How to Make a Canopy Bed for Your Pet

ByTiffany M.

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Give Your Pet a Safe Space with Minimal Time, Money, and Effort

This is a quick and easy DIY project so you can make your pet a canopy bed that will provide them a dark, enclosed space perfect for naps and relaxation at any time of day. This can be used for any animal that likes to curl up in an enclosed safe space. You can easily modify it to match the décor in any room it will go in. Put as much time, energy, and money into this fun project as you choose. Choose the base table according to the size of the space it will go in and the size of your pet or pets that will be using it.

1. Select the canopy frame

Top half is a picture of a dining room table. Bottom half is a picture of an end table. The end table has a shelf close to the ground.

Find an end table or a kitchen table depending on the size of canopy bed you want to make. You can find them on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or garage sales if you don’t have one on hand.

2. Flip table upside down

Top half of picture has a dining room table flipped upside down. Bottom half of picture has the end table also flipped upside down.

Hopefully, the bottom of the top of the table is flat. If there is a crossbar, you should be able to remove it without compromising the safety of the table since it will be upside down from here on out.

Dining room table is still upside down. This picture shows the removal of the crossbar that was under the top of the table which now makes the area flat.

3. Add top and sides if necessary

It is up to you if you want to install a roof or sides on the canopy bed. If you are using something bigger such as a dining table, you may want to install a “roof” to help support the canopy (we secured the roof by screwing it into the legs of the table). The sides are completely a personal preference. No matter what, make sure whatever additions you make are stable and secure, so your pup doesn’t get hurt by falling pieces!

4. Find a dog bed that fits the bottom…decorate with cover

The end table is upside down and now has a pillow with a sham over it placed in the table top area. This creates a 'bed in a frame' look.

You can either use a dog bed you already have on hand, purchase one, or make one that is the proper size. Once you find a proper size bed, it’s up to you to decorate it if you choose to. Depending on where you plan on putting the canopy bed, you can buy or make a cover to match the room. You can use an extra pillowcase or sham if it’s a small bed (like I did) or make a cover out of material that matches the color scheme of the room if the bed itself doesn’t match.

5. Find or make the canopy

Top half of picture shows the dining room table flipped upside down with a dog bed inside of it and a black comforter draped over the top. This creates the canopy bed. Bottom half of the picture shows the end table upside down with the sham-covered pillow inside with a curtain that matches the pillow draped over the top. This creates the canopy bed.

This can be as easy or as hard as you would like to make it. If it’s a small canopy bed, you could buy an extra curtain that matches the room (this is what I used for our small canopy bed), a comforter (this is what we are using until we pick the colors for the living room on the large canopy bed), or you can make one yourself in whatever pattern you would like.

6. Put finishing touches on it

The end table canopy bed now has decorative pillows on top of the matching curtain canopy, in addition to the pillow/bed inside of it.

You could add pillows, or if you made walls you could hang up pictures, whatever extra personal touches you would like.

Pin For Later:

Pre-made pin for use on Pinterest for How to Make a Canopy Bed for Your Dog post

Did you want a canopy bed because your dog is anxious? Check out this post if your dog has high anxiety and you are looking for ways to help them.

DIY DOG CANOPY BED

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Tiffany M. Smith is a retired zookeeper, passionate pet owner, and obsessive traveler who loves to show pet owners how to have happy, healthy pets and amazing adventures!

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64 Comments

  14. This is so cute! I think our dog would have to fend off our kids to get inside lol. They’d have so much fun together snuggling in there!

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  17. How creative ! I love this idea, so simple but yet so comfortable for your pet. Never thought of it. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  27. Hi Tiffany. What an excellent idea (you are clearly a very resourceful individual!). I can see that many dogs would love this kind of ‘accommodation’. And I think that it would be particularly appealing for any dogs that find fireworks to be stressful – having a safe den to retreat to would be very valuable. Great work 🙂

    Reply

  31. I have been wanting to make something like this for dog! She loves cozy hiding spots and always runs to hide in the bathroom during storms. This would be perfect for her

    Reply

  32. I love them but do not have space in my studio for one but I did make for Layla an indoor kennel from a wooden fruit box and she loves it when she wants space – I call it her she shed LOL.

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    1. Love it! The large one for our husky we finally found the perfect home for, but we still need to upgrade the furnishings when we figure out how we want to decorate that room, LOL

      Reply

  34. This is such a clever idea and it’s so easy. It’s like a little fort for pets! My cats used to love sleeping in hidden spaces. Great idea. Thanks for sharing.

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  35. Hey! I never thought of this – and you are so right, it’s a perfect little nesting place! I like that this is easy to do with items already around your home. Definitely on my list of perfect DIY posts – will share!

    Reply

  36. This is a great way to give our pups their own ‘safe space’ in any room. When we decorated our living room, there was a space beside the couch. We were debating putting a lamp or a cute side table in there, however, the dogs quickly claimed the space as their ‘den’. They loved the fact that the placement of the walls, fireplace and couch created a little confined space that made them feel safe. Needless to say, their happiness came before my desire for another lamp, so we made it work! lol

    Reply

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