I haven't made one for a dog but I've made BIG ones with 6 poles for stepkids when they were small and for my own when she was. They were made with 8 ft poles. After getting them put together I put acrylic paint on styrofoam plates. Then I had them press their hands in the paint and then press their hands on the fabric. It was great fun, we did it in the yard and people were stopping their cars to watch.