6 DIY Puppy Projects

DIY puppy projects are a great way to save money while providing your puppy all the necessities it needs. From DIY puppy pens to DIY puppy vaccines, there are many DIY options to choose from. In this article, we are going to take a look at our favorite six projects

1. DIY Puppy Pen

This DIY puppy pen is created from PVC pipes. It is a great choice because it is easy to make and is light enough that you can move it around.

What You’ll Need

• 10 PVC pipes, 10 ft.
• 20 corners, 90 degree
• 32 four-way connectors
• 8 T-connectors
• 8 caps
• PVC pipe cutter
• Tape measure
• Rubber mallet
• PVC glue (optional)
• Plastic tarp (optional)
• Duct tape/masking tape (optional)

Steps

1. Cut the PVC pipes. You can make these PVC pipes as long as you would like. Keep in mind that the corners will add around 2 inches to the length and width of the pen. Sometimes, Lowe’s or Home Depot employees will be happy to help you cut PVC pipes.
2. Cut connection pieces. We recommend cutting them 1 7/8 inches. These pipes will connect the sides to one another. You will need 8 for attaching the leg caps and 16 for every layer.
3. Place the first layer of PVC pipes together. Make sure that they sit on the floor evenly. For the pen to be secure, the connections need to fit tightly. Use the rubber mallet to gently tap the corners together.

If you need the design to be even more secure, you can use PVC glue to hold the connections together. One downside of doing this is that you won’t be able to break down the pen to use at a later point.

4. Repeat steps two and three to create the second layer. Once that layer is complete, you will attach it to the first layer. Place the connection pieces into the crosses of the first layer. You may need to wiggle the parts together for it to fit snugly.
5. Once your second layer is done, you will then repeat Step 4 until the pen is the desired height. For the last layer, you will use Ts that point down so that they can meet with the top of the layer underneath.
6. This last step is optional, but you may want to place a tarp or mat down underneath the pen. This makes it easy to clean up accidents. You can use masking tape to tape the tarp down to the floor.

2. DIY Puppy Teething Toys

These puppy teething toys are easy to make, yet they are attractive. They have a simple braided design made from old cloth and the irresistible taste of the beef broth.

What You’ll Need

• Old towels, washcloths, etc.
• Scissors
• Beef broth (optional)
• Freezer (optional)

Steps

1. See if you have any old pieces of cloth lying around your home. This can be old towels, washcloths, sweatshirts, or anything else you don’t mind ruining. Cut the fabric into three strips of equal length.

It is up to you how long you cut the fabric, but keep in mind it will shrink whenever you braid the strips together. Make sure the strips are long enough so that the dog has enough to chew on when they are braided.

2. Tie a knot to connect the three strips together and braid them all the way down. To finish the braid, simply tie another knot at the bottom.
3. This last step is optional. Submerge the braid in beef broth and put it in the freezer. This will keep your dog interested for hours. We recommend letting your dog chew on the chew toy outside if you soak it in broth.

3. DIY Puppy Costume

This Halloween, dress up your puppy as a spider puppy. With just some pipe cleaners and twisting, you can easily transform your favourite pooch into an 8 (or 12, technically) legged creature.

What You’ll Need

• Pipe cleaners
• Collar

Steps

1. Go to the store and pick up pipe cleaners. For your puppy, regular-sized pipe cleaners will work. If your dog is larger, you may need to get a giant pipe cleaner. We love getting pipe cleaners that match the dog’s fur, but the color is up to you.
2. Make the legs by twisting the pipe cleaners together. For smaller dogs, twisting four pipe cleaners together will get the desired thickness. Then, repeat this step on four more pipe cleaners. Connect these two sets of pipe cleaners together so that the leg is about 15 inches in total. Repeat this seven more times to make the eight spider legs.

For larger dogs, you will need to cut the giant pipe cleaner into eight strips. For this larger piece, you won’t need to twist them together since they are already thick.

3. Connect the legs to the collar simply by twisting them around. You want four legs to be on both sides of the dog. Bend the pipe cleaners so that they look more like legs.
4. If you want the collar to blend in, you can wrap additional pipe cleaners around the collar. Put the collar on as normal.

4. DIY Puppy Vaccines

Puppy vaccines are a must, but they are expensive. You can save money by ordering online. No, ordering the vaccines online will not cut the cost for the vaccines themselves, but they do mean you will not have to pay the vet bill.

What You’ll Need

• Internet access
• Shipping address

Steps

1. Look online. There are plenty of online websites that are dedicated to dog medications. We recommend shopping around the different sites to compare prices and products.
2. Once you decide what you want to buy, order the medication and have it shipped to your house.
3. Administer it to your dog according to the instructions when it arrives.

5. DIY Puppy Incubator

Before your puppy is born, you will need to build an incubator. A DIY incubator will help to regulate the dog’s temperatures when it is unable to do so itself. The goal of this incubator is to create a moist environment that keeps the temperature around 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

What You’ll Need

• Box (wooden or cardboard)
• Styrofoam insulation
• Glue
• Controllable heating pad
• Towel
• Water dish
• Humidity gauge

Steps

1. Begin by getting a pre-made box. It can be made from wood, cardboard, or some other stiff material. Insulate the cardboard using Styrofoam. You will likely need to build the Styrofoam insulation yourself. Use glue to keep the Styrofoam insulation together.

The size of the box depends on how many puppies you are anticipating and the size of the puppies. For example, Pomeranian puppies would need a smaller incubator than Husky puppies. Make sure that you fix the box so that the top and one side are removable. This will allow you easy access to the puppies.

2. Put a controllable heating pad inside the box. Make sure to wrap it in a towel first so that it doesn’t burn the puppies. The ideal temperature should be between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Put a small dish of water into the incubator. The puppies will not drink this water. Instead, its purpose is to add humidity to the air. Because of the heating pad, the water from the dish will evaporate, creating a moister environment. You want the humidity inside the incubator to be around 65%. Use a humidity gauge to monitor the humidity level.

6. DIY Puppy Pads

Making your own puppy pads is a great way to be more sustainable in your home. This DIY puppy pad is reusable, making it perfect for puppies who are still learning or older dogs who can’t wait as long as they used to.

What You’ll Need

• ¾-yard cotton fabric
• Towel
• Shower curtain liner
• 1-yard non-slip fabric
• Sewing machine

Steps

1. Begin by deciding how large you want the finished product to be. If you have a large dog or many puppies to take care of, the bigger the better.
2. Cut out the four layers that are going to make up the puppy pad. The cotton fabric will be the top layer, the towel will be the soaking layer, the shower curtain liner will be the leak prevention, and the non-slip fabric will be the bottom layer. Cut the cotton fabric slightly larger than the other three layers.
3. Place the top layer and the soaker layer together. Stitch them around the edges. Quilt these layers together too.
4. Pin the shower curtain liner to the wrong side of the slip-proof layer. Then, stitch the slip-proof layer to the top layer. Turn the pad inside out and flatten the corners.
5. Finally, stitch the top all the way around the pad so that it is completely closed. Clean as necessary.

Final Thoughts

We hope that these DIY puppy projects will make your puppy experience more affordable, fun, and meaningful. Remember, don’t be afraid to improvise and really make the project your own. Good luck!