This doghouse is a box that is open at both ends which hangs via two U-frames bolted to the floor joists in your basement ceiling. One end has a hinged screen door; the other is pressed and sealed against an opening to the outside that has a draft-reducing flap or curtains. This hanging design not only saves your floor space, but the temperature of your doghouse also can be set the same with that of your basement, hence it is climate-controlled. If you have a heated or finished basement, it will be an even warmer escape for the animal in winter. In summer, most basements are cooler than outdoors without an air conditioner. If you are not willing to put it in the ceiling, put it on the floor and make an opening in your basement wall, which is just large enough to install a standard dog door, such as the magnetic-collar version that would cut down on unwanted critters moving in.

However, you should consider some things before building.

The size of the doghouse itself is limited only by the size of the dog. It could be small, cat-sized, large enough for one large dog, or for several small ones.

The size of the window opening is also limited by the size of the dog. Can the dog get through the existing window? If the dog cannot fit through the window, you may need to put in a new window. If you have no window at all, or it is in an inconvenient area, see the article on How to bring daylight into a basement for tips on how to create a new window or create an opening in your basement wall large enough to install a standard dog door.

Is the window already at ground level or below it in a window? Do you need to add some steps or a simple ramp for your pet? You might consider removing the steps or ramp later, once your pet no longer needs the initial assistance, so that burglars and kids will have no chance to get into your house through an open window.

Is your basement ceiling finished or unfinished? You can finish this design easily if you have open floor joists in an unfinished basement, but it can be attached to a finished one. If your basement ceiling is finished, you can remove a panel from the ceiling or cut a hole in it to get to the joists for hanging the box.

If you have a large dog or several large dogs that totally weight over 100 lbs, you might want to give the box an additional support by bolting the ceiling of the box into a joist, which supports the weight of the box in order to distribute the weight among three or more joists. If the box is large, you can add 4x4 legs to the corners to help supporting the load. On the other hand, you can put on the floor instead if you are afraid of the weight risk.