Golden Retriever’s Custom, Luxury Doghouse Made from Converted Closet Under the Stairs

Emily Schroeder
·3 min read
2

Courtesy of John Lower / Instagram

If MTV Cribs had a canine reboot, there's no doubt that this lucky pup's pad would be the show-stopper. Teddy, a golden retriever from South Carolina, has become a trending TikTok sensation—partly because he's an adorable pup, but mostly because of the incredibly awesome doghouse that his owner created.

Jonathan Lower, known to his Instagram followers as John Lower The Home Project Guy, documents how he converted an old utility closet under the stairs into Teddy's new den. The luxury lair is complete with a flat-screen TV, fireplace, and a custom portrait of the cute and cuddly golden hanging over the mantle (yes, that is correct…I said 'mantle'!).

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Lower, a real estate agent in South Carolina, tells Daily Paws that the inspiration for Teddy's dream house originated from a walk-through with a client. "The sellers had a playhouse for their daughters under the stairs. It was just an open space with toys, but for some reason, the thought popped into my head that it would be neat to have a dog house exterior with a doggy door going into that space," he says.

The video has resonated with a wide audience since it was shared in mid-March, earning more than 3.5 million views and thousands of comments on TikTok.

Creating a Luxury Doggy Room

When it came to the creation of Teddy's awesome space, Lower says he started with the inside. "I built him a custom bed with slide out drawers, custom golden retriever fairy lights above, new lighting, shiplap, a functional fireplace, TV, and a custom portrait." Once the inside of the golden's special room was complete, Lower says he constructed the stone and craftsman-style outside part that appears in the home's hallway, which he finished off with a custom mat. But Teddy's suite space wasn't an overnight DIY dog house. He says construction of the inside took about a week and a half of work during the evening, and the outside took a full day to finish.

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Lower admits that since it's just the two of them in the house, "all of my extra and spoiling goes to Teddy, until we find him a dog mom." And it's not hard to do considering all the snuggles this furry four-legged friend has provided. Lower tells Daily Paws that in the last few years alone, he's lost a young sister, grandpa, aunt, and his father. Through it all, he says, "Teddy has been there for me and I couldn't repay him enough. He truly is my best friend and I will continue to spoil him for all he has done for me."

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A post shared by John Lower Thehomeprojectguy (@jlower12)

It's clear these two have an unbreakable bond and one that continues to grow through new projects and life stages. For their next DIY endeavor, Lower says he's getting ready to build a pool house and has plans to build Teddy a custom sidecar that will attach to his bike so the two can enjoy bike rides together.

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And you thought your pupper was pampered! Hey, if anything, maybe Teddy's house will serve as motivation to design your favorite friend their very own posh pad. Check out a few of our other favorite DIY doghouse ideas from Instagram for more inspiration. Happy building!