The first factor in evaluating dog house plans, is thoughtfully considering the level of your skills. How would you rate yourself on a scale of one to ten as a carpenter? If 10 equals just about a "pro," and you would rate yourself that high, you can select any plan that fits your dog and your sense of aesthetics. On the other hand, if you rate yourself on the low end, say a 2 or 3, you should look for a simple, easy-to-follow plan, such as for a snoopy style dog house.
Here are some other factors to consider when evaluating a dog house plan - whether it's a free dog house plan or one you would buy.
1. Make sure the plan is for a dog house that will keep your dog comfortable in any weather. Does your area have very severe winters where the temperature can fall to zero or below and stay that way for a week or more? How about summers? Do you have many days in the high '90s or even in the 100s? If you can answer "yes" to either of these questions, you will want to strongly consider choosing insulated dog house plans. On the other hand, if you live in a mild area such as Southern California, insulation may not be a factor in selecting a good dog house plan.
2. You will want to build a dog house that fits your dog, so be sure to measure it before selecting any plan. Measure both your dog's height and length. Keep in mind that dogs like to be able to turn around before they lay down, so take this into consideration when sizing a dog house plan.
3. Also, be sure to choose a plan that will provide some "airiness" above your dog's head. We humans like to have about two feet about our heads or we tend to feel claustrophobic, and dogs are like us. So, when you measure your dog's height, add 1/3 to this in calculating what height the dog house should be.
4. If you live in an area that has cold winters, look for a plan that either includes a partial wall or is large enough that you can add a partial wall. This way, if the weather is bad, the dog can choose to either sleep in the main area or go around the inner wall into its "inner sanctum" to get warmer. Both areas could have bedding or a pillow such as a cedar-filled pillow to discourage fleas.
5. Your dog house plan should either have a hinged roof or it should be easy to add hinges to the roof. This is important because it makes for easy cleaning. When you clean your dog, you should also clean the dog house and bedding.
6. Are their building codes in your town or city? If so, do you need to take them into consideration when evaluating a dog house plan? If in doubt, talk to whomsoever is in charge of code enforcement in your area. You just don't want to spend a lot of time and effort building a dog house, only to have to tear it down and start over because of some obscure code requirement.
Follow these suggestions when evaluating dog house plans and you're sure to end up with a dog house that will keep your best dog friend content and happy.
Check Out These Links For Various Dog House Plans:
Dog House Plans For Large Dogs
Next >> Dog House Plans