How to build a sandbox - (article with good simple instructions)

10355 Views 9 Replies 6 Participants Last post by MrsJohnnyG, Mar 31, 2009

MrsJohnnyG

Discussion Starter · Mar 24, 2009

I am so antsy to build a puppy playground in the back yard (if only our darned landscaper would finish the landscaping already) and saw a show, "Ask This Old House," where they showed how to build a sandbox.

I've been looking around for a sandbox to buy, but everything I've found is too little (meant for little bitty kids) or too expensive.

This show segment made me decide to build one myself! I Googled to see if this project was online, and found it here in case anyone wants to build one for their pups:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20176015,00.html#

My puppies love digging so much, and they're good about staying out of places they shouldn't dig, but I really want to give them a "safe" spot for digging.

BTW - the other things in my puppy playground include:

- four logs, laid out so that they can hurdle-jump over them (they LOVE jumping)

- a ramp (plywood propped and secured to a large log) (they love running up and down things)

- an 18' agility tunnel (they love running through things)

- the sandbox (with some Kong-type toys that I will bury in the sandbox for them to dig up)

- maybe a few upright items they can run through/around (they think our front porch is a playground - they love chasing each other underneath/around the rocking chairs, but they're getting a little too big to fit underneath)

Any other ideas for fun stuff for the pups? I may include some other agility equipment (just for their enjoyment... I don't think I'll get them into formal agility competition or anything). The whole playground will be mulched (if I can find a pet-safe mulch).

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aero4ever

· #3 · Mar 24, 2009

Thanks for some great suggestions. I have found it fairly difficult to find ideas to make the backyard truely a doggie playground that didn't require a lot of money and would use natural type materials.

I wanted to put a sand box in but my neighborhood has cats that run around and didn't want to be cleaning cat poop out of it.

I did create a small berm in the back yard with big logs around it last summer. Will be adding more tall grasses (pappas type grass) for them to run and play on.

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aero4ever

· #5 · Mar 24, 2009

MrsJohnnyG said:
That's interesting; we have three pappas grass bushes in the front yard, and I personally hate them, but the puppies LOOOOOVE playing in and around them. You just gave me the idea to transplant them to their playground area! I like that little tree, btw -- what is that?

They love splashing in water so I'd love to figure out how to put in a pool or pond for them, but that's a bit too big of a project for me to think about right now... maybe this summer.

The tree is a Purple Leaf Plum (I live in Zone 7) and while it looked good last year, it died on me.

Normal for me. I replaced it with a Redbud, they're supposed to be hardier and I put chicken wire around it so my male wouldn't pee on it. My dogs love running in tall grass so thought the pappas would be low maintance.

Not sure how big your dogs are, but mine chewed the plastic kiddie pool I bought up. Have to look for something sturdier. The problem with a pond is the cleaning of the filter (if you don't put it in it'll just be a skeeter breeding ground) and dog hair will probably clog it up more than it usually would.

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