# Dog Kennel Design Ideas



## bjoiner

Just bought our house of a lifetime on 24 acres, pond site, 8 acre pasture (will be planting food plots for hunting/training) and a barn. I have got to build a 4 to 5 dog kennel for the hounds. Looking for good ideas and some don't do's as well. Pictures would help.

FYI: Jumped 3 bucks out of the front yard yesterday morning. One giant 10, a good 8 and a small buck. All were still in velvet.


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## HRC Dogs

Hi Bubba

Congrats on the property! Of course the age old question is how much to spend on a kennel? I the hot south I think a fan would be a nice feature. Recently at the place I work they have installed Big Ass Fans...

Seems the horse people are using them. The BAFs can move some air!

Maybe an unconventional design of a pentagon (5 pen), hexagon (6 pen) shape with a covered sloping roof with the fan located in the center might be a design to consider.


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## HRC Dogs

I did not have the enough post to add the link...



http://www.bigassfans.com/powerfoil_x


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## LESTER LANGLEY

Thoughts


However many runs, you think you'll need.... add at LEAST 2.(same goes for a truck or trailer)

Shade

Septic system if any

direction of sunlight

direction of predominate breeze in summer.

North wind blocked in Winter?

access to the kennel when it's wet, on foot or vehicle. Gravel is awfully expensive.

What the dogs will be able to see (bark at), (driveway, kids playing etc)

Size and shape of an airing yard. It's nice to be able to still have them contained, so you can turn your back, when you let them out of there runs to air.

If an airing yard is planned, plant shade trees, NOW, so they can get a head start. It's difficult to get a sapling started, with the crew pissing on them everyday.

I don't like passerbys to be able to see my kennel. May not be a problem if you're far enough off the road.

If you use chain link, USE NINE GAUGE, NOT ELEVEN

Have adequate lighting, and be able to light up the entire airing yard, with floodlights on a switch.

If you have to run a waterline, use bigger pipe. Water pressure is your friend.

INSULATE THE ROOF, even if it's open on all sides. REALLY helps in summer.



Do some research for the BEST concrete guy, NOT the best price. Go look at their work. Concrete = Most important element of a kennel, in my opinion. Bad concrete will piss you off everyday for the rest of your life.

The concrete needs a fair amount of slope. 


Get your concrete treated after it cures, with a QUALITY sealer. Most concrete guys have no clue how hard dog urine can be on the floor.


Close to, or added to, the barn, via an overhang might be a nice site to build. Close to existing water, and electricity. Existing structure to tie into , plus dry storage for food, etc.

A sink with a small hot water heater is NICE. Maybe inside barn, if it's close enough.

a quality, steel, hose-reel, with a quality, large hose, makes life alot easier.

Flex pipe is a bit higher, but will not burst when it freezes.

Buy stainless buckets and pans the first time.

if you plan on big ceiling fans, be sure to account for the clearance between the roof and top of run

Don't laugh but video monitors are pretty cheap these days. You could prob cover 5 runs with one lens if it were positioned properly. Lots of options nowadays, night vision, wireless etc.

If you build seperately, you may be able to use dirt from the pond site to build up the area where the foundation will be. Get it high enough that there won't be drainage issues.

My biggest mistake, (still don't know what I'd do different) was to build, facing the area of the property where most of the yardwork occurs (t field, drills,obedience). If they're not on the truck, they get really stirred up watching me work the other dogs.


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## John Montenieri

Lester Langley spells it out really well. I concur with his message. Maybe some shade cloth. You might even consider a small septic system when you hose out the runs. My trainer has one and it is great. Still pick up poop in the airing yard but not in the runs. A cement trough slightly angled to the septic drain. Of course money is a concern but if you can put all the bell's and whistles in while it is being built, it is a lot easier in the long run.


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## Leslie B

All great advise from Langley - especially the part about adding 2 kennels beyond what you need. You will use them.

Be sure to have a roof over the runs. Not only does it provide shade/protection but it also makes clean up so much easier and it keeps the smell down. Rain on dog poo makes the whole kennel area stink.

I would look at the welded wire pens. We are currently upgrading to them. Standard chain link has some serious faults. One determined dog can get his mouth into the spaces, grab the wire and pull/twist. If they get it down low, the chain link busts free from the lower part of the frame and you have a nice hole the dog can escape from. (voice of experience)

In addition, chain link has loops that can be bent in or out. These can cause injury. (another voice of experience)

Give yourself some working area inside your kennel building. Whatever storage area you are planning - increase it. A utility sink and counter area also a must.

Have fun with your new kennel.


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## DuckTruk

Congratulations on your new place!! That sounds awesome!!

Standard concrete sealer will never hold up on the floor. We used a product called Devran 224 (*http://www.originalcolorchips.com/pdfdatasheets/Devran_224HS_pds.pdf*). It is an epoxy product but it is fairly inexpensive. You can get it in nearly any color, and they can also add texture when its mixed. One of the best things about it, is that you can put it on yourself (no special equipment required). A couple of other things to consider if you're going to use this coating (or any other).

1. DO NOT SEAL THE FLOOR WITH ANYTHING WHEN THE CONCRETE IS POURED!! The sealer that is added to concrete floors will keep anything you put on the floor from adhering to the concrete.

2. LET THE CONCRETE CURE FOR THE FULL 28 DAYS BEFORE YOU PUT ANY COATING ON IT!! If the concrete is not fully cured, you may have some issues with whatever product you use to coat the floor adhering to the uncured concrete.

Some other things to consider (keep in mind we keep an average of 20 dogs at a time, so some of this may be overkill for your application)

Chain link panels are good, heavy ones are better, masonry is the best (and easiest to clean). Obviously there is some cost difference between the 3. We chose masonry because it allowed us to put the epoxy sealer on it to ease in cleaning. The advice to use the heavier gauge chain link is also very good.

Airing yard- We tried and tried to get grass to grow, to no avail. We finally bit the bullet and put down Bermuda sod. Bermuda grass is TONS tougher than other grasses so it can take the abuse. It also thrives in direct sunlight and heat (so its a perfect fit for S. GA).


Interior- We chose to enclose our kennel for a couple of different reasons. The biggest one was the cleanliness. If you can control the humidity, you can control the smells much easier. And trust me, ya'll don't have the market cornered on humidity in S GA!!

What walls aren't block in our place are smooth faced Hardie Board siding. The product is pest and weather resistant, so it can take the abuse that pups can dish out. Couple this with good paint, and its a very durable, cleanable, inexpensive product.

If you are going to get your registration with the State of GA, they are going to require you to have "positive drainage" on the floors. We installed trench drains just due to the sheer volume of dogs, you may be able to get by with just some sloping floors.

We ran our water service on "street pressure." This means that we have a couple of hydrants that are not run through a pressure reducing valve. This makes clean up tons easier. If you have enough pressure, its like a mini-pressure washer. If you choose this, be ready to buy better hoses, nozzles, and hydrants. Most standard stuff can't take the increased pressure. Our hoses are hydraulic hoses with screw type ends on them.

Lemme know if you have any other questions. In my other life, I also own a commercial construction company, so I had some experiences that really helped when we decided to build ours.


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## bjoiner

Thanks for everyone's advice. There are definately some things I would have never thought of here.


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## Kirk Keene

To go a bit further with the OP, what brand/s of kennel panel are recommended? I'm preparing to build a new 6-dog kennel in the spring and am doing my research early. I would prefer the steel panels, but assume they would need to be either galvanized or powder-coated to withstand the constant urine deluge. Any suggestions?


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## DuckTruk

Kirk Keene said:


> To go a bit further with the OP, what brand/s of kennel panel are recommended? I'm preparing to build a new 6-dog kennel in the spring and am doing my research early. I would prefer the steel panels, but assume they would need to be either galvanized or powder-coated to withstand the constant urine deluge. Any suggestions?


IF the urine doesn't get em, the cleaner will.

No matter what product you choose, they will both corrode over time wihthe constant exposure to the ammonia in the urine or the caustic materials in the cleaners. For the best results with either, I would recommend setting them up on bricks (or better yet, concrete bricks) even if the legs do extend below the bottom rail of the panels.


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## Brad B

Langley pretty much covered a lot of what I put into mine. I've applied a wonderful concrete sealer that is of 2 types. The first is called Deep Seal and soaks into and seals all but the very top few millimeters of concrete which will still allow any other toppings to hold and supposedly increases it's bonding. Same company sells a product called Top Seal which seals the top layer. No epoxy or such will stick after that. I've been very impressed with how fast it allows my concrete to dry after washing out the runs. I can hit the larger sections with a squeege and in a few minutes it's all dry.

Things I'd do different are...

More overhang on the roof to cut down on the blowing rain coming in. I recently added mesh tarps for walls so it may help with this.

Little more slope on the runs. The kennels are my shop area were all poured as one so it was hard to make it transition to a sloped area like I wanted but it's liveable.

I would'nt have such a slick finish on the concrete either. It's very pretty and easy to keep clean, just a little slick when wet if you're not wearing the right shoes. And add some dog drool and it gets like ice!

Should have poured a concrete backsplash for the wash out troughs when we did the initial pour. Now I'm looking at adding them in or I'm considering using a different material. Either way, it helps contain the overspray behind the runs. But it depends on how you have yours layed out too.

I'd make sure you have your washout troughs smooth on the insides with a good slope. At the draing end I'd make sure the trough is shaped to funnel the water and waste directly into the drain. My concrete guy didn't grasp what I wanted on this so I'm having to deal with adding and shaping some concrete to funnel the water rather than chase it around with the hose to get it all in.

I'm sure there's more I'll realize once I've lived with it some more too. Let me know if you want some pictures.


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## Sharon Potter

My gutters have PVC pipe in them. Sch. 40, 6" wide, cut in half the long way. We connected and set the pipe before we poured the concrete, pitching it from both ends to a center pipe running to the septic system. Before pouring the concrete, we put a piece of cardboard over the center hole, and filled the gutter to within half an inch of the top...then poured the concrete, making a slight lip over the PVC. Once the concrete had set, I took out the dirt and the cardboard. It rinses easily and cleanly.


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## DuckTruk

Couple other things I thought of....

If you are doing a trench, make sure that it is rounded, not square. You will thank me when you go to wash it out and you don't get a face full of water!!

And a final thought on the floor sealer. Concrete that has not had a solid sealer applied, is porous. It will still hold a small amount of bacteria. That is the reason that over time, some kennels will have an odor even though they are ridiculously clean. Forgot to put that tidbit in yesterday.


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## bjoiner

How big is each kennel?


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## FOM

Sharron - can you post a picture of what you described - I think I understand, but a picture is worth a thousand words.

Also anyone else, post up pictures. I am not building a kennel yet, but I like having all the great ideas captured.

Thanks and sorry to hijack,

Lainee


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## Christa McCoy

FOM said:


> Sharron - can you post a picture of what you described - I think I understand, but a picture is worth a thousand words.
> 
> Also anyone else, post up pictures. I am not building a kennel yet, but I like having all the great ideas captured.
> 
> Thanks and sorry to hijack,
> 
> Lainee


I was hoping for some pictures too! I don't have a kennel yet, but as soon as we buy property is a first on my list!


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## DuckTruk

Here are a few pics.

The first one shows the base of the block walls. I had the mason put grout at the bottom of each wall at an angle. This means that there's no corners for hair or bacteria to hide in.









This one is looking inside the run. Note the trench drain near the rear. 









This is the view of the floor after the trench drain was installed, but before the concrete was poured.









Here is a shot of the floor after it was poured, but before the block walls were installed. The lighter areas were poured with a slight amount of fall (think sidewalk). The darker areas were all sloped toward the trench drain, and the trench drain was sloped to the center of the building and then out to the septic system.









Here is the framing going up after the interior walls were laid up.









We have done tons more since these were taken. Lemme know if you've got any other questions.


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## DuckTruk

Couple shots of the outside


















Just for giggles, here's the view out our front door....


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## FOM

Bob,

Thanks! Nice kennel setup.


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## Christa McCoy

Not trying to hijack the thread, but do you think it would be safe (bacteria, etc) to have a section of the kennel building for rescue dogs? I was thinking to have it walled off and sanitizer there by the door. I would also put a quarantine section in to put new rescue dogs in until they have had their shots and have a clean bill of health. It would be nice to to have to build two seperate kennel buildings, but I don't want to put our dogs at risk. Thoughts?


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## Jo Ann Reynolds

I'll preface this by saying I do not have a kennel but if I ever build one, in addition to the above, I would strongly consider a domed roof over the kennels and runs that end about head height from the ground. I saw this in an Andy Attar training DVD and it looks very practical. Dogs get the benefit of the outdoors but even outdoor runs are protected from rain and snow. I imagine it would help with cooling and cleanliness. It's in he Training Group: Transition Stage Handling.

I would also want what Michelle Linnaine (sp?) has in upstate NY. She put in radiant heat in the concrete floors. This keeps the dogs warm in winter and solves any problem with freezing slippery concrete in winter.


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## DuckTruk

Here's a couple more I took today. 


















Excuse the mess on top. We don't have our shelves up yet.


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## Tim West

Here is an earlier thread that I posted.

*http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=14673&highlight=Tim+West*

Thank God I don't have them filled up. I built them thinking I might want to board dogs when I retire. Maybe some day....

I lined the inside stalls on the back splash with 1/4 inch plastic panels from one of the national supply places, FarmTek. I would also put them on the outside of the barn in the kennels if I had it to do over.

This stuff is easy to install and can be easily hosed off. On the inside runs I would make a back concrete lip above the drain pipe that the panel can sit on.

I have an inside drain at the back of the kennels (wash from outside kennel to the back of the kennel which is the side of the barn. On the outside drain you walk into the kennel and wash to the outside. Both drain into a septic just for the dogs. I have had three to six dogs for ten years and haven't had to pump it yet.


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## torg

This is a picture of our kennel. Our biggest mistake was not getting a lot of natural sunlight. Indoor kennels have rubber flooring in kennel area with individual PERLA beds, gundog doors leading to outdoor runs can be made accessible by opening a guilitine blocker. Each outdoor run has a door which leads to the larger exercise yard. Cement floor slants towards a trench in front of each pen, making cleaning easy.. A sink sits at one end of the kennel row for daily cleaning of dishes,
We like the kennel but wish it had more natural light. Anyone have any suggestion for more light?


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## DuckTruk

We used transluscent panels in 3 sections of our roof to get natural light in. Alot of your options depend on what type of roof you have. There is also a possibility of putting these panels in the walls, again depending on what the walls are made of.


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## torg

Metal roof and walls with everything insulated for our cold Minnesota winters.


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## DuckTruk

You can add transluscent panels to sections of the roof and walls. You should be able to get them anywhere that metal panels are sold. Make sure the profile is the same as your panels. They come in various lengths typically not longer than 20 feet. 

You may want to consider putting a couple of sections in the roof. Obviously you will lose the insulation where these panels go, but if its just a couple of sections, the trade off should be worth it. You can also put them in the top sections of the walls.


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## Kirk Keene

Torg:

I see you're using the steel panels for your outside runs. Do you happen to remember what brand they are, and are they holding up for you?


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## Sharon Potter

If it ever stops raining, I'll post a picture.  Maybe later this afternoon....


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## torg

We used Options Plus Platinum Series. The wire openings is small on the bottom and gets bigger as the kennel goes up. This takes the worry out of a small pup or a foot getting caught in the larger openings. I would not go with the average weaved mesh wire sold at most places as it sags over time and the dogs can get nails or hair pulled on them. 

There are several different types of doors and how they open. We have all 3. In tight spots you can use the door that swings outward and inward. I think this might be there newer model. There is also the sliding door that rolls open to the side. It works fine in our whelping room but not as well in the main kennel because dirt and sand gets caught up in the rollers. Our whelping room is a room between the garage and the main house so it stays free of sand. Most of our doors open outward which is the older style. They are easiest to work with but if not shut right away, the dogs bang into them when you are letting them out. 

There are also several different latches. Our dogs can all open the newer flush lock. They are lockable but unless we lock them every time they will get out. Our Boogie female can unlock any of the locks and she will go around letting all the dogs out except one dominating female she doesn't really care for.

The thing I don't like, is the baked on paint does chip off where plain galvanized may hold up better. The best thing is the company is wonderful to work with and gives superb service. I would have to rate the company 100+ in the service department. They quickly replaced or corrected any problems we had when shipping that amount of pens


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## Dave Burton

Here is mine before I had it finished,nothing fancy. I'm going to put a 12 X 16 storage building on the north end before winter. It will also have flood lights overhead. Six 5X10 runs with room for as many as I need but planning on adding two more this fall. Barrel are hanging for easy cleaning under them.


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## Sharon Potter

FOM said:


> Sharron - can you post a picture of what you described - I think I understand, but a picture is worth a thousand words.
> 
> Also anyone else, post up pictures. I am not building a kennel yet, but I like having all the great ideas captured.
> 
> Thanks and sorry to hijack,
> 
> Lainee


Here's a pic....still have some finish work to do and I want to put a curb around the back edge....but it will give you a general idea of how it works. 









.


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## Brad B

Just getting around to sharing a couple of shots of my "almost finished" kennels. Still have some things I want to finish up on but it's very livable and comfortable for the dogs even this time of year.


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## Grant Wilson

Perfect timing for this thread. Fixing to start new kennels myself. Here's my two cents. I've worked at, had, and built most every kind of kennels setup. I've found that all the money it took for me to actually build kennels, I should have just bought what I wanted. Mason kennels are the best made. That is not an opinion that's a fact. They make everything from plain jane to very nice. Most of the good points of building kennels have been covered so I won't repeat. Concrete block or CMU makes a very nice divider but there are definitely some down falls. If you don't keep the block and especially the mortar sealed well, and I mean very well the mortar will freeze and crack out when the dog pees or you wash it in the winter. 

Also if the metal above it is not painted really well then the rust runs down on the block and makes it look old after a year or two. My new kennels will be 4 X 8 outside and 4 X 4 inside with a door that you can use to lock them in or out. Which is very nice on the cold nights. The PVC drain works well except when your water pressure is high it's pretty easy to wash a turd right over it. My trough is 12 inches wide and 8 inches deep. Works good with a square point shovel if need be. Make sure the roof is high of the top of the runs to maximize air flow. If the roof is too low you won't get as much breeze.


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## jusdeb

I am new here and have appreciated all the comments about kennels, but do have a question. we converted a small garage in to our kennel with inside kennels each with their own dog door leading out. Outside we poured a large slab, 21x41 and now I am having problems with drainage. There are low spots on the slab, but not that big of an issue, as I can use a squeegee to get the water off. The biggest problem is no drainage around the outside of the slab. we had talked about French drains poured at the same time as the slab but it didn't get done.

So now I have water standing around the outside edge of the slab. I pick up all the solids, but pups seem to run through it and them when I wash off there is always remnants left over that goes off the edge of the slab. so of course now I am having trouble with flies and odor. I have been using bleach on the ground but it is not working. is there a way to add some sort of drainage system around the perimeter of the slab that can be used as a drain? I think we need to put in a dry well but not sure if adding a drain will help and then not cause problems in the winter. Our soil is a mix of clay sand and dirt. I do have gravel in this are but it seems to make it worse

I also am having a heck of a time cleaning this in the winter when we have heavy snow. it is smooth finished, which is very slick, and I can't use water on it as it freezes. Please any suggestions appreciated


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## Tim West

*My setup*





















Ten indoor/outdoor built inside a Morton Building. I would panel the outside if I was to do it over again with the same plastic panel I put in the inside. I have had to replace some metal sheets from urine stains.


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## Wingshooter

I have a six run kennel. 10 x 5 kennels outside on cement and igloo dog houses inside. Nose doors. I have a metal roof over the kennels. I did not put in a drain system but what I did was dig a trench 1.5 feet wide and a foot deep all around the cement. I then put in 4 inches of sand and 8 inches of half to three quarter inch rock. I poured a cement curbing on the outside of the rock to hold it in. It works great. I wash the kennels out and it disappears in the rocks. I pick up solids if any in the kennels before I wash them out. I also use a Wysiwasher with chlorine tablets about twice a week. No smell, no flies.


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## JBlack

Labman63-
Please post some pics or explain how u have your barrels suspended. Thanks!


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## Sandi

We are getting ready to build a new kennel. My builder is concerned that the concrete blocks would let pee go under them. Have you had any issues with water and pee getting under the concrete blocks and retaining smell. They say the concrete blocks will allow water to pass thru.


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## Kelly Greenwood

After the mortar is cured, about a month, use a high quality sealer on everything you can, blocks, floors, and anything else you can. Sealer is your friend!


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## Tim West

Cut dog doors in your barn for indoor/outdoor runs. Cut or pour concrete for indoor drain channel. Pour outside kennels, and join with inside drain. I made my outside drain away from the barn and put inside drain on the barn wall. Put plastic wall panels on both sides of the barn to eliminate metal rusting from pee. Here are pics of mine. Five by five Priefert inside, and five by ten outside. I attached them to the barn on the outside, so three five by fives and two five by ten panels per run. Dogs come inside in the summer where I have a fan on them. I put a mister outside when it gets real hot but they don't lay in it. They may walk in and out to get cool. I have found that dogs don't want to be wet all day, even in the hot summer.


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## MS KINGDOM

*https://mississippirottweilers.com/*

Hey, I know this post is pretty old but it still seems very useful.. the only problem is I can not see the pictures that you posted.. it says "sorry this person moved or deleted this image.. I dont know if that I a mistake or not but can you repost? I understand if you can't or dont.. just thought I would ask as I am about to redo my kennels


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## MS KINGDOM

When I searched for kennels made with center blocks this is thread is on the first page of google. If anyone has Kennels on concrete that's made with center blocks I am searching for pictures to give me ideas... I don't like welded wire to much... *https://mississippirottweilers.com/*


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## Dave Flint

If you're building kennels in the south, I strongly recommend you screen them in. Kissing bugs are drawn to CO2 from the dog's breath and light. I had mine custom built w/ fold up flaps at the bottom so I can spray them out every day.

Chagas is a rapidly growing problem. In Texas, many vets are reporting more cases than heartworm.


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## floorers

**

Ya'll have some pretty good ideas.


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