Why does a dog need a kennel?

A kennel is a good idea if your dog regularly spends long periods of time in the garden or roaming freely on your property. If you spend a lot of time in the garden from spring to autumn, you can offer your dog a cozy retreat in a kennel.

Owners who have their dog guard a fenced garden when they are away should also provide their four-legged friend with a kennel to protect them from wind and weather.

What kind of wood for the self-made kennel?

An outdoor dog house should be robust and durable. To build a weatherproof kennel, the material plays a crucial role. Tip: stainless steel screws are weatherproof! We also recommend the following types of wood:

Larch wood for kennels

Larch has a high resin content and is therefore weather-resistant. So it’s no wonder that a lot of garden furniture for two-legged friends is made of larch wood. Our favorite for building a dog house is larch wood. However, it is slightly more expensive compared to other types of wood.

Spruce wood for kennels

Spruce wood has a number of advantages: it is light, elastic and – treated with natural wood preservatives – relatively durable. It is also cheaper than larch wood.

Pine wood for kennels

The pine is considered an all-rounder among the types of wood – and at a reasonable price. For example, many garden fences are made of pine. Impregnated pine wood (“thermo pine”) is particularly suitable for outdoor use.

Kennel: what size fits my dog?

Anyone who thinks: “As big as possible!” is doing their four-legged friend a disservice, at least in the cold season. Because if the kennel is too big, it offers less protection from the cold.

In order to find the optimal dimensions, it is best to measure your dog. Write down the following measurements: shoulder height and length from the snout to the base of the tail. Then estimate how much space your four-legged friend needs to turn around. For example, if he is balled up.

Now add 20 percent to each of the measurements you have taken. With this rule of thumb you get the height, width and depth of your kennel to calculate the necessary material.

How big does the entrance of a kennel have to be?

For the calculation, also take the measurements of the shoulder height of your favorite. Ideally, the door opening should be about 0.8 times as high as your dog’s shoulder height.

Let’s go: build a doghouse yourself

There are numerous building instructions for doghouses. It is best to look at as many kennels as possible beforehand and consider which features you like best. Can you implement them with your manual skills? Then let’s go! Sketch a blueprint and buy the necessary materials at the hardware store.

Also, make sure you have all the tools you need. These include, for example, a wood drill, a cordless drill, angle and a bevel. You will also need a saw to saw out the entrance.

Build a doghouse yourself: the most important tips

The floor of the kennel

A base plate with a distance to the subsoil makes sense. Here you can combine cleverly: Use a pallet as a floor and place it on some straight stones. So the dog house has a distance to the ground and does not cool down so quickly.

The side walls of the kennel

Side walls, front and rear walls of the kennel consist of wooden strips or boards – apart from a self-made one from pallets, more about that in a moment. You should cut out the entrance in the front wall large enough with the saw.

First carefully screw the base and side parts together. Any inaccuracy can cause the hut to become unstable. It is best to pre-drill all the holes in advance. This will prevent the wood from splitting. Since the wood works outside, stapling is not the best solution.

Recommended if the dog house is used in winter: Line two layers of the inside of the side walls with polystyrene. This insulates well, but your four-legged friend cannot eat from it.

Build the roof of the kennel yourself

Flat roof or pitched roof? You have the choice! Of course, manual skills also play a role. Of course, a flat roof is easier to build.

There are several options when it comes to the material: you can make the roof from wooden slats, corrugated iron or roofing felt. Of course, it is extremely important that the roof is rainproof. This is especially true for unprotected freestanding kennels.

Build your own doghouse out of pallets

Building a dog house out of pallets can make the job easier! One-way pallets are well suited as they are usually smaller than the standardized Euro pallets. As the name suggests, disposable pallets are usually cheap because there is no deposit on them.

Building a kennel from disposable pallets is also a little quicker. Because the pallets form a good framework. However, before construction, check whether there are nails or staples stuck in the pallets.

The final touch: impregnate the self-made kennel

Whether made of wooden slats, with pallets or cleverly combined – impregnation protects the kennel from discoloration. Pay attention to impregnations that are non-toxic to animals.

Linseed oil can provide sufficient protection depending on the type of wood. Waterproof colors are also possible. It is best to seek advice from a hardware store as to which impregnation best suits the wood you have chosen. If you use a paint, you should sand down the kennel beforehand.