Don't let the size of this yellow lab puppy fool you. He will need a 10-by-8 foot pen.
Building a dog pen for a lab that is a large, stocky dog that will stand between 22 and 25 inches tall from the shoulders and weigh between 60 and 80 pounds is a little different than building a pen for a beagle. Labradors are not only larger than some of the other dog breeds, but they also have a high energy level. They not only need a large pen, but also a strong pen with a gate that they can not open with their blocky heads or strong tails.
Instructions
1. Put on your safety glasses and cut three 10-feet, two 7-feet, 6-inch, and two 3-feet lengths of 1 5/8-inch, 16 gauge galvanized steel tubing for each of the lab pen side panels with a heavy duty tube cutter.
2. Cut three 8-feet and two 7-feet, 6-inch lengths of 1 5/8-inch, 16 gauge galvanized steel tubing for the back pen panel with the tube cutter.
3. Cut three 4-feet and two 7-feet, 6-inch lengths of the steel tubing for the secondary gate panel for your lab pen with the tube cutter.
4. Cut two 4-feet, two 7-feet, 6-inch, one 6-feet, one 10-inch, three 3-feet, and two 5-feet, 9-inch lengths of steel tubing for the gate door and gate panel with the tube cutter.
5. Align the three of the six side panel 10-feet lengths three feet apart, horizontally, on a flat surface. Place one of the 7-feet, 6-inch lengths on each side of them with the top of the 7-feet, 6-inch pieces even with the top 10-feet horizontal tube. The side tubes extend 1-foot, 6-inches long at the bottom of the panel to act as posts that will be buried in the ground. Center the two 3-foot lengths between the 7-feet, 6-inch side tubes, one above the center 10-foot piece and one below. Put on welding gloves and a welding helmet. Set a gas tungsten arc (TIG) welder for .059 thickness, between 51 and 73 amps and use a 1/16-inch filler metal to weld the first side panel frame together. Repeat this set up and welding process for the second 10-foot long side panel.
6. Align the three 8-feet long back panel pieces horizontally three feet apart on a flat surface. Place one of the 7-feet, 6-inch lengths on each side of the horizontal tubes with the top of the 7-feet, 6-inch pieces even with the top of the top 8-feet horizontal tube and use the TIG welder to weld the connecting joints of the pen back panel.
7. Align the three 4-feet lengths of the secondary gate panel three feet apart on a flat surface. Position one of the 7-feet, 6-inch length to the right of the 4-feet lengths and one to the left. Align the top of the 7-foot, 6-inch side pieces even with the top 4-foot piece and use the TIG welder to weld the secondary gate panel at each joint.
8. Align the two 4-feet lengths of the gate panel horizontally 6-feet apart with one 7-feet, 6-inch piece at each side flush with the top tube. Measure 3-feet from the top and place the 10-inch piece inside of the right hand tube horizontally. Place the 6-foot length inside of the top and bottom 4-foot pieces flush against the 10-inch center piece and weld the gate panel together at each joint with the TIG welder.
9. Align the two 5-feet, 9-inch gate door side pieces 3-feet apart. Place one of the 3-feet lengths centered within the 5-feet, 9-inch pieces. Place another of the 3-feet lengths even with the top and one even with the bottom of the 5-feet, 9-inch pieces. Use the TIG welder to weld the door frame together.
10. Cover the pen panels and door with 6-feet, 4-inch 6 gauge galvanized welded wire mesh that has 2-by-4 inch openings. Cut and trim the mesh with wire snips and connect the mesh to the round galvanized tubes by weaving galvanized wire through the openings in the mesh around the outside tubes.
11. Weld the left-hand piece of a galvanized gate hinge to the inside of the left hand side 7-feet, 6-inch tube of the gate panel 1-foot from the top horizontal 4-feet tube. Weld another left-hand gate hinge piece one 1-foot above the bottom 4-feet tube. Position the gate door inside of the gate panel opening and mark the right-hand gate hinge locations onto the door with a marker. Move the door to a safe area and weld the right-hand section of the hinges onto the door at the marked positions. Align the door inside of the door opening with the hinges aligned horizontally and place the bolts included with the hinges through the opening in each of the hinge sides. Secure the hinge bolts with the washers and bolts included with the hinge sets.
12. Weld a 1-inch, heavy-duty lockable sliding bar gate latch to the right hand center of the door and the adjacent 6-feet long vertical gate panel with the TIG welder. You might think any latch will do but a Labrador is a smart and tricky breed. You need the sliding bar latch.
13. Place your pen panels in the ground one at a time with the aide of a friend. Have your friend apply pressure to one side of the panel while you apply pressure on the other side and drive the 1-foot, 6-inch post extensions in the ground. Place your dog house and watering station in the pen before you set the last panel and connect the panels with two evenly spaced 1 5/8-inch panel clamps at each joint including between the secondary gate panel and the gate panel.
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