Dog pen

   / Dog pen #1  

DannyD

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2004
Messages
1,527
Location
Indiana
Tractor
BX 23
OK we now are the proud parents of a 7 year old lab....see photo.

My question is this, how big a pen should this dog have. He is walked and spent time with each day.

I have found at HD, these fence panels, 6' high and they can be tandemed together to make a pen any size. He will most likely have the back of my small barn for his "house" and the pen will attach to it. I can see a 12' wide by 20 foot long pen with nothing much to do but put it up.

any help or ideas would be great.
 
   / Dog pen #2  
I'm a big fan of keeping dogs in the house; but it's not for everyone (or every dog...). That said:

As long as he's getting good excercise (free runs and play) several times a week and daily mental stimulation (interaction with people, training, etc.) the size of the kennel doesn't really matter too much. 12 x 20 should be fine, so long as he has a sheltered area available.

Some thoughts:
<ul type="square">[*]Think about putting a doghouse inside the barn. Dogs like having a sheltered, confined, den-like area available.
[*]Is your barn heated? If it gets cold where you live, you'll need to make sure it doesn't freeze.
[*]Dogs can climb better then you might think--I've seen a trained one climb a 7' chain link fence. If the fence panels are climbable, you might want to put something along the top to prevent climbing (maybe some of the short welded wire, angled inwards towards the pen?)
[*]Dogs also dig--you may want to bury the fence panels a bit.
[*]Think about the groundcover. If it's grass, it's gonna die. If it's dirt, you're gonna have a very muddy dog when it rains. If it's absorbent, it's gonna get pretty foul with urine and feces. Consider pea gravel or concrete.
[*]Rotate toys through daily (like loaded Kongs!) to keep it from getting bored.
[/list]
 
   / Dog pen #3  
Hey Danny
I've seen pics that you've posted of your place and that pen
size would great but don't put it in the barn were you gona put the "Bota" it would just take up too much room. My bro has one of those pens and he put a dog house in the corner,bought extra fencing pipe,same size as fence panel.Cut 1 pipe in 2pcs. 2ft long & 2pcs from another 1ft long ea.Put longer pcs.1 on each side about 8ft or so from rear then run long fence pipe across pen tying the 2ft pcs. together,Put the 1ft pcs.on the back corners and tie them together with long pipe. Buy a good heavy tarp. and strap it across the middle pipe than stretch it across back pipe and down back a couple ft. Basicly your furing in a roof with fence piping and tarp.
It's lasted my Bro. 5yrs. so far and keeps dog nice and dry.
Good Luck
 
   / Dog pen
  • Thread Starter
#4  
thanks Guys.

I beleive we have decided to put the fence up with the barn back being one of the sides. We will cut a doggy door in the barn that leads intto the sheltered area of the barn. His dog house will be under the workbench so to say, with straw and all the goodies. This is NOT my big barn, it is the small one I have had for a bunch of years. It is used for storage ONLY now..........and it does have electric etc. I will put down 1/8 inch sheeting to protect the real floor and when it gets torn up, replace it.
 
   / Dog pen #5  
Hi Danny,

My brother is a field trial judge. He always has a bunch of dogs, plus training some for other people. His kennels always have concrete floors. No dirt for them. EVER.

Concrete is easy to clean, sanitary and cuts way down on flees and ticks. Dog houses are just square boxs. The dogs seem to like lying on top of them.

Water is automatic so there's always plenty for them. Food is dry.

Dimensions seem to vary with the different people from what I've seen. 8x20 would be in the average range. But these guys are all really serious about their dogs and have huge pads poured with cylcone fencing set into the concrete.

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but thought it might be interesting.

Eddie
 
   / Dog pen #6  
Instead of straw for bedding, you might look into getting a simple covered foam pad or some other pad designed for kennel use. Straw sometimes leads to problems: skin allergies, a habitat for fleas, ticks, and other bugs, mold and respiratory problems, etc.

Some people use it without any problems... But I'd avoid it.
 
   / Dog pen #7  
I have the same fence panels in a 18' X 18' size, one dog house, a 4X8 wood deck with nylon shade also 4' horse panel buried 2 - 3" deep to keep from digging out.
I also have steel fence post at every panel connection wired to fence to keep wind from moving pen.

I only put my dogs in the kennel when I'm away at work or elsewhere otherwise they have 9 acres to play on and a nice king size bed to sleep in... /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
   / Dog pen
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I am thinking 12x18 or something like that. He will have a section of my barn for his house. The fencing will be held down with the rebar and I have some older fence for the no dig area. I am seriously thinking about the concrete pad, but may wait till I do the big barn floor and do it all at the same time.
 
   / Dog pen #9  
I use the cedar bedding from TSC as it says it keeps ticks and fleas away and provides a nice aroma. Are there any problems to using that?
I keep my lab in a 10' X 10' kennel complete with a doghouse and cover. I do try to let him out to run and play a couple times a week. I'm hoping in a year he will be settled down enough to roam the entire fenced back yard (over 4 acres), but if he isn't I'll increase his kennel size. Those labs love to chew things up. I've tried everything from changing toys, chew bones, etc. but he still chews the kids toys to pieces as well as the picnic table, trampoline padding, etc.
 
   / Dog pen #10  
KubotaSteve,

I think your kennel is too small for your dog. Not enough room for him and it's causing him to misbehave when he does get out. Chewing in adult dogs is a classic sign that he's having issues. You also said you hope he'll settle down in time.

Labs are the best breed out there for their temperment, loyalty and intelegence. Chewing isn't something they are known for, nor is it common in their breed.

Daily exersize and mental stimulation is extremely important for all dogs, but especially in the hunting breeds. He needs room to run and he needs activity to stimulate his brain.

Basically, I think he's bored and frustrated.

Eddie
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

RECEIVE OUR TEXT UPDATES BY SCANNING THE CODE (A35465)
RECEIVE OUR TEXT...
2020 TMW Post Driver 1850 (A36338)
2020 TMW Post...
Mitsubishi FG30K Industrial Forklift, (A35430)
Mitsubishi FG30K...
Wolverine TL-12-72W Quick Attach 72" TIller (A34127)
Wolverine...
Kubota LA1002 Loader (A34127)
Kubota LA1002...
2015 John Deere 210G LC Excavator with Bucket (A36338)
2015 John Deere...
 
Top