Stand the side walls and the back wall on the floor, glue and screw them together, then add the front: a panel on each side of the door, a sill 3–4 in high to keep bedding in, and a header above the door. A cleat inside, under the roof, ties the front panels together.

5. Add the roof

A flat or slightly sloped roof that overhangs 2–3 in on every side keeps rain off the walls. Fix two blocks under it so it sits square but lifts off for cleaning, and cover it with roofing felt or shingles.

6. Insulate and finish

In cold climates, glue rigid foam to the inside of the walls and roof and cover it with 1/4 in plywood so the dog cannot chew it. Paint or seal every face and edge, add a door flap, and set the house where the door faces away from the wind.