10 original ideas to create a dog or cat bed using recycled materials
The kennel plays a fundamental role in the life of our four-legged friends. For dogs, in fact, the kennel represents a place where they can take refuge and where they can feel safe and calm, away from any dangerous situations that may arise. Each of us has a place in our home where we feel safe and where we take refuge to relax or to get away from discussions with parents, partners or roommates: for dogs this safe place is the kennel.
Over time, dogs become an integral part of the family they live with and, precisely because of the unconditional affection they feel towards their four-legged friends, many owners leave their dogs the freedom to get on the bed, sofa or armchairs present in the house. This choice, dictated above all by the affection we feel towards our pets, does not however exclude the need felt by dogs to have a quiet corner, completely dedicated to them and designed to meet their needs.
The importance of the kennel for the well-being of our four-legged friends has also been confirmed by science, in particular by canine ethology which mainly deals with the study of the behavior implemented by dogs in different habitats and in different situations, of language and the relationships they establish with other animals. One of the fundamental principles of canine ethology refers precisely to the importance of creating and letting the dog live its own kennel. The dog, using the kennel frequently to sleep or simply to pass the time in solitude, will begin to identify the position of the kennel with its identity, this is because, by living the kennel as a place of its own, will be able to acquire self-esteem and above all greater safety. Over time the kennel will become a place where the dog will feel completely safe, whatever the emotional state he is in at that moment. Being experienced only by him, the kennel will become a position for the dog in which to feel unassailable and therefore totally at ease and safe from any dangers or attacks.
The kennel therefore represents an element of primary importance for the well-being and happiness of our four-legged friends and building for them, with our hands, a safe place where they can take refuge represents on our part a gesture of deep love and sincere affection. towards those who always manage to make us smile and give us their company without asking for anything in return.
Before talking specifically about the different types of kennels that you can build for your dog, it is important to make some premises.
To build the perfect kennel for your four-legged friend it will be necessary to create a project that must be designed taking into account the specific needs and characteristics of the dog that will then use the kennel. Furthermore, if your desire is to make a covered kennel then the first element to take into account is certainly the size of your dog. It is important that, inside the kennel that you are going to build, your dog can stand upright on its paws without any difficulty and that it can also lie down comfortably while remaining completely inside the kennel.
In the design and construction of a covered kennel it is essential to calibrate the width of the entrance in the right way. In fact, it may be a little lower, so as to retain the internal heat in the winter months, but be careful not to overdo it: your dog must have the possibility of comfortably accessing his kennel, this also to favor the perception of the same. as a safe place to feel protected.
In this article, we will give you 10 ideas to create your do-it-yourself dog's bed using recycled materials, thus giving our four-legged friends a refuge where they can feel safe and, at the same time, avoid the waste to ensure respect for our planet.
- Pallets or wooden boxes
Creating this kennel is really very simple. In fact, you just need to recycle a pallet of the most suitable size for your dog's size or even a simple wooden box, paying particular attention to removing any splinters that may be present on the surface, thus avoiding that your dog can get injured.
To complete the kennel you just need to insert a pillow that makes everything more comfortable and welcoming; you can also fix it with screws to prevent the dog from carrying it around. Finally, the funniest part is definitely that of the decoration: we recommend adding a tag with your dog's name along with some of his favorite games.
- An old suitcase
Has your suitcase zipper broken and you no longer know how to use it? We have the solution!
Broken suitcases are perfect for turning into comfortable kennels for your dogs. The only thing you will have to do is fill the inside of your suitcase with towels, old pillows or some blankets to create a soft surface ready to welcome your four-legged friends.
It is the perfect solution for those who need to frequently move their pet's bed.
- A plastic plant pot
Recycling containers or plastic objects is always good and right.
A simple plastic planter can become, with the necessary precautions, a perfect kennel for your four-legged friend.
You simply have to take your old planter, wash it well, turn it upside down and create a hole in the front that allows your dog to easily enter his new kennel and feel safe.
To make everything more welcoming, we recommend that you insert a nice pillow or some old blanket inside the planter.
- An old tire
By making a kennel from an old tire you will offer your dog not only a comfortable and safe shelter, but also a source of guaranteed fun.
After having carefully washed and cleaned your tire, just insert a very soft and comfortable cushion in the inner part, where the wheel rim is usually positioned.
If you have more tires available, your dog will have fun hopping from one kennel to another and his fun and enjoyment will be guaranteed.
- A wicker basket
Has a little dog just entered your life? A wicker basket is the right solution to make it feel at home.
Perfect for puppies but also for small and medium-sized dogs, the kennel made from wicker baskets is quick and easy to make: just insert something soft and comfortable inside on which your puppies can rest.
And for the decorations? Feel free to give free rein to your imagination and creativity!
- The monitor of a pc
Do you have a small dog and an old monitor that you no longer use?
Then you are ready to create a technological kennel for your puppy.
The construction of this kennel will require some time and attention as it will be necessary to remove all the electrical components inside your monitor, until only the casing remains.
After thoroughly cleaning the inside of the kennel, just complete it with a soft cushion and maybe decorate it externally with your puppy's name.
- A bedside table
An old bedside table with an opening door could become your four-legged friend's new bed. How?
Simple, you just need to: remove the door, smooth the surfaces that may be rough or sharp to the touch and be sure to remove any metal elements inside our bedside table.
Add a pillow or an old blanket inside the cabinet and that's it!
- A water barrel
Have you ever thought that an irrigation hose could become a kennel for your dog? We tell you yes!
All you have to do is roll the irrigation hose on itself trying to form a circle, being careful to leave enough space in the center for your dog. By following this procedure you will be able to obtain an external structure formed by the different layers of tube and an empty internal space that you can fill with a soft pillow. Before filling the new kennel, we advise you to fix the various layers obtained by rolling the tube with ropes or twine, to prevent the rope from unrolling.
- A sweater now to be thrown away
At every change of season there is always at least one sweater that, with no small effort, we decide to throw away. What if we told you instead that you could turn it into a new and comfortable bed for your little dog?
All you have to do is get a pair of scissors, needle, thread and soft material for the padding of the new kennel.
The procedure is very simple: you just need to sew the neck of the sweater with a needle and thread, and then insert some soft material inside it. In the same way, proceed by also filling the sleeves and sewing the two cuffs of the sweater together, so as to form the outer frame of our kennel.
Seeing is believing!
- Old T-shirts and hangers
Do you have t-shirts and metal hangers to throw away? Don't do it!
These two elements will be enough to create a soft and welcoming bed for your dog.
The procedure is very simple, all you have to do is create with the hangers a structure similar to those used for camping tents that you will then cover with your t-shirt. You just have to fill the structure you have created with a soft cushion and the doghouse is ready.
