How to Build a Dog House for a Large Dog

A dog house can be a fine outdoor residence for man's best friend. Large dogs, in particular, may like to spend time outside. They can also sometimes be hard to handle inside a small house. Dog houses can be built of almost any material, and in just about any size. At a minimum, they should provide protection from the elements and be large enough to accommodate your canine best friend. Let us take a look at how to build a dog house for a large dog.

Things You'll Need

  • 34 4 foot long 2 x 4's 8 1/2 inch Wooden Boards Tar Paper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Nail four of the 2 x 4's into the shape of a 4 foot square. Cut to size and insert 2 additional 2 x 4's at even intervals inside the square. Make three more identical 4 foot square wooden frames.

    • 2

      Clear a patch of ground and lay one of the frames on top. This is the floor of the dog house. Cut to size and nail a board on top of the floor.

    • 3

      Stand up the other 3 frames and nail their bases to the outer beams of the floor. You should have three walls with the front left open. Cut another 2 x 4 to size and nail it across the front of the dog house between the tops of the two side walls.

    • 4

      Cut to size and insert another 2 upright 2 x 4's in between the floor and the horizontal beam you just installed. You are making a frame for the door. The two uprights should be evenly spaced like all the others.

    • 5

      Cut boards to size and nail them over the outside of the wall frames. Use 2 smaller boards on the front, making sure to leave the space between the uprights as the doorway of the dog house.

    • 6

      Join two 2 x 4's together in the shape of a triangle without a bottom. You will have to cut the joined ends at an angle so they meet properly. Make two more identical triangles.

    • 7

      Attach two of the triangles to the beams that form the top of the side walls. The ends of your roof trusses will hang over the edge of the walls. Cut to size and insert a 2 x 4 in between the tops of the two triangular roof trusses.

    • 8

      Cut to the proper size and shape another pair of 2 x 4's and place them in the middle of the other two triangles, so that they form a central triangular truss. Cut to shape, and cover the roof with wooden boards. Cover the boards with tar paper.