Cape Breton couple build tiny 'dream home' with dog elevator

Two womenwho decided to give up their hectic work livesand sell everythinghave built themselvesa tiny house in Cape Breton with some unique features.

Judy Pratt and Nicky Duenkelmay have a very smallhouse, but the couple says they're living large nowthey've found their perfect home.

"This is our dream home and it has everything we can think of," Duenkel said.

"I'm retired and Nicky was working 60 to 80 hours a week and we just looked at one another and said, 'Is this the life we want to be living?'" said Pratt.

'A very big life'

The building's main floor is 175 square feet. They moved in two weeks ago.

"[The house] put our relationship, which is what our priority is, back into the centre of our lives. So with less bills to pay we will be able to work part time and actually be able to have a very big life in a tiny house," Duenkel said.

The narrow and steep stairs to the second floor, which is their bedroom, proved challenging for their dog. Their solution was to install a small doggy elevator.

Living together and sharing a small area doesn't mean they miss the extra space, Duenkel said.

"We still have our favourite spots and our favourite everything. So we were actuallytalking about how normal it feels to be in a tiny house and not much of a change we expected it to be."