The "Dog Mahal"

[Huskerplowboy]

One of my projects from this past spring.

The problem: The dog's kennel wound up sitting smack dab in the middle of a major portion of the snow runnoff. The result: One very muddy German Shepherd.

 

[Huskerplowboy]

Solution Stage 1: "The barge"

To get the dog up on solid (and dry) footing, I built a 10'6" x 10'6" platform on skids. The skids have eyebolts on each end so it can be pulled around with my tractor to move it as needed.

Specs:
Skids: 4x6 treated with 45 degree cuts on each end
Joists: 2x6 treated on 2' centers
Decking: Menards' cheapest composite decking
Kennel: New welded panel 10' x 10' kennel.

 

[Huskerplowboy]

Solution Stage 2: The Roof

To provide shade for the summer, A roof was added in May to the original platform. It's a lean-to style to avoid making custom trusses. The corner posts are made of two 2x6's and one 2x4. The 2x6's are nailed to form an L-shape. The 2x4 is shorter and sits inside the "L" The 2x4 rests on the top of the decking to carry the weight of the roof. The 2x6's extend down past the decking to allow lab bolts to hold the posts to the deck framing. At the top, the side 2x6's were longer than the 2x4s so the roof beams could be bolted to the posts. The roof beams are 2x6's. In between the beams, 2x4's were set in on 2' centers as purlins. The roofing is stuff called "Ondura" which is sort of a corrugated asphalt type stuff. I was not impressed with the Ondura material at all, but chose to use it because it was quite windy on the day I put the roofing on, and I did not want to handle steel roofing But, that weekend the temps jumped up to the point where I felt she needed some shade ASAP.

The theory was that the kennel itself doesn't carry any of the weight of the roof. It is completely attached to the deck framing. This was for two reasons. The first was that I wanted the structure to be flexible if the kennel ever needed to be replaced, or revised somehow (like if we needed to split it into two 5x10 runs or something). Second, for resistance to wind, I didn't want to have to rely on being able to firmly attach the kennel panels to the plastic decking...

 

[Travelover]

Nice job, but wouldn't it be easier to just install a dog door at your house?

 

[Huskerplowboy]

This setup has made my life a lot easier. The dog does come in the house, spends a lot of time in here. But, she has to stay outside while we're at work (still way to energetic to just sleep in the house all day). So, now when I get home and let her in, I don't spend 10-15 minutes with an old towel trying to get the half-dried mud off her paws and side/front. The little mud she picks up on the way in the house now is fresh and wipes off the paws pretty easy... I'd much rather spend a couple days building the deck/roof than 15 minutes a day trying to clean the dog!

 

[foggy1111]

Nice work. Very resourceful! Lots of people could use this set-up....especially when building new homes, etc.

 

[Travelover]

This setup has made my life a lot easier. The dog does come in the house, spends a lot of time in here. But, she has to stay outside while we're at work (still way to energetic to just sleep in the house all day). So, now when I get home and let her in, I don't spend 10-15 minutes with an old towel trying to get the half-dried mud off her paws and side/front. The little mud she picks up on the way in the house now is fresh and wipes off the paws pretty easy... I'd much rather spend a couple days building the deck/roof than 15 minutes a day trying to clean the dog!

I'm just pulling your leg. With all that mud, I completely understand.

 

[Tony_S]

Since it is Dog Mahal, where's the privy? You should at least cut him a little hole to poo in, then when it gets full you just hook it to the tractor and pull it a little ways! :laughing:

 

[Unregistered2013]

why not leave the pup inside when you're at work in a crate?

I'd imagine it's a lot nicer inside in the winter and summer for your pups --

 

[MMagis]

why not leave the pup inside when you're at work in a crate?

I'd imagine it's a lot nicer inside in the winter and summer for your pups --

What's so hard to understand here? Many of us keep our dogs outside and that's how we like it. There's no need to question why he keeps his dog outside.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

What's so hard to understand here? Many of us keep our dogs outside and that's how we like it. There's no need to question why he keeps his dog outside.

Maybe not but, I would ask, why is he in a 10x10 pen when it looks like he could be romping over a hundred acres.??

Set the dog free for crying out loud.

 

[Unregistered2013]

What's so hard to understand here? Many of us keep our dogs outside and that's how we like it. There's no need to question why he keeps his dog outside.

how about we put a little coat on you and keep you outside year-round in iowa?

you'll pant like the devil in the summer, and freeze in the winter, getting hypothermia and frost-bite on your ears and toes --

-- and you won't be able to tell anyone about it --

-- that's really hard to understand, in my eyes --

-- it isn't 1920 any more, people.

 

[Huskerplowboy]

We only own 2 acres, which is plenty for sure. Out in the country, dogs that wander off beyond their own property have a nasty habit of getting shot when they wind up at others' places, bother livestock, etc... Now sure, that's not fair to the dog who doesn't know better most times, but it's a reality I intend to protect my dog from. Not to mention the fact that it is pretty inconsiderate (and a potential liability) to let your dog roam onto other people's property (to do what dogs do, relieve themselves, dig, chase the neighbor's cat, etc). Also, we live on a fairly well traveled, paved road, so there is that danger factor too. I have considered installing a radio fence around the perimeter, and may do so to keep her contained when she's playing in the yard (Usually she can behave for about a 1/2 hour while I'm working in the shop or something before she decides that I'm not paying attention enough to catch her wandering over to the neighbor's backyard or out accross the other neighbor's bean field to "investigate" that old hog building...) Those systems have their shortcomings and I wouldn't trust them during the day when we're gone, especially given the traffic on the highway.

Our dog gets to run outside in the afternoons/evenings. She also spends roughly half of all nights sleeping in our bedroom (more often during the summer and winter or when they're forcasting a storm that night). Probably 25% of the time, we'll let her stay in only to have her wake me up at 1 a.m. and ask to go back outside (summer, winter, doesn't matter). And when let out of the basement patio door at 1 a.m, she makes a beeline to her kennel and waits at the door without being told to go there. In the mornings after she's spent the night in her kennel/doghouse, I go out and let her out for a little bit while I refill the water, fill up the food, etc. Most mornings, I have to practically beg her to go out and run around, pee, etc. Otherwise, she'll hop out when I open the door, then hop right back in and sit down. So I think she's ok with the 10x10 kennel. She has an old basketball in there that she can bat around and chase (when not chasing her own tail that is) during the day. A crate in the house would not afford her nearly that much room to move around and entertain herself during the day.

 

[Huskerplowboy]

I fully understand that many dogs, cats, etc are abused, mistreated, neglected, etc. I guarantee that anyone that knows our dog would never put her in that category. She is probably one of the most spoiled pets I know. As a matter of fact, she's currently laying on the living room carpet in front of my chair, fast asleep... She travels with us every time we go to Nebraska or Kansas to "her grandparents" (she's the first "granddog" on both sides ), usually stretched out accross the back seat of the pickup or the Tahoe while our luggage is wedged under/behind seats, sometimes tied in a trash bag in the back of the pickup in case it rains... She also LOVES to ride in the back of my truck, although I know there are folks out there that would consider that a terrible thing too. I made a special setup that is always in my truck with a short tie-out cable that she gets clipped onto. The cable is attached right behind the cab, at the center of the box. I shortened it up such that at the front corners, she can just look over the side, but can't jump over the side at all (No slack to get airborn at that point) She gets to move around in an arc. She switches sides probably every 10 seconds or less, always worried she's missing something on the other side of the truck... She enjoys "pickup rides" (don't say those words out loud around her unless you're prepared to do some driving) so much, that if I leave the truck parked with the tailgate down while working on something, she'll hop in the back and has been known to lay there (even falling asleep sometimes) for hours while I work...

 

[sodamo]

.... She enjoys "pickup rides" (don't say those words out loud around her unless you're prepared to do some driving) so much, that if I leave the truck parked with the tailgate down while working on something, she'll hop in the back and has been known to lay there (even falling asleep sometimes) for hours while I work...

Years ago we had a jeep wrangler, back seat was removed and we had a double leash set up similar to what you describe - it was the dogs vehicle, almost never made a trip they weren't in it. When working on the property and we didn't want to be concerned about the dogs, simply park the jeep near where we were working, open the tail gate, and those 2 dogs would barely get out to go shishi. Come quitting time, close the tail gate and drive back to the driveway and they were all kinds of happy.

 

[MMagis]

Maybe not but, I would ask, why is he in a 10x10 pen when it looks like he could be romping over a hundred acres.??

Set the dog free for crying out loud.

Oh, I see. You're one of THOSE people. Move out of town and figure it's okay to let your #$^!#$ dogs run all over the county. Have any of us told you how much we appreciate that? Then you wonder why they don't come home one day.

how about we put a little coat on you and keep you outside year-round in iowa?

you'll pant like the devil in the summer, and freeze in the winter, getting hypothermia and frost-bite on your ears and toes --

-- and you won't be able to tell anyone about it --

-- that's really hard to understand, in my eyes --

-- it isn't 1920 any more, people.

It's supposed to be about 90 here to day. My cows are black and I bet they get warm. Why don't you come get them and keep them in your cool house for the day. Maybe that would make you feel better. They'll make quite the mess, but I'm sure you don't mind. After all, they can't help it.

What a bunch of bleeding hearts. Dogs are ANIMALS. They're designed to live outside and most of them actually prefer it. I've never once seen a dogs with hypothermia or frost bite. Never. I'm guessing you're just making that up. That seems to be common with you PETA type folks. Tell lies or bend the truth to sway the opinion of the uneducated.

 

[Unregistered2013]

What a bunch of bleeding hearts. Dogs are ANIMALS. They're designed to live outside and most of them actually prefer it. I've never once seen a dogs with hypothermia or frost bite. Never. I'm guessing you're just making that up. That seems to be common with you PETA type folks. Tell lies or bend the truth to sway the opinion of the uneducated.

i guess you don't google then?

try "dogs left outside frozen" --

-- and get this response --

Frozen Dog Barely Survives Surgery After Rescue - WDAF

please, sir, help us interpret this article --

-- and i have no affiliation or interest in PETA --

-- your comment "Tell lies or bend the truth to sway the opinion of the uneducated" sort of falls on its face here --

-- please, tell us what "really" happened to that chow --

 

[Unregistered2013]

here is another one --

-- google "dogs die in heat" --

and get this one --

Two dogs die in heat | WIVB.com

just this past summer --

-- again, please shine your wisdom on this story --