How big of an arena should we build? - Page 1

We are currently building a boarding kennel and would like to know what size the outdoor training area should be.  The space will be fenced .  I was thinking 100 by 100 should do.  Is this too small ?  i realize you can train in any size area, but this is for commercial use.  We will be hosting obedience seminars etc have agility and Schutzhund equipment set up permanently.  Any advise would be greatful.  We are thinking of hogfuel as the surface material.

 Are you talking feet or yards?

 What is hogfuel?

 Hogfuel is tree bark bedding (pine?) often used as a soft and springy footing in horse arenas. Looks like landscaping mulch. 

 If you are talking yards, then you are good. I think feet would be too small for seminars and things like that.

what will your kennel be catering too - only Schutzhund or all dog activities?

will you be having group classes, if so in what?

as large as a regulation schH field would be great. it you have more space then other areas for agility and for obedience - the schutzhund field could be grass or natural surface - but that's a huge area.

as far as for your boarders - a few narrow runs for them to go out an play in.

I would use clean sand instead of hogfuel.  It won't breakdown, is easy to clean if a dog relieves themselves. It's consistant in size versus hogfuel. No chance of splinters. Hogfuel is often made of so many different plants and trees chipped together that you really don't know what is in it.  I've used hogfuel around my barns off and on for years so do have some experience with the pros and cons.......

Size? Personnally I would make it bigger if possible.   If you are going to do any Schutzhund training, remember you need enough room for 50 paces and you don't want to be bumping into the end.  Look up the regulation size field.  Here's an old thread discussing the field size.  Perhaps size it for at least 4 blinds?

If you are having trials then you need enough room for 6 blinds, so 100 X 100 METERS is big enough, I'm sure.

 Ok, so hogfuel is basically chipped up trees. We use that here, but not on the training field. It breaks down pretty quickly (depending on the time of year, it will be a mushroom field first) and can cause injuries when dogs slide in quickly. We have wood chips on our pathways and seating areas outside the training field, but the field is grass and clover. We intentionally planted the clover for our honeybees, and it also makes a good filler when grass gets beaten down. We over seed with a fescue mix a couple times a year. Since our Schutzhund field is also part of the dog park it gets used a lot for play times as well. Gravel and sand were way too expensive for us, maybe one day....
View from the clubhouse-

View of our field from the creek side.

Nice!