# Indoor kennel runs - let's see yours



## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I would like some ideas and suggestions regarding indoor kennel runs. 

In our new place, we will have a lot more room than where we are living now, including a very large garage. Instead of crating the girls, I would like to set up indoor "runs" as an additional option for them to go when we are not home. I am not thinking anything huge, but bigger than their crates and with room for raised beds, water bucket, etc.

I know some of you guys have setups like that in lieu of crates, so if you could post pictures of yours, that would be very much appreciated. I was thinking of the downstairs "family room" to set them up in, as we will not be using that room a lot. Alternatively, the garage (which links up with that room) would be an option, though I'm not sure whether that would be warm enough for them in winter (it is attached to the house, not sure if there's any heat in it or not).

This would be for when we are gone (work, etc.) instead of crates, although we will still have the crates for them as well.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I know this is not what you are looking for, but it is working quite nicely for me. It is a 3' high x-pen, four foot by four foot and covered over:









The cot is the smaller sized Coolaroo. She can go outside through the doggy door so her water is outside. I have the cot tie wrapped to the x-pen so that it will not interfere with the doggy door. If I had the space, I would give this another two foot in length. 

If I had the money, all my kennels would be set up like this. 

Right now this is being used by Ninja during the day so that her wounds do not attract flies, and Milla at night because she cannot seem to wait until I wake up in the morning to empty her bladder.


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Won't you be using the garage for your vehicles? Just making sure you are thinking like an Upstate NYer.







Garages save a lot of time in the winter for cars and trucks so you don't have to scrape off inches of ice and feet of snow (since you are going to be in the North Country). People who don't have them have to get up much earlier than people who don't! 

I don't have an indoor kennel system, but I do have a nice kennel that I used for Nina in the house. I think that you can buy more panels to make it bigger. I really like it and if my dogs had to go to being crated for longer periods of time, I would want one for each. 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...r:referralID=NA

ETA-obviously, in the kitchen, I don't use the topper!


----------



## darga19 (Mar 4, 2009)

Sounds cool. I wish I had the room for something like that.

If the garage does have heat capability...it would likely cost you a fortune to keep it heated. Also, not sure how hot of summers you have over in VA, but they could get pretty hot in that garage in the summer time too. Just my thoughts. 

Good luck with your project!


----------



## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Quote:Won't you be using the garage for your vehicles? Just making sure you are thinking like an Upstate NYer.


It's a very large garage, designed for 2 to 3 vehicles. We only have the green Jeep at this point, so I don't think space for the vehicles will be an issue.











> Quote:Also, not sure how hot of summers you have over in VA, but they could get pretty hot in that garage in the summer time too. Just my thoughts.


Our new house is in Gouverneur, NY. I know it gets hot up there, but not nearly as hot and humid as we are used to down here in Virginia, where it routinely goes above 100 degrees plus humidity in summer.







I'm more worried about the cold up there than the heat. I think the downstairs family room would be the best option, though. 

It's a split-level home with the garage and the downstairs room being, well, downstairs, and the rest of the home being upstairs. It has 2 bedrooms upstairs, plus a living room, kitchen, etc.


----------



## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Quote:I don't have an indoor kennel system, but I do have a nice kennel that I used for Nina in the house. I think that you can buy more panels to make it bigger. I really like it and if my dogs had to go to being crated for longer periods of time, I would want one for each.
> 
> http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...r:referralID=NA


I like that, especially if you can get extra panels for it. I assume that this doesn't mount to the floor in any way. What do you use for flooring in it? Anything? 

I think someone a while said they used rubber mats from the feed store?


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

No floor mounting. 

I got those blue mats that hook together-for floor/leg fatigue for people who have to stand a lot at their work. Then put a very inexpensive area rug to put over the top of that. Then any other bed you want to put on top. 

I got the mats at a Grossman's outlet. Rugs at Dollar type stores. The cats would go in and sleep with Nina. 

Those rubber mats-I got one for Kyah when she was in it and ended up having to take it out-it smelled so bad!







I couldn't take it. 

ETA-I bet you have fun in the winter-I really enjoy it. The summers have been hot and humid in the past few years-we used to never get 90 degree+ days, now they happen...a lot.







Very humid. Giant mosquitoes where you are going to be, I believe. Not sure if it's as hot up there or if it's better.


----------



## BrennasMom (Mar 2, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: JeanKBBMMMAAN
> I don't have an indoor kennel system, but I do have a nice kennel that I used for Nina in the house. I think that you can buy more panels to make it bigger. I really like it and if my dogs had to go to being crated for longer periods of time, I would want one for each.
> 
> http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...r:referralID=NA
> ...


This is what we have. I initially got one 4'x4' kennel, it worked fine for my beagle and gsd, maybe a bit crowded but they are cuddley anyways.

My parents adopted a GSD recently, so my dad got another one, we set it up so the new one connected to the first one, so the new one was essentially two panels longer. Now Mollie & Brenna go in the bigger one and Bonnie (their GSD) goes in the little one. She started climbing out and ripping up the canopy thing, so he wired some hardware cloth to some lattice and wired that to the top. So far so good.







I'll try to get some pics later if you'd like.

We have rubber stall mats, I just need to muster the energy to work the things under the kennels, they are 60 lbs each, and I need to move 3 of them and somehow work the kennel over them, I'm thinking It'll be a 2 person job.


----------



## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

I have two 5 x 5 kennels set up in the basement. Since these pictdures, I've removed the carpet and have stall matts inside each kennel.


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I don't have any kennels/runs but I do use an exercise pen for Bianca when no one is home. I have it in the kitchen so it is just on the linoleum, with her bed inside and a water bowl attached to one of the ex-pen panels. I didn't bother with buying a 'lid' because Bianca doesn't try to jump it (even though the pen is only 24" high and she could easily jump out if she tried.) 
The one I use is an e-coated Midwest exercise pen. Each panel is 24" long and there are eight panels. You can get them up to 48" tall and you can also buy a lid but the lid will only work if the pen is set up so it is square.


----------



## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Lynn_P - I really like your setup. Where did you get the panels and doors and, if you don't mind me asking, what was the cost for that setup? 

Chicagocanine - I don't trust my Malinois not to jump an exercise pen.







I love her to death, but SHE would be the one to find something to get into.


----------



## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

Chris,

I bought a 5 x 10 kennel and then purchased two extra panels.. one with a gate, one section 5 x 5. What I liked about these is that I could get them into my house.

Dog kennels


----------



## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

Lynn, I like your set up too!


----------

