# Outdoor Kennel - Getting frustrated! HELP



## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

So I bought a heavy duty 10x10 kennel for Diesel for during the day while I am at work, its better than him being confined in a crate in the house all day. I have set him up pretty well I think... 

Its this one Heavy Duty:










I covered it with a 10x10 easy up style canopy to give him shade / shelter, and put tarps over 1.5 sides of it to keep any rain off it as well. I put down rubber mats in the bottom to prevent mud / digging under it and to make clean up easy (just scoop and spray it off with hose, scrub it down with cleaner once a week) 

Here it is in the background of this picture:










My frustration is coming in that when he poops or pee's in there I come home and he is covered in it! He poops in the middle generally but he still manages to be covered in it. People who have outdoor kennels what do you do / use to help keep your dogs clean, it seems like before I put the mats down it was not so bad, but I dont want a mud pit in there and cleaning up the grass successfully when he goes can be challenging. 

What is everyone else doing? :help: I think both he and I are about sick of daily hose baths

** Edit the torn tarp is not from him chewing it is from me not using a weedwacker very carefully and hitting the tarp


----------



## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

You'd think with 100 sq ft he'd be able to keep out of the poop. Silly boy!


----------



## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

Expand the size of your kennel. I hate seeing large breed dogs in little kennels. Add sections as you can afford them if money is an issue. If people have to crate their dogs all day, they are not equiped to own a dog.


----------



## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

Chip Blasiole said:


> Expand the size of your kennel. I hate seeing large breed dogs in little kennels. Add sections as you can afford them if money is an issue. If people have to crate their dogs all day, they are not equiped to own a dog.


I am trying to not take this response personal but have you seen the # of people who crate their dogs during the day? I have invested a significant amount of money into this setup for Diesel in order to be a better pet parent and make sure he is provided for. He gets plenty of exercise everyday to the point of exhaustion, goes everywhere with me except work, goes camping at least bi-weekly, hiking, swimming, you name it he does it with me I don't even take vacations in which my dogs cant go. While I respect your opinion I do not feel that a 10x10 kennel is little by any means. He is not tied to a dog box in my back yard with a 8ft chain that has a 2ft ditch ran in a circle around it. He is very well cared for and gets beyond what the average dog gets. I would give him a 100ft run to be out on but he is dog aggressive so it is best for his protection and any other stray dog that may come strolling through the yard (we live in a very rural area dogs are rarely leashed or contained and who knows if they are vaccinated). I am sure there are plenty of people who have a similar sized kennel or smaller for their GSD here.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I would consider making a "box" and putting it filled with mulch in a corner. I know Beau is outside during the day, admittedly in a larger area, but he prefers to go away from the area where he "lounges" and is very consistent. You could "seed" it with some poop... I have kept dogs in 10x10 before. 2 more panels will make you a 10x20 though and that is real nice for the dogs...If you put mulch in the corner, give him another place cool to lounge in. He may be covered in it trying to get cool.


----------



## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

I am of the opinion that if you own a GSD you have to have the financial means to properly house them. The prebuilt runs are way overpriced IMO. But if you are not able to dig holes with a post hole digger, set posts, or stretch a chain link fence, I guess that is the only way to go. I would think a minimum of 10 X 30 might be a good start. Just because the world is occupied by a large percentage of incompetent people doesn't justify you keeping your dog in such a small run. It is like the lions and tigers you see in small cages and eventually, they become so neurotic all they do is pace in circles. The good news is that you are spending quality time with your dog outside of the kennel. Just try adding ten feet at a time. Look for used kennels for sale if you don't have the skills to build from scratch.


----------



## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

jocoyn said:


> I would consider making a "box" and putting it filled with mulch in a corner. I know Beau is outside during the day, admittedly in a larger area, but he prefers to go away from the area where he "lounges" and is very consistent. You could "seed" it with some poop... I have kept dogs in 10x10 before. 2 more panels will make you a 10x20 though and that is real nice for the dogs...If you put mulch in the corner, give him another place cool to lounge in. He may be covered in it trying to get cool.


What size of box you think? 

I had originally bought him one of those "cool pad beds" but he tore it up, just like the fluffy bed he has in the house... Darn land sharks! 

Also I want to note, this is a temporary situation for us until the closing on my house where he will have a 1 acre lot fenced with 6ft shadow box fence and a dog door to run in and out of the house with. He and I were put into a situation which I had not planned on and this was a solution I had to come up with for the time being literally within a day after a 300 mile move. I hope that we will be in the new house by end of Aug at latest.


----------



## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

Chip Blasiole said:


> I am of the opinion that if you own a GSD you have to have the financial means to properly house them.


- I agree with you 100% that if you own a dog you need to have the financial means to take care of it properly, my other two dogs have free range of the house while i am at work. If he would not try to eat them he would too. 

- I am not living in my own house any longer, I am a guest putting something permanent up is not an option, I am putting a ton of money into 6ft shadow box fencing around an acre lot at the new house. This is temporary. 

This really was not the plan for us, we were suppose to be living back on my little farmette where space and housing was not an issue. We are playing the cards we have been dealt at this point


----------



## HuskyMal89 (May 19, 2013)

Diesel-if you can double the size of the kennel it shouldn't be a problem. My Huskies and Malamutes are in 10x20 kennels on chain because if they weren't they would break out lol. I am lucky though, I use the trees for shade so no roof for me lol. these dogs were bred to be in whatever mother nature could dish out. They all go at one end and lay and hang out at the other. I agree with Chip though, if you have to crate a large breed dog all day then you shouldn't have it....they need space and some freedom....a kennel is much better. Crating them all day isn't good for them either in my opinion....lots of pent up energy and aggression....also anxiety is more common in dogs who are crated.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Diesel and Lace said:


> What size of box you think?
> .


I honestly don't know. But if he is a destructo dog that could be a challenge. I will have to watch Beau but I think he normally circles to lay down but not to poo so I am guessing right now maybe 2 x 6? You don't want it comfortable to dig in or lay down. I did not have that problem for the short time I had a 10x10 run and even had two dogs in it.


----------



## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

Maybe one of these potty areas would help. The #1 Selling Grass Litter Box for Dogs - Potty Training Made Easy

You can be creative and build your own.


----------



## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I don't know how old your dog is but you could teach him to not go in the kennel. We do this with all of our dogs and start by taking them out of the kennel frequently to 'go potty', gradually we increase the time.


----------



## vomlittlehaus (Aug 24, 2010)

Not sure why people think crating a dog is a bad thing. As long as dog is exercised properly. My dog has the run of the house, but chooses to sleep in her crate all day, go figure. 

Great idea to make a place for his potty in the kennel, or train to not go in the kennel. I raise my pups in an indoor/outdoor pen. They have a "litter box" from the time they are 4 wks old. This can be moved outside to the pen for them to learn housebreaking.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Hmmmm. I used to have 23'x14' kennels and put a 2x4 x 14 up over the last 4' and filled that with 4 bales/bricks of cedar chips. 

Cedar is great because it naturally repels bugs. Some dogs can be sensitive to it, but mine are not. And the dogs learn really quick to go in the chips. They also smell nice. 

But then I cut those kennels in half, 14 x 11.5' and I gave up on the cedar chips -- if you swap them out every month, they will get expensive. 

Anyhow, my best method for keeping them clean is to have a good schedule: Feed all the dogs inside, then let each one out one by one, wait for it to poop and then kennel it for the day. Then when I got home, or after I brought them in for the night, I would go out and take care of any further offerings. 

Currently, as I wait for my contractor and the weather to get in gear, I have some of them in 10x 7, 10 x 8 kennels, and it is just small. They will run through it, and I have to clean them and brush them out, and clean their kennels twice a day to try to stay on top of it. 

Increasing the size of the kennel will help, and putting in a 4'x4' box of cedar chips can help too. 

Good luck. I too believe crating a dog all day is not as nice as a dog that can be outside in a secure kennel.


----------



## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

*Update*

I have been experimenting with a few things and doing a few things differently. 

I started feeding Diesel very early in the morning and making sure he had the opportunity to poop before he went into his kennel. That has helped, I put down saw dust like we use for the horses stall, epic fail! What a mess... I now put down hay (straw is too expensive and we make our own hay!) It has worked fairly well. When he poops / pee's (which is not nearly as much now) it does not get all over him and the hay soaks up any urine. I scoop the soiled hay daily if there is any and then weekly strip it down, disinfect, put lime down to keep odor at bay and put all new hay in. He has remained relatively clean for the most part, have only had to bath him about once every week and half just because I dont like stinky dogs


----------



## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Diesel, as a temporary measure, you are fine IMO.....the dog does not LIVE there 24/7!!! As far as crates....people work, people have jobs...if only people who did not have to work and could stay home with their dogs were allowed to HAVE dogs...then only people who did not work could have them, and the majority of those probably would be criticized because they could not afford them!

We all try our best to give our dogs a good life...I have always worked and had dogs...I work from home now and guess what...the majority of the time, my dogs sleep if they are in the house....if I put them out in the runs - they play with a toy for a while then - guess what - they go to sleep.....

Lee


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

Chip Blasiole said:


> ... If people have to crate their dogs all day, they are not equiped to own a dog.


:thumbsdown: I so disagree with this person's opinion!!!


----------



## FrankieC (Aug 15, 2012)

arycrest said:


> :thumbsdown: I so disagree with this person's opinion!!!


As do I! Ridiculous.


----------



## dioworld (Feb 1, 2012)

FrankieC said:


> As do I! Ridiculous.



same here, my dog loves the crate. we crate train him when he's a puppy. The crate is his most comfortable and safe place.


----------



## The Stig (Oct 11, 2007)

Diesel and Lace,

Your outdoor pen is fine, as Wolfstraum so eloquently explained. It is not permanent living quarters, and I think it is admirable that you are investing your time, money, effort and thought into providing a comfortable, safe and spacious area for your dog for the time you are gone. Don't pay any heed to Chip.. such lack of compassion & negativity should not be wasted on anybody's time and energy.

I agree with those who mention a 'litterbox'. I built one (it wasn't fancy) for Janka when she was a puppy and used pine shavings. It was made up of inexpensive materials I bought at Home Depot: a 6' x 6' weatherproof board (it looked like siding/panels); 3 pieces of pine lumber that I nailed on 3 sides of the board as a border to keep the shavings in. 

With that said, I am not sure if your dog will leave the boards alone as far as chewing goes. But I thought I would share my ideas and see if that would help you in some way. I get the pine shavings at the feed/tack store which is cheaper than a pet store or say, WalMart. For the scooper, I just use a gallon water jug, cut it in half and use the handle part to scoop the messes. I top off the pine shavings when needed, and scrub/disinfect the entire litterbox once a week. Because I keep the box filled and the shavings are absorbent, the bottom of it barely gets soiled.

You will need to build a bigger litterbox, because my specifications were for an 8 week old pup, although I used that till she was ~6 months old and it worked just fine. You could even border the entire box with lumber. I just left one side open so it was easy for a little puppy to get in and out of her litter box.

Good luck! Let us know what you come up with.

~ Rei


----------



## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

wolfstraum said:


> Diesel, as a temporary measure, you are fine IMO.....the dog does not LIVE there 24/7!!! As far as crates....people work, people have jobs...if only people who did not have to work and could stay home with their dogs were allowed to HAVE dogs...then only people who did not work could have them, and the majority of those probably would be criticized because they could not afford them!
> 
> We all try our best to give our dogs a good life...I have always worked and had dogs...I work from home now and guess what...the majority of the time, my dogs sleep if they are in the house....if I put them out in the runs - they play with a toy for a while then - guess what - they go to sleep.....
> 
> Lee


What Lee said! 
You are doing your best under the circumstances and I give you credit for making the best of a bad situation. I don't know many people who can just " dig holes with a post hole digger, set posts, or stretch a chain link fence". Oh yeah, and go to work so they can close on the home of their dreams. Give me a break!

I take my GSD to work every day and know what? He sleeps under my desk the whole day. That's about a 6'x3' space at most. When we're home, he has his backyard and the run of the house. Know where he's at? Never more than 5 feet from me. At night he sleeps in his crate. Know why? Because he chooses to. Door is always open.

Do what you can with what you have. Maybe someone will offer to come over and build your kennel


----------



## BlackthornGSD (Feb 25, 2010)

For him to poop and then run through it, it sounds like something is agitating and winding him up while he is in the kennel, to the degree that he is running through his poop. Is something stimulating him while you are away?


----------



## Diesel and Lace (Apr 15, 2013)

Like I said previously, he is dog aggressive and there are MANY dogs that roam the neighborhood so I am sure there are several a day that go through and past his kennel. Thats why I dont have him out on a 100ft run. I dont know what those dogs carry and I dont want him getting into a fight with a dog that could have who knows what. Not to mention I am pretty sure any dog that would come within reach he would kill or he would hang himself trying to get to them. On the upside closing is scheduled on my new house for Aug 8th! Then we have 2-3 weeks of renovation and we will be moved in and he will have his acre lot fenced with 6ft wooden shadow box fencing and it will be an issue no more... Keep hanging in there!!


----------

