Opinions and ideas on small house kennel? - Page 1

Hi All,

Just Curious.

Is there a standard kennel size? 

I would like to build a "pet room" in my next house that has a wash area, food area, space for a frig/ freezer, and space for 2-4 dogs plus space for Kitty stuff , muddy boots and coats. Basically a huge mud room.  I am thinking the minimum kennel width (inside) should be 6'each. Is this too large? They would only be kept in kennels at night, during feeding times, and while we are away on travel (have a house sitter). Dogs would also have outside partially covered individual runs that can be opened up to back yard area. What would you use for dividers and fronts of kennels (inside and out)? Should I put drains in the inside kennel floors? 

Let me know if I am forgetting anything. 

Would appreciate your input.

Not planning on starting a breeding kennel just want my animals to be comfortable and a space to keep all of their stuff.

Thanks,
C

I would do 4x4 indoor kennels if they will have access to outdoor runs and especially if they are not in them 24/7.
If you have the option to put in drains I would do it but otherwise I wouldn't if the dogs are house trained. Mason has the best dividers and indoors kennels I have found. If they are not chewers (mine are horrible so this won't work) but you can do plywood and then cover with the shower wall sheets of plastic with a 4x6 kennel panel on the front.

JMHO

Hi C,

I had an extra garage bay (12 x 24) that I separated with a wall, heated, insulated, put AC in, and options plus platinum kennels with in/out runs to concrete pad that works perfect for me. If you want to know more and would like the detailed information PM me. I'd be happy to help.
Beardog

Have to agree with Beardog, one of us copied the others idea. His kennel sounds just like mine, very practical and comfortable.

One thing to think about is making sure there is nothing that the dogs collar can get snagged on, and absolutelty no sharp edges.

Yes Sir Pirates,

I never put a dog in with a collar on them. I have seen people lose dogs with collars in many different ways, and have always been sort of OCD about them with collars in crates, kennels, or inside fenced in areas period.

I like the setup with concrete and stall mats. The non-agressive ones and elders get Kuranda beds in their inside runs. The ones that get pissed and start chewing get a stall mat. Easy to mop daily on the inside, easy to scoup up and hose down on the outside- It takes me less that 15 minutes a day when I have dogs in them.

I have been thinking about expanding before I retire from work, buy a Williams-Scotsman jobsite trailer and set it up for expansion since I will have the time to train and work with more of my own dogs on a daily basis. If I were to build though I would have block or poured walls the first four feet up with 1/8th" acrylic sheet over 1/2" exterior plywood on the inside above the block with individual in/out runs opening to a fenced exercise area.

Whatever I do I know that it's just a bad tax write-off with no hope of making a profit. But I guess that's what you get when you care about where your pups go, and how they live out their lives. I will probably never breed more than 1x per year with the focus on keepers that have an imprinted brain, look good, and can compete.

Beardog

 Thanks everyone for your suggestions,
I was considering putting stall mats over the concrete in inside portion of  the kennels as well. I have them in my horse stalls and they make clean up a snap and they keep the floor level when my pawers (sp?) are impatient for dinner. Another plus is they come in 4' x 6' but can be cut to fit with a utility knife.

What do you use for footing on the outside? I was thinking of pea gravel (3/8" stones) 4" deep.

Beardog,
Why would you pour the first 4' of the wall solid concrete? Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to frame it up, sheet it in hardy board and tile the first 4' (on the inside)? Frame walls are a whole lot easier to take out if you decide to expand or use the area for some other purpose.

C

Solid concrete would allow me to not worry about the aggrevation of sealing the board at the floor and corners, insulation getting wet if the seal fails. I would coat the concrete walls with a durable finish like a smooth epoxy garage floor finish that is impenitrable. Outside would be bare and broom-finished.

As now my inside runs are smooth finish and coated. Outside runs are broom finished and just sealed with a concrete sealer. Pea gravel is something that needs to be replaced and can't be easily sanitized. I don't have anything against it, I guess each to his own.

Most people that see the inside of my kennel say that it looks like a surgery room.