I came across this indoor dog crate on-line today. Other than on their website, I have never seen this product, but thought it looked nice. They are made by Wooden Creek in Dunedin, FL. They are listing them at $185 and have a sale price of $149. I think it is a great idea, if you have your dog inside, and occasionally use the crate when you have guests, or for the dog to sleep in at night, but don’t like the look of the plastic dog crate in the house, this is a great solution. This looks like a nice piece of furniture and would be a nice addition to most rooms. Of course, you wouldn’t want to put a puppy in it, or any dog that has a habit of chewing on their dog box.

Looking at Wooden Creek’s other items on their website, they have a raised wooden dog feeding dish holder, a dog gate/holder, plus a large selection of beautiful Grandfather clocks and other furniture. It might be worth a look.

 

I got several questions about the kennel platform, what I used for the decking and how to keep it clean. You can use pine, redwood, or composite decking material. The cheapest by far, and what I used was 1” x 6” pine rough on one side and finished on the other. What ever the material, it is critical that the deck is smooth to facilitate cleanup. Stain the wood properly with a good quality stain so urine doesn’t soak in. I re-stain my deck every year so it stays good and water tight.

As for dog waste on the deck, 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 dogs 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 of that. I found that 1/2“ spacing is perfect to discourage any chewing and still allow space for water to drain off and air to circulate.

 

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.

It’s a muddy spring here. We had 15 tons of gravel delivered today to cope with the mud. Chris, the kids and I spent the morning shoveling gravel. Allie wanted in on the action. (Sorry about the cheesy photo. I couldn’t resist.)

 

 

The cooler weather is here and it is time to move the kennels again. During the warmer months we move the kennels facing east under two huge shade trees. During the colder months, we move the kennels to a spot that faces directly south for the maximum amount of sunlight. The dogs really seem to like the change. We also like the direct sun for the steriliztion of the kennels. They stay fresh and clean and helps the dogs stay healthy.

 

Some dogs are just fence climbers. This particular German Shorthair, Daisy, is a 30 pound bundle of energy. She is as sweet as they come, but you have to watch her; she climbs fences better than my 5 year old boy (who climbs like a monkey, by the way).

We have to have a lid on the kennel and have it tightly wired down. Daisy hadn’t been in the kennel 10 minutes and was out again. I was dumbfounded as to how she got out, because there was a top on it. I put her back and watched her leap 6′ in the air, cling on and climb to the top and push her way through the roof fence panel edge. Needless to say, we have wired it down tight all the way around now. Now she climbs around the upper section of our kennel about like a gibbon, but can’t get out.

As for the 4′ property fence, I don’t think she really sees that as a barrier. She will leap up to where her body is 1/3 the way over, then land her front and back paws on the top of the fence and propel herself the rest of the way.

How do we deal with a fence climber, you ask? For starters, we have her kennel top tightly wired down so she can’t push her way out. The floor is wooden, so she can’t dig her way out. Then we stay out in the yard with her when she is out. Typically we have all the dogs out, so they are busy romping and playing with each other and she doesn’t have any desire to leave the yard. Daisy is a very social dog that loves to be with you. Usually when she climbs out, she is looking for you, so as long as you are around, she sticks close.

I’ve talked to several others with fence climbing dogs and the three solutions I have found are Kennels with a top, tie outs, and electricity. As for electricty, folks I talked to either used a pet containment fence, or a pet electric fence. If you use the electric fence, I suggest using the pet series rather than one for livestock, as the voltage is much lower. I also suggest using the white ribbon tape rather than a wire, since it is much more visable so dogs and kids can see it more easily. As for us, we use the roofed kennel, supervision and lots of exercise.

Let me hear your stories of your fence climber.  Cheers, …

We are fencing the backyard to allow the dogs a place to run. We are using treated posts at 6′ intervals with netwire (2″x4″ field fence). As you can see, the dogs were a big help. They won’t have free run of the yard, but in the morning, it will give them a place to romp and wrestle for 20 – 30 minutes before breakfast. The fence will make life a lot easier and allow the dogs more freedom. 

Our typical schedule is to get up at seven and tie them out for about an hour. Then the morning training. Then into the kennel for the day, until about five when I get home. Then, we go out for a three to five mile run followed by the afternoon training session. Then we’re all inside or around the house for dinner and chores. The evening training session is just before bed at ten. 

 

It’s warming up and it’s time to move the kennels again, kind of like spring cleaning. The kennel system that I use is fully portable, in the winter I have it moved to the north side of the yard facing directly south to take advantage of the winter sun, and in the summertime it’s the opposite, I move it to get out of the direct sun and try to maximize the shade. Concrete kennel facilities are usually very nice, but once you put them in, there’s no moving them, especially every six months.

I think that the most critical thing, however, is sanitation. Whatever you decide to use for your kennel floor, make sure you clean it regularly (daily, or at most every other day). The second thing is the dogs comfort, the dogs really seem to like basking in the full sun throughout the winter. In the summer, they want every bit of shade they can get, so being able to move the kennel is a great solution. If I had to choose one location/direction for the kennel, at least here is central Utah, I would be more concerned about the summer heat. A good insulated dog house can protect a dog in the winter, but there’s not much escape from the heat on a hot summer day.

This weekend, for our spring cleaning, I moved the kennel to the south west side of the yard facing east. This location provides nice morning sun until about nine thirty in the morning, then the large elm trees overhead provide shade throughout the day until about six in the evening. I use the 5 x 10 Priefert kennels on top of a stained wooden deck (see post from March 5th). This particular floor is fairly new, but I have built and used similar deck floors for more than ten years. With annual staining and a little up-keep, the floor holds up nicely. The dog really seem to enjoy it, in the summer it is cool and circulates air underneath, in the winter it clears off dries quickly and is warm to walk on, also, it cleans up very quickly with a 4” drywall knife and a quick squirt with the hose.

 

 

Kennel floors are always a difficult issue. Some of the common options are native dirt floor, concrete, gravel, and wire mesh. In my opinion, a native dirt floor, while probably the most common, is not an acceptable option. Dogs can dig out, it gets muddy when wet, is uncomfortable for the dogs, is difficult to clean, and most importantly, it is a health hazard. Concrete works well, but is expensive to pour and is permanent (once you have poured it, you can’t change your mind). Gravel drains well, and certainly toughens a hunting dogs feet, but is not very comfortable for the dog and is difficult to clean (particularly in the winter). As for wire mesh (i.e. Scott’s Dog Supply – above ground kennel), I don’t have any experience and can’t comment.

My solution for the past fifteen plus years is wood. I built panels with 2”x6” joists and decked with 1’x6” pine. I purchased one side rough and put that side down, since it is about half the cost of finished lumber. I cut all the pieces to size, and then stain all sides with a quality stain. I spaced the planks 3/4″ apart using an extra plank as a guide and screw everything down with deck screws.

I made each panel 5’ wide and spaced the joists 20” on center. When I put four of these together it fit my four Priefert kennels with just enough to room to spare all the way around. I have also built panels 3’ wide with 18” centers, which worked well. I’m sure 24” centers would work, but they have a bit more flex than I like. The wood needs to be stained once a year and will last for many years.

Once built, I put the panels together and place up on cinder blocks. The dogs really like the clean dry surface. The advantages are the cost (I built a 10’x20’ deck in 4 panels for $320), they are easy to clean (a 4” flexible drywall knife and plastic bag works perfectly), they are moveable (I move them to an easterly aspect under large shade trees in the summer, and to a southerly exposure in direct sunlight during the winter. They are lightweight enough that my wife helps me move them easily and doesn’t want to kill me. It gives me satisfaction to look outside and see the dogs lounging on a warm, dry, clean surface.