# Everybody post pics of your outdoor kennel setups



## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I'd be interested to see what creative things forum members have done to house their dogs outside.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Here is the entrance to the dogyard - which is home to 12 dogs
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b385/sewtech/100_4898.jpg
I have trees and flower beds to kind of screen the area and it makes the kennel quite shady(nice for summer) and sheltered(nice for winter)
It is very close to the driveway so when I have to load all the dogs in the truck I don't have to go so far.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b385/sewtech/100_5153.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b385/sewtech/100_4545-1.jpg
I put down lots of gravel in any areas that get alot of traffic(along fences, in front of the kennel runs, in front of gates, pathways, in the chain out areas, etc as it tends to keep the dust and mud down and is a good traction surface and also looks tidy.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b385/sewtech/100_4719.jpg
I have two large free run areas which enclose the dogyards - I used fairly light welded wire fencing and have electric fencing inside that. I was able to run alot of fencing this way to make a big area and it is quite inexpensive to do it this way. Having two free run areas makes it easy to separate dogs (like females in season) and still let everybody have a good sized area to burn of a little energy. I also have an isolation kennel in case of new dogs, etc. When I rebuilt my kennels last summer I also made a small kennel run(3ft wide by 8 ft long) with a dog house outside of the run and it is useful for dogs that need restricted exercise(injury etc) - it gives more freedom than a crate but not enough room to bounce around too much.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b385/sewtech/100_5908.jpg
I have home-built(by me!) runs. They are raised off the ground and have good drainage. The base is patio stones over gravel. The runs are built out of separate panels and are extra-heavy chain link or heavy welded wire over wood. The houses are home-made and have removeable roofs for ease of cleaning. The extra tall posts on the front of the kennels are for the shade cloth I never got around to getting up last summer. The umbrellas worked well for several summers until this summer when the puppies invented a new game "jumping for umbrellas"......


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b385/sewtech/100_5700.jpg
I plant gardens in front of a couple of areas that get good sun - I train the cucumbers to climb the fence and it actually throws a good bit of shade with all the vegetation on it. Also handy as I can water the garden, wash out the kennel runs and fill the dogs bathtub(I keep an old bathtub filled up in hot weather so they can splash in it) and only have to haul the hose down once. I have a hose right inside the dogyard for ease of access but keep it rolled up and hung out of dog reach. I have lights in the dogyard areas and lights on the gate which are nicer than stumbling around in the dark. I also have an electical outlet so I can run some bucket heaters in the winter.

I don't think there is anything super innovative or creative here but it it works well, wasn't too expensive to put up and is easy to keep clean.
The residents aren't complaining anyway....


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## Becky Shilling (Jul 11, 2006)

Very attractive, Lynn! 

_I'm a little surprised that you have a long enough season for cukes! Ever try any "Painted Serpents"? They are the BEST Cukes, bar none!_


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

That looks great! I really like those kennel runs... how sturdy are they? Your dogs all look pretty calm n social together, do you have any kennel breakers?

How do you transport that many dogs?


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## Ian Forbes (Oct 13, 2006)

This what you meant??

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/5328/dsc00011ez6.jpg


  

She doesn't sleep there, it is just a spot to shelter in the garden.


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## Woody Taylor (Mar 28, 2006)

Yeah Lynn, that is awesome. Very nice set-up!

Ian, your kennel is a lot better than mine. :wink:


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Yes Mike - I do have a couple of "kennel breakers" that can climb out of or destroy any kennel you put them in - they go on tie outs! I think you can see one of the tie outs behind the kennels in one picture. Alot dogs prefer the tieouts anyway. My tieouts have good tree shade and I have made elevated platforms that the dogs can lie on top of or under in addition to their dog houses. I work from home so alot of the time the dogs are just loose together in the running yards(or underfoot in my workshop) and I just put them up if I leave the property-like you mentioned they are pretty laid back and social with each other and you might not want to do this with other breeds. My kennels are pretty sturdy but if I could afford the good quality ones like those Priefert ones that somone else posted - I would get them as they are probably alot less maintenance and would last forever(and look really nice!) and are probably much sturdier. The kennel runs I use for "geezers" mostly. As for how do I transport them all -if you look in the background on the last picture I posted you can see my truck with the dogboxes on it. It has 8 compartments so my 13 fit in there nicely. I can double box the small females together and the big GSD X rides in the front with me.

I think this is a cool thread and I hope others post some pics as I like to get good ideas from others to try out and I am also just incredibly nosy!


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Just for the sake of keeping things together if anyone ever reads this thread in the distant future, here's the link to Daniel Cox's kennel thread:

http://www.workingdogforum.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=2276


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## Dan Reiter (May 12, 2006)

outside view I use 1" thick 4'x4' bubber pad heavy enough that they can not tear up or move. The cement pad is installed with 2 degree pitch so easy to hose out. (not lately been sub-zero for over a week).










Inside view easy to clean & change out straw









Dan Reiter


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

I found a site online in the UK that sells this. I like the concept, but the runs are pretty small. I guess it's possible to build something like this yourself with 6x10ft runs with a little work.


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Here is how I keep the dogs. There are 5 yards total and 3 lock down kennels. Free fed and waterers set up with 15 gal tubs and floats. Electric fences on the outer perimeter and between each yard. Some yard have electric fence on both side and set back from the fence to keep them back away.


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