Adopting little Lady was a dream that I cannot believe we pursued so soon, let alone while we are living in an RV. Moving to Florida has been life changing & healing. Part of that healing is due to our dear old pup, Leroy, that we are finally living closer to! Rehoming our Leroy to my sister was a no brainer decision that also broke our hearts. Because of this, I honestly thought we would never get another dog. It didn’t really sit right while me until we moved here & saw how sweet & blessed Leroy’s life is. I is 100% through & through a Florida pup & truly belongs to my sister. He is a dream & I wish every person had the chance to love Leroy.

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The process of finding Lady was sudden but also so perfect. There was no doubt that she was meant to be apart of our little family & be a little buddy to Leroy who we see so often now. Her spunky personality & majestic mannerisms melt my heart. She is the definition of an annoying little sister to Leroy & can completely hold her own. All three pounds of her. Deciding to take the leap of adding another puppy to our home was prayed & well thought about. The biggest thing that was an issue when we had Leroy was how would our home be. Would we be able to offer the home they need. That is the most important thing after all. With Lady, we knew that introducing her to the RV life couldn’t be more perfect.

some favorite pet items we use

Small Space Lifestyle for Ample Living

Not only do you have dog food bowls & toys & baskets of doggie goods, but as we crate train Lady to be house broken & love her little “room”, having a small sweetie was needed. Keeping a crate was totally doable, but having that extra two feet square of floor space was also missed. Organizing our space to keep these two cubes on the side of our island open was the real game changer. Taking the side door of her kennel off & using these double pointed tacks to attach it the the opening of the cube created the perfect little built in home for her. The exact same size of her kennel. Now a cozy space she can keep her toys, find comfort & rest & stability while still being close to use. Also - right next to the fireplace so she can stay warm in the chilly nights.

Creating a Built In Dog Kennel

This concept could not have worked better for us living tiny. I would 100% do this again even in a sticks & bricks home. The idea of crate training is important to us as we love encouraging Lady that she has HER own room. Her own safe keeping that is stable & consistent. Creating this in a normal sticks & bricks home is very common as well! Whether you take down some cabinet doors & use this method or build your own wooden box, there are many ways you can create a more discreet form of having a dog kennel for your pup.

shop our puppy corner - be sure to pay attention to the dimension of the kennel

If this is something you want to do, be sure to measure what crate to use. We used an 18 inch double door kennel & used the wide side. Using one that had a door made it so simple to just tack it to the opening. Rather than attaching it using hinges or anything like that. Measure, Measure, Measure.

How We Made a Built In Dog Kennel in our RV

First measure the size of the opening you will enclose for your pup. Always be sure they have ample breathing room & can stand comfortably inside. Our small pom fits perfectly in this space & will for her lifetime as she is a toy.

Once you know how big you need it, find the crate that will have a wall with a door that fits. Depending on your space you might have to cut it down - we did not but you would use a grinder.

Hammer the double pointed tacks around the border of the grate. We did one in each corner & then one in the middle of each side. They hold the wall super well & Lady is safe from the pointers not poking through or the door falling off. She is safe & sound inside.

Lastly, find a comfy bed or mat that fits inside to protect your surface & keep your pup cozy. Eventually they will learn this to be there special room & safe keeping.