Outdoor Kennel

[Jmnhunter]

so the pup is getting bigger and the pen i have for him now will be out grown soon; any suggestions on where to get a outdoor kennel? I found fleet farm had a 4x10 with cover for 260; i dont need the cover as i could make one alot cheaper than what they have on there.

i looked at making one but the fence panels sold sepprately are spendy and wouldnt make it worth while.

[JayinMN]

Look on craig's list or the newspaper for used kennels. You can often find really good deals on there. If your dog isn't a jumper I have seen nice kennels made out of hog panels or cattle panels. They are a lot cheaper then a kennel. They are 52" tall and 16' long. They run about $20-25 each. You will have to make your own door.

[Acemac]

I got a really cheep 10x10 at tractor supply last summer. its not the best and someday it will be a pain in the bum to move but it keeps the dog in.

1 thing I wish I would have done is build a wooden floor in it so keep that in mind.

[Jmnhunter]

so far fleet is by far the cheapest, i thoght you could find them for under 225 or so; c list doesnt have any. midwest fence wants 450 for a 4x10; tractor supply has them for more than 300

[Acemac]

no way I got mine at tractor suply for like 100 bucks last summer. you have to acually go there the online stuff does not have the things they carry. I would wait till it warms up they will get the summer stuff out.

[MinnesotaMongo]

I personally love my Scott Kennel. Google it - very nice - a little spendy - but if you move, you can move it with you...

[Jmnhunter]

another question in regards of the outdoor kennel, do you need to worry about the dog when it gets blistering hot out in the outdoor kennel besides keeping the dog in shade? I couldnt even leave him in a room at home as it is not air conditioned

[Tom7227]

I have an outdoor kennel for my two Brits that I bought used about 15 years ago. Works great. Cement pad, insulated two room dog house and an elevated platform that the dogs love to get up on. They even sit on top of the house to check things out. I put 1/4 inch plywood over the top in the winter to keep the snow out. I only wish that I had kept the slab a bit higher above grade to help with drainage. I can supply plans for the dog house if anyone is interested. email me at [email protected]

[nine-tiner]

Not sure how much you really want to spend but about 5 years ago I had an outdoor kennel built for me. Outside dimensions are approximately 6-1/2' x 12'. It looks much like a 1/2 kennel, 1/2 yard shed. It has a shingled peaked roof the entire length. The "shed" half has the same vinyl siding and shingles as our house and has a full size service door on the end. There is a treated floor under the entire house which is built similar to a fish house on skids. This raises the floor off the ground a good 6-8". I added rubber mat type flooring to the interior and exterior areas. Because of the framing which holds the chain link kennel in place I was able to build some panels with windows for additional winter protection. I have also build additional screen/shad panels for the summer months. Because of all the wear and tear on the grass in front of the kennel we ended up building a small treated deck last summer as well. All together I probably have about $2k into the kennel. (what can I say, I don't have kids, so my lab is spoiled for an "outside" dog)

If I had to do it again, I would have built something like this onto the side of my shed to create a larger indoor run. Maybe with the next house.

[Todd Caswell]

I got a really cheep 10x10 at tractor supply last summer. its not the best and someday it will be a pain in the bum to move but it keeps the dog in.

1 thing I wish I would have done is build a wooden floor in it so keep that in mind.

Why would you want a wooden floor?

[Jmnhunter]

the wooden floors is what i've been taught to use also. untreated 2x4s for the base with 2x6's with a 1/2" of spacing in between on top. I suppose cement slabs would be ideal but different living situations and budgets can make that difficult

[pureinsanity]

If you have the connection and the money you could use hog slats. We have a couple in our concrete pad kennel to keep the dog raised up off the concrete so avoid stepping in doo doo

[Shack]

IMHO a wood floor is not sanitary. It retains fecal and urine matter no matter how much you seal and clean it. Plus after year one, the ones I have been around stink during the warm months. Stale urine. If it was just a temporary area a house trained or area trained dog was put, then you might have a chance of keeping business happening down to a minimum.

I understand though if you have reasons you can not pour a slab, wood would be on the list but check into those interlocking plastic or concrete patio blocks and paver's. You not want ones that will that will spread unless you anchor around the perimeter or bond/glue the blocked to each other. Then you could use the ones that just butt up to one another. I would suggest sealing them and you could even go as far as seeing what they in the form of a water tight bonding agent to hold the blocks together and grading the area to a full bubble (or what is best) so the urine just rolls off

[pureinsanity]

Sorry Shack I am going to strongly disagree with you on part of your post if I understand it right. I agree do not use plywood, but also do not use pavers, stepping stones or anything that has seams. And all pavers require a edge to be nailed with spikes to avoid it from moving as well as tamped and filled with a fine grit sand to lock them in place.

Trust me on this as I have experience in removing them and reinstalling them. As for Shacks idea, its good in theory but even if you completely glue, seal seamed areas they still still move. If you have it slope off to the edges it will slowly absorb water which will work its way underneath.

most the standard pavers, stepping stones don't but up tight against each other. odds are you wont waste your time with glue and the seams. Those gaps are made to help water drain. Even if you slope water will stand on them because its not one solid piece of concrete. No paver is the same exact size regardless if they use the same molds.

I use to do a lot of landscaping, and often times people would have me install pavers in kennels in back yards where dogs will roam.

for example see this photo.

Standard 6 In. x 12 In concrete steppers. this location was right next to a sewage pond. Driving by randomly I thought it was the sewage pond that always stunk. After showing up at this ladies house remove and reinstall a patio, I found out it was actually the dogs that were the smell I was smelling.

the homeowner wanted to salvage most of them, that is why the broken ones are already missing in the photo. After several pair of gloves, many bottles of disinfectant and something to plug my nose I had all the pavers out of there. I dug down over 2 feet with the skid loader in certain areas depending on slope and amount of base needed. I could STILL smell it 2 feet down in the ground.

urine, feces, upchuck, and hair. the most disgusting combination ever.

Pour concrete or build a raised off the ground kennel so you can just shovel away what you need to shovel.

[pureinsanity]

I might add that in logic this is fine as long as its ALWAYS dry out. soon as a little water gets on that pad, WOW stay away!

[Shack]

Dude, I am not advocating building anything like that lol. Darn, I thought you were going to say you installed that mess. In my opinion though, that would be better than a 2x6 untreated floating deck on the ground. Kennels smell, but at least you could keep the area clean to a point with work. The rubber mat over the wood though nine-tiner mentioned has possibilities. I also was using the idea of pavers as a solution where concrete is not an option. I am very sure there are options where pavers, when done correctly, would work. Just figure though the costs would put you up in a nice 12x12 or 16x16 slab range. Just tough in MN. Slab is the best. You pour a slab for a kennel, you sell, instant slab for a kennel or shed. That is best.

[pureinsanity]

Yes pavers are an option if you do not mind disgustingness. not an option for a kennel in my mind unless you want it to always smell, hair to be in the cracks and urine and fecal matter in the cracks. I have done two jobs were I took out and reinstalled pavers because of the mess left behind even after cleaning it up.

A lady had us tear up and re-level her patio once. she poured lots of bleach on it and it still was nasty!

You should know I do better work than that shack

[870Express]

Built Tom7227's double room kennel a year ago and love it