# The nicest kennel ill never build..lol



## James Biggs (Dec 30, 2010)

So the wife said i could get my Shep when she comes back home from afghan...the only stipulation was that we have to have a NICE kennel for all our dogs so they are seperated and not in the house when we arent home.. and of course the HOA in my neighborhood are nazis...so i designed this.. obviously the front wall is missing all together (this software is junk..couldnt get the views i wanted). there will be a window in the center kennel.. one on each end. and the back will have barn style doors ( the classic barn style you know ..not pictured) so that i can get in for cleaning. the kennel on the left will have its own entrance /exit at the rear, with its own fencing so that i can keep it seperate from other animals if i have to. the 2 on the right will be able to be separated or left open to the big play area. Im going to put a bed of pebble down for a bath room area. each kennel with have half the floor radiantly heated, the other half not so the pup can cool off if need be. and the "porch" area will have ceiling fans. The inside will be cooled with solar attic fans. the walls will be tile about 3 feet up for easy hose down, (concrete floor) and the doors im gonna put in are framed with pvc..so no rot... what you cant see in the picture is the fencing. there will be fencing along the front (where the pillars are) and from the pillars to the walls. with a door on each. also, not picture, im going to build a replica chimeny, with holes, and boards inside for the cats to play in..(isolated from dogs of course lol) ...not only will the animals be able to have access to the 4x8 kennel, but they will be able to get to the play yard as well because of how im gonna do the fencing. 

so..any suggestions on something else i should add/do to make it better?


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## Kara Fitzpatrick (Dec 2, 2009)

very nice!!!


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## James Biggs (Dec 30, 2010)

thanks.. it took FOREVER..lol sketchup SUCKS


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## Guest (Dec 1, 2008)

Is that for your kids or the dogs, plan on moving anytime soon?

Has the HOA approved it yet? I'd hate to waste all that time to say take it down, paint it or don't like it...


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## Christopher Smith (Jun 20, 2008)

I think all parts of the kennel should get full sun at some point during the day. I'm not saying the whole kennel should ever have full sun at the same time. The sun is a great disinfectant and it free. 

I think the windows are too low. The more dogs can see the more they bark. HOA is not going to like that. 

I would also put full panels all of the way down each run so that the dogs can't see each other. This cuts down on dog aggression. You might not need it now but you might in the future. 

I also have the gates to my kennels raised up about 20 inches. This makes it easier to keep dogs inside because it gives them a little barrier. Now when I say "kennel" every dogs knows that they are in or out of the kennel. Also if you ever have a litter of pups you will find it's like herding cats to get all of them in one kennel. If you put the 20 inch step over it makes thing much easier. 

I hate the idea of pea gravel in kennels. It stinks after a while and it's hard to get rid of the smell. Also if you can let the dogs out of the kennel a few times a day, a lot of dogs won't soil the kennel at all. 

I assume you are going to have dog houses. Have you thought about having them built in with cinder block? 

Overall it's a pretty nice set-up just the way you have it. Good luck and post pics when it's finished.


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## James Biggs (Dec 30, 2010)

Jody Butler said:


> Is that for your kids or the dogs, plan on moving anytime soon?
> 
> Has the HOA approved it yet? I'd hate to waste all that time to say take it down, paint it or don't like it...



lol no dont plan on moving anytime soon, and no HOA hasnt seen it yet. but im sure they will be ok with it. they just basically want the exterior of any aditional buildings to match the house..hence the brick...


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## James Biggs (Dec 30, 2010)

Christopher Smith said:


> I think all parts of the kennel should get full sun at some point during the day. I'm not saying the whole kennel should ever have full sun at the same time. The sun is a great disinfectant and it free.
> 
> *yes im going to put in sky lights as well.. they just arent pictured here. alot of stuff i cant do easily with sketchup. i have autocad though. ill do more soon.*
> 
> ...


*thanks for the comments and suggestions*


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

will there be outside runs? if so I would concrete block those as well, if it was a dream kennel, not fence.... what are the plans for drainage? where is the storage space for food and equipment and supplies..

could build in waterers to, since it is a dream kennel...

looks good.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Check these out .. I wonder how hard they would be to heat. The rat wheel is kind of a novel idea too. These type of kennels are not my cup of tea, but interesting none the less. http://www.amishcustoms.net/kennels.htm


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Id also do epoxy instead of tile, much easier to clean, far more durable will outlast the bricks lol...as long as I am dreaming..


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

James Biggs said:


> lol no dont plan on moving anytime soon, and no HOA hasnt seen it yet. but im sure they will be ok with it. they just basically want the exterior of any aditional buildings to match the house..hence the brick...


My HOA is the same way, there a bunch of pains in my dick when it comes to matching stuff. When I did my fence they wanted half moons going up or cut down into each section of fence. I told them no fringing way, the fence people wanted 40 some odd dollars per section and I have 300 running feet of stockade fence. Finally after a long battle I won and they backed off. Its the only time I have won against them now they threaten to put a lien on my house if I do anything with out the architectual commitee approving before building.

Next home is either no HOA or is large lot subdivision properties.


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## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

Geoff Empey said:


> Check these out .. I wonder how hard they would be to heat. The rat wheel is kind of a novel idea too. These type of kennels are not my cup of tea, but interesting none the less. http://www.amishcustoms.net/kennels.htm


Wow amazing and just really nice i never seen anything like that here in australia.


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

brad robert said:


> Wow amazing and just really nice i never seen anything like that here in australia.


That’s cause you aint got the Amish and there puppy mills down there


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## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

yeah no amish here lol!!!

So are you saying the amish breed dogs?


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Oh man do they. They stopped farming and raising livestock and are the puppy mill pet shop breeders of the world. There barns are filled with cages.


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## James Biggs (Dec 30, 2010)

Geoff Empey said:


> Check these out .. I wonder how hard they would be to heat. The rat wheel is kind of a novel idea too. These type of kennels are not my cup of tea, but interesting none the less. http://www.amishcustoms.net/kennels.htm


the duplex kennel is very similar to what im doing, with the exception of mine having play yard access


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