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Our Favorite DIY PVC Dog Pen

Overhead view of a pile of PVC elbow joints

Create Your Own Dog Compound

Dogs need boundaries. That way they know if they are pleasing you or not. One of the best ways to create a good boundary is by building them their own PVC dog pen.

These dog pens are easy to construct, and you do not need a lot of tools to build one. Plus, once constructed, they are very sturdy. It is a great way to save money and build your dog a nice pen where they can have worry-free fun and relaxation.

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Dog Pen Ideas

Whit dog in an indoor dog playpen

There are lots of ways to build a dog pen. The following are just a couple of ideas to get you started on the right track. These do not need to be elaborate in design or construction materials, your dog won’t care.

They do need to be sturdy and strong. The construction materials will be slightly different, but the lengths depend on how big you want to go.

Wood Dog Pen

Stacked lumber

Wood is easy to work with and you can paint or stain them to protect them from the elements. All you will need will be pine boards up to 10 feet in length. The overall size will depend on you and how much space you have to work with.

Measure your distances carefully and calculate how much wood you will need. You will need enough to go high enough so your dog won’t jump over the walls. You will need at least 4 posts that measure a minimum of 4 feet or longer and lots of nails or screws.

The tools needed will be a hammer, screwdriver, or drill, saw, paint or varnish, and a shovel to dig the holes for the posts. That is it.

PVC Dog Pen

The end view of different sizes of blue PVC pipe

Even easier to build than would as you do not need a hammer, screwdriver, or screws. Nor will you need a shovel or paint or varnish. You will have to have a hacksaw, rubber mallet, and PVC glue to hold it all together.

You will still need to measure for size and length of PVC pipe, and you still have to buy enough pipe, corners, and connectors to make this idea work for you. The work goes about as fast, if not faster, than building a wood dog pen.

It is very straightforward to build.

Outdoor Fencing

Close up of metal fencing

This has the least amount of materials to construct. Your heavy work will be in digging the holes for the posts to hold the metal fencing. Then you will need U-shaped nails to hold the fencing to the posts.

You can get fencing with small holes and in 4 to 8-foot lengths and widths depending on the size of your dog. The smaller the dog the smaller the holes in the fencing and the fencing material itself.

All you have to do is mark out where the posts go and make sure to do this in a straight line. Then put your posts in and you can secure them with dirt or by pouring some concrete in the holes and around the posts.

When those are dry and standing straight up, attach your fencing. The most difficult aspect of this option is putting in the door. The door is only needed if you are building the pen higher than you can bend over the top rail.

With the door, you will need latches, locks, and hinges to complete. You can use the post wood and fencing material to make the door.

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Indoor Dog Pen Ideas

Black puppy with his front paws on a dog gate

The best indoor pen you can build is one made out of PVC pipe. That is because this material is durable, and it won’t or shouldn’t scratch your floors or walls. The rounded design makes it safe for small children as well.

Depending on where you put this pen in your house, the size is flexible. You can buy 10-foot pieces of pipe as you can always cut them shorter if you need to. The hard part will be the posts.

You should use 2 posts per side for stability and strength. That means you will need proper connectors to hold those posts together. Once you have your size, it is just a matter of putting the poles and pipes into the right connectors.

Anyone can build this type of dog pen.

Some Final Words

Puppies in an outdoor play area

When it comes to dog pens, it is hard to be creative and innovative. Their design is determined by the space they are being put in. Their key purpose is to provide boundaries for your dogs and that means they can be basic in design which saves you money.

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