We want to build a dog kennel and hubby has given me the task/responsiblity of finding out just what to do. Neither of us are very adept at building but we do have friends that can help.

How would You go about installing a kennel with a cement bottom and chain link fencing at least 6 feet high? and would you put 2 dogs in one kennel or make two kennels? Both dogs sorta large: Shepherd/Lab mix about 70 lbs and a Husky weighing about 60 lbs. (The chickens will thank you and my son who has to fill the holes that have been dug in the back yard will thank you.)

Step 1: Choose the spot. Step 2:.......

Thanks a bunch,

-- Lavender Blue Dilly (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), July 24, 2001

Answers

Two ways. Step 1, Go to TSC, quality farm or similar store Step 2, Buy kennel/dog run Step 3, Assemble according to directions. Step 4, insert dogs.

If you want to save a little money and build your own you can use cattle panels. Put 4x4 poles at each corner and every 8ft or so along the sides. Mount Cattle panels to the 4x4 post. Depending on the dogs jumping ability you may need to enclose the top. A tarp on the top also keeps down the the sun/rain in the run.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), July 24, 2001.

Home depot , lowles , ect sell the pannels also.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 24, 2001.

I'd suggest seperate runs separated by a fence down the middle. 2) Figure the size dependant on the panels you buy or have and the budget you have.

3) Lay out the area using posts and strings and start digging. Strip about 6-8 inches of dirt out from this area and level the bottom.

4) Figure out where your suport posts need to be and dig holes around the perimeter for them.

5) compact the dirt and dump 2-4 inches of gravel down for drainage and compact this.

6) set posts

7) pour concrete over the gravel, providing a slight slope away from where the dog houses will be and ensuring that the concrete is finished so there are no low spots to collect urine, waste, water ,etc.

8) Erect kennel according to directions.

9) add dogs

-- ray s. (mmoetc@yahoo.com), July 24, 2001.

Hi, Lavender. Just a thought, and you probably don't want to bother with it, but a frost proof hydrant near the runs would be very handy for clean ups. Putting in a short run of underground pipe is very easy.

Jennifer L.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), July 24, 2001.

I have a picture (poor) on my website of our kennel: http://www.sundaycreek.com/photo_gallery.htm

If you are interested, email me and I'll send some better pics and some tips.

This is an open air kennel. Concrete slab, metal roof, six foot chain link panels with 3' high metal roofing sections for "pee panels". They provide a solid barrier between runs. We board dogs. Ourskennel is set up for four 6'x12' runs. The two runs on the end have movable panels so they can each be subdivided into two 6'x6' runs for a total of six runs. We hang poly tarps on the sides for wind protection and shade. The slab is sloped slightly to the rear for positive drainage and has a light broom finish so it is not slippery when wet (like a sidewalk).

Where to put it? Out of sight and sound of the house. Our biggest mistake. Dogs can sit in the runs and bark when they see us move in the windows or when lights go on and off. It is also a good idea to run an underground wire (#10 double insulated) to the kennels for lights and a bucket heater if it gets cold in the winter. Having a yard hydrant is also a big plus for filling water buckets and cleaning the concrete.

-- Skip in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 24, 2001.

You've had some good ideas for fences and yard surfaces. The nearer to a watering point it is, the better for you - if you can establish it with a view to possible future automatic watering bowls with float valve, also good. Preferably choose a spot under shady trees (NOT fruit trees - you're going to get a build-up of dog-faeces here, and that implies worm eggs, and you don't want that anywhere near what you eat). If you can't get trees, grew climbers on the fence. Near the poultry pens and away from the house - that way if somehing gets after the poultry in the night you'll hear about it; and you won''t get too much unwarranted barking.

For kennel, place two three-foot lengths of 4x4 parallel, about eighteen inches apart, running down a slight slope. Lie an open-ended 55 US gallon drum between them, open end downhill. Maybe drive a picket each side of the drum to keep it in place. If you can, arrange that the top one-third of the open end be covered, or hang a bag over the end, or put a little sloping awning over that end, so rain can't drive all the way into the drum. Ideally, and at your leisure, make a slatted platform (tear down a pallet) which you can slip into the drum so the dog can lie three or four inches above the absolute lowest point of the drum. Throw a bag or two on the platform. Done!

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), July 24, 2001.

Thank you all so much. I see some very good ideas here and things I would not have thought of as I have no experience in doing this (Yet!).

I like that about growing vines for shade. There is no problem with the water access, the hose is long. The kids WILL be cleaning up the waste daily so I don't think the worm thing will be a problem. Also, the dogs are checked yearly for worms and have been clean.

I had not considered using cattle panels. That should be cheaper. A cement floor is a must because the one dog digs holes. Barking is not a problem. They can see the house from where they are now and it isn't bad. The only time we ever hear the husky, Bart, bark is when he and the other dog, Rocky, are playing. Rocky barks at cats and one neighbor in particular. Sometimes, we bring Rocky onto the back porch for the night and she is quiet.

Any more ideas?

-- Lavender Blue Dilly, home of the Ravens (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

We have figured out where to put the pens and to make them about 7'x6'. The question I have now is....What is a good size for the dog house part? I've decided that the house will be outside the kennel but attached of course. That way the dogs can't climb the house and try to get out the top which will be covered with a panel or something.

The kennels will be situated in the line of a fence with the fronts being even with the fence line and the rest sticking out into the fenced in field where my chickens range. There will be a gate at the front of each kennel and one at the back so the dogs can be let into the field to run after the hens have been closed up for the night.

We have yet to decide what materials to use. However, I lean toward blending into the environment which is "farmy" and chain link just doesn't have the aesthetic appeal.

Thanks again for the good suggestions and please if any one has more ideas let me hear them.

-- LBD (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), August 01, 2001.

LBD- I just purchased a used dog run for $200 which is totally self- contained. It is made out of chain link fence with a corrugated aluminum roof. It has a built-in fiberglass dog house, similar to what folks in my area use for their hunting dogs- a 3' x 4' box attached to one end of the run about 2' off the floor so the dogs can hop up into it. The run is 4'x 12' and the best part is that the floor is fiberglass. I think it was made by building a wooden form and applying the fiberglass over the form. The whole thing is very light and portable- I can lift one end up onto a 4' pvc pipe, then use 2 more pieces of pipe to roll the kennel to wherever I want it. Another girl and I loaded it onto a trailer ourselves with little effort. The fiberglass is easy to clean and disinfect and it is about 4" off the ground, so there is no danger of the run flooding during rain, etc. Best part is that I did not have to build a permanent concrete pad. This run is very secure and dogs cannot dig out under the fence. There is no way I could have built a comparable run for the price- you might check in your area for something similar.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), August 01, 2001.