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.
10 DIY Dog Pool Plans
1. Rock Wading Pool for Dogs by April Wilkerson
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Materials: Concrete, large stone, rebar, mortar, PVC pipe with ball valve attachment, DRYLOCK masonry waterproofing
April Wilkerson has built a rock wading pool that’s perfect for four-legged furballs. It’s built out of large decorative rocks using mortar to hold them together. A cement pad was poured for the floor. Waterproofing compound was used to coat the entire inside so that it would be watertight. A PVC pipe with a valve was even installed so that the pool can be easily drained. This project will take several days and an advanced level of DIY skill. The result is very attractive and the dogs loved it!
2. 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!
3. Pallet Doggie Pool Area by Easy Pallet Ideas
- Difficulty: Easy/Beginner
- Materials: Several wooden pallets, plastic kiddie pool, saw, hammer & nails or , screw gun & screws
This pallet doggie pool area is designed by easy pallet ideas. It’s a very low-cost and easy to build project that will provide your pup with the perfect place to relax and enjoy the water. If you already have pallets laying around then your materials cost may be nothing! If not, then you may be able to source them for free from a local home-improvement store.
4. Make Your Own Above-Ground Dog Pool by Dogsaholic
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Materials: Two sheets of plywood, vinyl liner or tarp, nails, screws, screw gun, circular saw
Dogsaholic has instructions to make your own above-ground dog pool. You can make this pool as large or as small as you like, depending on the breed of dog you have. If desired, you could even make it big enough to swim in with your dog! It’s constructed of plywood with a tarp to line the inside and make it watertight. You’ll need some tools to cut and assemble the wood, and it will take a moderate amount of DIY skill to complete.
5. Installing an In-Ground Pool for Your Doggie by Dogsaholic
- Difficulty: Easy/Beginner
- Materials: Shovel, plastic kiddie pool
Also from Dogsaholic, these instructions will help you install a plastic kiddie pool into the ground for your dogs to soak and play in. All you really need to complete this project are a plastic swimming pool, a shovel, and some old-fashioned elbow grease. You’ll simply dig a hole and insert the plastic pool, surrounding the outside with dirt so that the pool is level with the ground.
6. 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.
7. 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!
8. 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!
9. 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!
10. Deluxe Bone Pool Deck Plans from Dogpools
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Materials: Wood, plastic dog bone pool, screws, saw, screw gun
Dogpools offers plans for a deluxe bone pool deck. If you’re looking for an elegant solution that looks incredible and your dog will enjoy, then these plans will help you build it. But these are professional plans that you’ll have to pay for if you want the low-down on how to build a dog pool with a doggie bone shaped deck for your canine companion. It’s an advanced project, so you’ll need several tools and some DIY know-how and experience. But if you have that, this may be one of the most attractive pools you can build for your pup.
Featured Image Credit: lbharbor, Shutterstock
Contents
- 10 DIY Dog Pool Plans
- 1. Rock Wading Pool for Dogs by April Wilkerson
- 2. DIY Dog Pool by Instructables
- 3. Pallet Doggie Pool Area by Easy Pallet Ideas
- 4. Make Your Own Above-Ground Dog Pool by Dogsaholic
- 5. Installing an In-Ground Pool for Your Doggie by Dogsaholic
- 6. April Wilkerson’s DIY Dog Wading Pool
- 7. Hay Bale Swimming Pool from Simplemost
- 8. Above-Ground Pallet Pool by Awesomejelly
- 9. ULTIMATE Stock Tank Pool DIY by Stocktankpool
- 10. Deluxe Bone Pool Deck Plans from Dogpools
