World's Most Expensive Doghouse

There was a time when the phrase ‘being sent to the dog house’ was synonymous with being punished for having done something wrong. It was an undesirable place which dogs would do all that they could to avoid. Not anymore for two lucky Great Danes, as their owner has recently commissioned a luxury puppy pad (that's a dog kennel) that is due to cost in the region of £250,000. Yes, that's around $400,000, folks. And that makes it the world's most expensive dog house. 

A female surgeon, who wishes to remain anonymous, has approached one of the UK’s top architects to commence building work on a luxury £1.4 million property, which will be located in the prestigious 550-acre Lower Mill Estate on the Cotswolds Water Park in Gloucestershire. Architect Andy Ramus is due to begin work on the three bedroom property in Spring.

This very title should conjure up thoughts of a genuine royal palace located somewhere in Copenhagen, but no, instead it is a perfectly apt way of describing the planned canine quarters which will be a quarter of the size of the overall property. The pair of Great Danes can whimper longingly at the prospect of each having their very own bedrooms. The rooms will come equipped with sheepskin-lined, temperature controlled beds, which the dogs will be able to elevate accordingly, in order to survey their kingdom. They will also have large windows which will afford views on to their own private playgrounds. This is the world's most expensive doghouse, after all.

Refreshments will be just a touch of the paw away and will provide chilled and filtered water and doggylicious deluxe dried food. The owner really has thought of everything by planning to include self-clean bowls for this pampered pair. When the dogs fancy a few tunes, or want to watch some specially selected canine clips on a 52-inch plasma television, they can take advantage of their £150,000 state of the art sound and entertainment system.Yes that's right the world's most expensive doghouse boasts a stereo system that costs more than many people's homes.

There will also be a day lounge and a spa bath with saline treatment intended to optimise the condition of their coats.

Unfortunately for the dogs, the owner is not planning to allow them to extend social invitations to others within the area, as a retina scanner is being installed which will prevent other dogs from entering.

The owner of the Lower Mill Estate, near Cirencester, is Jeremy Paxton. He has said that “ It’s a very interesting house with fabulous architecture and unusual requirements. Most houses are built with human specifics in mind and animals fit in around that, but this is the other way around”.

Another spokesperson for the estate, Dee McCourt, has admitted that “It’s amazing. This lady obviously cares an awful lot about her dogs. We offer a bespoke service, but this is the first animal request that we’ve had”.

Of course, we probably all know of someone that is prepared to go to any lengths to ensure the comfort of their beloved and pampered pooch. Often, it is an owner’s way of rewarding the unconditional loyalty that their dog permanently displays to them and if you have the money and are able to afford something that may seem to be exuberant to others, that are less well off, why shouldn’t you spend that extra cash?

It would appear that these sentiments are becoming put into practice more and more and there is a lucrative market for extravagant doghouses for the wealthier dog owners. Prior to the Lower Mill Estate Property, Japan seemed to have the commanding edge on this top-end doghouse market, holding the record for the world's most expensive dog house.

In 2007, a unique doghouse was created for a Tokyo department store. Although it featured the shape of the face of a well known feline character in Japan, on the lining cushion, the opulent luxury structure was intended for smaller breeds of dogs, such as terriers or Chihuahuas. The house was made of some 7,600 Swarovski crystals and was called the Hello Kitty Doghouse. The creator was Sanrio, who had previously been commissioned to make other Kitty-themed goods for the definite market that exists for this type of item.

The Hello Kitty Doghouse reached $31,660 USD, which translates to around £24,000. When you consider the size of this doghouse, in comparison to that of the Lower Mill Estate doghouse, inch for inch, this house really does exude the most luxury. Any dog that is lucky enough to take up residence in this little palace really would feel like a prince, or Rex (which is Latin for King you know).

by Julie-Ann Amos, professional writer, and owner of international writing agency www.ExquisiteWriting.com

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