Dutch Shepherd Forum

Well, I have finally found what I feel is the perfect flooring for outdoor kennels - pea gravel over a bed of sand. Yes indeed. I took on a little extra work on weekends at an exclusive pet boarding facility (very pricey). Anyway, they have pea gravel on the outside runs that works perfect. Unlike concrete, the urine drains and filters through the gravel/sand, keeping the dogs dry. Feces is easily scooped and does not get smeared with the dogs running through it. Once a week, they spray it all down with disinfectant but the rain takes care of most of it. Also the gravel is much easier on the paws/legs as it gives. Anyway, I have toyed with what I would use when I ever build my ideal kennel set up. Dont know if I will go so far as that piped in elevator music though like this place does!!

wow, that sounds great! Im always toying with the idea of an ideal Horse barn

How about stupid active dogs (and pups) who think that you need to be able to eat everything, including gravel?

What will you do if you get an infestation of critters/virus/or something like whipworm that is soooo hard to get rid of? What about young dogs who like to "taste/swallow" everything? A girl I knew did that flooring for her Beaucerons and used Rid-X a few days a week but her pens still smelled to high heaven.(So did her dogs).

Well, hummm...those are some valid points. So do you think concrete is the only way to go? What suggestions do you all have? I did not think about mouthy puppies although I haven't had any in a long time. This boarding facility has used pea gravel since 1989 successfully but then again the dogs only go out and potty and exercise on it, they dont stay there all day on it. My use would be for daytime while I am at work. We are in the process of buying rural acreage on the river and I would not be able to make trips home on my lunch hour to potty dogs that are inside as I do now. The dogs would have indoor-outdoor access to the kennel building. Any ideas are welcome.

I prefer concrete because it is so easily sterilized. But that's just me.

And I have personally assisted in 3 surgeries removing pea gravel and rocks from various dogs stomachs. So the mouthiness is a real issue. I would trust my older dogs in it. We have one 10x30 run in the front set up that way. But I wouldn't trust the pups who get bored easily.

I use concrete with a resting bench and a few heavy rubber mats-- just to give them a less abrasive surface to lay down on. The mats are made from tire material,(like stall mats for horse stalls), 3' x 4' x 1", cost about $20 from Tractor Supply and also are easily cleaned/sterilized.

Chris, I am liking that idea. Actually, I'm thinking concrete would be my best bet. If I leave the dogs for the day, then with the pea gravel I may not know where they pooped if they cover it up with the gravel. I watched a dog this weekend at the boarding kennel do just that and it was diarrhea. The dog did like a cat and covered it all smoothly with the gravel. Yuck!

Ok, while we are on the subject of kennels, how about kennel fencing ie cyclone fencing gauge, etc. This facility uses a very heavy gauge standard hole size but their kennel gates are of a small sized hole like maybe 1-1/2". What would be recommended for the toughest of dogs? I have been thinking about welded cattle panels.

My 11 yr old GSD got spooked by an approaching storm last week while she was kenneled at my farm while I was gone that weekend. She normally stays inside our house in town. She literally tore through two layers of standard cyclone fencing up 3' from the ground evidently with her teeth and killed over 2 dozen of my ducks and chickens!! Yeh, I am not happy with her right now.

Anyway, I appreciate any suggestions.

Not sure what you mean by cyclone fencing Is it what I think of as chain-link (woven fencing)? That is what I have here. I wouldn't like to think that my animal would be the next one to use a pen with the covered poop in it. I'm always worried about them picking up something from other dogs. (I NEVER board my dogs, nor do I welcome other people's animals here very often.) I'm not a big fan of welded wire, as the welds can be broken easily. You can try running a strand or two of electric inside to teach them to stay off the fencing tho I've not done that myself.(Not sure if it really works on dogs. I had a horse who learned to tell if the fence was on or not , I think by listening to it.) You can also run a second "security fence" around the entire run setup. I don't leave my dogs out that often nowadays, but I still want a secure fence. Mine have held up well for 30+ years. Also I like my runs in a spot where I can see them to check on the dogs often from the house. Be sure to allow for Shelter/Shade.
I'm sure many of the members have housed lots more dogs than I and will have suggestions for you.
Sorry about your poultry--do you raw feed?? It would be a shame to waste the meat.

alspyce wrote: I'm not a big fan of welded wire, as the welds can be broken easily.

I guess it depends on the welded wire. I will never never ever again use chain link/cyclone because my high drive kennel beasts would just have too much fun with it. It gives and some became talented sculptors, with their sabotaged teeth telling the tale (besides the holes that they created in their chew/pull action)
Since I cannot afford to keep placing titanium teeth I dediced that I needed powder coated welded wire. I have Priefert kennel panels, since I cannot get my Dutch galvanized Corton panels here. The prieferts hold up better to the boys than to the girls (uric acid) but chewing/pulling is impossible, thank goodness.
Denise....if you want to go the Priefert route, I can scout the seconds lot for you at their factory here. Sorry to hear about your poultry slaughter Denise.

Just to annoy Judith:

I have Corton kennels, what's the deal with welded?? pffff

Marjolein wrote:Just to annoy Judith:
I have Corton kennels, what's the deal with welded?? pffff

I have Corton too. But not enough of them, so I moved on to powder coated welded wire.
http://www.priefert.com/ProductGroup/ke ... nnels-516/
Which, BTW is also made by Corton, but in a galvanized version.
http://www.hondenkennels-corton.nl/
Behlen makes something similar as Priefert does. I prefer the Prieferts myself, but I think Behlen is available at TSC and Lowes? Neither option is cheap, BTW, but like I said. For me, the teeth damage on chain link was not worth the risk anymore, so I invested in my set up, vs the bottomline of my k9 dentist.

OMG! That is good looking fencing! I thought she was talking about the welded wire that people use to keep their children/pets in the yard! (And thinking---no way for a DS!)
My pens were done 30 yrs. ago and I really haven't looked at fencing since then. Mine are very heavy, well made. My gates are 1"x1"weave chain link--more like poultry fencing. I guess it depends on the animals and how much they are supervised in the pens. Mine are never left out when I'm not here, and are not allowed to pull, chew, jump on (or over) the fence, as I am watching them. (Usually from the picnic table )

alspyce wrote:I had a horse who learned to tell if the fence was on or not , I think by listening to it.)

my quarter horse used to go under my electric fence all of the time, he just squatted. your hair stands up when you get close, I wonder if the dogs noses would be able to "feel" the static?

Thanks for the info on the kennels. TS and a local feed store carry the Priefort or a brand similar. I have never seen the Corton type. Will check out the Behlen site next. I dont know anyone locally that has used the Priefort so I appreciate the feedback on these. I hope to make a substantial initial investment that will outlast me

So the next item is, what do you use as a divider section between kennels? I have seen sealed cinder block used as well as metal, usually 3' high. The boarding kennel I am working at uses metal; washes and dries easy, dogs cant get a grip on it and it of course takes up no kennel space. I also like their latches that are absolutely secure. Not sure the make yet. They also have sound absorb panels that hang from the ceilings in the buildings. Their doggie door system for the small dogs is not efficient but I am leaning toward a guillotine type setup for my own.

All of this is why I am working there right now so to learn from the best in this area. Why trial and error or re-invent the wheel when someone else has already got the system down pat?!

We have cinder block between kennels, but I think metal would be good. The working dogs love to fence fight so much, so I prefer them not to see each other. They will literally go through a gate to be on the other side of a fence just so they can run up and down it with a partner.

We have guillotine doors, and they are sturdy. However, whatever wire/rope pulley system that we come up with becomes a fascinating game. So now we typically just pull them out when not in use, and just put the doors back in when we need to lock them in on cold nights.

Thanks, Christie. I was wondering about the pulley mechanisms being a curiosity/play thing for the dogs too. I am thinking about using metal cable. I have just started researching the doors. My husband can weld so I think I will get him to custom-make the metal doors once I find plans or a prototype.

I am really getting excited because for many years now, I have always wanted the most efficient kennel setup and now is my chance!!

My 'doors' of painted sheet metal on pulleys, ran through a heavy steel frame, bolted into the cinderblock wall.
When the door was up, the metal cable was about the roof of the inside run. No issues that way, but only 4 ft high covered inside pens made it harder for us humans to clean.

Thanks all for the input. Im thinking heavy sheet metal for dividers, doors, etc. Not sure if the cinder block would be efficient as I have a few of the dogs that could actually do some damage there and to their teeth. I'm really excited about the possibilities.