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.

I’ve got to say, I made another purchse from Gun Dog Supply today and they are excellent to work with. They are knowledgable, friendly and helpful. They have the best prices I have found any where, they stand behind their products, and have an excellent email tracking system for their shipping. They have consistently been great to work with. I strongly recommend them for any dog supplies or training products.

One of their products that I think is a great buy is their training bumper. Excellent product for a great price. 

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.)

At this time of year I am really glad for the kennel decks I have. The dogs are clean, dry and comfortable, when everything around them is a soupy mess. We’ve had a pretty good snow year this year and now everything is melting off. The ground is still frozen about 8 inches down, so the water just sits on the top and the yard is like a soppy sponge. 

We have seen some really poor housing facilities for dogs, and they become much worse during the spring because of wet muddy conditions; dogs chained up in a mud bog, on muddy, poopy ground, and other such. If you’re in this situation, know that your dog deserves better, and there is a better way for a lot cheaper than pouring concrete.

I absolute love my Dog Den dog houses, but if you would like to build one of your own rather than buy one, I ran across some plans on the Resha Sled Dog website. They look fairly simple and straight forward; made with one sheet of plywood. The only thing I would suggest adding is metal corner bead (for finishing drywall corners) around the door to keep dogs from chewing on the edges.

To go right to their website, click on their name above. I have also copied the information below.

ONE SHEET (4′ X 8′) PLYWOOD DOG HOUSE

Measurements are for ½” plywood.  Exterior grade is recommended.  Nailing strips should be used for reinforcing the contact points.  When using ¾” material nailing strips are not necessary, however, note that the floor should then measure 33 ½” in length.  When nailing together - the sides overlap the bottom, front and back panels.  The front and back panels also overlap the bottom.  By nailing blocks to the  inside of the roof it can simply sit on top of the house without sliding and be conveniently lifted off when cleaning out the house.  The box should be painted and placed on blocks of 2 by 4’s to keep it off the ground.

Make sure the dog’s line is long enough to allow jumping up onto the roof.

from http://www.reshaequip.com/ 

 This is not an advertisement for K-9 Kondos, since I’m not getting anything out of this blog. But I have to say, I love their dog houses; I have 5 of them. I got the barrel house (K-9 Kondo) about 15 years ago and it still looks great. A couple of years ago I replaced the plywood platform on the top, otherwise it is still as good as the day I got it. More recently I have purchased 4 of their Dog Dens. They are aesthetically appealing, well insulated, weather resistant and totally chew proof. The dogs love to lie on top and hang their paws over the edge. (This is an advantage over other manufactured dog houses.) Previously, I spent a ton of time planning and building a wooden dog house which was insulated, but the dogs proceeded to chew it to chips and in no time it looked terrible. The K-9 dog houses are well priced. They keep the dogs warm in the winter, cool in the summer and always look great.

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.

We live in a fairly rural area, yet we still have neighbors, and I like to stay on their good side. Constantly barking dogs aren’t acceptable to the neighbors and drive us crazy. Since we have a regular stream of different dogs for training, electronic bark collars are a necessity. I know the neighbors appreciate them, and it helps our sanity. That said, I use them sparingly, only on the right dogs and at the key times. I have found that there are typically only one or two instigators and if I control them, all the others are quiet. I also have found that at our place, the dogs are particularly noisy in the evening for a couple of hours after I get home from work and before being fed. These are the times I use the electronic bark collars.

Often times barking is about boredom for a dog. I do not believe that a bark collar should be used to shock Rex into silence in the backyard, when Rex is in solitary confinement being fed from an automatic feeder and never socialized or exercised. That’s just not right. (Why have a dog?)  On the other hand, I take every dog out every day for a 2 to 4 mile run, train several times a day, and give the dogs lots of doggy socialization (play-time) in the yard, so I feel like it is acceptable controlling nuisance barking for a couple hours a day.

I have tried three different types of electronic no-bark collars and definitely have my preferences. I have used the Innotek (GS-2030 – sold through Cabela’s), the Dogtra (YS500), and the Tri-tronics (Bark Limiter XS). Each of the collars are reliable as far as only activating when the dog wearing the collar barks. Understandably, this is a concern, and may have been an issue with 1st generation bark collars, but it is no longer a concern. Each of the three collars works differently and has its pros and cons. Here are my thoughts on the different units:

The Innotek does not have an on/off, but rather is activated by the barking of the dog. It senses the barking vibrations through the two prongs. It has seven automatically increasing intensity levels that increase to the level where the dog stops barking, then backs down one level after a set time interval to try to teach the dog not to bark. The batteries are easily replaceable with a screwdriver opening the unit and they seem to last quite a while. The pros for this collar are its price ($40), size (fairly small) and the automatic intensity setting. However, I have not had good success with this collar. I’m not sure if it is the thin nylon collar on the unit that does not keep it in good contact with the dog or what, but it does not work reliably. When I put it on one of my die-hard barkers, she doesn’t even notice it on, but when I take it off and test it, it’s cranked up full power. I definitely do not recommend this model. It’s cheap, but not worth the money.

The Dogtra Yap Stopper (YS-500) has a circular on/off and intensity level setting switch. The unit senses vibrations from the vocal chords through a receptor between the prongs. The unit is rechargeable (12 – 14 hr charge time) and seems to hold a charge for several weeks. The only con with this collar is its size. When compared to the others, it’s a bit bigger. However, it’s not too big, especially when I put it on my larger dogs. The rechargeable feature is a plus; though you may have to time it right to recharge it. The unit costs $80, and works great. I typically only have to use it on setting 2 (of 10) and 3 for my worse barkers. This has been a great collar.

The Tri-Tronics Bark Limiter XS collar has a covered push button on/off switch and intensity level selector. The unit takes batteries, but I have yet to replace one. They seem to last a long time. It senses vibrations through a sensor between the prongs similar to the collar above. I love the collar’s tiny size. The unit also has a feature that counts the number of times it has activated since it was last turned on, which is useful in determining setting level the next time you put it on the dog (next time you use it, if there were very few activations, lower the intensity setting one level, if there were a lot of activations, raise it one). The unit costs $100, and it works great, and I love the small size. Because if its size and effectiveness, it is my favorite collar.

I would recommend either the Dogtra or Tri-Tronics units if you are looking for a solution for barking dogs.

Left to Right: Innotek, Dogtra & Tri-Tronics Bark Collars