As the name implies, a barrel dog house is made from a barrel. Dogs prefer to sleep in shallow, curved holes and so many dogs naturally take to a barrel house better than other styles of dog houses. To make a barrel dog house, the barrel is laid on its side and an opening cut into one of the circular ends to allow access to the interior. To stabilize the barrel, one method is to use 2X6 boards with half-circles cut in them to fit the barrel; one at the front and one at the back. Another approach is to simply screw the barrel to two 2X4's laid on end.
Barrel dog houses can be made from old wooden wine barrels, 55-gallon plastic or metal barrels, and even smaller barrels - depending on the size of the dog. Just make sure used barrels are cleaned well and didn't contain any nasty chemicals that could be toxic to your pet.
Some dog owners like to place barrels inside a larger dog house so that the dog can curl up inside the barrel and conserve body heat. This is especially helpful for short-haired dogs like terriers or pit bulls. For extra warmth, cedar chips or other bedding can be placed in the barrel. Just remember to provide adequate ventilation so your dog can safely breathe.
