So, for the first DIY after a long break...
DIY Dog Gate!!!
This ordeal all started 4th of July weekend. Our normally house-trained furkid decided outside wasn't safe and went on a potty strike. He is terrified of any noise that comes from above. Usually, we are able to prepare him for storms with enough notice and can manage the rest of his triggers. However, our wonderful neighbors decided that the week prior to the 4th and the week following were acceptable times to randomly celebrate.
So, we'd take him out throughout the day for potty breaks and try to get him to go out in the evenings, but once it starts getting dusky...NO WAY! He'd just hide by the door and shake. Eventually, we only offered to take him out, but didn't push the issue. The stress he went though wasn't worth it.
This is also the weekend he had an upset stomach. Great times.
So, we had a potty strike coupled with tummy troubles. We went to bed and left him out as usual and woke up to a mess all over the dining room. The dining room has a door that leads outside, so I guess he figured it was close enough.
He's pretty much back to normal, but he got into the habit that if we weren't available to let him out (and he won't wake us) that the door by the dining room makes an acceptable substitute. The easiest way to correct this is to not make that room an option.
We had our dining room chairs, pieces of leftover bead board/plywood, and a large box of beer blocking his access, but I was fed up of walking by that ugliness.
I toyed with the idea of purchasing a section of outdoor picket fencing and having actual gates inside. The problem with that is they are heavy and well, I didn't want to go to the store.
The "gates" I ended up making are actually made from leftover faux wood blinds from when I upgraded our basement window coverings. I just separated each slat from the strings of the blinds, laid them out to the correct measurement (for our doorways it was 32"). Then, to hold them all together I first used spray adhesive to attach the cross-slats. The spray adhesive wasn't quite strong enough so I went back over with a hot glue gun.
Three cross-slats on each side (front and back) with the vertical slats sandwiched between.
To attach to the wall, I hung it in the doorway with command hooks (4 for each gate). It is easily moved and when not in use is thin enough to be slid behind the couch.
This gate probably won't work for a really determined dog, but Quest has a great understanding of boundaries. Once he see's a barrier (unless it's super short), he generally won't cross it.
This project was made from supplies I already had around the house, so was FREE! It sure beats the "ugly" baby gates that are usually around $70 each.
