Some dog owners may be looking for a relatively small dog crate, in which their dog can sleep. Smaller crates can also be used to contain your dog when guests are over, or if you need to be out of the house for several hours at a time. [2] X Research source On the other hand, dog owners may want a larger crate—or even a primarily outdoor crate—that can house the dog for longer periods of time. A large crate can also serve as a place for the dog to sleep. If you have the time, you could also visit nearby pet supply stores and look at the manufactured crates that the store offers. This will give you an idea of common crate sizes, and you can see which would work best for your own dog
Consider building your crate out of wood if you’d like for it to be located indoors, and if your dog will not be spending large amounts of time (over 8 hours) in the crate. You should not leave a dog unattended in an indoor crate for longer than 8 hours at a time. It can be unhealthy for the animal to go longer without access to food, water, and a place to go to the bathroom. Consider building your crate from chain link if you plan to keep it outdoors, and if your dog will be spending more substantial amounts of time in the crate. If your dog will be in the crate for over 8 hours, provide it with food and water. Although it is not technically a crate, some dog owners build their animals large outdoor enclosures—for example, 150 square feet—to give the animal plenty of space to move and use the bathroom.
Pine is very common when it comes to animal crates—it’s a sturdy, common, and cheap wood. You will also need to purchase a tape measurer, nails and hinges, and a hammer. Unless you already have a door for the dog cage, or plan to build your own, you can buy a gridded metal cage door, which you can attach to the side of the crate. All of these materials should be available at a local hardware store.
When you measure the planking before making the cuts, trace a pencil along the lines where you need to cut. This will help you guide the saw while you are cutting and will ensure that your cut pieces of wood are the correct size.
Stand the three wooden side-pieces (two sides and the back) next to the base-piece of the crate. Align the pieces, and then nail the sides and back into the bottom plank. Put your top piece on top of the crate’s sides. Make sure that the edges of the top align with the sides, and then nail the top in place.
You may be able to attach the hinges to the side of the crate using gorilla glue or another extreme adhesive. If you must use screws or nails to attach the hinges, make sure to file down the screw or nail tips on the inside of the cage, so they do not stab your dog. If you don’t have a file, use your hammer to bend the tips of the screws or nails so that they are parallel to the wood planking and can’t scratch your dog. Make sure that the door can open freely.
Plan for the fencing to be at least 4 feet high, so that your dog will not leap out of the crate. You can also purchase a readymade top to affix to the top of the crate—this should guarantee that the dog will not escape.
If you decide to bring a chain-link dog crate inside, you could affix the bottom of the fencing material to a large piece of plywood that has been cut to the dimensions of the crate.
Chain-link crates are typically installed outside. Consequently, in order to prevent dogs from digging out under the chain link, you may need to dig down and bury the bottom edge of the crate fence about a foot deep. [6] X Research source
Even setting plywood up against the edges of the crate will keep wind from coming in, and placing a couple sheets of plywood on the top of the crate will prevent sun and rain from hitting the dog.
