10 DIY Dog Pools You Can Build at Home Today (With Pictures)
By Ed Malaker
Updated on
Dogs love to play in the water. Especially in the summer sun, it can be a great way for them to exercise and let off that excess energy while having a great time. If you have a little DIY spirit, you can easily build them a great pool for a low cost and give them the joy of a great new toy. Whether you want something you can throw together or you want a professional-looking permanent addition to your backyard, you could learn how to build a dog pool today.
Top 10 DIY Dog Pool Plans
1. DIY Dog Pool by Instructables
- Difficulty: Easy/Beginner
- Materials: Plywood, screws, tarp, screw gun
Instructables has plans for an ultra-simple DIY dog pool that you can build yourself in just a few minutes with only a minimal amount of experience. It only uses a few materials, and the only tool you’ll need is a screw gun. The bottom and sides are cut from a single sheet of plywood. Once screwed together, a plastic tarp is placed inside to make the box watertight. The tarp is attached to the outside of the wooden box so it stays in place. Then fill it up with water and watch your dogs have the time of their lives!
2. April Wilkerson’s DIY Dog Wading Pool
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Materials: Pressure-treated 2×6 and 2×4 boards, 1×4 boards for the decking, Titebond wood glue, plastic kiddie pool, wood stain, drain pipe for the pool, screws, screw gun, saw
April Wilkerson offers another DIY Dog Wading Pool. This one is constructed from wood and a plastic kiddie pool, and it even offers shade for your furry companions. It’s an advanced build, and it will require a good level of DIY skill, as well as several tools. You’ll construct the main support and the deck first, leaving a cutout for the kiddie pool to drop into. For aesthetics, the wooden deck can even be stained so it looks finished. The final result is a beautiful wading pool for your pups that even offers protection from the summer sun.
3. Hay Bale Swimming Pool from Simplemost
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Materials: Hay bales, ratchet strap, large tarp, heavy-duty tape
Simplemost offers plans to build a hay bale swimming pool that’s a great solution for bigger dogs. Larger breeds of dog may not be able to fit into the smaller pools that are built around plastic children’s pools. This one is constructed from hay bales set around a hole that was dug into the ground. A large tarp is used to cover the entire pool so it will hold water and a ratchet strap is used to hold it in place. You could stop there, but if you want a beautifully finished pool that looks like it’s meant to be there, then you might follow the instructions to build a wooden deck around your new doggie hay bale pool!
4. Above-Ground Pallet Pool by Awesomejelly
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Materials: Wooden pallets, extra-long ratcheting straps, large plastic tarps
This low-cost pool from Awesomejelly is framed entirely out of old wooden pallets. The pallets are held together with large ratcheting straps that span the entire circumference of the pool. Large tarps are used to cover the interior of the pool so it will hold water. For looks, you can attach anything around the exterior such as the wood panels used in the instructions. This pool is large enough for dogs of any size, and you can even use it for your relaxation as well!
5. ULTIMATE Stock Tank Pool DIY by Stocktankpool
- Difficulty: Easy/Beginner
- Materials: Stock tank, everything else is optional
Stocktankpool offers instructions for turning any regular stock tank into a great DIY stock tank pool that your dogs will love to play in on hot summer days! Stock tanks are available in many different sizes and shapes, and you can pick one that’s the right size for your pups. You can use the stock tank as it is and just fill it with water, or you can follow these instructions to install a drain, a pump, or even a deck around your stock tank puppy pool!
6. Rock Dog Pool by April Wilkerson
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Materials: Stone, mortar
The Rock Dog Pool by April Wilkerson is a great project for anyone with experience in masonry. The instructions show you how to create a shallow pool out of stone and mortar for your dog to play in and cool off. It builds up the walls to hold the water instead of requiring you to dig into the ground, so it’s a great option for people who live on rocky ground. While it’s considered an advanced project, the instructions are easy to follow, and it doesn’t require many tools and materials.
7. Dog Pool by Everything Ponds
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Materials: Stone, liner
The Dog Pool by Everything Ponds is more of a guide about dog pools in general than a step-by-step guide to making a specific one. However, with the advice, tips, and tricks that the author provides, you will have a good start on creating a dog pool from scratch that perfectly matches your environment and pet. The video covers everything from considering how your pet will get in and out to how to protect the pool from predators. It even discusses the best liner options and why you shouldn’t use certain types of pools, so it’s a great resource for anyone who wants to make a dog pool.
8. DIY Pool by Chin Chun Hardware
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Materials: PVC pipe, canvas
The DIY Pool by Chin Chun Hardware is a fun project that anyone can build using just a few items. The instructions are simple to follow, and you can customize them to make the pool larger or smaller, so this is a great option for people with more than one dog. Another benefit to this plan is that it’s easy to disassemble when the season ends.
9. Beach Pool by Mario Lences
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Materials: Sand
The Beach Pool by Mario Lences enables you to create a natural-looking sand pond on your property that would make a perfect swimming hole for your pet. It’s more difficult than the other swimming pools on this list, but it’s well worth the effort if you have the space on your property. The author did most of the work themselves and only required help at a few stages of the building process.
10. Truck Bed Pool by Arnie Negrete
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Materials: Part, tape
The Truck Bed Pool by Arnie Negrete is a great way to make a fast pool for your pet to cool off, using just an old tarp and tape. It only takes a few minutes to set up, and you can disassemble it just as quickly. You won’t want to make it too deep for your dog, but after they finish, you can fill it up more and enjoy it too. The best part about this idea is that it’s portable, so you can set it up quickly to help your pet cool off at state parks, campsites, and other remote areas.
Conclusion
Not only do humans enjoy pools – but so do our beloved pets. Building a sog pool that caters to the needs, restrictions and water skill level of your pooch makes their experience a great and safe one. Hopefully, you found an idea on our list that you love and are eager to build!
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Featured Image Credit: lbharbor, Shutterstock
