It shouldn’t matter if you have a small yard; you can still create a playground for your dog to enjoy together during the summer days! Here are a few of our favorite inexpensive ways to turn your yard into a playground for your canine best friend.

If your dog loves the water, adding a baby pool to your backyard will give him hours of fun. You can very inexpensively purchase a baby pool designed for children, or you can dog-specific wading pools. Hard plastic baby pools will probably work best, especially for larger dogs, compared to inflatable pools that tend to puncture with dogs’ nails or teeth while playing. Most dogs would enjoy the chance to cool down in the water.

Digging comes naturally to dogs, so this trick will not only protect your flower beds but also give your dog their own personalized sandbox. A hard-sided plastic baby pool will work for this activity as well. These are economically at most stores or frequently given away for free in online neighborhood trading groups. It’s even okay for a sandbox to use a pool that is cracked on the bottom and no longer able to hold water. Fill the pool with sand and let your dog enjoy it. Let your dog watch you as you hide a toy or some treats in the sand, then encouraging as your dog digs it up! To keep your dog’s sandbox clean, we recommend covering it at night with a tarp or other lid to keep it dry and prevent any wandering cats from using it as a giant litter box!

Is your active dog and needs to get some of that energy out? You might want to consider making an at-home agility course. Dog agility is a fast-paced course where dogs navigate through a series of obstacles. Do you think an agility course is something your dog might enjoy? You can DIY your own agility course with supplies you probably have lying around the house. The key is to help your dog make positive connections with the challenges.

Dogs see the world with their noses, and you can channel all that sniffing power into a game of hide and seek. Use different sized boxes from deliveries, spread them out in your yard, and put treats into a few of the boxes. The scent will encourage your dog to search for the treats.