Building the Base

• 1). Determine the size you would like your dog house to be. If you have a smaller dog, you can build a mini dog house. Generally a dog house is sized so that a dog can stand and turn around inside comfortably.
  
  
• 2). Take your 2-by-4 boards and create a square base frame, nailing the boards together at the corners.
  
  
• 3). Take the 1/2-inch plywood sheet and fit it over your base frame, nailing them together.
  
  

Building the Walls

• 1). Use your 2-by-4 boards to create four wall frames the same way you created the base frame.
  
  
• 2). Attach a center stud board to the side and rear walls for support. The front wall will have a doorway and thus does not need a stud.
  
  
• 3). Nail a 1/2-inch plywood sheet to the outside of each frame.
  
  
• 4). Use your jigsaw to cut out a doorway in the plywood to be used for the front wall before attaching to the frame.
  
  
• 5). Fit the walls on top of the base frame and nail together through the bottom of the base.
  
  

Building the Roof

• 1). Use your 2-by-4 boards to create the struts, ridge board and rafters of the roof.
  
  
• 2). Cut two 2-by-4 boards to the appropriate length determined by the pitch of roof you desire. These are the struts.
  
  
• 3). Nail struts into the center of the front and rear wall frames, hammer in the nail from underneath.
  
  
• 4). Determine how much overhang you would like the roof to have and cut a 2-by-4 board to that length. This is the ridge board.
  
  
• 5). Place the ridge board on top of the struts and nail into place.
  
  
• 6). Cut six 2-by-4 boards into the right size for rafters. The appropriate size is determined by the pitch of roof you chose.
  
  
• 7). Nail the rafters into place, three on each side of the ridge board.
  
  
• 8). Place a 1/2-inch plywood sheet over top of the roof frame and nail into place.
  
  

Finishing Touches

• 1). Shingle the roof for a more polished dog house look and in order to weather-proof the plywood top.
  
  
• 2). Paint the exterior, perhaps add a nameplate--personalize it for your pup.
  
  
• 3). Put a throw rug or dog bed inside to make it cozier.