Please Help tp Choose Kennel Material - Page 1

We are about to build a couple of outside runs for our dogs, but we don’t know what to make them out of. I came upon this site that offers kennel panels: http://www.optionsplus.com/ Look at their Silver Series. I like them a lot. My only serious concern is how well zinc coated steel withstands the weather? Here is what they say: “The zinc plated, 11 1/2 gauge hardened steel wire is welded at each 2" x 4" intersection before plating to ensure lasting beauty and security without the wire loops of chain link that can catch and remove pet hairs. The galvanized frame tubing includes a final clear coating that seals and protects from the normal white rust-dull finish that plain galvanized tubing exhibits.” My questions are: WILL THIS RUST? Has anyone used such? Any experience is much appreciated.

I highly recommend Mason Kennels. I had a friend tell me about it a few years ago when she switched her indoor/outdoor runs to this product. I have been very satisfied with this company. Excellent customer service, custom order to what you need, outstanding quality. I have never had a dog be able to chew their way out or damage the link. Easy to install. They also have excellent guarantees. Might be worth checking into.. Here's a link to their website- http://www.masonco.com/DIRECT.html

I just built a state of the art kennel and training facility that can house 50 dogs. The fencing was carefully chosen, as were the indoor kennels. I personally do not like many things about the Mason indoor kennels that I orders and they cost a fortune. I did not use their material for the exterior perimeter fencing or the outdoor runs. They were simply too expensive and I found good or better chain link was available. For outdoor use, I recommend you simply find a chain link fence company that can supply 1.25 inch mesh that the dogs can not get their teeth on, heavy gauge steel posts and have them make panels for you in the length and height you want. Are you putting these panels and gates on concrete? If so, seal the concrete with a product I can recommend and you will have easy clean up and no cement coming through to ruin the dogs elbows. Do be careful the cement is not too smooth, but do not use a rough broom finish either or you will have problems. If you are worried about fence fighting, then that is a problem. I looked at every single type of material used known to man to divide outdoor kennel and none of them hold up very well to weather. Finally, I used galvanized and painted steel panels used for buildings to provide a top shelter and side panel shelters on each end of the 10 dog runs we put up. But because of our winters and our summer heat, I did not enclose every run. I find that most of the time if I am careful about which dog goes where, rotate them out into the large exercise yard, and once in a while resort to a bark collar or putting a dog indoors in its' run that I have little barking, unless someone comes here. At the moment there are 25 dogs here and there is not a peep from any of them. If you wish, email me privately and I can direct you to some photos of my arrangement on the web. Whatever you do, do not buy PVC, FRP or any other plastic type of material in the panels for outdoor use as it simply will not hold up to the weather. Good luck. Hodie schwarzenberggsd@earthlink.net

Mason with out a doubt, the stuff will last for ever...........Little on the pricey side but worth it

Personally I don't think anyone should have more than 2 dogs...but if you must have dogs to provide for you...firstly please don't use cement cuz it is not good for your dogs' bones...and i saw dogs come out of it crippled!...secondly...provide nice warm beds for each and every dog you are going to have! Thirdly...their personal toys...and finally...give them the opportunity to run free in open fields during the day if they can't be with anyone! It is awfully sad to see them live in the kennel!

I just purchased 2 double sized "platinum" runs from Options Plus (5'x5' inside and 5'x10'outside). I decided on these because they are heavier wire and have incremental opening at every two feet in height which is good for puppies. They are practically Gorilla proof. You won't have the flex in welded wire that you do in chain link. They also have a powder coated finish which is the best finish available on anything. I visited their manufacturing plant in Fredericktown, Ohio before deciding, and found that the owner is very knowledgable and friendly. They also make isolation panels for fence biters, kennel cap for fence climbers. The anchoring system for these is very easy to install and reliable also. Their pricing, I thought, was very reasonable too.

maybe you like to check out http://www.1stklasskennels.com excellent quality

Snodog, With all due respect, In my line of work I see the aftermath of people like yourself, Dogs gone missing never to be reunited with their owners, hit and killed by cars while running free.Left to provide for themselves out of garbage cans and no medical treatment.You let your dogs run free,I'll keep mine kenneled when I can't be with them. As for the cement,I don't know where or what you have seen but most dogs do fine as long as they have acess to a resting bench of some sort to get up off the ground to lay down on. Hundreds of thousands of dogs are needless put to sleep because they are allowed to run free while you are at work, does this really make any sense to you?You say how sad it is to see a dog in a kennel, you should feel how sad it is to feel a dogs life slip away as you hold it for the Vet as he is put to sleep telling him it going to be ok.....That my friend is sad..........

Bearddog, do you think this powder coated finish will not chip off? That is my biggest concern with zinc coat, or any kind of coat. Am I wrong? Has anyone used such for several years and can tell us about that? Snodog, it is sad to me too to see dogs living in kennels. I have a fenced yard, but I don't dare to live my dogs there when I am gone. I never saw them to attempt to escape, but who knows what they are up to when left alone for a long time? So now they live in the house. And I think it will be better for them to be outside in fresh air, watching birds, etc, than to be confined in the room. I don't plan for them to "live" there, only when no one is home.