Building a Kennel

 

This article will give the reader some basic knowledge on how to build a medium sized kennel. I will specifically be talking about a combination indoor/outdoor kennel that would serve the average dog handler/trainer. This kennel design would also serve well as a boarding kennel. Keep in mind that this article just outlines ONE way to construct a kennel and not THE way to construct a kennel. The article will be broken down into the following sections: picking the location, construction material and setup considerations, climate control considerations, water considerations, waste removal and landscaping.

Picking the Location

The first thing that I would suggest doing is to choose the best location for the kennel. Some things to consider include, direction of sunlight, prevailing wind direction, the direction and distance from your home, and access to power, sewer and running water.

In harsh climates, such as ours in Minnesota , sunlight is an important factor for a number of reasons. First, sunlight helps to thaw ice from the outside concrete during the winter. It also makes the Southern exposure of your kennel hotter during the summer months.

Dominant wind direction is important to consider when picking the site for your new kennel. In the winter, wind will cause snow to drift into the outside portion of the kennel. Wind will also cause drafts through the animal “self access” doors in each run, which will affect the efficiency of your heating. Lastly, noise and foul odors carry down-wind. Try to place the building site in a location that will ensure that the primary winds carry noise and odors away from the house. When building a kennel on the same property that your home is located on, the distance and direction it is located from the house are important factors. If the kennel is located too close to the house the dogs' barking will be bothersome to you and your family. I have found it is best to have the outside runs face in a direction that is not directly facing the house. By orienting your kennel in this fashion, the dogs will be less likely to get excited by activities around the house and their barking will carry away from the home. Last but certainly not least, make sure that you choose a location where it will be possible to connect to running water, electricity and a septic system if possible.

 

Construction Material and Setup Considerations

Choosing the material that will cover the walls of your kennel is very important. You will want to be sure to pick a material that is easy to keep clean and is virtually indestructible by your animals. Some good choices are concrete, brick, tile or steel. We chose to build our walls out of corrugated steel sheeting like the type that is used on pole sheds. You can buy this in many different colors and it is fairly easy to work with. By using this material, we are able to clean it with the pressure washer and/or wipe it down with sanitizer. It has also proven to be virtually chew proof, unlike plastic or wood.

Before you decide exactly what size your kennel's runs will be, you should shop around for the best kennel panels. I experimented with the cheaper chain-link panels in the past and did not have good luck with them. With high-energy dogs jumping on them and chewing on them, they were ruined in a couple years. I now use the square welded steel panels that are much more sturdy and secure. They are considerably more expensive; however, they hold up much better and last longer.

Once you have decided what the dimensions of the indoor and the outdoor section will be (which will be somewhat driven by panel sizes) and how many individual runs you want, you can begin to plan the lay out of the kennel. I recommend about a 5'x5' run indoors and at least a 5'x10' run out doors. Having the larger portion outdoors and a quite small area indoors helps to encourage the animal to relieve itself outside, making clean up easier.

Since the building has indoor/outdoor runs for each kennel, a self- access door is needed for each run. This door will allow your animal to go in and out on his own. I have found that there are a couple things that you should consider when choosing self-access doors for your kennel, as there are many different types and styles of access doors on the market. Some doors are held shut by gravity, some by magnates and some by double action springs. If you are building the kennel in a harsh climate, such as in Minnesota , air drafts are a big consideration. Quality and indestructibility is always a consideration. I found that the Gun Dog-House Door brand doors were the best for me. It is a aluminum framed, plexi-glass door with two double action springs to keep it closed. The double action spring keeps the door positively closed, which keeps the cold winter drafts to a minimum. The winds are known to blow very hard in Western-Minnesota. I have found that other door closure devices do not hold the door shut sufficiently in these strong winds. The Gun Dog-House Door comes with a lifetime warranty that includes being chew proof.

 

Climate Control Considerations

In a colder climate, installing either off-peak electric coil or piped hot water heat in the concrete floor is essential. I prefer this heat source because, theoretically, the temperature should be the same at floor level as it is at the ceiling. Since you will be heating the kennel with the dogs in mind, we need heat between the floor and a level of 24 inches above the floor. With forced air heat, it is harder to accomplish this because as heat raises most of it goes to the ceiling before making it down to the floor, which is where we need most it in a dog kennel.

It is also a good idea to have two zones of heating. One for the concrete slab that is inside and another for the slab that is under the outdoor runs. We will only need to keep the outside concrete slab above the freezing mark to keep the ice from building up on it. Heating the outdoor run's floor will also keep urine and feces from freezing to the concrete and causing problems with cleanup. It will also allow you to pressure wash the outside kennel floor in the winter months without it freezing into a sheet of ice. Having the indoor and outdoor floors zoned off separately, will allow you to keep the floor inside at a warmer temperature than the floor outside.

Air conditioning is a something that should also be considered if you are living in a climate with high summer temperatures. A window style unit can be purchased at a minimal cost and used on those occasional days that are unbearably hot. Most of these units will cool your kennel to a comfortable level for your animals. I must say, however, that I have found that most of the time a couple of large fans blowing inside keeps the dogs sufficiently cool. We use the type that are used in large barns and have found them to work effectively. The fans also help to dry the floors after cleanup.

 

Water Considerations 

Running water in the kennel is a must for a number of reasons. During feeding time, it is much easier to fill the water bowls with cool water from a hose rather than by hand, carrying a water jug. Daily clean up of the kennel is made much easier with a pressure washer hooked up to running water, preferably with hot water too. Having hot water to spray off the (heated) outside concrete slab will also help to keep your kennel sanitary. With the outside slab being heated, there is little worry of it freezing after cleanup. Covered outdoor runs are essential in most areas. In the summer, the roof will provide shade from the hot sun. In the winter it will keep the snow from building up inside the kennel runs. A corrugated steel roof works very well to accomplish this. I also installed removable corrugated steel wall sections. In the fall, I hang them on the steel kennel panels to keep the winter winds from drifting snow inside the runs. In the spring, I remove them to allow better air movement for cooling purposes.

 

Waste Removal 

Gutter type drains are very nice for cleanup. I did not install gutters in our kennel and now I wish that I had done so. A four x six inch gutter in front of your kennels will provide a means to drain away water, hair and other waste. I would suggest planning for indoor gutters that run full length in front of your kennels. Be sure to have your concrete slab slope towards the gutter to ensure proper drainage. Draining the gutter waste into a septic system or drain field is your best bet. Also, sealing your floors with a good quality concrete sealer is also a good idea to keep smells under control, as well as for sanitary reasons.

 

Landscaping

A low shrubbery fence placed in between the outdoor portion of your kennel and your yard will make a difference in keeping your kennel quiet. Distractions such as cats, horses and yard training activity will cause dogs to bark more than is necessary. This unnecessary activity uses up energy that working dogs can use during training periods. Strategic placing of a shrubbery fence will have a positive effect on your rest as well by helping to keep your yard quiet.