kennel/dog run suggestions

[aj4]

We are looking to build a kennel/dog run for Uso our 12 week old. We definately want to build something that is big enough that when he is full grown he doesn't feel "locked up", right now we have an area that is about 8ft x 21 ft that we think might work out for him. Is that big enough? Any suggestions on size, and more importantly what type of flooring (cement, grass, 3/4" river rock, bark/sawdust etc) has worked best for you and your rottie? We are also thinking 6 foot high chain link, any other types of fencing that has worked well? Thanks for any input and suggestions!

[Judi W]

No fencing should be less than 6 foot high. My yard has chain link. As far as the rest of your questions, I believe it depends upon how much time he'll be spending in it. Will he be living in the run, or only there for when you are not at home? Make certain he has a shelter of some sort. I never have more than 3 dogs so I don't use kennel runs, but the flooring will depend upon whether it is his primary place to be. Ease of cleaning, kindness to the feet and body, etc. are all different factors involved especially if it is to be his primary living quarters.

[aj4]

thanks for the info, he will only be in it when we are gone at work, the rest of the time he will be in our backyard or inside the house. Does 8ft by 21ft sound like it would be good for that? Also what type of flooring do you suggest, a lot of people say to stay away from concrete (its hard on their joints etc) even though it seems to be the easiest to clean. thanks

[k&s]

That size sounds fine to me (more than large enough). I have 2 rotties in an indoor-outdoor pen during the day when we are at work. Indoor pen is about 4X8 feet. Outdoor part is at least 12 x 20 feet. However ---- they mainly spend the day sleeping in the indoor part and primarly use the outdoor part for pottie and to look for us when we come up the drive, as far as I can tell. Most times when I come home they are inside, and they only come out when they hear that I am home. In my experience, they are not going to run about having alot of exercise when you are gone, even if you have more than one! The fun happens when you are there, too!

[mijpa]

jus tmy suggestion, don't do the rock thing, since most dogs play with them in their mouth's! have a good chance of swallowing a rock that could get lodged in their intestines,then he/she will have problems, and especially for your peace of mind, i speak from experience that you will freak out everytime the dog has a rock in his mouth;)

[Judi W]

That is an awfully large area for concrete (expensive) and concrete is cold in the winter and hot in the summer and very hard on the dog after too many hours. Many use pea gravel (Dobes and Corgi's are the most notorious about eating rocks although Rottweilers do like to carry them around), and you might consider crushed granite. I prefer my dogs to be on grass, but that might not be practical depending upon your soil and the sunlight available. I would discourage concrete, but you need to determine what will work best in that location. And as mentioned, make sure there is a shelter of some sort. Ability to clean and sanitize is more important for dogs that must live full time in their runs. If it is for daytime use only and for only one dog I do not believe those issues are that critical so make it something you can reasonably scoop poop from and then the comfort of the dog.

[Soapie&Buddy'sMom]

I have a run attached to my house, it's about 12 x 20. The dogs can get to it through the cellar door via a doggie door - the kennel is flush with the house, and the cellar is one of those old fashioned ones that has a door with steps leading to the backyard. Anyway, the main use for the outdoor run has turned out to be (18 months of use):
(1) Buddy, the 2 1/2 year rottie-lab mix, sits on a folded lawn chair surveying the neighborhood (he does this whether I'm home or not during the day)
(2) Soapie - 8 year old chow terrier mix - pees and/or poops out there when she really has to go and can't hold it
(3) Miller - 8 year old yellow lab - doesn't use it at all, he appears to sleep the entire time I'm gone, and hold his bathroom needs until I get home.

I have grass and mulch, along with a big bush that was there when I built the kennel. I also have a few stones alone the back wall, and there is some concrete sidewalk that was also there. What's weird is that Buddy usually always sits on the lawn chair - never the grass, or else on the partial sidewalk.

My suggestion is to at least have a variety of materials, or something like a lawnchair there for the dogs to lay on. And I agree with what others have said here; I don't think the dogs will use it to run around in - they save that energy for when YOU are at home!!! Trust me, my dogs seem to sleep all day and so are 10000% energized and ready to roll the minute I drag my a** through the door! :p

[aj4]

I just want to say "THANK YOU" to everyone's advice! So much great info and I am overwhelmed with the graciousness and time that you all took to help us out with all this great info! I am new member and must say this site and members are GREAT! Thank you again to everyone, we greatly appreciate it! Uso pronounced
(ooo-SO) it means brother in the Samoan language, will love his new kennel! Thanks again and Happy Holidays!:D

[Mattweiser]

another solution could be to use a concrete slab covered with cedar chips....

the chips provide decent comfort and insulation, plus serve as an insect repellant... you can easily scoop the poop off the chips.. plus every few weeks.. you can remove them all... wash down the slab, and then put down fresh ones....

just a thought

[k&s]

There is some material called, I think, Trex. It is used to build decks instead of pressure treated wood (which contains arsenic). The trex is made of recycled plastic, andcan be nailed and sawed just like wood. I have often thought that some day I might make a deck in my dogs' run out of this trex material.

[JFred]

We started out with grass. They did some digging and then we had mud. we covered the pen..goes into their room through the dog door. I found an article in dog world, I think, that said concrete is easier to clean but as someone said, hard on feet and elbows. Sand was said to be good for exercise but river gravel was best for feet. We hauled in a huge truck of river gravel that was too large. Hard on feet and more digging. I started putting straw in to discourage digging. After 2 yrs the pen looked like stucco. there was large rock and straw packed almost into concrete. still digging. We smoothed out the pen using pick and shovel and a wheel barrow. Put down wire on the bottom to prevent digging attached the wire to landscape timbers and had another huge load of pea gravel brought in. What a difference. We also covered pallets with scrap carpet in that pen and their exercize area. Maggie started chewing on the corners of the carpet so I put tobasco on the corners. Problems solved.

If you choose rock. Make it pea gravel. Good luck with your puppy.
Bennie Sue

[AngelBunny]

aj4:

Uso "will only be in it when we are gone at work, the rest of the time he will be in our backyard or inside the house."

How will Uso be confined to your backyard--when he's not in that nice run you'll be building him?

[aj4]

great info on the pea gravel and chicken wire,
Uso will be in our back yard or in the house while we are at home. the back yard will be confined with 6 ft vinyl fencing. thanks for the advise

[aj4]

jfred...how is cleanup with the pea gravel?

[JFred]

Hi, clean up is very easy for us because we feed BARF and you get a small firm stool that picks up with no gravel. We got a firm small stool when feeding Canidae as well but I'm sticking to BARF. I had a puppy who required bowel surgery and for a while I fed him kibble. We covered our pen as well and we probably have a set-up similar to what you're describing.The small pen 18' x 27' is an indoor outdoor pen that they can use if we're not here. they have one of the bedrooms. That small pen is inside an exercise area , I don't know the deminsions on that. Then all that is 20 acres that's fenced. I'm paranoid about dogs getting out and getting run over. We're rural and our guys don't know that if you stand in the middle of the road cars and trucks don't stop. We're on a curve which makes it even more dangerous. Lots of luck with your boy.

Bennie Sue