Book Review: Doggie Homes

I’m not much a builder as I am as a cook or a knitter. Hence, I rarely browse any DIY books on doghouse. Somehow, Doggie Homes (DIY): Barkitecture for Your Best Friend (DIY Network) caught my attention. First, it has ten doghouse designs with easy step-by-step instructions—a bonus for amateur builders like me. Not only the designs cater to suit different home-styles and dog breeds, they are also unique and creative as I’ve described some of them below. Best of all, they are all very practical so you don’t have to compromise design over functionality or vice verse. Durability will have to depend on how much you invest in the materials. No worries, the authors/hosts (Kenny Alfonso and Dr. Karen Tobias) gave many tips on building materials, maintenance, and even on dog nutrition to training advice.

Description of the Book - Doggies Homes

This book is divided into three parts (chapters). The real “action” is in Chapter two and three. Here is the content of the book. The italic wording is mine.

Chapter 1: Barkitecture Basic

• Design Decisions
• Building Materials
• Accessories
• Choosing a Site
• Maintenance
• Ask Dr. Karen

Chapter 2: Doghouses

• Home Sweet Home - This is a puzzle doghouse as it is built without screws or nails. Because it’s made from plywood, it’s more suitable as an indoor doghouse.
• Pagoda Palace - If you are into Asian decor or your dog is of Asian ancestry, this indoor doghouse is definitely worth building. The dimensions given for this pagoda doghouse is suitable for small dogs no taller than 12 inches at shoulder level.
• Cozy Log Cabin - As the name implies, the appearance of this outdoor doghouse requires little visualization.
• Doggie Schoolhouse - Like the puzzle dog house, this is another fun and easy project to build with your kids. What makes this doghouse different from others is the chalkboard roof. An excellent place to leave messages for your children, ie. “Don’t forget to feed Fido at 5 pm, Love Mommy!”
• Heritage Home - An outdoor doghouse built with German heritage homes in mind. This house is big enough to accommodate two adult German Shepherds very comfortably. This project is not suitable for amateur builders.
• Made in the Shade - An outdoor doghouse without walls and solid roof however it provides plenty of shades. Not much of a getaway (privacy) for your dog but it shields him from those scorching sunrays. An ideal project for me this coming spring, the only change I’d make is the fabric roof—longer fabric, more shade of course!
• Room with a View - Dogs too can have tree houses. Most tree houses I’ve seen are built high on the tree branches, but this dog tree house is built “attached” to the tree truck with a ramp no more than 45° angle.
• Replica Home - Unless your suburb home looks literally like the model shown, this outdoor doghouse may not be your cup of tea! Nonetheless, you can always customize as closely to look like your home.
• Happy Campers - This is a very creative, original, and eye catching “doghouse.” Although it’s built (and maybe functioned) like a trailer, it is not meant to use as one. This camper is laminated with sheet aluminum make it very shiny. It has a dog-bone-shape antenna at the roof of the camper!
• Ruffing It - The frame of this dog house is made of copper tubing and it’s “dressed” with three pieces of heavy-duty oiled canvas. Because it’s quite lightweight and small, you can easily move it around to change the scenery.

Chapter 3: Beyond Houses

• Gated Community
• Barklounger
• Comfy Corral
• Water Trough
• Canine Supply Cabinet

Rating: 4.5 Bones out of 5

With a price tag of under $11, this book is a steal!