- 26
- Feb
Spring is almost here and you may be preparing for a new puppy. We strongly suggest keeping the dog in the house with you as much as possible to build a strong bond with the dog. Nevertheless, you will need to house the dog outdoors some of the time. We suggest that you don’t leave the dog loose in the yard for a couple of reasons: first, they get board and get into trouble, chewing up sprinklers, digging holes, etc.; second it gives the dog too much independence and often they become their own pack leader; finally it seems to excuse us of interacting with the dog. We subconsciously think that the dog has plenty of room to “run around” so we don’t get the dog out for exercise and interaction. The dog need some time to romp in the yard, but not all day. Therefore, we suggest a kennel run for the dog.
Kennels don’t need to be big, despite the fact that they are often called runs, dogs don’t run in them (if they do, you have some behavior issues that need to be dealt with). Five feet by ten feet should be plenty of room. If possible, we like to have the run facing south to allow the sunlight to disinfect the run. In the summer shade is critical. In the winter, try for as much sun as possible. For this reason, our kennels are movable. We move them into an open area with full southern exposure in the summer and under a huge shade tree with an eastern exposure in the summer.
In the kennel they need some kind of shelter. We use the K-9 Kondo dog den and absolutely love it. They are comfortable in summer and winter, chew proof and well worth the money. Also, we like to provide a couple of different surfaces at different heights for the dogs to climb up on and lay on. This allows them to choose what surfaces are most comfortable based on the conditions, plus, I think that it breaks up the space and gives them a little more mental stimulation over a flat open floor.
As for the fencing, there are a lot of different options out there. We really like the Priefert welded wire kennel panels. We have tried a lot of other chain link panels and they just don’t hold up over time. I have seen some advertisements for other products which looked really good, but I haven’t tried their products: Mason FRP Sani-Kennels (top of the line commercial grade stuff) and Behlen Manufacturing Magnum Kennels.
As for the floor, we don’t believe that dirt surfaces are acceptable. They hold bacteria, are muddy when it’s wet and cold in the winter, plus dogs have the potential of digging out. There are basically four options, concrete, gravel, wood deck, or composite deck. Concrete is a good option, but it’s expensive and you can’t change your mind and move it later. If you build a concrete run, make sure it is well sloped for drainage and provide a underground sump (a large, deep hold filled with gravel). Gravel works ok, it stays dry and helps toughen dogs feet for chukar hunting, but is really difficult to clean. Decking, either composite or wood works well; depending on what product you use, it is often cheaper than concrete. It is easy to clean, keeps dogs warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
We found 6” planks with ½ inch gaps works well for dogs 25lbs and up (toe pad size being the issue). We bought 1×6 planks that were finished on one side, rough on the other (use the finished side up) and saved a lot over finished lumber. If you are building decking make sure the deck size is larger than your kennel all the way around. If you want to be able to move it, build it in 3 or four foot sections. For example, if your kennel is 5’x10’, build two deck sections 3’x12’. Use 2×6’s for joists spaced 18” or 20” apart. Stain the deck with a good quality deck stain that will take the sun. We have used these kennel decks for 10 years with only annual staining and replacing the occasional board. They have worked great.
See comments for more info.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Chris:
I just read your post on building dog kennels. I believe you have physic abilities, as that is exactly my dilemma right now. I have 4 questions for you.
First. What about dog waste on decking? Your idea of using composite decking for the dog kennel flooring intrigues me because it is portable and keeps the dogs off the ground. It seems to me that while the urine will flow between the cracks and then onto the ground beneath the raised decking, the fecal matter will adhere to the decking and be very difficult to clean up. How do you clean it off? Does that stuff shovel off easily?
Second. How do you keep your wire kennels attached to your decking?
Third. It is cold where I live—it regularly dips well below 0 in the winter. With the windchill 20 to 25 degrees below F are not uncommon days in winter. I have a yellow lab that seems to thrive in the cold and Weimaraner that I worry about due to her short coat and sensitive paws. I have been letting my dogs sleep inside at night, but during the day they have access to my garage via a doggy door. I installed a heat lamp in the garage, which hangs above the dog bedding. In my absence my dogs have done some nasty things to my garage including chewing a hole through the sheetrock in the garage wall. Do you think a K-9 condo would be warm enough for my dogs living in freezing cold weather? Should I keep them in the same kennel so they can share body heat, or would that result in aggression towards each other in a small space?
Fourth. My dogs have literally chewed through every dog bed I have bought except for one that is filled with cedar chips. Do you have any recommendations for warm, yet indestructible dog bedding? They don’t realize they are destroying what keeps them warm…
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Jeff Beck
February 27th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Jeff,
Great to hear from you. I hope the post helped. It was prompted by someone who called and was asking some of the same questions. I’ll answer your questions in order.
As for dog waste on the deck, first, it is critical to have the deck properly stained so urine doesn’t soak in. I re-stain my deck every year so it stays good and water tight. Second, I store a flat 4” wide drywall mud knife and a bunch of plastic bags nearby. With the flexible knife you can quickly scrape it up, bag it and throw it away. I always clean it up when I go to let the dog out and it only takes 30 seconds. Sometimes in the winter when it gets stepped on or is between the gaps in the boards the poop get frozen and is harder to get out. Then I just use a little stiffer mud knife and it pops right out. I’ve never let the waste build up on the decking; it is so easy to clean up daily that there is no reason. Plus I know the dog really prefer it clean.
As for composite decking, I think it would be a great surface because it is impervious to water (urine) and sunlight. I would look for the smoothest surface possible so the waste comes off cleanly. If it is rough, even at a really fine scale, the waste maybe difficult to clean off. It is critical with any deck material, but especially composite decking to not have any edges where the dogs can get at it to chew. The only places on my wood deck that they chew are where one plank has an edge wane defect and they can chew on the adjacent piece. I would guess that dogs would love the feel of chewing on the composite material, so you’ll have to be careful.
To attach the kennel panel to the deck the easiest way I have found is to double a piece of tie-wire and wrap it around a deck plank and the bottom rail and twist it tight. I have used other more complicated methods, but after moving the kennel back and forth every six months, this is what I now use. It’s easy and holds tight.
As for protection from the cold, I am confident that the K-9 dog dens are warm enough, especially if you buy the Dog Den rather than the Super Den. The dog den is smaller, though plenty big enough for the 95 lbs lab I currently have, and is easier for the dog to heat. If you want, you could also buy the electric heating pad for your weim and he’ll be down right cozy. A thick layer of bedding is, however, critical. I would suggest two dog houses so they can each have their own space. Depending on how the dogs get along, you could try the larger Super Den and have them sleep together. I don’t care for this idea as much as having individual dog houses, especially in the summer when they like to use the dog house to keep cool and wouldn’t want to snuggle together.
As for bedding (outside), the best bedding by far I have found is Timothy grass hay. Everything else has problems: blankets are used for tug-of-war, are ripped up, jam the door of the Dog Den, and they get wet and stink; wood chips mash down, hold water and cling to the dogs and make a mess; alfalfa hay and straw mashes down, doesn’t insulate as well and get moldy. Good prairie grass hay is the ticket. Depending on where you live, however, it sometimes can be hard to find. I put it a good 12” thick in the dog house and they push it around and build nests in it and stay toasty warm. Plus, the best thing is, they don’t chew it up.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Jeff,
I also built a deck for my dogs and love it. It is easy to keep clean and should hold up for years. I have two German Shorthairs and a German Wirehair.
I built my dog houses with plenty of insulation. I have had the temperature down to 20 below zero here on occasion as well. Here is a link to the plans that I used: http://tidewaterkc.org/projects/insulated_dog_house.htm
The only thing that I did different was to build a sloped roof on it.
One word of caution with kenneling dogs in the same run or house. They will bond with each other more than with you. I did this a long time ago and will never do it again.
I use pine chips for my bedding and the dogs stay toasty. I would quit using the cedar chips because I’ve had two dogs develop serious allergies to it. I think that the fumes that come off the cedar also can make their nose go funny.
I do put a poultry heat lamp inside my dog houses at the end of December through the first of march. I had to put some metal paneling around them so the dogs couldn’t chew the lights up. I don’t think they need the lamps but I want to make sure that my dogs stay warm. It’s more for my piece of mind. If your dog’s chew up the bedding this can be an option as well as a commercial built one sold at: http://www.gundogsupply.com/houndheaterii.html It looks totally chew proof and can be placed inside of the dog dens.
I would like to get a dog den so that the dogs have something to climb on. Right now my dog houses are on the outside of the kennel and I had to cut holes in the panneling for entry.
There are several options that can work for you. I just thought I would show you about a few more.
Best of luck,
Brian
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Jeff,
One thing that I forgot to mention was the cost of the dog houses that I built. It would have been cheaper for me to just buy a Dog Den.
Brian
March 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Hi Folks……
I raise and breed beagles. I have them in above grounds kennels. In the winter they have about an inch or two of straw. The problem I have is they all urinate on their bedding and lay in it. WHY do they do this! Could it be Im doing something wrong?
Thanks, yours in sport
Andrew Valerioti
March 15th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Andrew,
My youngest German Shorthair was doing the same thing. The problem was that her living space was too large. I decreased the space until she had just enough to lay down comfortably in and problem solved. She won’t lay down in her mess and was forced to go relieve herself outside.
Best of luck,
Brian