5 DIY Projects for (Wo)man’s Best Friend

There’s no doubt about it – we would do anything for our dogs. From giving them healthy foods (free range chicken and sweet potato, anybody?) to retracing our every step until we find our dog’s lost favorite toy, we’re dedicated to providing the best for our furry friends. So, if you’d like to make something special and custom for your pet, check out these five diy dog projects.

This article is sponsored by PVCFittingsOnline.com

Dog Bed for Down Time

It’s important to give your dog a dedicated space to feel safe and comfortable. We recommend making a dog bed out of PVC pipe and canvas. This elevated dog bed is great for both indoor and outdoor use. Plus, this bed marks the perfect spot for the “place” command during training. If you’re ready to make this bed for your furry friend, get the full instructions and video here. This is one diy dog project your pup is sure to enjoy!

Agility Equipment for the Hard-Working, High-Energy Doggo

If you’d like to go beyond obedience training, you can try agility training. This training exercises your canine friend’s mind and body. Instead of purchasing costly training equipment, you can make your own with inexpensive, durable PVC piping. The following instructions are for a 6-pole weave. You can adjust the number of poles to suit your needs.

Materials

• 1” Sch. 40 PVC pipe cut into the following lengths:
  (6) 12 in.
  (5) 20 in.
  (6) 35 in.
• (4) 1” 4-way PVC tees
• (2) 1” 3-way PVC tees
• (12) 1” PVC caps

Steps:

1: Begin making the base of the weave poles by connecting three of the 20 in. pieces of pipe with the four 4-way tees. Make sure you alternate which way the middle opening of the tee faces. If your first tee has the middle opening pointing towards the right, the next tee should have the opening pointing towards the left, and so on.

2: Continue making the base of the weave poles by adding the two remaining pieces of 20 in. PVC to the tees on the ends of the base you formed in step 1. Slip the two 3-way tees onto the opposite ends of those last two 20 in. pieces. Make sure the middle opening of these 3-way tees follows the same alternating pattern as established in step 1.

3: Finish assembling the base of the weave poles by slipping the six 12 in. pieces of PVC into the middle openings of the six tees from steps 1 and 2. These pieces of PVC help stabilize the structure. This will finish off the base of the weave.

4: Attach the poles. To do this, simply fit the six 35 in. pipes into the top openings of the six tees from steps 1 and 2.

5: Cap off all the openings. Press the twelve caps into all the pipe openings (the tops of the poles and the open ends of the stabilizing pipes).

6: After dry fitting all the pieces together, secure the poles in place with PVC cement and primer or a drill and screw. If you skip this step, the poles may knock loose or spin while your dog is training – an inconvenience and a distraction to your dog.

7: You’re ready to start agility training with your dog!

Food Dispensing Toy for Enrichment

Just like humans, dogs love tasty treats. But unlike the majority of us, dogs also enjoy working for their treats. You can make a homemade dog enrichment toy to develop your furry friend’s mind. Simply take a 1.5” PVC pipe and cut it to 8 inches in length. Then, drill five holes into the pipe with a 5/8 inch drill bit and smooth the edges with a file or sandpaper. Next, slip 1.5” PVC caps onto both ends of the pipe. These caps will keep dog treats from falling out of the ends. Finally, add dry dog food or treats to the toy and let your dog work out the puzzle of getting the food out.

Handheld Dog Washer for a Squeaky-Clean Dog

Nothing can be quite as frustrating as a muddy dog who won’t stay still in a bathtub or kiddie pool. Take some of the hassle out of trying to wrangle your dog into the tub and use a DIY handheld dog washer. This washer forms a rectangle that attaches to the gardening hose. Your dog then simply steps through the stream pouring through the holes in the rectangle. While your dog may not be squeaky-clean (what dog ever is?), this handheld washer could be the solution you need for a stubborn or skittish dog during bath time.

Materials:

• ¾” Sch. 40 PVC pipe cut into the following lengths:
  (1) 16 in.
  (2) 18 in.
  (2) 7 ½ in.
  (1) 8 in.
  (1) ¾ in.
• (4) ¾” PVC elbow
• (1) ¾” PVC tee
• (1) ¾” PVC female adapter

Steps:

1: Make the bottom of the handheld dog washer by adding two of the elbows to the 16 in. piece of PVC, with the openings of the elbows pointing up.

2: Make the sides by inserting the two 18 in. lengths of PVC into the elbows from step 1.

3: Make the top of the washer by adding the remaining elbows to the top of the 18 in. lengths of PVC, with the openings of the elbows pointing inwards. Insert the two 7.5 in. pieces of PVC pipe into the elbows, then add the tee. The opening of the tee should point up.

4: Make the hose attachment by inserting the 8 in. length of PVC into the top of the tee. Then, attach the female adapter to the end of this piece of pipe.

5: Drill holes into the pipes forming the sides, bottom, and top of the washer. Before drilling, mark spots two inches apart in a straight line along one side of each pipe. Using a power drill, create holes in the pipe on these two-inch marks (do not drill through to the other side of the pipe). Next, use a sanding bit to clean up the holes. Turn the pipes around so the holes face towards the center of the frame.

6: Wash your dog! Connect the gardening hose to the female adapter, turn the water on, and clean away.

Puppy Play Gym for Our Fur Babies

What’s cuter than a baby mobile of farm animals? A puppy play gym with tiny toys! What is a puppy play gym? It’s a cube made out of PVC pipe and fittings with puppy toys and balls hanging from its top. The play box introduces puppies to common sounds, sights, and motions that they will experience in their daily lives. It acts as a great stimulation tool to help puppies acclimate and grow in confidence. To make a puppy play gym, you need the following supplies:

• 1” PVC pipe cut into the following lengths:
  (12) 30 in.
• (8) 1” 3-way PVC tees
• (6) Plastic shower rings
• About 18 ft. of plastic chain (or rope)
• Small dog toys (stuffed toys, tennis balls, old plastic cups or bowls, etc.)

Check out this adorable video of puppies playing in the puppy play gym at the Asheville Humane Society to see just how this DIY project should look once assembled.

Paw-some DIY Dog Projects

These five PVC diy dog projects are sure to create special memories between you and your fur baby. And you don’t have to stop here! There are so many more options for crafting with PVC piping – even décor for your dog room. Let your imagination run wild and create memorable moments with your dog with DIY PVC projects.

This article is sponsored by PVC Fittings Online. PVC Fittings Online provides homeowners, builders, and DIY enthusiasts a place to shop online for PVC & CPVC Pipe, fittings, the hard to find specialty items not found at the big box stores. They provide a wide range of products in the plumbing supply industry including PVC pipe & fittings, CPVC pipe & fittings, PVC valves and more.