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So, my dog always wants to be right under my feet when I'm working at my desk. Or tries to jump on my lap. Not ideal. Tried a dog bed on the floor, but nope, wanted to be closer, higher up. Got me thinking. An office chair, but for the dog?

Seemed like a project I could handle. Didn't want to spend a lot. Found an old office chair someone was getting rid of. You know the type, basic swivel chair, probably seen better days. Perfect.

Getting Started

First thing, I took the old chair apart. The base with the wheels and the gas lift thingy – that was the gold. Kept that. Tossed the worn-out seat cushion and the backrest. Didn't need 'em.

Then I had to figure out the actual seat for the dog. Needed a flat platform, maybe with some small sides so he wouldn't just slide off if he rolled over in his sleep.

Here's roughly what I did:

• Grabbed some leftover plywood I had in the garage.
• Measured roughly how big my dog is when he curls up. Added a bit extra space.
• Cut the plywood into a square shape for the base. Took a couple of tries to get the cut straight, my old saw isn't the best.
• Cut some smaller strips of plywood for low side walls, like a shallow box.
• Screwed it all together to make the basic platform with low sides. Pretty simple box, really.

Putting it Together

Okay, now the tricky part. Attaching my wooden box thing to the chair base. The base had a metal plate where the old seat attached, with some bolt holes. My box didn't line up, obviously.

So, I drilled some new holes in the bottom of my wooden box that matched the holes on the metal plate. Found some bolts and nuts that fit. Bolted the box securely onto the chair base mechanism. Gave it a good wiggle. Seemed solid enough.

Next, comfort. Can't have the dog just sitting on plain wood. Found some old foam padding, cut it to fit inside the box base. Glued it down.

Then, the cover. Used some tough fabric – I think it was leftover outdoor cushion fabric, easy to wipe clean. Pulled it tight over the foam and the wooden box sides, stapled it underneath like crazy with a staple gun. Made sure no staples were poking out where the dog could catch himself.

The Result?

Stood back and looked. It wasn't gonna win any design awards, that's for sure. Looked a bit homemade. But it was a sturdy, padded platform on a rolling, height-adjustable office chair base.

Brought the dog over. He sniffed it. Looked at me. Looked back at the chair. Wasn't sure what to make of it at first. I lifted him onto it. He sat down, looked around, then curled up! Used the little side walls as a pillow.

It actually worked. Now he's got his own spot right next to me while I work, at the same height. He seems happy. I'm happy I'm not tripping over him or getting clawed trying to get on my lap. Took an afternoon, used mostly scrap stuff I had lying around. Pretty good result, I'd say.