How to Make a Dog House With an Opening Roof

Filling your doghouse full of straw to keep your dog warm during the winter is much easier with an opening roof. You don't have to bend over, kneel in the snow, strain your back to stuff your doghouse with warm bedding or clean it out in the spring. Instead, just unlatch the roof of the house and swing it wide open. How do you make a doghouse with an opening roof?

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/2-inch treated plywood: Four pieces 30-inches by 4-feet
• 1/2-inch treated plywood: One piece 15-inches by 30-inches
• 1/2-inch treated plywood: One piece 30-inches by 30-inches
• 3-inch nails 30
• 1 1/2-inch nails 100
• Screws 9 ½-inch
• Hinges Three 2-inch
• Two Eyehooks
• Boards four that are 2-inch by 4-inch by 4-feet
• Boards four that are 2-inch by 4-inch by 26-inches
• Boards five that are 2-inch by 4-inch by 30-inches
• Boards two that are 1-inch by 1-inch by 4-feet
• Boards two that are 1-inch by 1-inch by 28-inches
• Hammer
• Saw
• Screwdriver

1. Make the frame of the doghouse first by standing two of the 2-inch by 4-inch boards that are 4-feet long on end 26 inches apart parallel to each other. Placing two of the 26-inch 2-inch by 4-inch boards inside the edges of the boards that are 4-feet long so that the edges are smooth. Repeat this process to create a second square.

2. Hammer two 3-inch nails into the boards that are 4-feet long so that the nails go into the 26-inch long boards securing the rectangular frames.

3. Place one 30-inch board 2-inch by 4-inch in the inside corner of each corner creating the doghouse frame. Also, hammer one 30-inch board 15-inches from one corner to create a door for your dog to get in and out of the doghouse.

4. Lay two of the 1-inch by 1-inch by 4-feet boards parallel to each other, 28-inches apart. Next, place the two 28-inch long boards that are also 1-inch by 1-inch inside the edges of the boards that are 4-feet creating a frame for the opening roof. Nail these together using the 1 1/2-inch nails.

5. Attach the 1/2-inch treated plywood sheets that are 30-inches by 4-feet using the 1 1/2-inch nails to bottom of the framed doghouse, creating the floor, to both sides of the doghouse, and to the separate frame you made for the roof out of 1-inch by 1-inch boards.

6. Nail the 1/2-inch treated plywood sheet that is 30-inches by 30-inches using the 1 1/2-inch nails to back of the framed doghouse. Then nail the smaller 15-inches by 30-inch piece to the front of the doghouse that allows for the door.

7. Screw the three hinges to the framed roof and to one side of the doghouse. On the opposite side of the roof, attach the two eye-hooks.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint or stain your doghouse if desired.
• Outdoor dogs need bedding in their doghouse for protection from extreme temperatures.

Resources

• Building A Doghouse
• How to House Train Dogs
• Get Rid of Your Dog's Fleas