How to build an economical, light, easily moveable dog kennel?

[nonsibicunctis]

I have a Groenendael (Belgian Shepherd) who is 5 yrs old and very sensitive to thunder, lightning & similar disturbances such as appallingly wasteful firework displays.

When these occur, he will squeeze himself into the smallest out of the way nook he can find.  [He always has the run of the house so can go wherever he wishes.]

I do the best I can to calm him but can't seem to get through when he's in that 'terror' state.  So, please excuse my delay but just wanted to set the scene -

I'd like to build a dog-house / cubby for inside the house.  (He already has a bed in each of 4 rooms but when the storms come he doesn't use them as he wants to hide)

My needs are:

* Economy (I'm a low income pensioner)

* Simplicity

* Base of the floor - possibly even use a dog bed with vertical non-splaying legs.

* Light weight (so that I can move it around if necessary)

* Easy to clean (He has a long coat and sheds lots)

* Big enough for him to get in and out easily but compact so that he feels safer

* Size needed will probably be approximately 80-90 cm long, 40 - 50 cm wide, 60 - 75 cm high

My own thoughts were possibly:

*A plastic tubing, wire or wooden frame

* If wire was used, bending it to provide several inverted U shaped supports on which I could drape a cover

* If wood is used, perhaps a pine frame with plywood (?) sides and top for lightness & a removable base or build so that frame fits around a dog bed

* If plastic tubing is used, it will depend on whether it is stiff or flexible and how it connects.  I have seen advertisements for garden frames that use plastic tubes and thought that may be a solution and good for lightness and ease of cleaning but I'm not sure of costs & suitability of available sizes and connectors and such.

I'd appreciate any suggestions at all.  I'm aware that medication is available for this sort of fear but I'd rather not have to go that way if I can avoid it.  I do have some natural calming tablets that I can use if I'm aware of the storm's likelihood before he is and can give them before he's upset.  The problem is that he seems to know when a storm is coming even hours before it arrives.

Anyway, thank you for reading this and if you have any suggestions, no  matter how left field, I'd appreciate reading them.

Thank you, in anticipation,

roger

[Jason]

Looking forward to seeing what you and the rest of the Bunnings Workshop community come up with @nonsibicunctis. I'm sure this will be a popular project.

Let me tag @MitchellMc and @EricL to kick off the discussion with their thoughts.

Jason

[MitchellMc]

Hi @nonsibicunctis,

You have some great ideas there. One element you haven't mentioned is noise suppression. That is what this all comes down to; he's scared of the noise. So, whatever type of enclosure you build will have to help block out noise. These enclosed spaces are helping him get through the storm, but he's only looking for them to hide from the noise.

My first idea would be to utilise under the bed in one of the rooms if he can fit. The mattress will be great to suppress sound, and I thought you could form up some walls if you could find some old sofa cushions. Having those thick cushions and mattress surrounding him is likely one of the best ways to isolate him from the thunder sounds.

You could build an enclosure yourself, and I'm all for D.I.Y.. However, I can't imagine you will come up with something better or more cost-effective than a Fido & Fletch Large Plastic Dog Kennel. I'd suggest some woollen blankets draped over it to suppress noise and a fluffy duvet inside to comfort him.

There are also ear muffs designed for dogs if you think that is something you could get him to wear. It might take some training, but they would certainly be worth looking into.

I'm here to assist if you are keen to build something yourself. I do feel, though, that creating a lightweight frame will only give him limited refuge.

Mitchell