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Dog house. Making a house for a Chihuahua with your own hands

Keeping a dog in a city apartment has not come as a surprise to anyone for a long time, although until relatively recently others treated this phenomenon with misunderstanding. The apartments accommodate dogs of both miniature and very large breeds. They choose a dog based on personal preferences and the size of the apartment. Few people will buy a large dog for a small apartment. Surely all dog owners have heard about dog houses.

- This is a kind of alternative to a yard doghouse, which can be seen on the territory of a cottage or village yard. The difference between them lies in the size and material of manufacture. When building a yard shed, wood or brick is usually used, and an apartment house is made from all kinds of fabrics.

Types of houses

In a standard apartment, the most acceptable option is a couch. Beds come in the form of booths, as well as burrows and cradles. They are quite warm and soft. A house equipped with a roof and walls is perfect for small breeds of dogs. Such a bed will create a feeling of security and comfort for your little pet, which he needs. In addition, your pet’s resting place should be durable and comfortable.

Manufacturing requirements

When making a dog house yourself, it is important to take into account several necessary requirements for this product. First of all, its size must be suitable for the size of the dog and its breed. Your pet will not feel comfortable in a cramped house. In addition, take a closer look at what positions your new family member likes to relax in, and take them into account when creating a house. If a dog likes to sleep on its side or back, stretched out to its full length, then it needs a rectangular-shaped house, and for those who like to curl up, a design in the form of an oval or triangle is better suited.

Prerequisites

To ensure the most comfortable conditions dog, and so that the house can be easily moved while cleaning the apartment, the following is important:

It should be noted that when creating individual elements in the process of creating a house, artificial leather is perfect. It does not absorb dirt and is easy to clean.

Dwarf dog breeds do not tolerate low temperatures and drafts well, so it is advisable to install the structure at some elevation . For this you can use a stand or small legs provided during the manufacture of the house. The mattress must have a removable cover, and foam rubber is quite suitable as a filler. There are good mattresses on sale filled with buckwheat husks. Its advantage is that it does not harbor insects.

How to make a house yourself

There is a huge selection of dog houses on sale, but many happy owners of animals are pleased to invest all the love and tenderness into creating a home for their pet. The easiest way to make a house with your own hands is to use an unnecessary suitcase. To ensure good stability, it is advisable to equip it with legs from an old cabinet, or specially purchased ones. Then you need to make a mattress and place it at the bottom of the suitcase. You can buy it in a store or make it yourself. Excellent mattress filler maybe padding polyester, for the cover - durable, rough fabric.

You can make a house with your own hands, using the one you saw in the store as a model. When choosing material to create a house, you need to remember some subtleties. Polyurethane foam is perfect for making the base. It follows the contours of the dog’s body well and can be used for homes intended for both an adult animal and a puppy. It is necessary to sheathe the litter with a rough, durable fabric.

When creating a house for a puppy, keep in mind that dogs grow quite quickly, so it is better to make a house for growth. Particular attention should be paid to the reliability and strength of the frame structure. If there are children in the apartment, they can damage the dog house and injure the animal while playing. It is advisable to install the house in a secluded place, away from drafts. Exit from the “home” must be free and not interfere with the dog.

Manufacturing technology

To produce quality For a dog house, you need to prepare everything you need:

rug;
pillowcases;
polyurethane;
Velcro;
sewing supplies.

Take your dog's measurements using a tailor's measuring tape. The height of the house should be such that the dog can stand inside at full height and turn around freely.

Frame around the perimeter The house is upholstered with polystyrene foam, the dimensions of which are selected taking into account the measurements you took from the dog. The foam plates are covered with fabric to prevent your pet's teeth from reaching it. Old pillowcases or sheets will work for this, but microfiber is the best option.

It would be a good idea to lay oilcloth or other waterproof film on the floor; this will protect the floor from wet troubles. Velcro should be sewn to the fabric along the edge of the plates at a distance of 10–15 cm. They are necessary in order to put the entire structure together. By connecting the mats with Velcro, we get a finished dog house with three walls and a ceiling.

Try to minimize the number of decorative elements. Their excess will create inconvenience during the internal cleaning of the house. Besides, the dog can chew it off, or even swallow some element, considering it superfluous.

The entrance to the house can be closed with a curtain made of lightweight fabric with Velcro or left open.

If you are the owner of a large dog, or for some reason you just don’t want to make a soft structure for the house, then you can make it out of wood. This process is somewhat more complicated. In addition to wood or plywood, you will need fasteners and fittings.

By the way, a wooden structure can perform several functions. In addition to providing a comfortable home for your dog, it can be used to transport the animal, or to keep it indoors for a while. A tastefully made house can become an interesting element of the interior.

To make a house for a large breed dog, you can use, for example, an unnecessary table for the base. In this case, you just have to install wooden walls in the spaces between the legs and your dog’s home is ready.

The presence of a bottom in this design completely optional. Instead, you can use a mattress or just an old bedspread. In case of possible use of the house as a cage, it is necessary to provide a place inside the structure for a bowl of food and water. For the puppy, it is advisable to put oilcloth on the floor in order to facilitate the cleaning process.

The outer surface of the structure can be lined with such decorative material as your imagination dictates.

By making a dog house with your own hands, you can save a lot of money, since such houses are quite expensive in the store. Before you begin construction, you need to take into account your dog's preferences and temperament. It happens that after paying a lot of money for an accessory, the owner is faced with the dog’s reluctance to use it. Of course, it will be a shame if your pet doesn’t like the purchase.

For dogs of small and medium breeds, the most affordable option would be a house in the shape of a slipper. It consists of a roof on one side and an open heel on the other. At low temperature the dog can lie down under the roof, and when it’s hot, lie down on a bed.

To make a dog house, use only materials that do not cause allergies in dogs. Otherwise, using the structure can create a lot of problems for you and your pet.

The house is ready. The main thing that remains is acceptance by the customer. Put something tasty in the house or your favorite toy and call the puppy. He should like his new home.

They are not uncommon. At the same time, you can keep not only small pets, but also large animals in your home. Much in this situation depends on the living space, as well as on the preferences of the person. The photo shows what a home for a pet can be like.

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What is housing for a pet?

Dog houses are an accessory that all dog owners have heard of. To put it simply, this is a kind of booth, which is located not on the street, but indoors. Naturally, there are differences not only in size. The material with which you can create housing for your pet also differs.

Dog houses may have windows and doors. There are also designs that can be freely used from the position of an ottoman. However, houses that take on the appearance of a medieval castle have gained the most popularity. They are suitable for both women and adults.

Huge structures can include not only pieces of furniture, but also air conditioning. Such designs are often combined with lawns and gardens. And true lovers of their large pets will not find it difficult to install a small pool. Naturally, making such a house is difficult. Yes, and it will need to be placed in a separate room.

For small dog breeds, you can make a bed with walls and a roof. It can take any shape and design. The house is soft and warm. When choosing or constructing a building for your pet, you will need to take into account parameters such as reliability and comfort.

If you decide to make a dog house with your own hands, you need to know some recommendations:

The structure must fully correspond to the size of the dog and its character. The more space there is, the better the pet will feel.
Consider what position your pet loves to sleep in. An oval or triangular structure will be optimal if the pet sleeps in a curl. In addition, such structures can always be placed in a corner, saving space. If the dog sleeps on its side, you will need to make a rectangular house.
Particular attention should be paid to the pet's shaggy appearance. During the warm season, especially fluffy creatures will feel hot in the house. Accordingly, the structure should be equipped with a removable roof.

What materials can you work with?

Houses for small dog breeds are usually soft. It should be created using foam rubber. Upholstery can be done using material of different quality, density and texture. It can be velor, fur, tarpaulin, etc. The photo shows what a house made from warm material looks like.

When creating a dog house from foam rubber, consider the length of the fur. If there is a lot of it, you should not use fluffy materials, as hairs will get clogged in them. They will quickly become unhygienic. And it will not be easy to return them to their former purity.

As an additional material for a dog house made of foam rubber, artificial leather can be used. It is easy to clean and does not absorb dirt. A soft and fluffy liner will add coziness and comfort. It is much easier to wash than the entire structure.

A soft foam house for a dog is usually suitable if the pet is not large. Making it yourself is quite easy. The use of foam rubber can be called a rational solution if the pet’s weight is no more than 20 kg. For more massive species, the structure should be made of wood.

Tools and materials required for work

In order to make a soft foam house for a dog, you will need to purchase tools and materials:

Find thick paper or oilcloth. This will be used to create a natural size pattern.
You need a sheet of foam rubber, the thickness of which will be 2-5 cm.
You will need upholstery fabric.
Find scissors. They must be sharp.
You will need a marker or chalk.
Use a sewing machine. The parts can be sewn by hand.

Creating housing from soft material

A structure made of foam rubber will be practical if a zipper with fasteners is sewn into the joints. In such a situation, the task of cleaning the house for the dog will be simplified.

Before constructing the structure, do not forget to measure the size of your pet. In future housing, it should fit in its entire size. The easiest to make is a cubic house.

The easiest way is to first cut out all the parts (shown in the photo above), cover them with material, and only then connect them. It will be more difficult to make a building in which it is planned to place foam rubber between several layers of upholstery. Distortions and asymmetry may result.

When cutting out the fabric for upholstery, it is recommended to add a few centimeters on each side. And the thicker the foam sheet is used, the larger the allowances should be. On the inside of the structure you should lay a bed with pillowcases that can be changed.

It is worth using natural fabrics as upholstery material. Synthetic fibers accumulate static electricity, making dogs feel uncomfortable. Mini-discharges can frighten small dogs so much that they refuse to live in the housing they have created.

It is not recommended to get carried away with decor too much. The fewer additional elements are placed in the home, the easier it will be to keep clean. In addition, the dog will simply chew off small accessories and swallow them, which will not be beneficial for him.

The video will demonstrate how to assemble a soft foam house for your pet using ready-made parts.

Using wood as a basis for housing

In addition to foam rubber, you can use wood. It will be more difficult to make a home for your dog in such a situation. You will need fittings, wood, skills to work with it and fastening tools. For small dogs, ready-made wooden boxes or old bedside tables can be used. You will need to make minimal adjustments and the house will be ready. The photo shows a simple one made of wood.

A wooden building for dogs can combine several functions at once. This is a cozy home, a home cage, and an original interior element. Old furniture furnished as a home will look unusual. In addition, toys, vitamins, care tools, etc. can be stored in the former bedside table.

For large dog breeds you will have to make a house yourself. To do this, first of all, you need to fence off the space in a certain room. You can use an old and unnecessary table as a basis. It is enough to make walls between the legs to get a structure that is comfortable for your pet.

For such a house you don’t even have to make a bottom. It is enough to use thick material, which can be a soft mattress. Provide space in the structure for a bowl of water and food. It will be required if you plan to use the structure as a cage.

For the puppy, special diapers should be laid on the floor. They will come in handy if you want to toilet train him. The photo shows a house for several pets at once.

In order not to have to spend a huge amount of money in vain, start making a house yourself, with your own hands. In such a situation, you can immediately determine the pet’s preferences. Otherwise, you can buy a house in which the dog simply does not want to live.

The soft house, shaped like a slipper, is light and easy to make. A fairly soft structure with a roof on only one side. In the other part there is an open “heel” that serves as a bed. Such a structure is shown in the photo.

Such a building is universal because the pet can hide under the roof when it’s cold. If it's hot, just move to an open space at home.

Photo gallery

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Video “Original houses”

The video shows how original housing for your beloved pets can be.

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When conceiving the design of building a dog house with your own hands, drawing up drawings and calculating the dimensions, you must immediately take into account that this is her home for years, which means it must correspond to all the characteristics of the resident, be comfortable and attractive for him. The best option for a dog house is a portable one. Over time, the space occupied by the four-legged guard may be needed for construction, planting a tree or setting up a flower bed - then you can simply move the house to another place without causing concern to the animal and without creating construction problems for the owner.

Finding the best place

The location of the booth for our younger friends is an important point

Why you can't keep a dog in a barn

A barn is no place for a dog

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Often, having outbuildings on the property, the owner of the dog prefers not to build a separate house for it, but keeps it in a barn.

the darkness of the barn constantly keeps the dog in an alert state and is very poorly tolerated by the animal
a constant reaction to sounds made by insects or rodents causes irritation, nervousness, and anxiety in animals
the heat generated by the dog’s body will completely warm a small structure, but not a barn
from the barn it is impossible to observe what is happening outside, this causes depression in the dog, lethargy, and heart disease
lighting a barn with electricity does not replace daylight and has a bad effect on vision
It is absolutely unacceptable to keep dogs together with farm animals and poultry.

Dimensions of the animal - initial data for building a kennel

You should not arbitrarily choose the size of a building for a dog, guided by considerations of saving material or using ready-made structures. The main criterion for setting up a booth is the size of the animal, which will sometimes live in it for the rest of its life.

The height of the dog at the withers with the addition of 20 cm is the height of the booth. An animal enters a house to rest or take shelter from bad weather and usually does not stand in it, but turns around to face the exit and lies down comfortably, inspecting the protected area through the hole. Based on this behavior, the sufficient length of the booth will be the distance from the tip of the dog’s tail to the claws of the paws extended forward with an addition of 15 cm.

If the animal wants to lie across, then the size should be the same, that is, the optimal shape for the base of the building is a square. There is no need to add dimensions, with a reserve or “for growth” - during the winter cold, the dog warms its home with its warmth, and an increase in the volume of the room means a greater need for heat.

The size of the entrance or hole is determined by:

dog chest width + 10 cm= opening width
height at withers + 12 cm= manhole height
the shape of the hole can be rectangular or oval, round

Kennel sizes for large dogs

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If you have purchased a rapidly growing puppy, and would like to build a kennel now, then you need to be guided by the breed standards and their maximum sizes.

Having divided the breeds into two groups, large and large, we can recommend the following maximum sizes of booths and manholes:

Caucasian Shepherd, St. Bernard, English Mastiff, Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Bullmastiff are large dogs. The largest size of the booth for them: 210 x 140 x 90 cm, opening 75 x 40
Large dogs: Alabai, Akita Inu, Bobtail, Mountain Dog, Leonberger, Moscow Watchdog, Newfoundland, Labrador, Shorthaired Pointer, Giant Schnauzer, German and Bulgarian Shepherds, Samoyed, Husky, Russian Terrier, Cane Corso, Darthaar. Maximum dimensions for this group: 180x130x90, manhole 60x40

Materials for construction

The owner, having decided on the place of construction and the type of structure, first calculates the need for materials. It also happens the other way around - there are unused building materials on the farm that are suitable for use in constructing dog housing.

Modern dog house architecture

But first you need to figure out which materials may be suitable and which are undesirable and contraindicated.

Any plastic that releases odors when heated in the sun can cause allergic reactions in animals and aversion to their home. The same can be said about varnishes and paints: the decorative nature of a dog’s home is good for the owner, but unnecessary and even harmful to the dog
A booth sheathed in metal without an insulating layer does not warm up in winter and is too hot in summer. It is only possible to manufacture a strong welded metal frame in the construction of a home for large and strong dogs, but the strength of a properly constructed wooden structure is quite enough
Asbestos cement sheets (flat and corrugated slate) are harmful to human health, which means they are not suitable for dogs either
Insulation in the form of various types of compressed cotton wool or those based on foamed polystyrene and polyurethane are not needed for two reasons: dogs can easily tolerate significant cold and can easily do without insulation in the design of the kennel; all foreign odors cause decreased sense of smell and allergies in dogs
There is no need to replace wood with particleboard furniture panels. From dampness they will quickly swell and lose strength.

Warm booth

Installing a heated floor or installing a heating radiator in the kennel is not only unnecessary, but also harmful for the yard guard. The dog tolerates sub-zero winter temperatures well, warming itself on its own in a dry kennel, securely sheltered from drafts.

If the animal’s house is heated, but the watchman constantly jumps out of it, then a sharp change in temperature will negatively affect the growth of the undercoat and can lead to hair loss, untimely molting, and colds. For the same reason, it is harmful and not necessary to move the dog indoors in winter, even for a short time.

Wooden structures: the best material and simplicity of design

Timeless classic - wooden booth

The most common material for making a booth is boards of any species, planed and untreated, edged and slab. Log cabins made from thin logs and stock look very good and are comfortable for animals. The structure can be of good quality and, without decorative excesses, become a decoration of the yard.

In arranging a home for a faithful friend, insulation and special bedding can be used, curtains over the entrance to prevent snow and rain, canopies to create shade, and lounge chairs for relaxing not far from the house.

A novice home craftsman first needs to visualize the structure he wants to create. For a novice builder, unnecessary imagination usually ends when he starts drawing up a drawing, drawing or sketch.

The product, especially if it is the first, should be planned to be simple, understandable in design, simple rectangular in shape, with a central entrance, single-pitched. First you need to understand that the shape of the booth is an ordinary closed box with a lid.

Drawing of a dog house with dimensions

First the floor is made

This is a shield with the internal dimensions of the length and width of the booth, but with an addition of 12 cm to the length and width. Four timbers are laid in the shape of a frame on a level table. They can be connected to each other using metal corners.
On one side, waterproofing is attached to the frame - roofing felt, roofing felt, glassine. There are another dozen or two brand names, but you can choose the cheapest option. You can use a stapler for fastening, you can nail thin slats so that the roofing material does not sag.
Immediately after filing the insulation, two or three beams are nailed along or across the frame. It is better to paint them or cover them with bitumen mastic - they will stand on the ground, and the coating will save them from rapid rotting.
The frame is turned over and insulation is placed inside it. You can cover the insulation, if it is glass wool or other dust-producing material, with any insulating film. Next, a continuous plank flooring is made from tongue-and-groove boards 30-40 mm thick.

The next step is to make the side shields

They are made in the same way as a floor board, but 20 mm thick boards are nailed to the frame, and insulation and insulation are not yet inserted.
The length of both side panels is equal to the length of the floor, and the width is equal to the internal height of the kennel.
The sides are installed on the floor flush with its edges and fastened together with screws or corners.
To perform fastening, it is better to lay the structure on its side.
The side walls are installed strictly vertically in level and temporarily fixed from above with slats or boards to each other.

The manufacturing procedure is the same as for the side ones, and the dimensions should be taken from the already prepared place for the end shield.
The assembled end wall is inserted into the overall product and attached to the side ones.

Facade part

The front face has only one additional complication: the manhole structure. The manhole frame is manufactured separately, taking into account the possibility of its insertion into the front wall and fastening to it.
Subsequently, the front of the booth is sheathed with boards, taking into account the manhole, and installed between the side panels, with the part covered with boards inward, like the previous parts.

Roof

The last thing to make is the cover - an exact analogue of the floor without insulation.
It is installed with the sheathed part down and fastened to the side and end walls with self-tapping screws and flat furniture corners.
On such a structure, the roof slope is determined from the roofing materials used. No slope at all is allowed.

Best option: lay insulation in the roof frame similar to the floor, and then cover the top with a sheet of waterproof plywood 12-16mm thick. The size of the covering can be significantly wider and longer than the roof, providing the necessary overhangs, canopies for shade, a rest area for the dog and excellent weather protection for the entire structure.

Side walls

They can be insulated according to the principle of a roof and ceiling, and then sheathed with plywood or other materials.

Capital structure made of stone, brick, building blocks

If the booth is built in one place forever, and this often happens in a small yard, then a permanent structure is most suitable. The main advantage of such structures is not strength and durability. Stone, including artificial stone in the form of monolithic concrete, is a natural material.

A shelter or shelter made of stone is similar to a hole or cave in natural conditions. If such an artificial hole is kept dry and clean, then a better home for a yard guard is not needed. Below in the photo is the principle of constructing a burrow booth: such options are easier to implement in stone or monolithic concrete.

Monumental stone booth

Recommendations for sanitation of a doghouse are, in principle, correct and justified, but it is extremely rare to find owners who carry out general cleaning and disinfection in the doghouse once a week, as recommended by sanitary rules. Essentially, these requirements and recommendations are written for keeping animals in a kennel or for a dog breeding business. Carrying out preventive sanitary treatment of the booth two or three times a year is quite realistic and sufficient.

But the conversation is about the design of the booth: is it necessary to provide it with a hinged lid or collapsible walls for cleaning and putting things in order inside. Serious practical breeders of dogs of large commercial breeds arrange capital structures without additional conditions: it is quite possible to carry out disinfection several times a year through a manhole.

An all-stone or concrete structure in the form of a cozy hole is much more comfortable for a home guard; dogs can also perceive their home as a fortress.

How to build a stone booth

The construction of such a structure does not require high professionalism and great construction skills, and the cost savings are significant.

Marking, preparation, zero cycle

Construction stages based on the size of dog houses for large breeds:

The typical internal size of a dog house is taken to be length 210 cm, width 140 cm, height 90 cm, manhole height 75 cm and width 40 cm
Laying out the site for the structure is carried out using a square and pegs
Along the outer perimeter of the marking, vegetable soil is removed with a bayonet shovel to a depth of 15 cm and a width of 25 cm.
The resulting trench is filled with a layer of sand 5 cm thick and generously filled with water for shrinkage and natural compaction.
A concrete layer 5 cm thick is poured around the perimeter and leveled at one level using a building level. Concrete is enough M100-150. You can independently make a concrete mixture in the ratio cement M500: sand: fine crushed stone = 1: 3: 4
After the concrete preparation has set, the brick is laid with a butt (widthwise) along the entire perimeter on a cement mortar in a layer of up to 1 cm. Cement-sand mixtures of CSP for masonry can be purchased at any hardware store
Next, the masonry is carried out in an ordinary way to a level of 7-10 cm from the ground. At this mark, waterproofing is carried out: roofing material on bitumen mastic is laid around the perimeter of the brick with an overlap of 5-10 cm on both sides of the masonry
Inside the perimeter, a sand and crushed stone bedding is placed with moisture and dense compaction up to the waterproofing mark of the walls. It is advisable to lay a layer of roofing material on top of the compacted internal area as a continuous carpet.

Joists, floors, walls

A beam of 50 x 50 mm is laid along the length of the walls, then at a distance of 45 cm from them two more beams are laid in parallel - these are logs under the floors.

Before further construction of walls, it is advisable to lay the floors. They can be made in two layers: two layers of boards 25 mm thick laid perpendicularly. The single-layer coating is made from 40 mm tongue-and-groove boards.

Laz

In the center of the front side of the booth, an entrance hole 40 cm wide and 75 cm high from the floor level remains unblocked. At this level, the lintels above the entrance are placed on the wall. It can be made from a board or two boards with a total width of 25 cm, a length of 70 cm and a thickness of 4 cm.

The wooden lintel is quite durable; subsequently, you can simply and securely attach a curtain to it to protect against the cold.

Roof

The outer perimeter of the wall is measured, and a frame is made according to its size. After securely fastening it with corners from the outside, it should be tried on - as if put on a brick frame. It should fit freely on the wall, allowing for possible swelling of the wood.

The frame on the ground is sheathed with two perpendicularly laid layers of 25 mm boards with a layer of roofing material on bitumen laid between them. The finished roof is then placed on a frame of brick walls.

You can fasten the roof and walls using tying wire, previously inserted into the masonry. If you still plan to open the booth from above, then there is no need to fasten it: the roof structure is quite heavy and will not be blown away by the wind. A door frame in the hole is not needed, but a threshold at the entrance can be useful.

Material consumption for the building:

board 40mm – 0.1 m3
board 25 mm 0.12 m3
timber 50x50 mm - 35p.m
brick - 400 pcs
roofing felt - 1 roll (15 m)
cement 200 kg

Monolithic house for a dog

The brick structure can be replaced with a concrete, monolithic one.

The approximate progress of concrete work is as follows:

Tightly, without gaps, boards and bars knocked together according to the size of the booth are installed with the flat side inside the future house
They are fastened tightly together and supported from the inside with spacers - this will be the internal permanent formwork
Outside, at a distance of 15-25 cm in thickness of the future wall, the same panels are installed with the smooth side inward
The walls are temporarily fastened together with scraps of boards and strengthened from the outside with wooden supports - this is done to prevent the panels from spreading when the space between them is filled with concrete mixture
Concrete is poured into the resulting formwork; after setting, the outer panels are removed
By laying another panel with a flat surface downwards on top of the structure, we obtain formwork for pouring concrete mixture over the kennel floor
The thickness of the ceiling will be equal to the height of the additional formwork around the perimeter of the finished walls

Such a bunker also has its own design features: you can increase the strength of the walls with reinforcement, the panels on the concrete side must be covered with waterproofing, for the manhole it is necessary to make a door frame to size and cut it into the formwork panel.

Hunting dogs: walks, booths and cabins

A hunting dog must always be “in shape”, so it is not advisable to keep it on a leash.. It is better to keep the animal in an enclosure or in a fenced area. For a dog to be active, able to move a lot, and maintain its working qualities, it needs at least 8 square meters of walking area or fence, excluding the booth installed in the walking area.

This is the minimum requirement for a dog: If the owner’s territorial capabilities allow, then it is better to increase the area.

A hut for a hunting dog is, in principle, no different from a hut for other breeds of the same size, but very often hunter breeders keep two or three dogs and even small packs of hounds. It is allowed to install a separate booth for each dog. Sometimes the kennels are increased in area by one and a half to two times and dogs are kept in pairs.

But the best option for keeping 3 or more animals is to create a common room - a cabin. It is usually a lean-to structure made of boards or other material, 2 m high along the front, with the entrance door in the center of the front. There are manholes on the sides of the door.

The cabin is built based on a floor area of 1.5 - 2 m2 per head. Inside the cabin, along the walls for dogs to rest, beds are arranged at a height of 40-50 cm from the floor in the form of a continuous boardwalk. The width of the beds is 70 cm, 10 cm high sides are nailed to the side so that the grass or reed bedding does not slide off the bed.

In fact, this is an apartment version of a doghouse

In urban areas, dog lovers often keep them in their apartments. There are many positive things in living together with a smart, faithful animal in the same area, but often owners forget that their pets should have their own territory, their own protected and inviolable personal place.

Of course, boards, bricks and iron are not suitable for building a shelter for a dog in an apartment: fabrics and coverings made from them are more appropriate. Sometimes it is enough to highlight a secluded corner, separated by furniture or a screen.

Even indoors, in a small space, the dog needs to observe everything that is happening around him., to be aware of all events and always ready to fight back: these qualities are instinctive and must be taken into account to create a home for a faithful guard. The size of the dog, its characteristics as a guard and protector, and its purpose in the house do not play a special role here.

In any case, the animal needs a feeling of at least equality with family members and its own importance among people.

The optimal solution for an apartment is to create a pet bed with a roof and walls. Such a dwelling may look like a kennel, hole or cradle. Such shelter houses are more necessary for dwarf dogs, for whom the ability to hide is extremely important, and comfort and care are needed no less than for a child.

Basic Requirements

Just as with street maintenance, the main requirement for housing is compliance with the size of the tenant. The dog in the house should be able to take any position. Many animals rest lying on their sides with their paws stretched out - this is the minimum size of their home.

If the pet has thick and shaggy hair, then the house should have a removable lid or a folding top in case the temperature in the house is too high for the dog
A kennel in an apartment for a medium-sized dog can be oval or triangular in shape - they are optimal for pets who prefer to sleep curled up.
The base or floors of the apartment kennel can be any hard material: plywood, plastic, furniture panels made of chipboard, OSB. The hard bottom must be covered with soft but durable material
You should not use foam rubber or expanded polystyrene (foam plastic) in finishing - they will be torn by sharp teeth in the very first days and can harm the health of animals
The mattress on the bedding must be made of strong material with a necessarily removable cover. Any fabric used to cover an indoor kennel should be easily removable and replaceable for washing.
The temperature in the apartment, optimal for people, will be good for the smallest dog, but there should be no drafts in its shelter. Therefore, the house should be set up away from entrance doors or opening windows. It’s even better if the animal’s bed is raised a few centimeters above the floor
If there are small children in the house, then the frame of the dog house should be strong enough so that a child sitting or leaning on it cannot injure the animal.

Small but important additions

There are subtleties in every business, including keeping a dog:

in the house of a bitch ready to bring puppies along the walls, at a height of 7-10 cm from the floor, it is necessary to nail 50 mm thick slats along the entire length - this is a guarantee that the mother will not crush her offspring by pressing against the wall
If there are several dogs on the farm, and they are kept in enclosures with separate kennels, then in neighboring kennels there should be dogs of different gender and age - otherwise there will be no peace
Even on a hunt, a pet needs a small house to stay overnight - a hut made of grass or branches, so he will spend the night more peacefully and be quite active in the morning
keeping a dog on a chain, especially a heavy and long one, often leads to complete destruction of the kennel if there are places in its design where the metal leash can get caught
a dog can live in a booth made of snow or ice, but always does not tolerate extreme heat well
in many cases, the dog howls not foreshadowing misfortune in the house, but only because its stomach is wet - it’s time to change the bedding in the kennel; Hay is not suitable as bedding: the animal instantly turns it into dust, and the best option is barley straw
If you bring a dog into a warm house for several days in severe frost, it will soon begin to shed and its undercoat growth will stop.

At first glance, these nuances are not entirely on topic, but when building a home for your faithful guard, you need to follow not only drawings and construction recommendations - you need to show care and attention to detail.

Every loving owner wants only the best for their pet. Along with issues of health, education and care, the thought arises of how to organize a cozy home kennel for your pet in a holiday apartment.

On the shelves of pet stores, various dog beds and even houses for dogs are striking. Not every loving owner can afford the prices for such devices. Don’t despair, you can organize a cozy place for your furry friend yourself.

Let's find out how to build a house for an apartment for dogs with your own hands?

Material

The variety of houses for four-legged friends on the Internet is fascinating. Colorful and vibrant creations inspire you to create a masterpiece. Don't be afraid to improvise and combine different house models.
Before work, clearly think about what materials should be used specifically for your dog. Consider the animal's personality traits.

Cardboard houses They look very impressive, are easy to invent and do not require special expenses. Such houses are suitable for dogs of small and medium breeds. The only drawback of such a shelter is its fragility. Don't rule out the possibility that your pet might want to chew on your efforts.

Foam rubber huts- a universal thing: such a house can be washed, folded and taken with you to nature / on a visit, so that your tailed friend feels more comfortable, and can be easily moved around the apartment. However, some owners note loss of shape after washing and the lack of a rigid frame as shortcomings of this product.

REFERENCE! Most dogs are diggers. When sewing a soft house, decorate the inside with durable fabrics.

Wooden booths the most durable and reliable structures that have served for hundreds of years to keep dogs comfortable. For an apartment this option is more than acceptable. The inconvenience of such “furniture” lies in its bulkiness and heaviness: it will be difficult to move around the living space.

The best option— try to combine different materials when working, complement the houses with pillows, beds with canopies, which will increase the level of comfort for your pet. It is not necessary to strictly adhere to the schemes. Try experimenting with the shapes of the house and upholstery yourself. To invent something unique, you don’t need to run to the store for materials. Take a closer look at old things: cabinets, cribs, old TVs. And such things can be breathed into new life, while providing a cozy nest for your dog.

Size

The first thing you should pay attention to is the breed of your dog.

ATTENTION! If you have a puppy in your home, make inquiries about the breed. What approximate parameters will a dog have at an older age?

The house should be of such a size that the dog can freely go inside, turn around, sit upright (without bending his head) and lie stretched out. The following parameters must be taken into account:

Height at withers.
Distance from the withers to the tip of the front paws.
Width at chest.
Length from nose to tail.

For an approximate calculation, refer to the approximate table for some dog breeds.

Metering - an important part when creating a future house or lounger. By neglecting this procedure, you increase the chance of creating an uncomfortable product.

Based on the size of the breed, it is easier to determine what the future house will be like:

From cardboard.
Fabric (made of foam rubber).
Made of wood or plywood.

By creating a “cozy nest” for your pet with your own hands, you get a huge scope for flight of imagination:

You can design the model yourself.
Use fabrics at your discretion (density, pattern, etc.).
Add decor to your taste.

Remember, all diagrams are provided for illustrative purposes. The dimensions shown in the drawings may not be suitable for your pet.

For small breeds with your own hands

For small dogs of small breeds (Chihuahua, Dachshund, Maltese, Pomeranian and other breeds), you can use cardboard boxes, fabrics and foam rubber.

From cardboard or plywood

Original and exclusive

Houses using geodesic dome technology have become widely known on the Internet. Such houses are made of slats and fabric or cardboard. Such houses are used both for children and for pets, including dogs.

The advantage of such home kennels is that they are suitable for small dogs and are easy to make with your own hands. Plus, you can involve your child in doing them!

So, instructions on how to make a booth for an apartment out of cardboard with your own hands:

Step 1. Constructing patterns and cutting out parts. For this you will need:

Cardboard.
Scissors/construction (stationery) knife.
Ruler.
Pencil/pen

Let us conventionally designate a triangle with red edges as “Triangle A” and with blue edges as “Triangle B”. You will also need squares for the bottom of your structure or rectangles. You can choose the sizes of the triangles yourself based on the proportions: use small triangles for a smoother dome shape and large ones for a rougher one; the side of a square or rectangle is slightly smaller than the height of the entrance.

From the edge of the triangles and squares, a 2-5 cm margin is counted, which will later serve as a place for fastening the parts.

Step 2. The triangles are fixed with hot glue or Moment glue along the released strips. You should start working from top to bottom. Form a pentagon from five triangles, then attach the remaining parts to each triangle using the diagram. For a beautiful entrance, you can remove one of the triangles of the last tier. The bottom is glued together from squares, leaving space for the entrance.

Step 3. Start decorating. The shelter can be painted using spray paint.

REFERENCE! This work can be supplemented with a wooden plywood floor, a personalized wooden sign above the entrance or any other decorative elements. The house is painted or covered, and a blanket or sleeping place is placed inside.

Cheap

There is also a simple way to make a dog house with your own hands. To do this, you will need a box of such size that your pet can comfortably turn around inside and sit upright.

How to make it out of the box:

We cut the top part of the box and glue it together as follows:

Use extra sheets of cardboard to create a roof. Cut out the doorway completely.

The final part is decoration (painting, possibly adding curtains for the entrance, etc.). We present to your attention one of the options for such a house:

The work is made of cardboard, covered on both sides with fabric and decorated with bows, ruffles and a decorative teddy bear. Making a booth out of cardboard is quite simple. This option is affordable and allows you to fully express yourself when creating.

Soft foam

The most beautiful and warm options for houses for small dogs are fabric dog beds made of foam rubber. Experienced needlewomen make patterns for houses of the most diverse and amazing shapes.

To create such a house you will need:

Textile. The best choice would be linen, chintz, velor, fleece, and faux fur jeans. Synthetic fabrics, when in contact with fur, will become electrified and give an electric shock to the dog. Your pet will not live in such a house.
Foam rubber, synthetic winterizer, satin or down.
Scissors.
Sewing machine(you can do it manually, but the quality of work will be significantly lower).

How to make a house from foam rubber:

You can use another pattern.

In the diagram, the unshaded parts indicate the primary building, from which the roof and bottom will be formed during the work.

How to sew:

According to the principle of a “house” pattern, the parts are cut out and sheathed on both sides with material. In the place where the roof and wall are sewn, the seams can be hidden under lace, ribbon or braid. The finished work looks like this.

Both options in one photo. The pink house is made according to the first scheme. The slight differences are the rounded front and rear walls, and the rounded roof due to a different sewing method.

Beds

Handicrafts also did not ignore the production of beds: they make beds from fabric, from tires, mixed compositions (fabric + wood). The most economical and easiest way to create a bed is to alter an old sweater or jacket: imagine, you don’t even need a pattern for a bed!

For work you will need:

Sweater or textile jacket.
Pencil/felt-tip pen.
Filling, padding polyester or foam rubber.
Scissors.
Needle and thread/sewing machine.

Lay out the sweater on a work surface. The neckline is sewn up, a stitch is made from one sleeve to the other at the chest level of the jacket. Fill the future side with foam rubber through the sleeve and place one sleeve into the other.

The sleeves are then sewn together. At this stage, you can adjust the shape of the side: make it rectangular (stitch the corners) or round. The bottom is stuffed soft and also sewn; for a rounded shape, the bottom is folded and hemmed to the shape of the side. The final touch is to sew the sleeves to the base.

Lounger-pillow with ties

They look like designer ones and will be very suitable for decorative dogs:

Step 1. Constructing a pattern.

To do this, based on the parameters of the dog, draw a rectangle - the base. From the base, make allowances of 1-1.5 cm on all sides for lifting. From each edge, draw more rectangles of the desired height with allowances of 2.5-3 cm upwards. This way you will get a pattern that vaguely resembles a cross. Cut an opening from the side that will be the front.

Step 2. Cut out 2 pieces from the fabric according to the pattern.

Step 3. Sew the pieces along the top sides of the sides. Turn the product out through the side holes.

Step 4. Fill the lounger with padding polyester and carefully sew from one side through the center to the opposite. Thus, by sewing all the edges in the center you will get a pillow.

Step 5. Add ribbon or lace ties. Add decorative elements (buttons, bows, embroidery, etc.). You can complement the lounger with a canopy or pillows.

Pets for large and medium breeds

Made of wood

For dogs of large breeds, it is safer to create a large wooden house even for the apartment.

The first option is to create it from wood (bars). To do this you need:

Wooden blocks or boards.
Roulette.
Jigsaw or saw.
Nails/screws for fastening.
Hammer/screwdriver.
Paint for decoration.
Grinder for grinding.

How to build:

A simplified option for creating a wooden house is to work with plywood. The principle of operation is similar to the first option, the only difference is in the sheathing (a sheet of plywood is nailed instead of boards).

Photo

Examples of beautiful and original houses in the photo: recycling old furniture and household appliances into a sleeping place, wicker beds, bed beds, bunk beds.

Feeder house Very stylish!
Real retro: the smallest doghouse for an apartment
Two-story cottage
Wicker
The perfect soft home for a little dog! Cool idea: a super lounger made from a wine barrel!
Plastic egg house for small breeds such as Yorkies and Spitz

Mink
Hut for doggies: a real wigwam!

Rollers

Useful videos “We sew a shelter for dogs with our own hands”:

Out of the box
Soft
Bed

Conclusion

Arranging a sleeping area for your shaggy friend is a pleasant process for both of you. By showing yourself, you show how important your pet is. Any house: cardboard, soft or wooden will provide your four-legged friend with a comfort zone. Even the simplest sweater bed can make your little one happy.
To make your creation last a long time and be as comfortable as possible, use the following tips:

Don't neglect measurements. Knowing the dimensions of your animal, you create a comfortable and fairly spacious home
Be sure to work through the drawings. The chance of getting confused at work is reduced to a minimum.
Choose materials based on the size of the dog, its character and temperament. When choosing materials for soft products, think about what fabrics to use: consider the degree of shaggyness of the dog (a pet with long hair will be hot in a house made of warm and fluffy fabrics, wool tends to get clogged in fleecy fabric , which complicates cleaning the house).
Soft houses are designed for dogs weighing no more than 20 kg.
For fabric houses it is better to use foam rubber or padding polyester, for beds - padding polyester or filler.
Wooden booths must be sanded to protect the animal from splinters.

We hope that the information provided above was useful to you. Share your handicraft experience and photo reports in the comments. Tell us whether your faithful assistant participated in the creation of the house, whether he was happy at the end of the work. We look forward to your stories, photos and advice from experienced craftsmen.