Dog Houses: Build or Buy?
Since you’re reading this, it seems reasonable to assume that you are in need of a dog house (or soon will be). The first decision that you need to make is whether to purchase a pre-built model, or build one on your own.
At first blush, it would seem that the easiest and fastest way to solve this problem would be to run out to your neighborhood pet store. But with very few exceptions, you won’t find pet stores stocking many dog houses. And the ones that they do stock are likely to be the plastic dome and/or igloo shaped varieties.
The plastic dog houses offer a number of advantages, including lowest cost, and many dog owners have been very happy with their decision to go with this type of pet home. But plastic models don’t meet everyone’s needs, especially in cold weather climes.
If you’re a traditionalist, or a plastic model just doesn’t work for you, you’ve probably decided that a wooden dog house is your best bet.
But before you start rustling around in the garage looking for your tools, you should consider purchasing a wooden doghouse, rather than building one.
There are a variety of reasons you might want to build a dog house rather than purchase one. Maybe you just love to build stuff and see it as a recreational activity. Perhaps you have a lot of lumber taking up space in your garage and you need to find something to do with it. Or maybe you have specialized needs and can’t find exactly what you need for sale anywhere. Those are all really great reasons, and I urge you to jump right in and have a good time!
But if you’re building your dog’s palace yourself because you think it’s cheaper, you might want to think again. Unless you’ve got a lot of surplus material lying about that you can use, you’re going to put a dent in your wallet acquiring the necessary mateials.
When you consider the amount of 2×4’s, plywood, nails, roofing, hardware, etc that it takes to make even a medium-sized dog house, and add the value of your time, the cost of a pre-built wooden doghouse could well be right in the same price range.
So, take a look at the wooden models for sale before you commit yourself to a project you don’t have the time to do.