How to Make a Dog Shade With a Tarp

Hot sunny days can be hard on your dog if he doesn't have a shady spot to rest. If your dog is in a kennel, you can buy a shade tarp designed for a kennel. If he is kept on a leash in the backyard and there are no trees around, you will need to construct a simple shade tent. You can do this for the least amount of money if you have access to tree branches and some household tools.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Ax or chain saw
  • Mallet
  • Nylon rope
  • Shade tarp
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the perimeter of your dog's area and multiply the length and width to get the size of tarp to buy. If your dog has a large area where he runs around, you can measure a smaller section where he can rest out of the sun. For a large dog, this area should be about 6 feet across.

    • 2

      Find four tree branches that are about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. Cut them with a chain saw or ax to a length of about 5 feet if your dog is large. The height of the poles depends on how tall your dog is when he is standing. The poles should be tall enough so that the dog can walk comfortably underneath the tarp. About 6 to 10 inches of the pole will be in anchored into the ground. Use the edge of the ax or chain saw to carve a spike or wedge at one end of each pole.

    • 3

      Dig round 6-inch-deep holes in the ground in the corners of the perimeter where you will be hanging the shade tarp. These holes should be slightly smaller in diameter than the poles on which you will be hanging the tarp.

    • 4

      Insert the wedged or spiked end of each pole into the holes and pound them down with a mallet until they are securely anchored in and won't move if you push against them.

    • 5

      Run a 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch thick nylon rope through the holes in the four corners of the shade tarp and tighten them near the tops of the poles. Now your dog has a cool place to lie down out of the sun.