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If you have a pet, of course, you want to go out of town as often as possible so that your four-legged friend can run and swim, rest and stretch his paws. The best option is if you have a dacha or garden, and the best thing is if you have a whole country house where you can enjoy nature all the time. But here comes the catch - how to control the dog’s movements across the area of ​​your property and how to give it a decent place to sleep in the yard or dressing room. If you have a dog of a large or slightly larger breed, you simply need to make an enclosure near your home so that your friend is safe.

An enclosure for a large dog is indispensable if:

• The dog is really very large and its presence in the house is completely excluded. Examples of large dogs include Caucasian Shepherds, Alabais, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, etc.
• You sometimes need the dog to be isolated for a period of time. For example, if you have family guests visiting you or there are undesirable conditions outside, let’s say finishing work.
• If the dog is trained to guard and is constantly in the yard. In this case, the dog enclosure will become a haven for your friend and can easily shelter him from bad weather.

Alternatively, you can buy a ready-made enclosure at a pet store or have it made to order. But if you have at least some building skills, desire and desire, building a dog enclosure with your own hands will not be a big problem!

Deciding on a location

The most important thing is to choose a location to build an enclosure. It is better not to do it too far from the house or in the very corner of the site. You may be very disappointed in this idea: a dog, separated from society, will begin to worry and bother you with its barking.

An aviary would be inappropriate near the fence. In this case, the dog will be too interested in passers-by, and if he is also massive, then it is absolutely no problem for him to jump over the fence, for example in a snowy winter, pushing off from the fence. This scenario, of course, will not make anyone happy.

Great place for an aviary - front yard! In this case, it will be located both next to the gate and close to the track. The dog will have the opportunity to observe the situation while in his house.

Try to provide the dog with the best living conditions. Building an enclosure is no joke; it’s worth thinking it over and approaching this matter responsibly. Before starting construction, please consider:

• breed, gender and age of the dog;
• location of the site and wind rose.

Characteristics of a dog enclosure

The first requirement for an enclosure is this: do not forget that a home for your dog must be cozy, calm and comfortable. The dog should feel in place in it, it should be warm and dry. The dog not only satisfies the needs of food and sleep there, he also lies there and rests, plays and guards your area!

The dog should have room in the enclosure. This means that when moving around it, she should not feel cramped, therefore:

• kennel design for medium breeds (<50 см в холке): спаниеля, бигля и др., должна быть просторнее 6 квадратных метров по площади.
• Huskies and Labradors and similar breeds (65-70 cm) - the area will be starting from 8 square meters.
• Caucasians and Alabai, as well as similar breeds, can only live in a ten-meter enclosure, and the larger the better.

These are the rules for the area. How are things going with your pet's gender? Bitches and males have different requirements. The bitch will feel the need in the maternity room and vestibule, they definitely must be in the enclosure! It is better to protect yourself from rain and wind as much as possible, because the puppies will not lie in one place, but will use the entire enclosure for their own fun. A male dog will need a strong and spacious kennel, because they are physically more built and strong. A massive male dog may well break it, so it’s better to think about this in advance.

The structure of the roof, floor and walls in the booth

If a yard dog will live in the enclosure, an important task is to protect it from drafts, as well as closing the back and adjacent walls of the booth. The best materials for building walls are:

• wooden shield;
• tongue and groove board in frames;
• cinder block
• concrete;
• brick.

The wall, which will be open, should be directed south, southwest or southeast. It must be made from twigs.

Important point: rods are a good choice, not mesh! It will be more expensive, but much more reliable. The mesh is likely to be torn after some time.

When making a gate, make it from iron rods and a frame. Dogs are very smart, so pay special attention to the lock of the enclosure. It should not just open, but the lock should be located on the street side and ensure reliable closure.

The dog must have a dry floor. The most worthy choice - wooden floor. The impressive boards are durable and will provide protection from the wind. The base can be concrete, but it must have a wood flooring ventilated from below.

Important point! You should not make the floor from asphalt, concrete and other hard and similar materials - this can injure the dog, injuring its claws, joints and paws.

The wood must be treated to prevent rot and fungi, the material must be sanded to avoid splinters, nails and branches, so as not to injure the pet.

The option of flooring in the form of a shield is allowed. In this case, it is necessary to build a frame made of metal (from a pipe). After this, treat it with boards no thinner than 40 mm.

When equipping the floor in the enclosure with your own hands, pay attention to the fact that the boards should lie tightly and steadily. Crevices and deflections are unacceptable - the dog can easily get his paw into them. Let the boards remain open at the bottom - they will rot more slowly. It is advisable to waterproof the soil, for example, using roofing felt.

To create a gap, you need to place the flooring on a support, for example, bricks.

The aviary floor should be sloping towards the center and towards the front.

On the roof everything is simpler, the main thing is to make the canopy bigger. The roof can be made from:

• metal tiles;
• slate;
• profiled sheet;
• roofs.

The most worthy roof is the one that protects the dog from precipitation and noise, i.e. The enclosure is well soundproofed. The roof must be tilted towards the drainage system. With this solution, you will solve the problem of water accumulation under the flooring.

The basic principle of a dog’s life in an enclosure is the availability of places for walking and a spacious kennel! It does not necessarily have to be huge, and yet the dog needs to fit into it, lounging at its full size. When it’s cold outside, the dog’s body can warm the kennel from the inside. The place for a walk is also determined by the dog’s needs - there he can go to the toilet, walk and jog. A vestibule can also be installed near the booth. There you can easily put toys, bowls, squeakers and other personal belongings of the dog.

What should the height be?

The height of the ceiling in a dog enclosure is determined by a fairly simple pattern. It is necessary to put the dog on its hind legs. Ten to twenty centimeters should be added to the resulting height. Only with this indicator will the dog feel spacious and free. A low ceiling can negatively affect the animal’s psyche, making it aggressive. At the same time, the dog may simply not like its home and will try to run away from there at the first opportunity.

Important! If you are making an enclosure for several dogs, for example, for an entire dog family, increase all dimensions (area and height) by one and a half to two times.

Aviary drawing (examples)

If you have successfully completed the previous stages, it’s time to move on to building a drawing. You can take a ready-made one or make your own completely. After that, buy the necessary building materials.

Examples of drawings:

It’s easy to make an enclosure for a dog with your own hands, if you have the desire. It’s good if you have welding tools, but you can also use a hammer drill.

In addition, the work will require: a metal corner, a rod or lattice, material for finishing the roof, wood and the booth itself.

Building a booth with your own hands

When the drawing of the enclosure, location, dimensions and building materials are completed, construction work can begin. You need to start by driving corners into the ground around the perimeter of the building. Attach the transverse corner, it will connect the vertical corners. Don’t forget about the gate and the cutout at the bottom of the grille, this is necessary so that strangers can feed the dog. Along with this, such a precaution is appropriate if the dog becomes aggressive!

Start working on the floor. Don't leave it earthy for a very logical reason: the dog will simply dig a hole and run away. Cover the side and back walls with boards. You can use plastic or slate as a wall, but wood is still a proven and reliable material. These walls must be dense and hard so as not to catch a cold.

After this, place the rods on the remaining walls. The roof can be made both over the booth and along the entire perimeter of the enclosure. You can always use a fence as walls.

The lattice can be either welded to the fence or connected using rods.

In the latter case, the rods are driven in at a distance of approximately ten centimeters between each other. Wooden beams are also purchased, and notches are made on them, as wide as twigs. The timber is applied to the rods in such a way that each rod fits into the notch. After that everything is fixed.

It is better to secure the door at the gate with hinges or bolts. You need two locks: a padlock and a latch; there can be two of the latter: outside and inside. The internal one will be needed if installation becomes necessary and the owner and the dog will lock themselves inside.

Photo instructions

STEP 1. Mark and cut out the slats of the required size. We take measurements for the holes and drill small holes for fasteners.

STEP 2. We assemble the finished slats together into separate wall panels, add a metal mesh and varnish the surfaces of the future enclosure.

STEP 3. Create a full-fledged wooden frame. We treat the walls with varnish and stain.

STEP 4. Place the prepared panels on top of the frame: the door is secured with hinges. A latch should also be provided on it.

STEP 5. Blind walls are sheathed using sheets of plywood. The roof is installed on top. In the end, all that remains is to strengthen the structure with transverse beams and the dog enclosure will be ready!

Lunch place in the booth

The booth is the most important thing in the enclosure, where your dog lives, rests and sleeps. Let's summarize this part of the construction. The kennel should be the size of the pet, the dog should stretch inside, but do not overdo it, otherwise the dog will freeze. For walls it is permissible and highly recommended to use coniferous trees, if the climate is cold, it is necessary to additionally insulate the walls; the roof can be made removable! This way you can easily reach your dog if he gets sick.

As for the roof, it’s better to do it flat. A flat roof will be like a balm for the dog’s soul; for him it will be like an additional point of view. However, here again we should not forget that dogs are quite smart. Don’t get carried away and control the height of the fence, or the dog will use the booth as a springboard on his way to freedom and will easily sneak out of the enclosure.

Make a feeding area near the fence. Buy or make a table with space for food and water.

Pet Options

In general, a dog enclosure can be useful not only for country people, but also for those who live in apartments. Such structures will be more modest, but they will also come in very handy if your pet needs to be limited in its movements around the apartment, if you want to arrange a personal cozy corner for it, in which the animal will feel comfortable.

Mini enclosure for puppies

A mini-aviary will be very good for puppies if the dog becomes pregnant. Also, after giving birth, when the pet has a feeding period, this will be a very good solution, because the dog will be able to feed there without unnecessary spectators in the form of other pets or small children.

Before installing an enclosure for your pet in your apartment, think about your decision several times. Is it really necessary to install it, or can you get by with a cage, a carrier, or just some kind of small house.

In an apartment enclosure, arrange everything as in a country enclosure, provided there is only less space. There must be space for rest, a diaper (in the absence of a latrine in the form of a platform) for the dog’s needs, bowls, all kinds of toys, and most importantly, soft and comfortable bedding.

Advice! You should not punish the dog, this is its home. The dog should go to the enclosure in a good mood, be there in comfort and peace. You should also not punish or beat your pet in his home.

Now, having become familiar with the basic rules for constructing a dog’s home, you can easily equip your dog with a comfortable enclosure with your own hands. Finally, we recommend watching the video to see everything clearly.

These are popular in dachas and large estates for large guard dogs. Keeping them chained is inhumane to the animal and irresponsible in terms of protecting your property. The chain was relevant when the local area was small. With the increase in the local area, this has lost its meaning: if at least some area is inaccessible to the dog, then the house is not protected.

In addition, a dog on a chain is an easy target for a serious thief, and losing a pet guard is not only sad, but also very expensive. After all, a well-trained guard dog is expensive. All this together is a compelling argument for making a house with your own hands, and letting the animal in there and letting it out at night.

Interesting: it has been proven that an animal living in an enclosure shows less aggression than one living on a chain. This is important if, in addition to the dog, there are children living in the house.

The following argument against building an enclosure often arises: the dog is friendly and roams freely around the area. Let's say the dog is really safe for everyone in the household, but what to do if your neighbors, guests, or utility workers come to the site? To avoid frantically starting to come up with ways to isolate a large animal, it is better to take care of this in advance.

Important: an outdoor enclosure should be a full-fledged home for a dog.

Indeed, guard dogs have been domesticated for a long time and today they need a cozy kennel and territory that they will protect. If you build an outdoor enclosure for a dog, following all the rules, spacious and cozy, it will not be perceived as a cage.

Collapsible aviary

Outdoor enclosures for dogs can be either prefabricated, dismountable, or stationary. The first ones are more universal; they can be moved or removed at any time as unnecessary, for example, if the enclosure was placed on a summer cottage and is not needed in winter.

These enclosures can also be called differently: constant– a whole complex for keeping a dog, with a kennel, a bed and a walking area; or just a fenced area of ​​territory - temporary.

Functions of an outdoor enclosure:

• restriction of free-range territory;
• ensuring the safety of the animal;
• protection from weather conditions (cold, rain, etc.);
• satisfying the dog’s desire to isolate itself from time to time, the need for its own territory.

Important: for an outdoor enclosure, it is important to have a walk - a spacious area in the fresh air, which will allow the pet not to sit locked up all day.

Aviary with walking area

Aviary layout:

Dimensions

Before you properly build a home enclosure with your own hands on the site, you must prepare a drawing so as not to make a mistake with the size and quantity of materials needed. The dimensions of the building are chosen based on standards developed by experienced dog breeders. You also need to take into account the breed of your pet.

The size of the enclosure will depend on:

• size of the animal;
• its breed;
• number of dogs in the building;
• the purpose of the enclosure - will the dog live there permanently, or walk around the territory.

The minimum area of ​​a dog's house on the street is calculated based on the height of the animal at the withers:

• up to 50 cm – 6 sq. m;
• up to 60 cm – 8 sq. m;
• from 60 cm and above – from 10 sq. m.

Drawings with dimensions:

Other parameters are also calculated based on the animal’s body: The width must be at least one and a half body lengths (but excluding the tail). At the same time, you should not make the width less than 1.5 meters, even for small dogs. The length is calculated by area and width.

For the enclosure you need to calculate the height. To make this more difficult: you need to lift the dog by its front legs until it stretches to its full length. You will need an assistant to measure the distance from the front paws to the ground. Then you need to add another half meter to the resulting figure - this is the minimum height.

Important: there are especially jumping breeds of animals. For example, huskies are now fashionable: in their homeland, these dogs jump very high, this helps them navigate the endless white snow. To prevent the dog from jumping out of the enclosure, you will have to raise the walls higher.

All the above figures were given per animal. For two adult dogs, this area will need to be increased by one and a half times. The enclosure for a female dog with babies should be even larger, because the animals will actively explore the world.

You also need to pay attention to breed: Huge enclosures are perfect for large or active breeds - they can exercise at any time. But bigger is not always better: a small dog in a large room will get lost in every sense. She will be scared and uncomfortable there.

Important: an outdoor enclosure is not suitable for permanent habitat of dwarf breeds; they do not overwinter in our climate.

The enclosure for such breeds as husky and alabai, often appearing in private homes. What kind of enclosure should be for them?

As already mentioned, it jumps great, so if you don’t want to catch it all over the area, raise the walls higher. This dog is also very active and sociable. In general, she is not suitable as a guard animal: she is too loving and gets bored easily. An enclosure for her can be set up only for the purpose of constant walking: the house will be a bit cramped for her. Even though the breed does not exceed 60 cm at the withers, it will need an area of ​​10 to 15 squares, with an aspect ratio of 2:3.

The size of the enclosure must correspond to this giant: in a small enclosure (as on a chain), the animal will quickly become embittered and become dangerous for the owner. This dog can also surprise with its jumping ability: an adult Alabai is able to jump over a height of about 3 m.

So before you build a do-it-yourself pen for your home, be sure to think it through carefully!

Materials

The main criteria here are: safety for owner and animal. That is, the dog should not break free, nor should it be injured while trying to do this, or simply while living in an enclosure. If the building is stationary, one wall should be made blank, made of wood or even brick.

Often, in order to save money, the enclosure is attached directly to the wall of the house or to the fence:

Very stylish dog run

The remaining walls are made of lattice, from:

• Wooden or metal rods.
  Rods are the most reliable option, and this type of fencing is also easy to repair.
• Chain-link mesh.
  Chain-link mesh should only be used when there is not enough money for anything else: this cheap material can harm the dog. She can scratch herself on it, or break her teeth trying to gnaw through the mesh. But the chain-link is very easy to install.
• Forged.
  Forged enclosures are very beautiful, durable, but at the same time expensive.
• Made from galvanized pipes.
  A structure made of galvanized pipes will require considerable effort at the construction stage, but then it will last a long time.

Important: no matter what material you choose, you need to take care of its coating. The metal is coated with a special paint that prevents corrosion, and the wood is impregnated with a composition that will provide protection from rot and wood-boring beetles.

A winter outdoor enclosure must have a winter road! The winter road is a separate, carefully insulated room adjacent to an enclosure with a warm booth. We recommend that you build just such enclosures - they are the most profitable and convenient for your pet:

Building walls

How to do it yourself? The walls of the enclosure serve as a fence for a dog that wants to go outside. They bear the brunt of the load, so pay special attention to them. Before building walls, you need to take care of the foundation. There are several options here:

1. The perimeter of the future structure is outlined, a trench is dug and a strip foundation is made.
2. A columnar foundation is made only in those places where the supporting elements will be installed.

It is impossible to build walls without a foundation: the soil will subside over time, and the enclosure may become damaged.

Outdoor enclosures, as a rule, are built from metal or durable wood so that, in case of emergency, it can withstand the pressure of a large adult animal. In addition, an enclosure made of such materials will last a long time if it is used correctly.

A good option for an animal - brick aviary, it will be warm and cozy, neither rain nor wind will get inside.

You can also make the enclosure out of wood: it’s easier, because you don’t have to do the masonry yourself. Often these options are combined: one brick wall and three made of metal lattice. Or a frame is welded from steel pipes and then sheathed in wood.

In practice the best option is welded rod fencing. It is done according to this scheme:

1. Make a frame.
2. Make a lattice from cut rods, welding the fittings to a metal frame from a corner. The distance between the bars for large dogs is 10 cm, for others - approximately 5.
3. Connect the frame to the support pillars using the same welding.
4. Check whether all the elements are securely welded, or whether they are simply stuck: with a strong push, the animal will knock them out.
5. Treat the structure against rust.

Important: a door must be built into the walls.

It should not be done in a blank wall: it is comfortable for the animal to see that someone is approaching it and will come in now. You should make sure that the door opens inward and not outward, otherwise your pet will easily knock it down. And in a fit of joy when greeting the owner, the dog can hit him with the door.

The door here is not made perfectly

Floor

So, let's build the floor! Gender is no less important. Trampled earth is definitely not suitable: some dogs like to dig around, and will quickly render the enclosure unusable. And the raccoon dog and a number of other breeds will dig their way to freedom without much effort.

The other extreme - a floor filled with concrete, “so as not to crawl out”, is also undesirable. These floors are cold, especially in winter, which will cause your dog to suffer and may get sick. A couple of years on a concrete floor - and guaranteed.

It's best to stick with wood floors.. They are warm and easy to install.

To make such a floor, you need:

1. Prepare boards about 40 mm thick and rectangular beams.
2. Treat the material with an antiseptic.
3. Make a frame for the deck.
4. Lay the boards on the frame, adjust the seams, then secure the flooring with self-tapping screws. The heads of the screws need to be recessed and puttied so that the dog does not get hurt.
5. Paint the floor or varnish it.

Important: do not skimp on paint, a cheap and toxic product will damage the dog’s sense of smell, and without painting at all, the floor will quickly rot.

Making a roof

To build the roof, slate, tiles, corrugated sheets, siding or regular tarpaulin are used. The main thing is that the material does not resonate from wind and rain; this will damage the dog’s hearing, which is no less sensitive and subtle than the sense of smell. Soft tiles or fabric will solve this problem. Most often, the roof is made of the simplest, pitched roof.

Important: the roof must have a gap for ventilation, because heat and stuffiness are very harmful for the dog.

Great option - awning. First you need to build a metal or wooden frame, and then stretch a fabric roof over it. The material must be waterproof. But the problem is that it’s difficult to sew such a tent yourself, and it’s not cheap to buy.

Chain-link enclosures with a tent roof. Not suitable for permanent housing

The simplest option is made of slate, siding or corrugated board. In this case, the frame is also built first. The roofing of the enclosure is laid on a reliable, well-sanded roofing system.

Feeder

The main stages of construction are behind us, the question remains of what the future inhabitant of the enclosure will eat from. There are several requirements for the feeder:

• raised above the ground to a height of 20-30 cm, that is, at the height of the lower edge of the dog’s chest, depending on its size. It is undesirable for these animals to eat from the floor, it is harmful to the back and paws;
• There are separate areas for food and water. Mixing must be avoided;
• the presence of a rotating mechanism in the feeder and the ability to fix it. This way, not only the owner, but also other people will be able to feed the dog safely in his absence.

The easiest way is to simply weld several bowls to the rods, but they will not spin. For the rotating device, a small rectangular frame is planned in advance in the frame, into which the rotating device of the feeder and drinker is inserted.

Scheme drawing:

How to make the toilet comfortable for the animal and the owner?

And finally, an important part of any enclosure is the toilet. It is advisable to immediately train the animal to relieve itself in one place, otherwise the number of general cleanings in the enclosure will increase from one annual, scheduled one to infinity. You can do it like this:

1. Prepare a vessel suitable in size for the dog: from a bowl to a basin.
2. Make a cutout in the floor for the toilet, placing it at a distance from the feeder and the booth.
3. Temporarily cover the hole with board or plywood.
4. Let the dog into the enclosure. For a while she can relieve herself anywhere.
5. When the animal gets used to it, its waste is collected, but not thrown out. The dog needs to be taken out of the enclosure and cleaned up.
6. After cleaning, the toilet is put back into place. The bowl is filled with sand and the pet's waste is placed on top.
7. The dog is released into the enclosure. Now she will go to the toilet in the designated place, perceiving it as marked by herself. Sand is needed so that the animal can rummage; it will have to be changed periodically.

The method does not always work; sometimes the dog relieves itself everywhere. To make cleaning easier, the floor in the enclosure in this case is made with a slight slope towards one of the side walls or towards the facade. So it’s easy to wash off the sewage with a hose; with some skill you don’t even have to go inside.

Breeds

What kind of dogs can live and are suitable for an enclosure - guard dogs, of course!

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 videos

Training videos that clearly demonstrate how to build dog enclosures with your own hands. Remember, it’s better to try once so that the pen lasts a lifetime!

Conclusion

Let's summarize:

1. You can build an enclosure yourself, the main thing is to correctly calculate the dimensions.
2. The best materials are metal and wood.
3. The roof should be silent, and the floor should be warm and protected from undermining.
4. You will also need to build a feeding trough (preferably a rotating one) and a toilet.

Well, the house for your pet is ready, you can let him settle in there. Of course, the dog will not immediately get used to the new room. But, if you did everything conscientiously and with love, but over time there will be no better place for it.

Does your pet already have a house? If yes, share in the comments: what it looks like, was it difficult to build it. Show how a dog lives in it, share life hacks. And let your pet feel at home there!

Keeping guard dogs on a chain has lost its meaning with the increase in the size of private households: if some corner of the controlled territory is inaccessible to the dog, the house is not protected from invasion. Moreover, a dog on a chain, even if sliding along a wire, is an easy target for a thief armed with a crossbow, and a well-trained guard dog is expensive. Modern dog handlers train guard dogs to patrol the territory and keep enclosures, but, unfortunately, not all commercially available ready-made enclosures are made taking into account the characteristics and requirements of the animal, and improper maintenance of the dog can ruin the dog. This is a very compelling argument in favor of making a full-fledged dog enclosure with your own hands. Secondly, keeping pet dogs and raising puppies requires, on the one hand, not to particularly constrain the animal; on the other hand, to teach him not to cause unnecessary trouble to his owners. This article discusses what type of dog enclosure is suitable in what cases and how to make it.

Types of enclosures

The main condition for choosing the type of enclosure is not to spoil the dog. This will also be detrimental to him, not to mention the fact that the dog may deteriorate as a watchman. The best guard dogs come from herding dogs, and for those, all sorts of adversity is a normal working environment. It is much more harmful for a dog to overheat, overeat and become mushy than to be cold, hungry and tired.

Particularly hardy dense canine dogs are kept in open enclosures: shepherd dogs, Russian guard dogs and similar breeds. Gustopovaya means with long hair and thick underfur; dog's fur in kennel style. There is generally specific terminology: mouth is a forceps, tail is a rule (emphasis on “and”), etc. In regions with a mild climate or for temporary keeping, an open enclosure can be a simple fence (item 1 in the picture with photo), and in In a temperate climate, in an enclosure for dense canines, you also need a shelter booth, pos. 2. Domestic dogs, when going to the country, are placed in a folding enclosure with an awning, pos. 3: a city dog, once in nature, can easily go crazy, get lost and disappear.

In places with high insolation, not necessarily warm (the black earth zone and further south, southern Siberia and the Far East), the awning or roof should cover approx. 2/3 enclosure for any dog, pos. 4. The purpose of 2 adjacent closed walls of the enclosure with wind protection (position 5) is actually to better block the dog’s view of what prevents it from performing its duties: the bustle of the street, a playground, a rest area for the owners, etc.

A dog is a predator, and for any predator the main condition for comfort is a wide view of the surroundings. Therefore, the dog will feel better and guard better if you make an enclosure with a platform. It could simply be the flat roof of a shelter booth, pos. 6. If the dog is not jumping, you need to make a ladder onto the platform. The simplest board, inclined at 20-45 degrees, with 20x20 slats packed across in increments of 100-200 mm.

In places with sharply variable climates, dogs are kept in enclosures with a half-winter road (pos. 7): the kennel is installed in an additional section closed on 3 sides, which is covered with a tarpaulin in the worst weather. Enclosures for dogs with insulated winter modules (items 8 and 9) are built in places with harsh, long winters; the hole in the winter road is covered with strips of rubber so that the dog can go out on duty.

If the location conditions (see below) of the enclosure with the winter road allow, its 2 adjacent walls are made blank, pos. 9. If this doesn’t work out, it’s better to leave everything open except the winter road, pos. 8. Tunnel enclosures are suitable for keeping a pack (see below), but for a single dog, an enclosure like the one in pos. 8, but with blank long walls, it will probably ruin it.

About doors

It is believed that the door of a guard or service dog's enclosure should open inward, otherwise a strong dog can knock it down. True, but often there is no space to open the door inside the enclosure, if only because there is no extra space in the yard. In this case, take another look at pos. 6, the outward opening door of the enclosure should:

• Be upholstered with mesh (see below) on the inside.
• Have at least 2 crossbars.
• Each crossbar must have a secure latch.
• The door leaf must be hung on barn hinges.
• There should be a safety latch on the inside of the door: when entering the enclosure to care for and feed the animal, the door is immediately closed and locked behind you.

More about the platform

Booth-platform, as in pos. 6, will suit a male dog without any problems, but a female puppy needs a separate platform if she whelps and is nursing a litter in her permanent enclosure. How an enclosure with a platform for a puppy is constructed is shown in Fig. on right. A winter enclosure is installed optionally if the female with her offspring remains in the enclosure during the cold season. When the puppies are taken from their mother, the platform above the shelter - the brood's den - must be removed and a general cleaning done in the enclosure so that the smell of the offspring does not bother the parent.

Aviary dimensions

The minimum required area of ​​the enclosure, as is known, depends on the height of the dog at the withers: up to 50 cm - 6 square meters. m; up to 60 cm – 8 sq. m; over 60 cm – from 10 sq. m. The remaining dimensions of the enclosure are also tied to the dimensions of the animal’s body:

• Width - not less than 1.5 body length without tail, but not less than 1.5 m.
• Length – calculated by width and area.
• Height: Lift your dog up by his front paws until he is stretched out and have someone else measure the distance from the ground to the ends of his front paws. Add 0.5 m, this will be the minimum possible height of the enclosure, except for especially jumping dogs, see below.

Location

The main thing in choosing a place for an enclosure is to provide the dog with the best possible view of the controlled area. Imagine a professional taxi driver plodding along a bumpy country road in a broken-down jalopy. A guard dog will feel approximately the same way, not being able to survey its area of ​​​​responsibility. Only he can’t tell the owner, he doesn’t know how.

The second factor is that the enclosure should be located away from sources of strong odors. The dog will still get used to the amber of a poultry house or barnyard; its ancestors smelled the same thing in nature, but the ammonia vapor weakens the dog’s sense of smell. There are also odors that are unbearable and harmful for dogs, see at the end.

Orientation to cardinal directions and winds, contrary to popular belief, does not play a special role. The facade of an enclosure with a dog of northern origin (reindeer husky, husky) in the southern regions is best oriented to the north, and with a southern dog (Caucasian or Central Asian shepherd dog, for example) north of Moscow - to the south. In other cases, the ideal orientation would be the façade facing east and the blank walls facing the direction of the prevailing winds.

Base

Also, you should not consider recommendations to lay a capital foundation for an enclosure as relevant: it will cost you extra expenses and work, and the dog will only be better off if the underground floor is ventilated. The dimensions and design of dog enclosures are such that they are insensitive to ground movements; ready-made enclosures are simply placed on the ground, bricks or concrete foundation blocks 400x400x200 at angles and vertical supports. It is better to concrete the support pillars of an enclosure for a large and strong dog, see below.

Materials and construction

The best material for a dog enclosure is structural steel. An enclosure for a shepherd can be partially made of wood (see below), but it is highly advisable to make enclosures for such smart dogs as huskies, huskies, and fox terriers completely metal - wood can be chewed.

However, wood is more affordable than metal and easier to work with. This is especially true if it is not possible to connect welding or power tools at any time. How to build a wooden enclosure is simple, inexpensive and suitable for almost any dog, shown in Fig. higher:

• Wood materials are impregnated twice with a water-polymer emulsion or once with silicone anti-rot impregnation.
• The ends of the support pillars made of 150x150 timber that go into the ground are additionally impregnated with bitumen mastic.
• The support pillars are concreted, pos. 1 in Fig., aligning vertically along a plumb line. The pillars need to be prepared with a margin of 10-15 cm in height, or more if the site is noticeably uneven. Installation pitch up to 1.5 m.
• After the concrete has hardened, the upper ends of the pillars are cut horizontally to the required height, using a cord and a level. Don’t rush to throw the scraps into the stove, they will come in handy.
• Pairs of pillars are connected by pairs of boards from 100x25, pos. 2.
• The floor is laid over the resulting box beams, pos. 3 (tongue and groove boards from 150x30); see also below.
• The bottom trim made of 100x100 timber, pos. 4 and 5. It is better to attach the lower harness from underneath.
• Blind holes are drilled in the bottom trim beam for the grille bars. For a German Shepherd, the rods must be no less than 10x10 or a diameter of 12 mm from ordinary steel or from 8 mm if the rods are reinforced.
• Place the bars of the grille, leaving an opening for the door, pos. 6. Installation step is 10 cm for large dogs and 5-7 cm for small ones.
• The bars of the lattice are temporarily tied with soft wire to prevent them from becoming loose.
• Prepare the bars for the top trim by drilling holes into them for the bars of the grill.
• Mount the top trim. Its beams are attached to the supporting steel corners or plywood gussets.
• Sheathing blank walls.
• They put a partition inside and arrange a winter road, if necessary.
• They make the roof (item 7) and carry out the remaining work, see below for more details.

Note: oil impregnations for wood, incl. waste motor oil can be used if the enclosure will be populated in a year. Then they build it in the spring - over the summer the light fractions of the impregnation will evaporate, and over the winter the heavy fractions will bituminize and lose their smell (they will fizzle out).

A steel enclosure is built in a similar way:

Floor or soil?

Purchased enclosures are often simply placed on the ground; The dog relieves its physiological needs on it. The floor of the enclosure needs to be cleaned of traces of its vital activity, but the dog is able to dig a hole in the ground and leave the enclosure. How can we be here?

Firstly, northern dogs dig the ground in exceptional cases. Their digging reflex is very weak, because... They have permafrost in their homeland. If a husky, husky or labrador is regularly walked or let out on patrol, you don’t have to be afraid of undermining from them. Secondly, at one time J. Darrell came up with a way to develop toilet skills in almost any mammal, even a wild African pig:

• Prepare a small enamel vessel of suitable size for the dog’s latrine: a basin, a foot bath with a sealed drain, a large bowl.
• When building an enclosure, away from the booth and feeder (see below), a cutout is made in the floor for installing a toilet bowl.
• The cutout for the toilet is temporarily sewn up with plywood.
• During the period of training to the enclosure, the dog is given the opportunity to relieve itself wherever it wants.
• When it gets used to it, a pile of fresher droppings is taken for temporary storage.
• The enclosure is being thoroughly cleaned.
• They remove the plywood, put the toilet in place and fill it halfway with sand.
• They put the saved lump of droppings in the toilet and let the dog into the enclosure.

This method works flawlessly: after all, animals mark their territory with urine and excrement. Now the dog will only go to the toilet in a big way. The sand in it is needed to satisfy the instinct to bury waste; it needs to be changed from time to time.

Note: enclosure for burrowing dogs, e.g. fox terrier must have a floor.

Feeder

Making a dog feeder in the enclosure rotating at floor level (on the left in the figure) in order to demonstrate your mechanical skills is a serious mistake. A funny thing provokes the animal to play with it, which is dangerous for the dog. The feeder should be made folding with the bottom edge approximately at the height of the lower edge of the dog’s chest, as on the right in Fig.

Roof

The roof of the dog enclosure must have a gap for ventilation. Walk in on a hot summer day with a gentle breeze from the yard onto the veranda. Is it stuffy there? Now imagine that you are covered in fur from head to toe. Let us repeat once again: heat and stuffiness are much more harmful for a dog than bitter cold.

As for what to lay the roof of the enclosure from, here is the basic rule: the roofing material should not resonate in the rain or wind. A dog's hearing is as sensitive as its sense of smell; Frequently repeated sharp sounds can damage it. The best materials for the roof of an enclosure are sound-absorbing: roofing felt, soft tiles. It’s easier to lay them on the sheathing.

Note: So the scraps of timber from the construction of the wooden enclosure came in handy - they were used to create a ventilation gap under the roof. The sheathing is of the usual type, but it won’t hurt to insulate it. Not for the winter, but for the summer, so that the roof, heated by the sun, does not radiate heat downwards as much.

Lattice

Cross members from the same rod must be welded to the grid of the enclosure made of rods with a vertical pitch of 1-1.3 m. Usually one cross member is placed at half the height of the rods. In an enclosure for a shepherd dog, it is better to install two crossbars, respectively. by reducing the installation step. The German Shepherd is not the champion of strength among its relatives; the Caucasian and Central Asian are stronger. But an adult male German Shepherd pushes apart 10x10 bars 1.5 m long.

Special cases

Husky

This intelligent, loyal and disciplined dog is becoming increasingly popular. If reindeer-hunting huskies do not make watchmen, and hunting dogs are produced occasionally (although all of them are outstanding), then the husky can be called a jack-of-all-trades dog. However, a husky enclosure should have a number of features.

First, the enclosure for a husky needs a height of 2.2 m. The husky dog ​​is a very jumping dog; in their homeland they need it so much to look around over the endless snow. A husky jumps almost like a poodle, and he, for your information, jumps from the floor onto the cabinet without a run.

Secondly, the bars of the husky enclosure should be made not from rods, but from mesh. Jumping, the husky clings to it. If the bars of the husky's enclosure are made of twigs, then it will be impossible for the dog to do the physical exercises it needs. Finally, in mid-latitudes and to the south, it is better to have a husky enclosure facing north, northeast and northwest.

About the grid

A mesh lattice instead of rods is also suitable in an enclosure for dogs of other breeds. It is better to place a wicker mesh grille in the enclosure, pos. 1 in Fig. on right. For a husky, this is all the more good because the wires of the woven mesh are bent in a zigzag and are easier to cling to. But welded mesh will also work, pos. 2. In both cases, the wire diameter is from 4 mm, and the mesh is 10x10 cm for large dogs and from 5x5 to 7x7 for small ones.

It is not advisable to use chain-link mesh to lattice enclosures: even very calm dogs often injure their paws on it, and hair plucked by chain-link is a common occurrence in such enclosures. By the way, chain-link is safe for a husky, this dog is so smart. She is too smart for a chain-link enclosure: she unravels the joints, tears them off the frames and leaves the enclosure in an hour and a half. The only time an enclosure for a dog made of chain-link mesh is justified is when its area is more than 20 square meters. m, and the dog is a guard breed, i.e. very disciplined, and trained by a good dog handler.

For small and small

A puppy and a small but adult dog are far from the same thing, and they need different enclosures. First, there is no need to make an enclosure for puppies out of wood (item 1 in the figure below): they are still weak, but they will chew. The wood chips will be swallowed and get stuck in the ragged hole. Secondly, an enclosure for puppies needs to be made, taking into account that they have an insatiable curiosity, but their little minds have not yet developed. Scientifically, the full range of dog instincts has not yet been activated.

Instead of an enclosure, suckling and stupid puppies should be kept in a playpen with soft walls so that there is no whining; a baby puppy feels abandoned if he cannot get used to something warm and soft. This is why puppies are often friends with house cats. A playpen for a puppy can be made from a cardboard box; For a couple more options, see the video at the end of the section.

When the puppy in the playpen begins to stand up, leaning his front paws on the side (pos. 2 in the figure), the soft upholstery needs to be removed and the puppy must be accustomed to the apartment cage made of mesh, pos. 3; It’s better to simply bend it from a piece of mesh with a mesh size of 3x3 to 5x5 cm, soldering the joint. A knitted joint is dangerous for a puppy.

Enclosures in an apartment for small dogs are generally arranged in the same way as for large ones, taking into account the low strength and insignificant love of freedom of the inhabitants. An enclosure for a decorative dog is the same set of beds made of vertical rods. Ready-made sections of mini-kennels for dogs are sold in pet stores; from them a dwelling of the desired size and configuration is assembled. But remember: for an indoor dog, an enclosure is something like a public garden with a bench or a bar. For permanent housing, a dog needs a house in an apartment.

Note: For lap dogs and other long-haired dogs, only welded sections of the apartment enclosure should be taken. Braided dogs will pull out all the fur, especially since decorative breeds of dogs, as a rule, are no different in intelligence.

Video: puppy pen

Video: do-it-yourself playpen for puppies

For the pack

If the area is guarded by several dogs, a common enclosure for them should be made of sections with half-winter roads, canopies 3/4 of the length of the section, blank partitions between them and separate feeding troughs. Otherwise, bickering in your free time from work is guaranteed. In this case, 3-4 square meters will be enough for a large dog. m of area and sections as wide as the length of her body without a tail, see fig. on right.

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?

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.

Building a stylish and original enclosure for a dog with your own hands is not astrophysics or higher mathematics. Everything is much simpler. First you need to determine its shape and dimensions. Make a drawing taking into account all dimensions and wishes. It is important to choose quality material. You should also consider where best to place it.

Often, owners need such a platform to isolate their tailed guardian from guests, household chores or garden plantings.
Of course, sometimes a dog enclosure is made into an apartment. The reason for this is the breed of the pet. It may be either too large or aggressive.
For safety reasons, it should be kept separately.

For an apartment, a booth can be made from old bedside tables (cabinets) or you can use special cages or mesh fences.

Location

Creating comfortable conditions for both the animal and household members is the leading goal of this idea. It is not recommended to build a fenced area for your vocal guard:

1. Near the fence, gates and gates. All passers-by, as well as cars, will irritate him. As a result, the dog’s morning or night serenades for the family are guaranteed. In addition, there is a possibility that he will get out and do a lot of dirty tricks.
2. In the backyard. Four-legged friends have a herd instinct. If you completely isolate them, they will become sad and begin to howl and whine, and this gets on your nerves.
3. Near the door of the house. The unpleasant smell and barking of the pet will make life unbearable for the family.

The optimal location for outdoor dog enclosures is the front area of ​​the yard. It is better to place it under a branchy tree. The roof, of course, will hide the cute animal from the heat, as well as rain. However, hot iron will create a real steam room in the building. While the dense crown will be an excellent shelter from the sun.

It is necessary to place the enclosure longer from drafts. Nobody wants their pet to get sick.

Features of construction

The foundation of such a structure is mainly concreted and covered with crushed stone. The back and side walls are made blank. The other three are made of gratings, rods or meshes. There must be a gate with a shutter so that you can feed the dog and wash the area. In the middle, 2 places are installed: one for overnight stay (kennel), and the other for food (feeder). In order for your four-legged companion to feel safe and comfortable, the following requirements are imposed on do-it-yourself dog enclosures:

Since it is sometimes necessary to make an enclosure for a dog in an apartment, you can use improvised materials. For example, make a fence from slats or mesh. At the same time, attach it to one of the walls of the apartment. Much depends on the wishes of the household members themselves.

Animals need to be walked from time to time. They should run and frolic. Otherwise, the muscles atrophy and the blood stagnates.

Material selection

It is recommended to make one or two sides of the site completely closed so that there are no drafts. To build such blank walls, you can use the following types of building materials:

• brick;
• foam or cinder blocks:
• wooden beams, panels or boards (thickness from 2 cm);
• concrete slab;
• finished frame made of wood and reinforcement.

Thermal insulation material is coniferous trees. For harsh winters, it is still better to insulate the walls or make them double.

Floor

The flooring in an outdoor dog enclosure should not be cold. This can cause rheumatism in the animal. Therefore, it cannot be made from cement. It is better to use asphalt or concrete. Cover the screed with wooden flooring. The tongue and groove boards are sanded and dried well to prevent mold from developing. Before painting, they should be treated with antiseptic agents. The floor must be sloping. The side zones are slightly higher, and the front and center zones are lower. As a result, water will drain rather than accumulate on the surface.

Any wooden parts should not come into contact with the ground or other base elements. Otherwise, the wood will absorb moisture and rot.

Roof

In the original, the coating should be made inclined or flat. It is forbidden to use ordinary nails to install the roof. It is better to give preference to self-tapping screws or other types of closed fastenings, because the dog can get hurt. The roof of a home enclosure for a dog can be made from:

It is mounted on a wooden platform, which consists of several boards. This structure allows for heat retention in the building and excellent air circulation.

Front end

The front wall provides the tailed guard with a good overview. The grid is an incomparable option for such observation. It can be made from metal profile pipes with a round or square cross-section. Using a grinder or sandpaper, you need to clean the parts from burrs and rust. The metal surface must be primed and covered with several layers of paint.

The Ministry of Health prohibits the use of powder and galvanized materials. They are harmful to the health of the animal. It is recommended to use screws made of stainless material as fastenings.

The mesh is a budget option, but it is not always reliable. Under the weight of the shepherd, it may fall out or rupture. Dogs also often chew the wire and pull out their teeth.

Design

After determining the location, it is important to make a detailed drawing with the dimensions of the dog’s enclosure. You need to think through and correctly position the main zones:

• booth;
• platform;
• gate;
• area (lawn) for walking;
• feeding windows.

The optimal height of such a structure is calculated taking into account the dimensions of the pet. It is necessary to take measurements of the animal in full height.
To do this, he must stand on his hind legs. It is worth adding from 20 to 50 cm to the resulting indicator, at the discretion of the designer.

If the site is being prepared for several dogs, then all dimensions must be multiplied by 1.5.

Construction

After receiving the project, you should select the material for the roof, blind and front walls. Then it is important to decide on the location.
Now you need to consider step by step how to build an enclosure for a dog with your own hands, so as not to miss anything.

Foundation and decking

The rafters for the foundation will be powerful pipes (4-6 pieces), which should be driven into the ground along the perimeter of the object, or columns of bricks. The remaining space is filled with gravel or expanded clay. The base (screed height from 40 to 70 mm) is poured with a solution of concrete or cement. It is important not to forget to tilt towards the frontal zone.

The wooden flooring is nailed to a special timber frame. Its dimensions correspond to the dimensions of the enclosure. This floor is made from tongue and groove boards because they do not require nails for installation.

Construction and filling of the frame

If the fence is metal, then pipes can be used. They are assembled according to the drawing and fastened using bolts or welding. The same assembly principle applies to wooden supports. The algorithm for their construction is as follows:

The metal frame is filled with pre-selected material: a wooden beam or a brick wall. To insulate the back part, pressed sawdust, polystyrene foam, eco- or mineral wool are additionally used.

The front wall is made with one transverse crossbar. If you use a mesh, you need to make sure that it sits firmly on the folds. Any load can break it.

The front wall must be made of chain-link or mesh. In other cases, a grate is made, consisting of welded pipes and rods. Near the gate, two rings intended for feeding should be welded. The turning mechanism opens outwards.

Installation of roof and booth

To work with corrugated sheets or slate, it is necessary to build a wooden frame. Then the roofing sheets are applied one after another. A wooden frame is sheathed with roofing felt or soft tiles, onto which special OSB boards are attached. For safety reasons, you should use self-tapping screws or a closed type of fastening.
Among other things, an awning can be used as a cover. Dense and waterproof fabric is pulled over a metal frame, secured with loops.

The booth is made with a flat roof. As a result, it will become an observation deck for the pet. It is desirable that the structure opens, because then it is easier to clean it. The size of the booth is equal to the length of the lying dog with its paws stretched out.

A few simple steps and your do-it-yourself dog enclosure is ready. This stylish residence will serve as a wonderful place to relax and work for your beloved pet.

Video of building a dog enclosure

When you bring a new family member into your home - a small dog or puppy, a new unfamiliar world opens up before him. To protect your pet from danger and arrange its “place,” we suggest building an apartment enclosure with your own hands. It will become the animal’s personal space and will protect both your pet and your home from trouble. We will tell you why such a home is needed and offer instructions on how to build it at home with your own hands.

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Why does a dog need an enclosure in an apartment?

An apartment aviary is a necessary attribute for small breed dogs or puppies, which can be used:

1. In the absence of the owner, so that the dog feels protected.
2. In order to accustom the dog to the toilet and plate.
3. If these attributes are in one place in the enclosure, the dog begins to get used to this order of things, which will save you from cleaning “tags” in the corners.
4. The design is needed to protect your property from your pet’s teeth. If you put special toys there, the dog will happily chew on them instead of your sofa.
5. An irreplaceable thing if you have other animals or small children living in your house. It will prevent a dog from fighting with a cat and will protect the child from the sharp claws and teeth of the dog.
6. The enclosure is also used to isolate a sick pet or when raising a puppy (if there is excessive aggression; if the puppy constantly jumps on your bed).
7. The design will allow you to keep an eye on your puppy.
8. An aviary is indispensable for a dog during the period of feeding puppies.

We make it with our own hands

In order not to spend extra money, you can make an apartment aviary with your own hands at home. The main thing is to choose the right location, size and material.

It is prohibited to place such a playpen near radiators or other heating devices, or near an open fire. The material must be non-toxic and durable (the pet will simply gnaw through the fabric).

As for the sizes, they are selected individually depending on the size of the dog.

1. For a small puppy, a design with a height of 40 cm and an area of ​​0.5 square meters is suitable.
2. For small breeds, indoor houses are made up to 80 cm in height with an area of ​​2.5 square meters (if the apartment is large).
3. It is not recommended to make a home smaller than 0.5 m square, since the pet requires free space, and you also need to place a bowl of food, a toilet, a sleeping place and toys in the enclosure.

If you decide to make a home for your pet with your own hands, we suggest that you read the instructions that will make the task easier.

We offer options for manufacturing the two most common types of structures for keeping dogs in an apartment.

From the grid

Tools and materials

• Soft metal mesh;
• metal rods;
• wire or welding machine;
• pliers:
• hinges for doors.

Step-by-step instruction

To make your pet a home from a mesh with your own hands, you need:

1. Create a frame from rods of the shape you want to get the final version (the most common is a quadrangle).
2. Cover the frame with mesh.
3. At the corners, connect the mesh with the rods using wire, pieces of which are first broken with pliers, or use welding.
4. Place one of the four walls on removable hinges - this will be a door.
5. Cover the floor with thick fabric.

In the video, the owner will show you how to set up an enclosure yourself.

Wooden aviary

Tools and materials

• Wooden planks and slats;
• file;
• centimeter;
• self-tapping screws;
• hinges for doors.

Step-by-step instruction

To make a wooden house with your own hands, you need:

1. Cut the slats to the required size (depending on the size of the animal) and knock down the frame (you should get a cube) using self-tapping screws.
2. Cut the planks to the required height and nail them close to each other around the entire perimeter of the frame (so that the pet does not get stuck).
3. Using the same principle, make a door and place it on hinges on one of the four walls.
4. Cover the floor with thick fabric.
5. Place toys, a blanket (bed), toilet, and bowl inside.

Photo gallery

Video “We make an aviary ourselves”

The video shows how to make a six-section enclosure for a dog with your own hands.