Do-It-Yourself Dog Canopy

Dogs love to expend energy reveling in the sun and fresh air. For dogs that spend most of their time outdoors or housed in an outdoor kennel, giving them a shaded spot to rest is important in allowing them to cool down after a time in the warm sun. For dogs needing a place out of the sun, dog-owners can make a dog canopy to fit securely over a kennel to screen their pets from too-warm temperatures.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 flex rods
  • 4 tent stakes
  • Chain link dog kennel
  • Fabric glue
  • Hammer
  • Heavy-duty nylon cord
  • Large canvas
  • Measuring tape
  • Heavy-duty scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the area of the dog kennel that needs shade using the measuring tape. Determine whether the entire pen will be shaded or if just a portion of it will be shaded. Add about 2 feet of extra material to your measurements.

    • 2

      Lay the canvas on a flat surface. Use the heavy-duty scissors to cut the canvas to be the same dimensions as the measurements taken, including the 2 extra feet of material.

    • 3

      Cut 2 flex rods to be the same length as the canvas with the heavy-duty scissors. Place a flex rod 2 inches from the top of the canvas and another flex rod 2 inches from the bottom of the canvas. The rods ought to be parallel.

    • 4

      Apply fabric glue along the outer edges of the flex rods. Roll the canvas over each flex rod and hold firmly in place for a minute. Allow the fabric glue to dry for at least 10 minutes before continuing.

    • 5

      Cut a hole in each corner of the canvas just inside either end of each flex rod using the heavy-duty scissors. Use fabric glue around the edges of the holes to prevent the canvas fabric from fraying. Allow the glue on the holes to thoroughly dry.

    • 6

      Take the heavy-duty nylon cord and use the heavy-duty scissors to cut it into four equal-length pieces. The length of each cord should equal the height of the kennel, plus 2 additional feet.

    • 7

      Thread a cord through each of the holes, and then knot each cord so that it is securely fastened to the canvas.

    • 8

      Drape the canvas over the pen and thread each cord through a side of the chain link kennel. Pull the cords tight so that the canopy's width shortens into a dome to match the width of the kennel.

    • 9

      Attach a tent stake at the end of each cord. Drive each stake into the ground with a hammer, making sure the stakes are secure in the ground.