The perfect summer job for those with the tools and time to spare, dog houses are only simple to make but easy to customise so you can certain that your favourite four-legged friend has a home they can be proud of.

Requiring only basic skills, easily learned this is a good choice for those looking to take their first foray into the world of DIY, and with these 5 unique ideas to inspire you’ll have an even easier time of it.

It’s always a good idea to start simple. And nothing is simpler than this DIY dog house plan. All you need is a good saw, a hammer, a drill, deck screws, galvanised nails and, of course, some quality pressure-treated timber. 

The design itself is as simple as you would expect, four walls, a floor and a roof – all made as frames first (with a batten in the middle for support) and fastened together with deck screws. Put sheathing on the outside and inside, make sure your roof has a suitable fall for drainage and finish with a drip edge and some felt paper. Oh, and don’t forget to cut a suitably sized door and sand the edges. 

Now this is just the bare bones of your doghouse. A blank canvas if you like for you to personalise. Whether that be with a coat of paint, an extended deck or even a small garden for your dog to relax in. The choice is yours. 

A couple of final points for this basic design, just to make sure you and your dog get the most out of it:

• The floor of your house should sit well above ground level to prevent water from seeping through it on rainy days 
• Take care not to make your house too big, this will make it more difficult for the dog's natural body heat to warm up the inside

Whoever said that rustic can’t be beautiful? Well, whoever they were clearly didn’t get the attention of the creator of this next dog house. Making use of the DIYers favourite, plywood, this house boasts as simple a design as the above but with a boatload more industrial charm. 

Dark wood stains and earthy colours are really the key here, with minimal personalisation. Let the dog house speak for itself. The best part? With the right colour scheme, this build can look the part both in your garden and living room. Just remember to insulate those interior walls (polystyrene or similar can work) to keep your dog warm and comfy in winter.

For detailed instructions, check out the full post on thecarpentersdaughter.co.uk

Ideal for particularly damp climates or for those just looking to make a feature out of their dogs' homes. raised dog houses provide all the same benefits as typical raised homes – keeping them free and clear of rising damp and the follow-up mould it can cause. 

Not only practical, however, a raised dog house also provides the opportunity to build a veranda, steps or even a small balcony so your dog can stretch their legs. To truly make the house stand out you can finish it with white fascia boards and a bright coat of paint. Done right and your guests may start to think your dog is living better than you are.

One thing you just don’t see enough of in dog houses is windows, and why not? Dogs like watching the world go by just as much as we do. But why stop at windows, why not go the whole nine yards with a wide entryway, attic space and even a white picket fence? 

Making your dog's house practical is simple enough. But if you found measuring your pet and building the frame too easy this is a great way to ratchet up the difficulty. Hardwood floors, colourful cladding, even a slate roof (or synthetic as the case may be, you don’t want to put too much weight on the house after all). These are just jumping-off points, much like the image above. 

The best part about all this, you can use the same pressure-treated timber you bought for your basic design here. And even make extra use of any off cuts by making a charming balcony.

If complicated designs and long hours of woodworking don’t stoke your creative embers, this may be the doghouse for you. A simple frame made from 4 wooden dowels held together by rope at their peaks. Cloth can be secured to the top of these dowels using screws and then tucked under the feet of the dowels for a neat finish. 

It really is as simple as that. A quick 30-to-45-minute job that will leave you with a distinct dog house to fill out that empty corner in the living room that’s been bugging you. The final step? Just decorate to your hearts content. We suggest some comfortable blankets, pillows and your dog's favourite toy.