Are you thinking of building a dog house for your beloved dog? With so many products on the market, won't it just be easier to just go out and buy one? Although there are reasons to do that, building it yourself has two major advantages. Firstly, the cost will likely be 50% less than a store bought version and secondly you have to opportunity to building something that is custom. A custom solution means you can build something that fulfills your own individual needs and that responds to the needs of your dog and the constraints that you have on your yard.Building a dog house does not require any particular skill although a good working knowledge of woodwork would be a great help. Either way I would suggest that you get yourself some good plans to work from and don't just "wing it" - you might just waste a lot of money in the process. Using good common sense is also important when designing your dog house. Here are 3 practical tips that will help you be successful at building your dog a home.1. MaterialsBuilding with wood is not only cheap but its easy to work with. While there are many plastic and cement versions in stores its usually very uncomfortable for your dog. Wood allows you to build at a bigger size for an affordable price and the fact that wood can "breathe" means that its a much more pleasant environment. Try and stay away from plastic and if you are going to use any steel sheets make sure that you insulate the insides as steel can get very warm in summer and very cold in winter.2. LocationWhere are you planning on putting the dog house? Its recommended to have your dog as close to the house as possible. Ideally you want it to be under a roof and also as close to a lawn as possible. Try and take the direction of the sun into account as well and if you live in an area with heavy snow in winter you need to make sure that there is adequate protection from the weather.3. SizeThe size of your dog house needs to be determined by the size of the dog. As a rule of thumb you need to make it big enough for your dog to stand up and turn around comfortably. You don't want to make it too big either as it can become a nightmare to clean and maintain something that is too big.Do you need a new dog house for your dog? See my blog to read more about how to build a dog house...