Looking for ready to assemble kennels - Page 2

You can also look at tractor supply, they have welded kennels that are pretty nice. I have a pit bull that goes through the kennels from lowes or menards. I ended up getting a 9 guage kennel that he can't go through, but I am considering the one's they have at tractor supply for my GSD's. Just a thought.

Thanks Kelly, guess what there is a tractor supply about 5 minutes away.Too bad I can't go today, gotta babysit the kids today (all four of them), so needless to say I'll have my hands full.I'm gonna check it out for sure tommorow.

mseebran, I think those welded ones run anywhere from in the high four range to the lower five range. They are really nice and sturdy. I am certain they can put up with your Rotties

the welded kennel panels from TSC are VERY nice - very strong, good-looking and durable. However they are VERY expensive. Mason kennels has more options, they are pretty much indestructable, have different options of sizes/types and wire gage - and deliver promptly. I did lots of research when trying to find kennel fencing for my new boarding kennel, trying to save money while not making the same mistakes I made in fencing for my old kennels (dogs would pull fencing off of frames on a regular basis or make holes in it) - and Mason was "it" for me - the cost was well-worth the quality - and it is easy to put up, my dad and I did it all ourselves. molly

eichenluft, I have seen those kennels advertised. Can you give me a rough draft of how much, and what size you have and how much they cost with shipping. Just wondering. I did say they(TSC) run anywhere from the high 4 range to the low 5 range, which I hope everyone knows I'm talking about the dollar range. I would like to know more about the Mason kennels if I can.

mseebran: I recently did almost exactly what you are describing and was going to give you a few tips. First, when I had the concrete poured, I had them make it very smooth and with a two degree slope. I figured this would allow for "natural" drainage and would be easier to spray off and clean. The two degree slope works fine. But what actually happens is that in snow and ice, the concrete is very slippery (where the walkway is not covered) and the dogs and I are slipping and sliding all of the time in wet and cold weather (I am working on correcting this right now by installing a "carpet thingy along the walkway"). The concrete needs to not be so smooth in colder climate areas. I thought it would be easier to pick up the "poo" if it was smooth but that was a mistake. Having said that. In your location, I believe that smooth would be better for you because of your better weather conditions. The concrete does keep their nails trimmed also. Secondly, I also used 6 x 12 kennels from Lowes and as stated by others above, found them to be cheap and cheaply constructed. I have had a Pitt tear through them and a Rott almost get through. Also, the door latches are not good and I have put two on each door to alleviate that problem. One middle of the door and one lower, and I put a metal "hook" like thingy I obtained from TSC (looks kinda like a squared off "U" with a little circle on one end). I would recommend spending the extra bucks to get better kennels in the first place and not lose a dog through a car accident or a dog fight. I have twelve kennels all in one row and have doors on both sides so that the dogs can be let out on one side or the other. I have large fenced in areas on both sides approximately an acre each. One being totally a wooded area and one being a totally grass area. One more tip. Get stainless steel water buckets and not plastic or galvanized. They are more expensive but worth it in the long run. Good luck.

I got my Mason kennels two years ago when I finished building my boarding kennel. There are 22 kennels, most of which are 4X4 inside, and 4X12 outside. All kennels are galvanized steel - they offer stainless as well but $$$$$$$. My kennels are under roof outside so the galvanized works fine. I got the 9 gage wire (very strong) and Mason is known for hanging their fencing very tight in the frame, and they wrap it around every link to the frame - it is VERY strong, dogs simply can't go through it. And the links are small, so they can't get their mouths through the fencing anyway, and feet can't get in to climb it. I got 3' isolation panels for the sides, so dogs can't fence-fight (they have to stand up to see the dog next door). If I did it again, I might get the 4' isolation panels (4' solid steel, 2' chain link) for the sides - however I wanted more air circulation and the 3' works well. It is not cheap - however it will last a very long time with minimum if any repairs or maintenance. The delivery worked really well, I would have had to pick up my own panels if I had bought them locally (or from TSC). The TSC panels I would not have been able to afford at all though I have friends who use them and they are very nice - too nice for my budget. Mason fencing is worth the cost IMO. Contact Mason for estimates, they are also very good about sending an estimate, and there are discounts if you buy a certain amount - molly

Great advice guys. The human nature in me wants to go the cheap route, but I know better.You do get what you pay for, so I think I'm gonna go for better quality than the preassembled kennels at lowe's.One thought that I am seriously considering now is build my own facility.I can do most, if not all the work myself. And another good thing is that I have a friend, well, more like aquantance, who does fencing.He's an older guy who does really good work and for a very reasonable price.I'm still looking around online and have a few stops to make this week after work.The only problem with building my own custom kennels is time, I really only have the weekends, and I like to spend most if not all of that time with my kids.Anymore advice is welcomed and greatly appreciatted.I'll let you guys no how it turns out. Thanks :)

We also got the Preifert kennels. A bit more spending but will hold anything. You can make any size you want by combining 10' sections and 5' sections. Ours are 15' long X 5' wide with a tarp roof. We hung rubber mats between to reduce fence fighting. Now they are used to it and nobody has issues with the other side. Easy to assemble and move around if need be too.