Do you remember the cupboard under the stairs that Harry Potter had to live in during his stays with the Dursley family? It was absolutely horrible—not only was it too small and not fit for living at all, but also Dudley would always stomp up and down the stairs.
Well, while it was completely awful for Harry, there are actually other inhabitants who have tried out the idea and loved it. In fact, they loved it so much that they didn’t want to leave!
Meet Coco, the cocker spaniel who got her very own cozy doggy room under the stairs
Image credits: Natasha Hammond
Meet Coco, a cocker spaniel from Warrington, UK, who got her very own safe space inside of her owner’s home—a cozy place under the stairs.
Natasha Hammond, Coco’s owner, with whom Bored Panda got in touch, built a comfortable dog room for Coco to sleep and rest in. It comes with a fluffy doggy bed, a night light, and a set of toys that are regularly exchanged for food and water bowls.
The room is also neatly decorated with a flower vase placed on the floor corner cover, as well as a picture of an adorable dog hung on the wall. It looks absolutely cozy and Coco seems to love it so much that she doesn’t want to leave the comfort of her new dog house.
"[Coco] is 6 and she is a working cocker spaniel. She is loved and adored and completes our family," said Hammond.
Image credits: Natasha Hammond
The doggy's owner decided to build a full-blown room to replace the crate the dog was living in
Image credits: Natasha Hammond
"The underside of our stairs have always been open and we loved the open plan feel," elaborated Hammond on the origins of the idea. "However, recently we've been wanting a spare room, so we have decided to build under-stair storage as part of our hallway redesign."
She continued: "Coco’s crate has always lived under the stairs but looked like an eyesore. Therefore, we decided to build her room as part of the under stair project that would look and feel so much nicer. Getting her bed completed first was our priority and we can now continue to complete it around her, knowing she has her own settled space again."
The cute dog has other locations around the house that she used to sleep in, but since the new doghouse room appeared, she hasn’t really gone to rest in any other place.
Image credits: Natasha Hammond
The room has a doggy bed, some toys, a light as well as a vase with flowers and a picture of a dog
Image credits: Natasha Hammond
"Crating dogs is very controversial amongst people who don’t understand the benefits. Some people see it as cruel," explained Hammond. "Coco was born into a Welping pen and was crate trained from the day we brought her home. We put the scent of her mum on a teddy and she settled straight away, no first night crying."
She continued: "From then on she slept in her crate with the door closed when we are out or at night. She likes it that way. During the day the door is always open and she has beds in other areas of the house, although since this new room has been built she prefers to go in there. We have tried to remove the crate before we built this room and she hated it. She cried, paced and was extremely anxious."
Image credits: Natasha Hammond
Coco likes it there as it brings her great comfort—so much in fact that she doesn't want to leave
Image credits: Natasha Hammond
Before this, Coco would sleep in a doggy crate, where she felt most comfortable and safest. According to Hammond, the cocker spaniel was born into a whelping pen and was trained to sleep in her crate. Her mom’s scent and a doggy toy were also placed there, which made sure she would be at ease whilst in there.
The project did not take very long, nor was it challenging, as Hammond explained: "It didn’t take long at all. We did most of it on Sunday when we were both off and then decorated it after work on two evenings. We found it really easy, but we are both quite creative—I had a vision and Mike (Hammond's partner) helped me to practically tweak it and problem solve. He’s really handy and good at building whereas I like to decorate and furnish!"
Hammond explained that, during the construction process, they tried removing the crate, but Coco seemed to hate it as she cried, paced around, and was feeling anxious. The now renovated doggy room is her safe place.
People loved the idea and the dog, with some sharing about their own pooches...
What are some of your doggy projects? Let us know in the comments below!