Looking for ways to combine your DIY passion with your love of pets? If so, then you’re in for a treat! Read on and we’ll show you some great at-home projects that your pets will end up adoring.
1. Dog Sandbox
Dogs like to dig.
Well, some dogs more than others. If you’ve got an excavator wrapped in fur, however, then you may want to quit fighting it and just let them have a place to dig.
The solution? Creating a sandbox for your canine to express their love of geology in.
It’s easy enough, you’ll just need some basic tools and some MDF to create a rigid frame. Then fill it up with play sand.
Best of all, it leaves plenty of room for customization. Designing one is easy, but the end result is a yard that’s not filled with holes.
2. Custom Pet Bed
Orthopedic beds can help to ease joint issues and arthritis in our pets. They can also help prevent them if the dog or cat has been sleeping on a great pet bed since the beginning of their lifetime.
Why not create your own custom pet bed? Create a frame, size it for your pet, and paint it in whichever style you wish.
Afterward, you have two options.
You can drop in a pre-made bed that fits the dimensions of your frame.
Or, if you have some upholstery skills, you can make a high-end, memory foam pet bed for a fraction of the retail cost. Simply buy memory foam and create the cover!
In either case, it’s a great investment in your pet’s health… and nap time!
3. Upcycled Doghouse
Fido needs a house, but there are only so many boxes made of 2×6’s with “quirky” tar paper roofs that you can stomach.
Why not try to clean up the environment a bit and make your dog a shelter?
Scrap wood is easy to find. In the sizes you’ll need for most dog houses you can even find pieces for framing with ease. You can go rustic or even refinish the wood for a professional look.
If you’re not sure which scrap to use, try looking at some pallet houses. Scrap wood goes a lot farther than most people think, why not give it a shot during your next DIY challenge?
4. Raised Food Bowls
Keeping food bowls off the ground is always a good idea. Especially for larger dogs, who may have to dip their heads quite far to eat off the floor.
Not only do they make mealtimes more comfortable for your pet, they also keep pests out.
Creating a platform is easy enough. Maybe even create some sort of overhang to dissuade critters from climbing up into the food.
You can easily adapt a raised design to any height of pet. Scaling is just a matter of more materials, after all. You can also use tons of different materials, whether it’s upcycled cinder blocks and a 2×4 arrangement or a complex cabinet that holds food as well as raising the bowls.
It’s practical, comfortable, and easy. That’s a killer trio for a new pet project.
5. Housing for Kitties
Whether they’re barn cats or just not able to get through the door on their own… sometimes outdoor cats need shelter. Big or small, the important thing is that it keeps our pets dry, comfortable, and safe.
Cat houses can be made more complex than dog houses. Exterior platforms are a good idea, and tiny areas for them to hide in case a dog or coyote happens along are excellent as well.
There’s only one real rule: any cat house should have two accessible exits. That’s so your cat can escape if they get chased by something and feel trapped.
They can be made from just about anything. Use your imagination and let it fly. Your cat will appreciate it.
6. Pet Gates
Why not take your pet gates up a notch? You don’t have to stick with boring white plastic like most people do.
Expandable gates take some skill to construct, but you can plan your way through and make sure that you’ve got the perfectly sized gate for your home.
In addition to looking great, they’ll also let you section off the house. Dog underfoot while you’re cooking dinner? Move them right along and set up the gate!
This is another project which lends itself well to creative planning. Get a pencil and draw something up, then you can focus on making it a reality!
Making Pets Happy
Tying together pets and DIY projects seem quite natural. It’s just a matter of making the right priorities when you’re lining up new projects. All of the above can be completed in an afternoon for minimal cost. So… the only question which remains is this: which one are you going to start with?
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