New Kennel - Need Ideas

[KPrice]

My current kennels are on concrete but are very old. The concrete is not a poured slab, but a homemade job made from pavers, sand and easy mix concrete. Now these kennels have been fine for a lot of years but they are old and my springtime project is to rebuild. I'm going to have to relocate to a different area of my yard so I am having a REAL hard time deciding whether to go back with concrete or not. If I could rebuild in the same spot, I'd just go back with the concrete. Under the circumstances though I really don't want to go through the efforts of forming up a slab, etc.

So I've been thinking hard about above the ground runs, such as the kennels sold by Seneca. I want to hear the good and the bad.

I keep around 8 hounds: Males, Females, and puppies so I need some separate runs. Need some input on house and run size.

Kennel Smell is a concern. I have some fairly close neighbors that I get along with fine and would like to keep it that way. Some ideas of how waste is handled by others with above ground runs would be good.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[Emery]

I have a 3 run unit from Seneca and I am happy as a clam. They are big enough that I could put all three of my dogs in one run when it gets cold and they wouldn't be too crowded. I currently have 2 in one run and a female with pups in my garage. It has been in the single digits and the dogs are holding up well outside. The doghouse is insulated so they are using body heat and keeping plenty warm. I have also been told that the insulated house keeps them cooler in the summer. I really like the above ground setup and it sure beats the heck out of my home-made above ground job that I built a few years ago.

As for cleanup, my home made unit had a sloped sheet of shower wall stuff (I can't remember exactly what I bought) that dumped into a rubbermaid tub. Most of the poop didn't roll into the tub, so I just scraped it by hand and disposed of it and washed down the rest with a hose and dumped the liquid. I never had any troubles with smell.

I know that seneca sells pans to go underneath their runs. I didn't purchase them. So far I am getting away with just picking up the solid waste and throwing it away. The garbage man may hate my guts, but that is what he gets paid for. In the summer, I may have to come up with an alternative plan but so far that is all I am doing.

Emery

[S.R.Patch]

These hutches are ok if you've got a fenced in yard you can let them out onto during the day, and are good for winter for ease of care and your hunting them often. Just remember, the hounds get no exercise or their minds have nothing to work on sitting in the coop...

[TC]

I am kinda of the same mindset not enough Room in the above Ground for me personally....
I have concrete runs 5x15 and 10x15 Love em i put in a underground Septic System so all i gotta do is Wash em down.... next thing is to cover them.
I also Think IMHO that the wire Floor on the Above ground is not as good for thier feet as concrete More nail trimming ect also could cause a splayed foot in young pups again JMHO
I would go with the concrete.....
NOW if I had limited Space the above ground would work great or if plannin on moving in the near future.

[Beagleman63]

I also feel that the above ground kennels are great for ease of cleanup, and also for just all around cleanliness. We currently have 7 dogs outside and a puppy and a retired bluetick inside. We have two double run off the ground kennels (there is a link further down in the Kennel forum with pics) and we also have two 10'x10' ground kennels. We have the two doors on the ground kennels facing each other so both doors can be opened and the dogs can run both kennels if we choose. We rotate whatever dogs that aren't being run for a few days to the ground kennels so they can have a little room to run. With the doors facing each other, it's nice because you can contain the dogs to one side and clean each side seperately without the crappy paws all over you! LOL We use pea gravel in the ground kennels, and when they need gravel added, we put down a light coat of lime to eliminate odors then add a little more gravel. We are renting here or these kennels would be on a slab. We also use lime under the off the ground kennels as well. I made a scoop out of an old bleach jug that works great to sprinkle the lime. We get the lime at Tractor Supply Co. and it sure works to stop the smell.

[beagler282]

Concrete all the way.Slick it good to keep bacteria from growing in the pores.Squirt some pine-sol on the concrete 1 time a month to kill the germs and wash it down.Either use a septic tank or 50 gallon drum to wash the mess away.Dig a deep hole put some rock in the bottom and set 50 gallon drum on top with holes cut in the bottom for the water to drain.A packet of yeast and some hot lime will keep it clean.Clean bacteria free facility with no odor!I have a 28x18 kennel with 5 runs for 12 dogs.Takes 5 minutes to wash it down in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening.I put a packet of yeast in the septic tank once a month.Don't have to trim toenails anymore.lol

[KPrice]

Thanks for the replies guys. I've decided to go with concrete but I am going to scale back a bit from what I have now. I really like the idea of above ground kennels, but I am afraid of not being able to get the dogs out enough during certain times of the year.

[FrancoMo1678]

TC how did you do your septic system?

[mrwvsportsman]

viewtopic.php?t=25208&highlight=

[TC]

TC how did you do your septic system?

What i did for mine was use 4" PVC cut in 1/2 at the ends of the runs (gonna redo this) then burried 4"pvc underground out to a Concrete culvert set on end underground 4'long by 3' round (havent got this part finished yet need to bury the whole thing) for now i just have everything draining to a pit that i dump hydrated lime on weekly) first set rock in the hole then set the culvert on top of it i cut holes in the top about 6' down to set the pvc into one for the waste i for water drainage to a drain field about 10'long made with crushed rock old bricks ect then just set a concrete cap over it and covered it up a 55gal drum would work the same way just didnt want to have to dig it up in a few years add septic system treatment to it every few mo seems to be workin good so far...
now as to the PVC at the end of the runs I seem to get a bit of overspray where i miss the PVC so i will be fixing this buy placing a concrete ditch along the front of the runs sloping to the drain or a 6' piece of PVC 3/4 cut to help catch the overspray i used concrete screws to attach the pvc to the front of the pads I may just set the pvc in concrete to make a walkway and cattch any overspray from that also i will try and get a few pics to explain better after its done.........
TC

PS i cut the holes in the concrete PVC using a mason bit drilling around the outside of the circle then just chipped it out!!!!!
On the outgoing Side i use Black drain pipe with a flanged end..

[mrwvsportsman]

When I poured my concrete slab, I cut 4" pvc in half and laid it into the concrete so I have a trough to spray everything into and it is sloped to run to the trough and the trough is sloped in one direction. I left the bell end on the pvc at the end so I could elbow down and out to run it over the hill. It works great. I scoop the solid stuff every day and spray it down every other day or so. I didn't put a real slick finish on mine to keep their nails worn down better. I love it so far. I just can't wait to be able to finish the other half of my building the same way. 4 runs just isnt enough. Gotta have more dogs!!!

[TC]

When I poured my concrete slab, I cut 4" pvc in half and laid it into the concrete so I have a trough to spray everything into and it is sloped to run to the trough and the trough is sloped in one direction. I left the bell end on the pvc at the end so I could elbow down

Yup thats what i was talkin about!!!!
just couldnt get er said Right LOL
Nice Job by the way!!!!

[Slingblade Kennels]

I built an above ground this past summer and I love it. It is basically a deck construction with 1-1/2" between each decking board. The platform is about 18" off the ground. I then put two 10x10x6 kennels on it. Keeps dog clean, easy on their feet, keeps them from having to walk on stool since it all falls through cutting down on worm infestations, and I just hit it with a hose once a week and it is like new. I will try to post a PIC if you are interested.

[jlboomer]

hey slingblade post a pic im thinking of doing that would like to see your setup. thanks

[Slingblade Kennels]

No problem, as soon as it stops raining/snowing I will get one