How to Build an Attractive Shade Shelter for a Dog

Many dogs love to spend time out in the yard all day. They often spend long hours snoozing in the sun. However, at the high point of summer, they can become overheated and suffer from heat stroke. You can keep your dog cool with a simple wood lattice structure that will act as a trellis for attractive flowering vines throughout the summer. Anyone can build this simple design for an attractive shade shelter your dog can use summer after summer.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Plumb line
  • 2-by-4-inch lumber
  • 2 1/2-inch nails
  • Wooden lattice lumber
  • Saw
  • Hammer
  • White exterior house paint
  • Vine seedlings
  • Trowel
  • Pruning shears
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your dog in a lying down position. The shade shelter should cover him fully when he lies on his side. This dimension will be the length and width of your shade shelter.

    • 2

      Cut the 2-by-4 lumber to the determined lengths for the base of the shelter. You will need two long pieces about the length of your dog when he lies down. Also cut two shorter pieces, wide enough to allow the dog to enter the shelter and turn around to lie down. These lengths should conform to the measurements of your dog in the previous step.

    • 3

      Nail the lengths together in a rectangle, inserting the nails on the outside edges of the lumber and hammering them into the wood completely.

    • 4

      Determine how high the shelter should be. Make it only high enough for your dog to stand up in.

    • 5

      Measure and cut the four uprights for the corners. These are the four pieces of wood that will hold up the roof of the shelter. They should be long enough to allow your dog to enter the shelter standing up. Set these cut pieces at the corners of the base frame and nail them into place. Ensure that they are straight with the plumb line. Hold the plumb line at the top of the uprights, allowing the weight at the end to swing free, to see if the uprights are standing straight. If they are not, re-adjust the uprights and nail them into a straight position.

    • 6

      Measure and cut the upper frame for the shelter. This frame will be a similar size to the base frame. Nail the lengths together at the ends and lift onto the upright corner supports. Nail the top frame into place.

    • 7

      Cut the wood latticework to fit on top of the open framework on the two sides.

    • 8

      Nail the edges of the latticework to the wood framing. Lay the lattice on the sides of the shelter framework. Make sure the edges fit squarely along the edge of the frame. Hold the nail about 1/2 inch away from the edge of the frame and hammer into the edge of the wood frame. Hammer in nails to hold the latticework in place all along the wood frame's edge on the top frame piece as well as the bottom frame piece, placing the nails about 4 inches apart. Attach the latticework to the frame on the other side in a similar fashion.

    • 9

      Measure and cut the latticework for the top for the shelter. Position the lattice on top of the wood frame and nail into place securely in the same manner as you did on the side pieces.

    • 10

      Paint the latticework shelter white with a high-quality, outdoor-type paint. The white framework will be attractive on its own and will provide a good contrast with the green vines, as well as for the flowers when they bloom.

    • 11

      Plant the perennial vines along the base of the two sides of the shade shelter. Ensure that they get 1 inch of water each week whether by natural rain or by irrigation. As they grow, trim the vines as needed to allow your dog to have easy access to the open ends of the shelter.