There are free dog house plans available from a number of web sites. In fact, many of them can be downloaded and then printed out and used immediately. But before you order any plans, make sure you have done your home work and know what to look for.
Some things to keep in mind before ordering any plans are:
1. Make sure the dog house plan you order will keep your dog comfortable in any weather. Think about your local weather conditions. Does your area have very severe winters where the temperature can fall to zero or below and stay that way for a seek 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 think strongly about building an insulated dog house. 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. Measure your dog's height and length -- so you can to build a dog house that will be the right size. If your dog is a bully, make sure you will end up with a dog house that's big enough for the dog when fully grown.
3. Do you need to worry about building codes? In some cities and towns there are codes that restrict what you can and cannot build on your property. If there are building codes in your area, be sure you understand them before ordering any dog house plans.
4. Think about your skills as a carpenter. If you are not experienced an experienced do-it-yourselfer, you might want to choose a plan for a fairly simple dog house, such as a snoopy style house. On the other hand, if you're a skilled carpenter, you could look for something more complicated, for example, a dog house that matches your house's architectural style. However, if you're not much into do-it-yourself projects, you might be better off either buying a dog house kit or a complete dog house.
5. Do you have more than one dog? If so, you will need to look for dog house plans that will accommodate all your dogs. You should also think about how your dogs get along. If you have two dogs that just plain don't like each other, you may have to build two dog houses.
6. When evaluating dog house plans, look for a plan that either includes a partial wall or is large enough that you can add a partial wall. This is so that the dog can escape the elements as necessary. If the weather is bad, the dog can choose to either sleep in the entry room 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.
7. Does the plan you're evaluating have a hinged roof? If not, would it be easy to add hinges? This is important because it makes for easy cleaning. You see, when you clean your dog, you should make sure you also clean the dog house and bedding.
Here are links to five recommended sources for free dog house plans:
Woodzone - http://www.woodzone.com/plans/doghouse/ doghouse_plans.htm
DIY Network - http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/lp_dogs/article/ 0,2041,DIY_14061_2270645,00.html
Georgia-Pacific Building Materials - http://www.gp.com/ build/pageviewer.aspx?repository=bp&elementid=3765&pid=4699
A custom dog house - http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_wildlife_other/ article/0,1785,HGTV_3654_1385537,00.html
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