I'm planning to build a dogpen for my soon to come home GSP. Not having owned one before I'd be keen to hear from others on their experiences and suggestions for size and design of the pen.
What are some of the things I should take into consideration? How high should the fence be? I was thinking of keeping part of the ground as lawn, digging it up first and unlaying with mesh to avoid digging out. The pup isn't arriving until late September '04 so I've got plenty of time to prepare the run.
Your input appreciated.
Build me a pen & put in a.......
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peaceflmeadow
Just a couple questions to help define what is needed:
What is the use of the pen going to be? Will it be a 24/7 home, just while you are at work? Will he be expected to potty in the pen? Will you have a dog house in it and can the dog climb on top of it? Will he have room to run around outside of the pen at times (like a yard)?
Erin
What is the use of the pen going to be? Will it be a 24/7 home, just while you are at work? Will he be expected to potty in the pen? Will you have a dog house in it and can the dog climb on top of it? Will he have room to run around outside of the pen at times (like a yard)?
Erin
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crow
those are excelent questions to ask I ll tell you living in the south the worms and all the bugs we have here I took cement block in a 6 ft by 6 square filled it full with 4 tons of river rock (because its smooth) cut a hole in the fence ( we all have had the houdini dog ) drilled holes in my dog house and took the fence ends and bent them in through the holes so the dog would have a all the pen area to play in potty in and the like. the rocks do too things when you feed your dog you spray the pen down the rocks acts as a filter ( no smell no worms ) and id you hunt you dog hard the rocks harden the pads so you will never have a laid up dog or have to make a visit to the vet to get its feet checked. My grandad has done this for the last 38 years of hunting in tenn. and I have done this in New mexico and now in Georgia I have found for my needs that this is the best for a dog.
Steve
Steve
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WildRose
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Good thinking... size and arrangment defiintely are dictated by how much time the dog is to be penned. GSP's are typically very active and energetic dogs and when confined such that they dont' get enough exercise tend to get pretty hard to live with, noisy and destructive. Give us some more info and we can probaly be of help.
About the rock.. the healthiest dogs I have are those that run on rock all the time, but I use 2" crused hard white lime rather than the smooth river rock. Our terrain out here is so rough that's the only thing that keeps the dogs feet in good enough shape to get through my extremely long tough seasons. Most of my dogs will go three to five days a week minimum for three straightor four straight months, and that's a WHOLE lot of wear and tear on a dog especially their feet if they are not kept in good shape year round.
I'm about to do a kennel expansion here and one thing I've set my mind on is putting all the dogs in my hunting string on 50' cable clotheslines running on a bed of six inches of crushed rock. I'll reserve the Fancy concrete runs for client dogs, and whelping bitches. CR
About the rock.. the healthiest dogs I have are those that run on rock all the time, but I use 2" crused hard white lime rather than the smooth river rock. Our terrain out here is so rough that's the only thing that keeps the dogs feet in good enough shape to get through my extremely long tough seasons. Most of my dogs will go three to five days a week minimum for three straightor four straight months, and that's a WHOLE lot of wear and tear on a dog especially their feet if they are not kept in good shape year round.
I'm about to do a kennel expansion here and one thing I've set my mind on is putting all the dogs in my hunting string on 50' cable clotheslines running on a bed of six inches of crushed rock. I'll reserve the Fancy concrete runs for client dogs, and whelping bitches. CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people
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feralaussie
Steve, thanks for your idea with the river rocks. I like the fact that it not only makes my job easier but conditions the dog's feet at the same time! I'd like to work with it but due to the size of the run I’d have to consider an alternative rock type. River rock comes from the other side of the state hence an expensive choice. We have a local quarry that supplies different sized screening, like that used on driveways…do you think it could be suitable or could you suggest another material?
CR, how would the screenings compere to the crushed lime you use? Is lime acidic or alkaline? Does this have any bearing? (I didn't do chemistry at school).
Erin, The dog will be in it's pen only whilst we're at work. I have a dogkennel with a peak roof. It might prove awkward for the dog to balance itself on the roof as the material is aluminium however I’d still assume the dog could stay on top. I’m keen on including Steve’s idea with the rocks. There’s an old rectangular trough about 2 x 2 x 5ft, lying around in the paddocks that could be great for the dog to jump in on hot days.
I've picked the corner of the paddock closest to the house for the site of the dogpen. One 'wall' is already built, being a 20 ft high (6ft deep) established hedge. It has already been wired up with a combination of sheep fencing and chickenwire to about six feet high. I thought of extending it higher and keeping the top section loose (floppy) so it can't support the dog's weight.
Opposite the hedge is a shed that 'makes' the second wall. The shed and hedge are joined by the perimeter fence of the paddock. The fence is only about 4 ½ ft tall so extensions will be needed there. That leaves the fourth wall (& gate) which will need to be built. Overall the site measures approx. 26 x 39 feet (8x12mtr).
The spot is ideal as a big oak tree shields from scorching summer heat. It loses it's leaves in winter, letting the sun in to warm the area and the hedge protects well on windy days. We have a temperate climate, winter brings frost but not snow (the hedge stops frost in that corner anyway).
How am I going so far?
CR, how would the screenings compere to the crushed lime you use? Is lime acidic or alkaline? Does this have any bearing? (I didn't do chemistry at school).
Erin, The dog will be in it's pen only whilst we're at work. I have a dogkennel with a peak roof. It might prove awkward for the dog to balance itself on the roof as the material is aluminium however I’d still assume the dog could stay on top. I’m keen on including Steve’s idea with the rocks. There’s an old rectangular trough about 2 x 2 x 5ft, lying around in the paddocks that could be great for the dog to jump in on hot days.
I've picked the corner of the paddock closest to the house for the site of the dogpen. One 'wall' is already built, being a 20 ft high (6ft deep) established hedge. It has already been wired up with a combination of sheep fencing and chickenwire to about six feet high. I thought of extending it higher and keeping the top section loose (floppy) so it can't support the dog's weight.
Opposite the hedge is a shed that 'makes' the second wall. The shed and hedge are joined by the perimeter fence of the paddock. The fence is only about 4 ½ ft tall so extensions will be needed there. That leaves the fourth wall (& gate) which will need to be built. Overall the site measures approx. 26 x 39 feet (8x12mtr).
The spot is ideal as a big oak tree shields from scorching summer heat. It loses it's leaves in winter, letting the sun in to warm the area and the hedge protects well on windy days. We have a temperate climate, winter brings frost but not snow (the hedge stops frost in that corner anyway).
How am I going so far?
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feralaussie
Steve, thanks for your idea with the river rocks. I like the fact that it not only makes my job easier but conditions the dog's feet at the same time! I'd like to work with it but due to the size of the run I’d have to consider an alternative rock type. River rock comes from the other side of the state hence an expensive choice. We have a local quarry that supplies different sized screening, like that used on driveways…do you think it could be suitable or could you suggest another material?
CR, how would the screenings compere to the crushed lime you use? Is lime acidic or alkaline? Does this have any bearing? (I didn't do chemistry at school).
Erin, The dog will be in it's pen only whilst we're at work. I have a dogkennel with a peak roof. It might prove awkward for the dog to balance itself on the roof as the material is aluminium however I’d still assume the dog could stay on top. I’m keen on including Steve’s idea with the rocks. There’s an old rectangular trough about 2 x 2 x 5ft, lying around in the paddocks that could be great for the dog to jump in on hot days.
I've picked the corner of the paddock closest to the house for the site of the dogpen. One 'wall' is already built, being a 20 ft high (6ft deep) established hedge. It has already been wired up with a combination of sheep fencing and chickenwire to about six feet high. I thought of extending it higher and keeping the top section loose (floppy) so it can't support the dog's weight.
Opposite the hedge is a shed that 'makes' the second wall. The shed and hedge are joined by the perimeter fence of the paddock. The fence is only about 4 ½ ft tall so extensions will be needed there. That leaves the fourth wall (& gate) which will need to be built. Overall the site measures approx. 26 x 39 feet (8x12mtr).
The spot is ideal as a big oak tree shields from scorching summer heat. It loses it's leaves in winter, letting the sun in to warm the area and the hedge protects well on windy days. We have a temperate climate, winter brings frost but not snow (the hedge stops frost in that corner anyway).
How am I going so far?
CR, how would the screenings compere to the crushed lime you use? Is lime acidic or alkaline? Does this have any bearing? (I didn't do chemistry at school).
Erin, The dog will be in it's pen only whilst we're at work. I have a dogkennel with a peak roof. It might prove awkward for the dog to balance itself on the roof as the material is aluminium however I’d still assume the dog could stay on top. I’m keen on including Steve’s idea with the rocks. There’s an old rectangular trough about 2 x 2 x 5ft, lying around in the paddocks that could be great for the dog to jump in on hot days.
I've picked the corner of the paddock closest to the house for the site of the dogpen. One 'wall' is already built, being a 20 ft high (6ft deep) established hedge. It has already been wired up with a combination of sheep fencing and chickenwire to about six feet high. I thought of extending it higher and keeping the top section loose (floppy) so it can't support the dog's weight.
Opposite the hedge is a shed that 'makes' the second wall. The shed and hedge are joined by the perimeter fence of the paddock. The fence is only about 4 ½ ft tall so extensions will be needed there. That leaves the fourth wall (& gate) which will need to be built. Overall the site measures approx. 26 x 39 feet (8x12mtr).
The spot is ideal as a big oak tree shields from scorching summer heat. It loses it's leaves in winter, letting the sun in to warm the area and the hedge protects well on windy days. We have a temperate climate, winter brings frost but not snow (the hedge stops frost in that corner anyway).
How am I going so far?
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WildRose
- Rank: 5X Champion
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- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 10:22 pm
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Oz if you have a quarry near by you'll find that the only real expense that matters is what it will cost you to have the rock trucked in. In my neighborhood the rock it self only runs about 20.00 per ton, plus hauling which is of course usually based on mileage. The lime is somewhat alkaline that we have but basically neutral, it's not the soft porous lime like white sandstone that dissolves easily in water. Granite works great as it's probably the least soluble of all rocks but you have to make do with what's available locally. You want the rocks at least 2" in diameter though to prevent the dog from diggign in them, and if the screenings have too many fines you will loose the filtering effect that steve talked about as the rock will eventually pack down like concrete so you would want to avoid fines. If you have a bed of six to nine inches of rock throughout the pen spread pretty evenly you will have a really nice virtually maitenance free keennel for life. Just hose things down daily and nature will take care of the rest.
It sounds as though you have plenty of room for the dog, but I've seen shorthair's jump/climb an 8 foot fence (2.66 meters) so keep in mind you may at some point find yourself needing to enclose the top as well. CR
It sounds as though you have plenty of room for the dog, but I've seen shorthair's jump/climb an 8 foot fence (2.66 meters) so keep in mind you may at some point find yourself needing to enclose the top as well. CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people
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feralaussie
Thanks for the advice CR. I've rung the local suppliers and was quoted $700 (Aust) for concrete and $800 (Aust) for rock/screen mix. I've yet to get a price from the local quarry as everytime I picked up the phone (at work) some bugger needed something or other.
I failed to mention to you the female slycology I used to convince my man that a dog run was the way to go. I'm still buttering him up over the costs. (He's still a bit of the "collar & chain'll do it" kinda' man).
I'll keep you posted on the progress.
Sam
I failed to mention to you the female slycology I used to convince my man that a dog run was the way to go. I'm still buttering him up over the costs. (He's still a bit of the "collar & chain'll do it" kinda' man).
I'll keep you posted on the progress.
Sam
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WildRose
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Feral, personally I prefer to keep my personal dogs on stake out's or long cable runs (like a clothes line) over a concrete pen. Yes I know concrete looks neater and is easier to keep clean, but we run in some horribly rough country here with lots of crumbled rock which is hard as heck on their feet as well as an amazing variety and consistent carpet of cactus. I just find the rock bedded or just natural runs keep the dogs much more fit overall and having far less foot trouble than those on concrete. I'm actually going to do some expansion here this year and put out 12-15 new cable runs fifty to sixty feet long on a bed of six to nine inches of crushed rock and save the fancy concrete kennel for whelping pens and client dogs while keeping all my personal dogs "out". CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people
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doublea
Another consideration for you is this: A dog will stool as far from his/her house as possible. This most generally puts that stool at or very near the kennel gate. My suggestion is to make your run at least 6 feet wide and only put a 2 or 3 foot wide gate on it. It will really help in keeping you clean as your dog jumps up and down to great you!
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crow
BE VERY VERY VERY CAREFUL
IT didnt happen to me but my friend but the cement had some type of fiber glass in(in the mixxing compound) and it hurt the pads on his dog due to the fact he began lickin and knawing at them to try and stop the iching.
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feralaussie
Well guys (& gals), from all you've been saying I think I'll be steering clear from the concrete option. I think the advantages of going with a crushed base far outweigh the asthetics of a concrete slab.
My dog probably won't experience anything half as nasty as cacti as most of the areas I frequent are dairy paddocks and cattle/sheep farms. However I am only discovering the gundog world and already I can see some of the treasures it holds! I already have visions of going away for the weekend, leaving my partner snuggled up, asleep in the tent whilst I discover new delights with my faithful friend!
Coming back to reality, haha, I finally got to phone the quarry and was quoted $23 (Aust) per ton for crushed rock 20mm (just under 1"). It's the largest size they have and around 20ton's needed. That works out to $460 (Aust). That's a considerable saving compared to the $700-800 (Aust) quoted by the other mob.
CR, you mentioned I should get at least 2" rock. Being that it's not readily available, do you have any suggestions on the best way to work with the 1"
The running cable is a good idea too! We have got a cable/dog runner which is presently used by the goat. I think it would be good to use occasionally just to vary things a bit for the dog. :roll:
Doublea, I never considered the issue of 'Stool's corner'. It's a good point and I appreciate you commenting on it. I'm now modifying my design to address that issue.
Sam
My dog probably won't experience anything half as nasty as cacti as most of the areas I frequent are dairy paddocks and cattle/sheep farms. However I am only discovering the gundog world and already I can see some of the treasures it holds! I already have visions of going away for the weekend, leaving my partner snuggled up, asleep in the tent whilst I discover new delights with my faithful friend!
Coming back to reality, haha, I finally got to phone the quarry and was quoted $23 (Aust) per ton for crushed rock 20mm (just under 1"). It's the largest size they have and around 20ton's needed. That works out to $460 (Aust). That's a considerable saving compared to the $700-800 (Aust) quoted by the other mob.
CR, you mentioned I should get at least 2" rock. Being that it's not readily available, do you have any suggestions on the best way to work with the 1"
The running cable is a good idea too! We have got a cable/dog runner which is presently used by the goat. I think it would be good to use occasionally just to vary things a bit for the dog. :roll:
Doublea, I never considered the issue of 'Stool's corner'. It's a good point and I appreciate you commenting on it. I'm now modifying my design to address that issue.
Sam
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WildRose
- Rank: 5X Champion
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The one inch rock should work fine for you. I designed some kennels for several people over the years and what I suggest if you are going to use the crushed rock is to pour a stem wall around the exterior edge of the pen area about 3.5" thick and nine six to nine inches tall, this will contain the rock (be sure it's reinforced with wire and rebar. I got the idea from seeing many a garden/yard in my youth where they'd separated beds this way from the yard. On the down hill end of it you want a few weep holes to allow rain/runoof to the filter through the rock process the feces and the urine (most of which will be ground to a fine dust already anyhow) and the effluent will just make nice fertilizer for the yard as it drains away.
The length of the run will determine how often you need to clean it. The kennels I consulted on I had them make each run forty feet long and six feet wide figuring each run to house two to three adult dogs. You feed and water by the house leaving the far end for a "potty zone" and typically it works out very well. Given a choice most dogs will "go" as far as possible from where they eat, sleep and drink. CR
The length of the run will determine how often you need to clean it. The kennels I consulted on I had them make each run forty feet long and six feet wide figuring each run to house two to three adult dogs. You feed and water by the house leaving the far end for a "potty zone" and typically it works out very well. Given a choice most dogs will "go" as far as possible from where they eat, sleep and drink. CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people
Rick redid some of his gravel lots last year and enclosed them with railroad ties. Keeps rock in and keeps diggers from digging. He has a 1 1/2 in rock in them. They turned out real nice and are low maintance. Then when you set your panels (ours are 6 ft) on the ties it makes them like 8 in taller. He used something to attach the panels onto the ties so they would not move.
brenda
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feralaussie
Well Brenda, it's funny thing you should mention this! The train line (about 4kms away) is redoing the tracks for the VFT (Very Fast Train). A lot of stuff is being ripped out and replaced with concrete. I think I might just meander down & have a chat with a mate who is friends with some of the boys on the work detail.
You know, I reckon' Lady luck is on my side. My mate (same person) knew someone who had too many rabbits running on their property and was going to organise for me to go and help them out with this problem.
I rang him up yesterday to nudge him a little (he sometimes needs it). Sure enough 1/2 hour later we're in the 4WD and on our way to meet these folks. Turns out the farm used to be a boarding kennel for greyhounds and they have got tons of gates & fencing sitting around unused. (They've got tons of rabbits too!)
I enquired about purchasing a gate and explained about building the dogrun- they took me to a stack of about thirty and offered me as many as I wanted! I'm hoping there may be also be some decent fencing//panelling that I may be able to purchase from them. I'll be shooting there on Monday (Public Holiday). Stay tuned for further updates!
I've gotta go girls. It's 6am and I'm off for a shoot. (Too bad about Lou, he does look sooooo cosy in bed but he will have to wait!)
Sam
You know, I reckon' Lady luck is on my side. My mate (same person) knew someone who had too many rabbits running on their property and was going to organise for me to go and help them out with this problem.
I rang him up yesterday to nudge him a little (he sometimes needs it). Sure enough 1/2 hour later we're in the 4WD and on our way to meet these folks. Turns out the farm used to be a boarding kennel for greyhounds and they have got tons of gates & fencing sitting around unused. (They've got tons of rabbits too!)
I enquired about purchasing a gate and explained about building the dogrun- they took me to a stack of about thirty and offered me as many as I wanted! I'm hoping there may be also be some decent fencing//panelling that I may be able to purchase from them. I'll be shooting there on Monday (Public Holiday). Stay tuned for further updates!
I've gotta go girls. It's 6am and I'm off for a shoot. (Too bad about Lou, he does look sooooo cosy in bed but he will have to wait!)
Sam
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WildRose
- Rank: 5X Champion
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"bleep" Sam.. (sorry it rhymes HA!) I wish I'd had your luck in locating knowledgeble people and cheap/free supplies when I started all this years ago HA! Brenda I like your idea with the RRT's sure cheaper and quicker than concrete and if the kennel isn't intended to be permanent more sensible as well. I might consider using cross tie borders for the rock beds when I do my clothesline runs, as it would give the runs a very neat and tidy appearance! CR
There's a reason I like dogs better'n people