Three Creative Wooden Dog House Design Ideas

If you're tired of the old fashioned and common design for a wooden dog house, there are a number of ways in which you can spice up the home that you build for your pet outside. Whether it's changing the materials that you use, adding on interesting paint or other aesthetic touches, or modifying the entire design of the building itself, there are a number of ways for both the inexperienced and the experienced carpenter to modify his or her wooden dog house to make it both personal, unique and also the best that it can be for your pet. Read on for a few different ideas on how to change the standard form of the wooden dog house for your yard.

Number 1 -- Change the Shape

The standard dog house is a small, rectangular building that is approximately the size of the dog who will be sleeping in it and not much bigger. For a unique take on the standard wooden dog house, try changing the design of the building. By laying a flat circular foundation and building up around that, you can create a dog house that is either in the shape of a yurt or in the shape of a teepee. These both provide ample room for your pet to lay down and to move about while simultaneously playing off of the standard dog house form. You can also build a dog house that is taller than average, allowing you or other people to enter as well.

Number 2 -- Add Design Features

Consider adding a window to your dog house in order to let in more light. The way that you design the doorway of the building is also an interesting way to put your own creative spin on the traditional dog house model; many people leave their dog house door open or do not design any type of boundary on the wall that leads into the dog house. By setting up a flap that your pet can move through, a la a standard doggy door in a regular door for a home. A skylight is also a unique way to add light to your dog house and to provide you with the chance to see what is going on inside of the building as well.

Number 3 -- Add Paint and Other Features

While a standard, treated wood dog house is very traditional and appealing to some, others can add a bit more flare to their building by painting and designing it in an unusual way. Consider the opportunities for creating a design or a mural of your choosing on the walls of the doghouse. This can turn an otherwise plain fixture in your yard into a piece of art that everyone can appreciate.

For more ideas of how to modify your dog house to make it your own and for materials to help make this possible, visit a hardware or home improvement store.