Choosing a Dog Kennel
It may sound a silly statement, but before deciding on a new dog kennel you should think carefully about what purpose you want it to perform. As you can buy ready made dog kennels in a variety of shapes and sizes, it pays to put in some thought before rushing in.
Do you need a dog kennel that comes complete with a run, or just something to let your dog lay down out of the elements? Are you going to be leaving the dog alone in the garden or will you be with him?
If you are going to be in the garden with your dog then you will probably just want to choose a small dog house style kennel. If your dog is going to be let outside on his own you will probably want to choose a kennel with a run, to prevent him from getting up to mischief.
Choosing a dog kennel for breeding dogs means you will need a system that allows you to divide it up to allow you to keep your dogs separated at times.
The amount of available space will probably be a major deciding factor, as will the size of the dog. A larger breed, such as Great Dane ,will obviously need a far larger kennel than a smaller breed, such as a Jack Russell.
When choosing a dog kennel the material used to construct it also needs to taken into consideration. The Jack Russell may be contained by a kennel built of plywood for instance, but stronger breeds such as a Rottweiler would probably break out of it in a fairly short period of time.
Another point to consider when choosing a dog kennel is where you plan to site it. Direct sunlight and constant rain can be a killer to dogs, if they are unable to move out of it. If your dogs are going to left in the kennel for prolonged periods of time, in an exposed area, you may want to consider a kennel that has a roof over the run, and maybe one or 2 solid side panels.
If you just want a small kennel where your dog can take refuge while you are out in the garden with him, then you need to choose a kennel that allows your dog to easily enter and turn around. It doesn’t need to be a mansion, just large enough to allow your dog stretch out and sleep protected from the elements.
One last point that you will want to consider when choosing a dog kennel is how confidant you are that you can actually assemble it when it arrives. Small dog kennels / houses may not put much strain on your assembly skills, but a 6.1m x 1.2m x 1.5m (20ft x 4ft x 5ft) double kennel and run may strain them a little.
Before you pay for your kennel you may want to check to see if the price includes assembly or whether you need to pay someone else to assemble it for you. The last thing you want is a stack of flat packed pieces to arrive that you can’t put together.
