End Table Dog Kennel

A little dog recently waggled his way into our lives. He's got some anxiety issues from his previous home, but he's the sweetest guy I could wish for. It seemed fitting to make him a comfy safe place to stay when we are out, but storebought crates are so unsightly.

New safe place.

When I saw this plan on Ana White's site, I knew that with some modification it would be perfect for him. Her kennel was much too large, both for my space and for the dog, so I cut it down to approximate the dimensions of the end table by the sofa. The overall finished size is about 22" tall, 24" wide, and 27" deep.

The crate before adding the top.

I spent a bit of time figuring out the new dimensions and drawing them out on paper. For the rails, I had some modling strips on hand, so I used those for the vertical sections to add a bit of visual interest. I also thought that the side panels could use some jazzing up, so I wrapped the 1/4 inch ply with some fabric fat quarters that I'd found for 99c. They'd been sitting in a drawer just waiting for the right project. I used my trusty staple gun to attach the fabric. I could have gone with Modge Podge, but wanted the option to change out if I changed my mind/decor. I used the leftover paint from my shoe bench and coffee table to tie it together with the rest of the room.

"Why can't I just sleep on the sofa while you're out? I'll be good. Promise."

I opted to forgo putting a bottom on it. We will be moving  again (twice) in the next few weeks, so I wanted to make it easy to disassemble. The sides and top are attached with small corner brackets on the inside. It stacks together in 5 flat pieces. He's got a fleecy pad in the bottom and his toys in there to make it cozy. He still doesn't love being crated, but is getting better with it each day.