Dogs love to play. Not only is it fun, but it’s also a great way to burn off their excess energy. Dogs like playgrounds as much as kids do, but most people don’t think of building a backyard playground for dogs. Luckily, there are tons of DIY dog playground ideas that you can build at home to give your dog a space that they will love. You can keep your dog healthy and have fun without leaving the yard!
No matter what kind of dog you have or the size of your yard, there’s a DIY playground plan here for you!
The 6 DIY Dog Playground Plans
1. Dog Park Transformation by BringFido
| Materials: | Bamboo poles, scrap material, PVC pipe, plywood, hinges |
| Tools: | Screwdriver, screws, saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
This DIY dog park from BringFido includes a slalom course, tether pull, hurdles, an A-frame climbing tower, and even a teepe-style doghouse! It’s everything that a dog could ever want!
This plan is based on reusing and repurposing scrap materials that you have lying around, so you can add on or pare down according to your supplies or your space.
2. Tire Tunnel by PetDIYs.com
| Materials: | Old tires, paint, nuts, bolts |
| Tools: | Shovel, drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
This DIY tire tunnel uses old tires to make a play tunnel for your dog. If you don’t have used tires lying around, pick a few up from the junkyard or your local tire shop. You’ll need a place to dig a rectangular hole and drill holes in the bottom of the tires for drainage.
This project requires little technical skill, so practically anyone can take it on!
3. Make Your Own Dog Obstacle Course by Hill’s
| Materials: | PVC piping, soccer cones, cardboard boxes, plywood, bricks |
| Tools: | N/A |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
These obstacle course plans are easy to follow and can be adapted to any skill level. It’s easy to create ramps, jumps, and tunnels using leftover scrap materials. This project is low cost and simple to build in a few hours. All you need is a little creativity. An obstacle course is a great project that will allow your dog to play and train his mind, agility, and obedience at the same time!
4. Build-Your-Own PVC Wing Jumps
| Materials: | PVC piping, pipe fittings, jump cup strips, Christmas tree fasteners |
| Tools: | Something to cut PVC pipe |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
These wing jumps are legal for AKC, USDAA, and UKI agility competitions, and they’re easy to make yourself out of PVC pipe. If you’re not competing, you don’t need to make the jumps to spec, but the plans give you a good outline for various dog agility jumps.
5. DIY Dog Agility Course by PetDIYs.com
| Materials: | Two sheets of 2×4 plywood, wood strips, brackets, support bars, PVC pipe |
| Tools: | Drill, screws, saw |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
A DIY dog agility course is a great way to keep your dog busy and burn off excess energy. This plan includes a teeter-totter and jumps poles. It’s relatively simple to build with a few supplies that you can pick up at your local hardware store. These obstacles are also great for instilling confidence in your dog and a way to fit in extra training time.
6. Weave Poles by SpiritDog
| Materials: | Pool noodles, alligator clips |
| Tools: | Scissors or knife to cut the pool noodles |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Weave poles are used in dog agility competitions and are ideal for engaging your dog’s mind and body. You can buy sets of weave poles or use pool noodles to make a few yourself.
Conclusion
Dog playgrounds are easy to make with a bit of imagination. In most cases, you can use scrap materials that you have lying around. You can create a backyard space that your dog will love with a little creativity and time!
Featured Image Credit: Blue Bird, Pexels
