# Options Plus Kennels



## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Does anyone use outdoor kennels from Options Plus? If so, do you have any close up photos of the gate latch? I can't tell from their photos how they work.

Does anyone know of any alternative brands of NON-Chainlink kennels, similar to Options Plus I suppose? I know about Mason Co kennel products, just curious to see what other options are out there.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Here's one I had in my save file.
http://www.yourfencestore.com/dogs/kennelalum.asp


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike, I have 2 platimum series kennels by them. (I purchased one) They are nice & sturdy but rust like crazy & look like S#%$ after only a few months. I purchased mine in early '04 & they looked like I had owned them for 10 years within a couple of months. When I contacted them about it they told me that they had had a problem with their curing process & sent me a new kennel. They didn't want the old one returned due to the expense of shipping it back. (hence the 2nd kennel) Well, the new one rusted up just as fast as the old one. When I contacted them again, they told me that I shouldn't complain 'cause I have a 2nd kennel for free. They did not intend to do anything to correct the problem. Even though I told them that I had not asked to have 2 that I only wanted one that didn't look like crap after 3 months for the anount of money that I paid for it. They were just about $700 when I bought mine. I believe that they are close to $1000 now. That is fine but they look lousey & do not enhance my backyard one bit. As far as the latch is concerned....they have 2 latches...one up at about waist height & the other about 5 inches off the bottom of the kennel. They look like a allen wrench shape or L shape & just fits over one of the cross bars on the kennel. You push it down & it drops over the bar & locks in place.They are connected so that when you push down on the waist high one it moves the lower one also. To open you just pull it up. This design keeps a dog from pushing out the bottom part of the door & escaping. The problem with this is that they rust also & are not easy to get up & down after that. I have one of the doors that I don't open often (other side of kennel) I can't open without hitting it with a rock or something to release it. I have put the 2 kennels together to make a 10 x 20 X 6 high kennel. I don't know if they ever fixed the problem with the curing process, but I suspect not, since a friend purchased one about a year or so ago & had similar problems with his. I will say that the strength of the kennel is most likely unsurpassed but you have to be able to tollerate the look of it. Also, be warry of the divider pieces that they sell...my friend purchased one to divinde his kennel,(its plastic, I think) & his dog chewed thew it. I have a cover also, but it doesn't fit since I have put the 2 kennels together. You might be able to find a better choice elsewhere. I don't know if their other silver kennel have the same problems.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Maybe they should powdercoat their stuff, that'll last forever. That's crappy that they rusted over so quickly, wow, I'd be pissed. I was looking at the Ultra series, but maybe I'll rethink that now. I have 6 months to research it though so not a big deal. Thanks for the word of warning. I wasn't very impressed with their dividers just from reading their site.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Holy cow!

I'd be furious, too. Like two pieces of junk is a good deal because the second one was free?!


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## Betty Mathena (Apr 19, 2006)

I bought some from the Tractor Supply store. We have only had them a couple of months but so far I'm happy.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Interesting, I would have never thought to look there. Which model kennel did you buy from them? They have quite a few options.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Oddly enough, I get to my trainers house today n he has kennel panels leaning against his existing kennels, they looked pretty nice so I asked him where he got em.... he told me a friend of his bought them for $300 at Tractor Supply :lol: Nice looking kennels, I would want them coated black or something though, the only complaint I have is the 5ft wide door, I would prefer it if the door was 3ft wide or so, but other than that, they're pretty decent kennels for the price.


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## Daniel Cox (Apr 17, 2006)

*I own three 5 x 10 kennels*

Check out priefert kenneling. It is powder coated and does not requre a singe bolt. I own three kennels that are 5 x 10 and I love them. If you would like some pictures I can post tomorrrow or this evening. EAch kennel panel is right 6' 5".

Here is a link to their website
http://www.priefert.com/


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## Daniel Cox (Apr 17, 2006)

*Re: I own three 5 x 10 kennels*

All these panels are modular and easy to assemble and take down. You can build 10 x 10 kennels or 5 x 10 get doors on the big panels or small panels. It is very modular and nice stuff. It can be found at a horse supply place.



Daniel Cox said:


> Check out priefert kenneling. It is powder coated and does not requre a singe bolt. I own three kennels that are 5 x 10 and I love them. If you would like some pictures I can post tomorrrow or this evening. EAch kennel panel is right 6' 5".
> 
> Here is a link to their website
> http://www.priefert.com/


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Those look exactly like what I've been trying to find. I don't intend on kenneling my dogs outside permanently, but kennels can be very handy when you don't wanna go inside to grab another dog or a guest comes over with a dog that you don't wanna stick in a crate, or just giving a dog a little more freedom beyond being stuck indoors in a crate.

Thanks for that link!


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## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Oddly enough, I get to my trainers house today n he has kennel panels leaning against his existing kennels, they looked pretty nice so I asked him where he got em.... he told me a friend of his bought them for $300 at Tractor Supply :lol: Nice looking kennels, I would want them coated black or something though, the only complaint I have is the 5ft wide door, I would prefer it if the door was 3ft wide or so, but other than that, they're pretty decent kennels for the price.


By about eight sheets of that damn stable mat stuff and mount it on rebar. Looks like hell and would take a nuclear strike.

Mostly I just want to watch somone besides me try to load one of those drywall sheets from hell in the back of a car.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I had a heck of a time getting it into a pickup, I don't even wanna think about a car :lol:


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## Daniel Cox (Apr 17, 2006)

*picture of priefert kenneling*

Here is a picture of one of the priefert kennels up under my deck. I have horse stall matts in the bottom to protect the pads. I also made a roof for it. I leave Chuck out there at night. the dog you see in this picture was my showline Simba. I sure do miss him. I sent him to a family member in Florida because he was not going to make it on the Schutzhund field. I ended up w/ a working dog named Chuck who rocks in the bitework.


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## Andres Martin (May 19, 2006)

Mike,
I'm having on of these made as we speak. It should be ready by the end of next week. http://www.berger-hollandais.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=10
The proposed size is 2 x 4 meters, plus if you can get it translated, it describes it's "innards".


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

That's a good looking kennel. Where in Florida did you send your showline?


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike, I think if I am not mistaken.....they are powdercoated. And yes the kennels look junkie...but I can't afford to replace them. Oh by the way...the guy that I spoke with at Options told me that I could get some spray to remove the rust & them spray paint them. He was a BIG help !!! :evil: My friend ended up painting his. I was reluctant to do that, because I don't want my dogs eating the paint if they should chew on the bars. Not that the original paint wouldn't come off, but I was told that it was curred on & that it wouldn't come off that easily even if the dog should take a bite or two. But I am sure that they lied about that just like everything else. I would never purchase anything again from they. Just their cavalier attitude about my complaints after spending almost $1000 with shipping & all was very disheartening.


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

I have all my kennels built by a local fence company. They are 8' x 10' with the gate on the 8 foot side. They do what they call a full welded panel and use 9 gauge commercial chain link. I've have kennels in service that are still solid after 15 years. They cost 425.00 dollars each. We place them on a 9' x 11' concrete slab. Stick in an insulated Igloo brand dog house and voila', dog kennel.

DFrost


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## Daniel Cox (Apr 17, 2006)

I sent him to my cousin in Lakeland, FL. I meet her in Atlanta. It was very hard but two males do not mix. I now have a working male and female. The working female is only 11 weeks.


Mike Schoonbrood said:


> That's a good looking kennel. Where in Florida did you send your showline?


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Lakeland isn't too far from me, I've trained at a Schutzhund club a little past Lakeland in Plant City before. Does he do anything with the showline or is he a pet now?


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## Daniel Cox (Apr 17, 2006)

Just a pet. Simba was a very nice dog and needed a family. Schutzhund was a square peg round hole for him. He had great food drive and nice prey but he did not have the courage for the work on the field. Mike I might have to look you up when I go to Lakeland for Christmas. I should have my dogs w/ me. I just purchased a wt metal 4 dog and should have my dogs w/ me during xmas.


Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Lakeland isn't too far from me, I've trained at a Schutzhund club a little past Lakeland in Plant City before. Does he do anything with the showline or is he a pet now?


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## Michele Moore (Mar 27, 2006)

Hey Mike, 

I have the Magnum kennels, they are similar to the picture posted by Daniel. They are powdercoated and very durable and also easy for a girl to set up by herself :mrgreen: (I doubt that is important to you, just thought I would throw it in there). I will try to get a picture tomorrow. It is dark here right now and my digital is not the best. It looks like this though http://www.beavervalleysupply.com/sectionj/bedk.htm

I haven't had the powdercoating wear off but it is not very humid here and does not rain that much so I can't say they have been tested. However; I installed misters on the kennels and those have not rusted anything either so they seem pretty rustproof to me.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

For you folks with a rust problem, go to a autobody store and get a rust bonding, paint on material. (probably find it at the big box stores also)
I can't think of the name right now but it will chemically bond with the rust. It goes on clear and turns black but it can be painted over if you don't like the look. 
I did a rusty old garden bench 6-8 yrs ago and it hasn't rusted again.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

It's known as a Rust Converter if I remember correctly, good catch Bob.

Lemme know when you're down here Daniel, come hang out at our training field and give your dogs a Christmas workout


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

That rust converter stuff works great - I live in the road salt capital of Canada and have had to refurbish alot of stuff with it.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Well, if a dog is hell bent on escaping, the Hound Surround kennels aren't much good. :evil: Zoso did this in about 2-3 days after he figured out that he'd have to pull it up if I chained the door to the frame so he couldn't pop it open. This was even after I had 4 large cement blocks (one on the inside, three on the outside of the door) to block it. So much for keeping my promise to my landlord to keep the dogs in the basement during the day. We are so not getting our deposit back...Here's Buck as if to say "hey, wasn't me, boss lady..."


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Maren those lighter gauge chain link kennels usually only serve as entertainment for dogs!
Get the heaviest gauge you can afford if you use chain link. I have one old chain link kennel that is virtually destruction proof - it is 20 years old, still looks good and survived Malamutes(fence rippers of note  ). The dept store kennels with the stretcher bar arrangement don't seem very sturdy at all. The ones with rounded corners with the chain-link "slinky-wrapped" always seem stretched much tighter and dogs can't get a hold of the chain link and pull back on it.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

So I wonder if it is even worth trying to patch up the hole. It would be helpful for my fosters who are, in theory, not as nuts as he is. I can't contain that dog without spending even more money, but he is doing fine with run of the house (except the bedrooms). At least he's not clawing the doors or chewing the carpet trying to escape. It is so weird. Being in the crate when I'm around is fine. Being in the house alone is usually fine (except the odd thing occasionally being chewed due to boredom and/or not enough exercise at the moment). But putting the two together is no good.


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