So, winter’s arriving soon. And this makes you get more worried about your dog’s health, especially if your darling dog loves spending most of the time outside. As a young pet parent, you need to understand that your pooch might not feel comfortable outside during adverse weather conditions. They may also suffer from freezing temperature, snow, or ice.  So, do you think having a decent yard outside your house, enhancing the outdoor dog house design, or buying dog sweaters are enough for your pup? The answer is a big no. 

Besides developing bacterial or viral conditions, cold seasons may also contribute to dangerous ailments in a dog. So, leaving the doggo outside during the cold for more extended periods may cause severe injury or illness like hypothermia or frostbite. This calls for building an insulated and warm doghouse for your bundle of joy. Let’s read on to learn the essential steps. 

Determining the Size 

The first step to creating your doggie’s den must get performed by determining the size. For this reason, you’d require measuring the dog’s length. Add 12 inches and determine its width. After you do so, add another 18 inches to determine its length. As you measure your pet’s height, add 9 inches to it and assess its front. After this, add 3 inches and determine the doghouse’s rear height. 

Cut Floor Joists 

After you evaluate the necessary measurements, start cutting the floor joists. For this reason, use 2×4’s. You require cutting around two and three joists for their length and width, respectively. Make a rectangle with the width and length parts. As you do so, it’s time to screw the ends together with 3 inches of exterior screws. Now’s the time to center the 3rd width in a rectangle. Upon then, screw and secure it accordingly. Now, you get the frame of the den and the frame of the floor of the house. 

Take ¾ Plywood and Fit Over the Floor Frame 

To do so, cut ¾ plywood and screw it down to the floor framing by using a single ¼ exterior screw. Now is the time to expose the floor framing, for which you need to flip the floor over. Upon this, all you require is to cut one inch of foam insulation that is the board to fit between the floor joists. You can make the right use of the liquid nails to secure the insulation board. 

Building the Sidewalls 

To do so, you need to cut ¾ plywood to the doghouse’s width. You can measure along the left side by using the measurement as mentioned in the first step. This is for the front of your pet’s dwelling hub. After doing so, add 3 ½ inches to allow coverage of 2x4flooring. As you mark the measurement, it’s time to evaluate the left side’s measurement using the previous sizes. 

Ensure that you add 3 ½” for the coverage of the 2×4 floor. Mark your measurements and take an edge to line up the two marks. As you draw a straight line, it’s time to cut along the line. This will determine the sidewall’s angle. After this, all you need is to trace the sidewall on around ¾” plywood. Cut it and make another sidewall. Now, both side walls have identical sizes. 

Screwing Sidewall to the Floor 

To screw the sidewall to the floor, follow these steps: 

  • Use one ¼ inches exterior screws and use the 2×2 for the corners. 
  • Fix 2×2’s to every corner. 
  • Cut the back and front panels by using ¾ inches plywood. You can attach the back panels by using one ¼” screws (exterior). 
  • After this, cut around 2×2 for the bottom and top of the back and frontal panels. After attaching the back, you will get a place to screw interior plywood right to the walls. 

Now cut a hole in the door. For this reason, screw the front panel on the doghouse before installing the door. 

Cutting the Foam Insulation Board 

Take around 1 inch and ½ inches foam insulation board and fit inside the walls. Both sizes of foam must be flush with the interior’s 2×2’s. After this, you need to cut ¾ inches of plywood to fit the interior walls. After completing this, screw your plywood to 2×2’s by using one ¼” screws. 

Building the Roof 

Cut around ¾ inches of plywood. Ensure that you leave the overhang so that it keeps away the rain. You require cutting it to the same size for insulation. Cut around 2×2 for the edge. This gives a great place to put your foam insulation and screw the pieces together. You can also install a piano hinge on the roof and back to ensure safe cleaning. 

After you do so, it’s time to shingle the roof. For this purpose, apply the water-resistant paper and drip edge. The nail asphalt shingles on, ensuring that the shingles don’t line up. Drill one hole at the back near the floor space. It must be signed for the cord’s end to go through. 

What’s Next? 

To beautify the dog house, you can lay a mat on its floor or put that cord via the wall. However, it is imperative to ensure that the cord is at the exterior to prevent the puppy or pooch from chewing it. That’s it. And there, you get the best warm and insulated doghouse for your darling doggie.