Building an enclosure with your own hands is a responsible, time-consuming task. You first need to decide on the dimensions of the building, its location in the cardinal directions, in the back or front yard itself.
Directly, how to make an enclosure for a dog with your own hands, when the structure complements the architecture and interior of the site. Which is also important for the Alaskan Malamute and the bulldog. Criteria for habits, size, and adaptability to weather conditions are required: the height of the pen, the volume of the walking area, whether or not there is a booth inside.
The main criterion is size. The interior space is larger, it is more spacious, the paddock is comfortable and cozy.
The behavior and well-being of pets in a 6-meter pen for 1 individual will be much better. ALABAI, MASTIFFS, large dogs require increased room size. When enclosures are considered a structure where the owner is trying to “lock up” for the night, before his arrival, a 6x6 square enclosure is suitable, but not less than 8x8 m.
Where to place it correctly
The correct place is considered to be the one that is typical of the recommendations:
- Preference is a flat, dry area, no drafts or gusts of wind.
- The animal has a maximum view of 120° in both directions.
- The location is not close to the entrance and fence.
- Complete isolation from the owner is eliminated and loneliness is not experienced.
- Away from the windows of the house. So that the smells do not reach the hut.
Floor
We had already decided earlier that we would make the floor from wood. There are no special subtleties here; the shield is made of planed dry boards 35 mm thick.
The wood should be treated with an antiseptic and space under the floor should be left for ventilation.
Selecting a location
The enclosure creates coziness, comfort, and convenience. To do this, an area on a hill is fenced off so that all cardinal directions are visible. A prerequisite is full visibility of the entrance to a residential building, the entrance gate. This tracking factor for the dog is extremely important; the zones of the tracking points are tracked.
A garden plot with beds and buildings, where the owner spends 80% of his time, is suitable; Irish, English and Scottish setters see it perfectly and watch from time to time. Communication is done with all family members so that the pet does not get bored, whine, or feel anxious.
Other conditions are unbearable for the animal; constant melancholy will cause whining and howling. It is impossible to limit the Shar Pei breed from the world of everyday life, observation, caresses and liberties, usual activities and attention with the owners.
Design Features
A dog needs an enclosure for walks during the cold season.
Fenced areas are made next to or around houses to protect the pet from snow, rain, and sunlight. The dimensions are made such that the owner can freely enter the enclosure.
Consider the circumstances when choosing the design and dimensions:
- dog breed;
- pet's age, gender, height, body length;
- location relative to other buildings and wind roses on the site.
The fence can be solid or semi-transparent. The interior equipment is designed for the leisure of dogs, especially puppies and young animals.
Materials and conditions
The materials are selected to be strong and reliable so that the German Shepherd’s fangs do not chew off the parts of the enclosure fencing. The climatic zones in which the building is being built are taken into account in the calculations, and only then is attention paid to wishes and tastes.
The shed is built solely for entertainment, to house pets for a certain time. There is no booth inside. There are 2 zones - eating, spending time. The walking area is equipped with beds, making it comfortable for relaxation.
Photo
Elite enclosure designs: notice how beautiful they are!
We especially like the forged bars on the enclosures:
Modular:
With booth:
An original solution to build an enclosure made of bricks:
For a large dog, be sure to make a pen with a walk:
For two or three dogs:
Construction of housing for small dogs
The main rule to avoid miscalculations: measure a hundred times, cut once. From here, sketches and tips will give a correct and competent idea of the pet’s future home.
Construction requirements
- Dimensions are chosen no more than 6-8 m2. In a high and deep enclosure, the dog will become scared, uncomfortable and uncomfortable.
- The roof is partially covered or not done.
- The height of the walls is no higher than 1500 mm. There is no need to transfer money to the height of the room.
- A maximum of 2-3 walls are covered with solid material, 1-2 are open. The dog feels safe in such housing.
- The floors are covered with wood, poured with concrete with a panel covering. A small dog can easily catch a cold due to drafts, this must be taken into account.
- The loungers are made in the form of a children's mattress with a cross section of 12–15 cm.
The optimal dimensions of an enclosure for a dog with your own hands are inexpensive, according to the experience of dog handlers: 2×3; 3x3, 4x6 m. When constructing, it is useful to start working on drawings, mini projects, standard series, and, of course, recommendations from expert professionals.
Kennel
You don't have to build a kennel that is too big. Its area should be exactly such that the dog can turn freely, and its height should be approximately one and a half times the height of the dog at the withers.
The doghouse needs to be warm, so they make it wooden. Ideally, make the floor and walls in 2 layers (for example, board and plywood) and insert thermal insulation material between them.
The size of the kennel should match the size of the dog
The dog spends most of its time in the enclosure. Therefore, it is extremely important to make it spacious, comfortable and warm.
Buildings for medium purebred dogs
Medium-sized pets spend more time in the yard - during daylight hours, or on a warm starry night. When owners have no conditions and find it troublesome to keep pets at home, they prefer to set up a house building in the yard. English toy terriers prefer to build cozy buildings.
The presence of a booth or house within the height of the walls inside the pen is carried out according to the Standards and standard design. 3 zones are formed: for sleeping, feeding, and active walking. The dimensions of the house are standard and optimal: 65 cm high, 80 cm wide. In a cozy shelter, the snow-white Swiss Shepherd will feel much more spacious and at ease.
How is a home made?
Typical design of a pen for medium breeds of dogs: side length 3x2; 4x4; 6x4 m.
- Area 6-10 m2 (smaller is worse, the dog is cramped inside, the larger the feeling of aggression and unsafe behavior).
- The floors are made of wood on joists, concrete insulation is insulated with planks. Suitable in winter.
- 3 walls are made open, 1 edge is sewn up.
- There is a blank wall facing the North, maximally protecting the Doberman from slush, wind, rain and bad weather.
- The height of the walls is 2-2.5 m, so that the golden RETRIVERAN and BORDER COLLIE will not be able to jump over it.
Adequate dimensions: 3×3; 2x4 m. There are up to 100 options for enclosure drawings on the RuNet.
Base
In progress:
- mark the area: measure the width and length of the enclosure, hammer pegs in the corners and stretch the fishing line or rope;
- remove the top part of the soil over the entire area of the future fence to a depth of approximately 20 cm and make a concrete screed at the rate of 4 parts sand to 1 part M400 cement. A slight slope to one side will later help to easily wash off dirt from the floor of the enclosure;
- The part of the fence that is left for walking the dog is left open, and the rest is covered with a wooden platform on joists.
The height between the platform boards and the concrete screed must be at least 10 cm. The boards are fitted tightly to each other to eliminate the presence of cracks.
Some dog owners leave a ground covering in the enclosure. This is not the best solution. Most four-legged pets love to dig, so there is always the possibility that the dog will dig a hole under the wall and get out of the fence.
It is better to make the floors wooden
Enclosures for large purebred pets
MASTIF, Bernese SENNENHUND, which are difficult and impossible to keep in an apartment, are placed in dwellings built in the yard, pens of beautiful appearance and design. They need space; when there are two Labradors, it is worth thinking about choosing a place and building that is suitable in size.
Big friend needs a bigger pen. The area selected is at least 10 m2, the height of the partitions is from 2.5-3 m. Construction and sanitary standards are selected according to a reference book, standard projects, and tips from dog handlers.
The basis can be enclosures and the principle of constructing pens for medium-sized dogs: the same 3 open walls, 1 closed part.
A cute AUSSIY, just like a human, cares about warmth, coziness, and comfort. Floors can be successfully made on a cement base to make them stronger with the installation of insulation; the top is covered with wooden blocks or dense flooring. The enclosure must be covered, the dog will withstand any bad weather during the winter and will not experience discomfort.
The best dimensions for an enclosure are 3x4; 4x4, 6x6 m. The drawing is selected according to the standard series, taking into account the zoning of the region, the structure of the dog, and age.
Door
Dog handlers recommend that the door opens into the enclosure. This will protect you from being hit if the dog might jump. An exception is possible only if the size of the building does not allow such an approach.
Also use the advice - do not make the door on the side of a solid wall. The dog must see the person entering in advance. Be sure to provide, in addition to a reliable external latch, the ability to close the door behind you from the inside.
Making a booth
The Boston Terrier and French Bulldog will be in comfort when the enclosure is supplemented with a good-quality booth. The first rule is the parameters, they are significant and are chosen according to the physique of the LEONBERGER or Rottweiler. The Caucasian Shepherd will not go inside until it becomes comfortable and spacious for sleeping, resting, staying until sunset, the heat subsides, and coolness sets in.
Based on this, they draw a sketch, detail the drawings, and calculate the materials:
- The pet is measured at the withers with the tips of the paws.
- The second parameter, from the nose to the tailbone, will give the size in the lying position.
- Tolerances are made + 15 cm.
3 sizes will create an ideal neat outline: Siberian Husky and Samoyed.
What not to do!
In conclusion, we will analyze the typical mistakes in the construction of dog enclosures. It is forbidden to strengthen the enclosure with jibs, ties, and other methods for wind and snow loads (item 1 in the next figure). A dog is a compact body that instantly picks up speed of 10 m/s or more. How much kinetic energy will it have according to the formula from school physics, with a weight of 20-40, or even 70 kg? Will all these slats withstand her blow?
Erroneous implementation of dog enclosures
Then, if you are not a dog handler with special education and experience, then when building an enclosure for a dog, get carried away with design delights even in a minimal size, as in pos. 2, should not. What is pleasant to the human eye, will most likely simply interfere with the dog’s ability to live a normal dog’s life. By the way, the same applies to cold forging, only you can also get your paw caught in it.
Next, do not block the dog’s view and not much, as in pos. 3. Dogs are 100% extroverts; their and our concepts of coziness and comfort are fundamentally different. And finally, do not place the enclosure near a flower bed or in the garden and do not decorate it with flowers, as in pos. 4. A dog's nose is much more sensitive than ours, and too strong a pleasant aroma turns into an unbearable stench. In addition, ethylene and aldehydes emitted by flowers and fruits simply spoil the dog’s sense of smell. A dog’s nose is almost the same as our eyes, and for a dog’s health he needs a moderate and natural background of odors.
Construction of a booth house
Materials required for the booth:
- Wooden pine edged board 200x30 mm.
- Insulation (shavings, sawdust) 0.5 m3.
- Self-tapping screws 3x70, nails 100x3, 90x3 mm.
- Bar 70x40 mm.
- Tools – hacksaw, hammer, drill, SCREWDRIVERS.
- Wood varnish.
Making a kennel
The bars are knocked together into a frame, fastening is done with nails. Self-tapping screws secure the corners of the frame. For strength, corners made of metal and wood are installed. The box is made according to the dimensions of the withers - the tips of the paws, from the nose to the tailbone (+15 cm).
A hole is cut out on one of the walls. The dimensions of the height, width of the manhole and kennel are selected according to the pet (+ 5 cm to the height, width). All joints and edges of wooden structures are sanded with sandpaper.
Roof
In most cases, the roof of the structure is made pitched with an overhang of at least 20 cm. A metal profile, corners or wooden beams are used to make the frame. Slate, metal tiles or polycarbonate sheets are suitable for the roof.
The simplest roof option is a pitched roof
Construction of an aviary
Pegs, corners of the building, guidelines for installing racks, and laying the foundation are placed according to size and location in the selected area. Before construction the following is taken into account:
- Pedigree.
- Age.
- Gender.
- Sides of the world.
- Wind roses.
The optimal enclosure for a dog with your own hands, drawings and dimensions in a standard series, where the parameters are selected based on the height at the withers to the area of the pen (cm/m2): 50/6, 50-55/8, over 65/10. Holes 1.0 x 0.3 m deep are dug along the perimeter of the canopy (4 in the corners, 1-2 on each wall). Racks made of metal pipe Ø 108x3.5, 3.0 m long, are concreted into drilled, dug holes. Concrete grade B20, W 150, F 35.
Before installing the pillars, they are primed at the bottom and treated with bitumen mastic. To make it easier to attach the crossbars to the pipes, eyes made from a 50x50x3 plate are welded. In each eye, 3-4 Ø 4 holes are made for self-tapping screws. Welded joints are cleaned of slag, primed, and painted.
At the bottom of the strip foundation markings along the racks, reinforcement is mounted into the frame and formwork. Reinforcement Ø 6-10 A1 is tied with annealed wire. After installing the reinforcing frame and formwork, the floor is filled with B50 concrete at a height of 40-50 mm above the reinforcement metal (protective layer of concrete).
72 hours after the concrete has reached 70% strength, the formwork is removed and the outer part of the foundation is covered with bitumen mastic. Logs and 70x50 bars around the perimeter are laid on the foundations. The base on which wooden floors are laid, insulation is placed, and the floors are covered with boards or boards.
After the flooring, they begin to construct a rear solid wall from edged boards 200x30 mm. Crossbars are placed along the perimeter of the enclosure in 3 dimensions (bottom, top, middle). A 2D mesh with 4-6 mm wire is attached to the crossbars. Fastening is carried out carefully, using ties and bolts, without sharp ends of metal or wire.
Using rods, not mesh, which is more expensive, will last 10-15 years longer.
Upon completion of work on the walls and floors, a roof deck frame is constructed, purlins and cross members are installed, and sheathing is made. A metal tile flooring and stamped corrugated sheets 10-80 are laid on the frame. Galvanized sheets are coated with polymer paint and enamel. To protect from rain and snow, a 0.5 m high cornice is sewn over the top with a board.
To prevent rotting and mold, boards, wooden frames and timber are treated with fire retardants.
Dimensions
The size of the enclosure depends on the size of the dog: the larger the animal, the more space it needs.
The total area is determined by the height of the dog at the withers:
- 45–50 cm – at least 6 square meters. m;
- 50–60 cm – at least 8 sq. m;
- more than 60 cm – 10 sq. m or more.
The correct calculation of the height of the enclosure, that is, the distance from the floor to the ceiling, is also important. In this case, the height of the dog at the withers is not particularly important.
A person will have to enter the fence at a minimum to clean and feed the animal. Therefore, its height is calculated based on one’s own height.
Advice! When purchasing a puppy, it is recommended to clarify the parameters of the dog in adulthood, because based on these data you will have to calculate the size of the enclosure for your pet.
The height of the structure is made to be human height
