Dog pen

[Freds]

I have to agree with Eddie on your dog feeling a bit frustrated, which kind of comes across from what you are saying.
I'm not sure what you mean by you are hoping in a year he'll settle down enough to let out to roam the fenced, 4 acre yard... How old is your dog now and why does he need to settle down to run 4 acres of fenced in property?
I know I must be misunderstanding something here and that's why I'm asking. Didn't mean to get too far off topic.

 

[KubotaSteve]

Eddie,
Thanks for the advice, but I've tried just about everything with that dog. I let him have the run of the back yard (about 4 acres or so that is fenced in) before I put him in the kennel. Like I said before, he destroyed the kids toys, picnic table, trampoline padding, etc. I had him different chew toys which I switched out. I would take him on walks around the yard in the evenings and play with him. I could only afford so much damage before I had to put him in the kennel. I'll probably increase the size of the kennel this year.

 

[EddieWalker]

I understand and hope you don't think I was critisizing. The chewing is a sign of something being wrong. The trick, like everything else, is figuring out what it is. Just like kids. Too much free time and they get destructive. Keep a kid busy and they stay out of trouble. hahahaha

Some dogs are just more work than others!!

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[TC18guy]

I assume you were planning on burying the older fence to control the digging? Digging has always been a major issue with my 2 labs and my german shepard. They just do not like to be contained I don't care how much room you give them. The one thing I've learned is I have a few minutes here and there to build/repair their kennel. They have all day to figure out how to get out. Don't underestimate them.

 

[dooleysm]

My beagles dig as well. Huge holes that they can disappear in. They never dig to get out though, as their holes are randomly spaced in their kennels. It was a problem when I had them in the back yard. Now that I've built kennels off the side of my barn, they can dig their way to China for all I care.

They do like to lay in the holes in the summer to try to stay cool.

Like others have said, dogs dig when they're bored. I have to run my beagles for 2 or 3 days in a row, for many hours per day, before they get tired enough to just lay in their kennels the following day. They can go out and chase a rabbit for 4 hours and still be up all night howling and digging.

 

[wushaw]

KubotaSteve,
I hear Labs usually get out of the destroying everything stage after age two.
With four acres to run in do you have a pond for him to swim in and practice his retreving skills in?

 

[DannyD]

Well I got the fencing materials Sunday. Heres the scoop, TSC had their 10x10x6 on sale, 203.68. Lowes had the same thing, 238.00, so I comped them.........they met the price, then gave me a second "damaged" one at half the comp price, 300.00 and change I got 2 10x10's. I am going to have a 10x20 fenced area with part of the barn as his house. I also now have 2 panels to put screen wire on to use as a cover for my pond this fall.

photos soon as I start digging the pen

 

[DannyD]

I would love it right now, and will probably fix it that way when I concrete the barn floor.

Hows the house and pond coming?

 

[EddieWalker]

Danny,

Good job on finding the fence panels. I alway love a good deal. The other day I was at Cabela's in Ft. Worth and found a $200 deer feeder for $70. The box was opened and it said it was missing the hardware. Everything else was there. So for a few bolts and a little time on my part, I got one heck of a feeder for dirt cheap. I just love it when that happens.

Take some pics of the kennel,
Eddie

 

[DannyD]

Well it has been a while but I finally got some seat time and got the project back on the track to finish it out. First was to move the tank of propane. The gas company came out moved it and got it hooked back up, after I dug a REAL trench for the gas line. I started digging to level out the area with the floor of the barn that will be his house.