Tips For Building A Homemade Doghouse In Your Los Angeles Backyard

Dog gone it! Now is the time to house your hound in his or her own Los Angeles palace. Okay, a small abode, but nevertheless, this job is one the whole family can enjoy, including all members of the canine club. With that in mind, here are some other reasons why you should get dogged into making a Southland house that will nicely shelter that hound in your life.

A House Is Now A Home

Remember this is shelter for the hound, not a place for your canine to dine or use the bathroom. So, when drawing up plans for the perfect doghouse, be sure to make this a resting place with those other activities done elsewhere. Also remember that the City of Angels has plenty of building codes so check into what is or is not okay to build on your grounds before jumping into this project.

A Shady Situation

Make sure you don't put your doghouse project in the sun. Shade works best for this endeavor, especially in sunny Southern California. Then, after you find a finite spot on which to build your doghouse, start by putting up some sort of foundation. It doesn't have to be very high, but just high enough so that if water gets on the ground, the unit is not in danger of being ruined. For full-on plans, check out this simple construction concept from Lowe's.

Size Matters

In a city like Los Angeles, the size of your pup's new place may have to be restrained due to lack of space. Still, that doesn't have to mean striking the idea altogether. Instead, throw your dog a bone by building a great little home in which it will want to hang out. Figure out what works and build the best abode you can.

In The Ruff

For your dog, his or her own house will become a diamond in the rough when done, so be sure to use sturdy materials that will make this a permanent place for your pup to count on for years to come. Since this will be a small-scale place, even the tiniest budget should allow for quality products to be purchased for construction. Ask your friendly lumber salesperson what works best in your particular community since some areas will need different materials than others. Remember, temperatures and terrain vary from area to area in the City of Angels.

There's No Place Like Home

One way to sweeten this space for your dog is to decorate. First thing's first: put in a bed that borrows from the elements of the bed your hound uses in the house. Then, bring out some of his or her favorite toys to entice your dog to embrace this new abode. Finally, find a few new objects from your local pet store that may encourage your pup to fall in love with this new place in a short amount of time.

Consider these local Los Angeles companies when building your doghouse:

Anawalt
11060 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 478-0324
anawaltlumber.com

Build a sturdy home for your dog with lumber from Anawalt. Consult its employees about which woods would be pet-friendly.

Baller Hardware
2505 Hyperion Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 665-4149
ballerhardware.com

Call this your one-stop shop for finding all the materials you'll need for building a better doghouse. Baller Hardware will help you with all construction needs.

Catts and Doggs Pet Boutique
2833 Hyperion Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 953-8383
cattsanddoggs.com

Check out all this emporium's unique beds that would be a great fit for the doghouse. Also, treat your dog to a few new toys as a housewarming present.

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For more great tricks, tips and advice about your home, visit CBSLosAngeles.com/YourHome.

Los Angeles freelance travel writer Jane Lasky, contributes to publications such as Travel + Leisure, Vogue and Esquire. Her weekly sojourning column ran in 40 newspapers for 20 years. Jane is anything but an accidental tourist. Check out her articles on Examiner.com.