Any kennel owners here,ideas suggestions please.

osprey · Mar 6, 2006

I am looking for a couple of pens for my dogs and was wondering if anyone here knows of a good pen for large dogs. I was looking at some very nice ones at tractor supply that are 10' x 10' and go for almost $500. I may just build my own. I am looking to expand as time and money permits.My dogs are crate trained but I need to get some pens built for whelping etc. Any good forums or links that you know of that caters to the dog enthusiast ??

Thank you very much /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sigarms · Mar 6, 2006

Local farm supply here has nice metal 10'x10'x6' for $180 which I thought was a good price.

Freds · Mar 6, 2006

I bought my commercial kennel system from Horst Co. It is heavy ga., welded to the posts and a nice tight weave. They probably have stand alone units and can build any size you want. The ones you see at the local stores (H-D, TSC) are very poorly made, but I suppose OK in some applications and for some dogs. I think checking with a local fencing co. could work, too. We had an inside/outside dog when I was a kid and the kennel was premade in sections from one of these companies. It lasted a long time and one of my friends still uses it.
Most of the folks I know, even the ones who keep their dogs outside 24/7, whelp inside their house (fwiw).

texbaylea · Mar 6, 2006

osprey

We raised Boxers for many years. I made 5' x 20' runs for them. Same space but let them run a bit more.

I made my own using gate corners and top rail. I used drill bolts to hold the frame together. I made my panels 6' high which is about standard. Each panel was a rectangle with the fence fabric stretched end to end and tied to the top and bottom with aluminum wire pieces. The panels were then clamped together at the corners. All the components are available at chain link fence suppliers.

Just be sure you get the special Kennel latches, Our Boxers quickly learned to open the regular gate latch and not a few learned to open the special latches. We had to put harness snaps in each latch to lock it.

It is not difficult to do and since the runs are clamped together, it is easy to disassemble and move as needed. If you put the pens on concrete be sure to block them up so that the bottom rail does not lay along the cement. The urine from male dogs will rust them out fairly quickly when they stay wet against the cement. This also makes wash out easier.

Good luck

Vernon

Birdhunter1 · Mar 6, 2006

My dad and I raise and breed Brittany's and we have 4- 5'x20' kennels all connected together for our big dogs. Whenever we havea litter of pups we have a 6'x6' kennel that is portable we move into the garage and have the heat pad and heat lamps we can use and keep them out of the weather. Pups inside a building or under heat lmap is much better, or breed only in the summer time when it's warm but in a building is the way to go.

As far as kennels, makes sure the botom rails aren't on the concrete for the same reason as stated above. If you go concrete, a smooth finish is easy to clean off, a brushed (swept) wears toenais down better.

Cliff_Johns · Mar 6, 2006

Fencing panels come on sale at the box stores or farm type stores once in a while. They work pretty well and you just get the number of pannels you need and link them togrther with one special pannel with a door. They are usually pretty cheap and last a long time.

Depending on the breed, and if you're not on concrete, you may need 8X8 timber to lay around the outside of the kennel so the can't move the kennel and so they can't dig out quite as easily.

The only thing I would add is to make sure you have a way to provide shade that's not inside a dog house. You need some kind of cover to allow the dogs to get out of the sun. I would also make sure you can hang the water bucket so you can water from the outside and so the bucket can't be tipped over three minutes after you leave for the day.

Cliff

woodchuckie · Mar 6, 2006

info on kennel

Here's a link to a website with info on kennels

texbaylea · Mar 6, 2006

AS for water for my dogs, I used PVC pipe with a downcomer in each run,45* ell and a licks-it. No dirty water in buckets or empty buckets. It took my boxers about a day to learn to get water out by licking on the spigot. In hot weather they would walk under and let the water run on their back.

Be sure to place the waterers under the shade, even white PVC will get hot.

Vernon