24 Hours, $50 and One Very Happy Pup

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Jennifer’s exceedingly good dog just wanted to hang out in the backyard and protect its home. They live in Seattle however, and as much as Jennifer appreciated the sentiment, the smell of wet dog was wafting through her home a bit more than she wanted. With the help of some downloaded instructions, leftover paint and a few supplies, she found a solution that pleased both dog and owner alike.

From Jennifer: With a doggy door from the house onto the back porch, the dog was free to go in and out as she pleased. She loves to sit outside and “guard” the yard. In all weather. Which, being in the Seattle area, often means sitting outside in the rain. Which then means a house that smells like a wet dog.

We decided to make a custom DIY doghouse, so the dog could have some shelter, while also keeping an eye on her domain.

Starting from basic plans downloaded from the internet, the supplies were minimal. I bought a sheet of plywood and a pack of roofing singles. Using leftover paint from the house, the total project cost less than $50.

It took about a day to cut a piece the doghouse. Painting and roofing took a few more hours on another day. This project could easily be done in a weekend.

The weather vane on the top is a fun and inexpensive finishing touch that I love.

Jennifer’s words of wisdom: Think creatively, and do what works best for your location, and your pet’s preferences. We cut an opening in both ends of the doghouse. One faces the doggie door, so the dog passes directly from the house into the doghouse. We also extended the roof on the end that faces the yard. The allows the dog to sit with her head out of the doghouse and see more of the yard, while still being sheltered from the weather.

Thank you, Jennifer! You can see more on Jennifer’s blog Home Deconomics.