I’m a dog lover, always have been. For people like me, pooches aren’t pets, they’re family. With all family members we strive to make them as much a part of our lives as possible. We love when they snuggle up, go for walks, or runs for the less lazy among us. Part of developing a good relationship with a dog and making sure they’re healthy and happy is providing their own space, no humans allowed! After all, we place limits on where they can go—this is not your room!—even though they don’t always obey.
After pondering how to best address this question I said to myself, “You’ve been roofing in Milwaukee for years. Put your skills to use, this should be a snap!” That’s when the idea fell on me like a ton of milk bones. Leveraging my handy ways and my ultimate set of tools, I set out to build homes for hounds.
It took some experimentation to come up with designs that conformed to what worked best for the four-legged among us. Dogs come in sizes and shapes that vary far more than they do among us human folk. What works for a Chihuahua isn’t going to work for an Irish Wolfhound. Then there is the climate to consider. Residents of Florida who want their canine companions to stay comfy have different design specs than those in Wisconsin. Nor are cold weather dogs such as huskies going to require the same amenities as dogs like the Hungarian Vizsla, which lacks an undercoat and is more sensitive to colder temperatures. Conversely, a husky in southern climes is going to beg for some relief from the heat.
By enlisting the help of all my dog-owning friends and family I created a focus group to test out various designs and features to see what worked for dogs all across the spectrum, large to small, thick coats to thin ones, and shedders to wire haired types, making houses that stayed clean a priority. I was a hit, and I became Denise Jenson, dog house builder!