Dogs can sometimes be messy inside a house, often chewing objects, destroying letters in the mail or having accidents on the carpet. The solution to this is often to keep your dog outside, but this in itself provides a risk of your dog getting ill when it rains if there is not proper shelter, and also the possibility that your dog may run away if it is not in a secure location. As a solution to this, here is a guide on build an easy and cheap dog kennel to keep your canine happy and healthy.
Types of Kennel
To start, you need to decide if you wish to build a cage from wire mesh or from wood. Wood is often the cheapest and safest option but can be open to rotting and chewing from your dog. Mesh however will leave the kennel open to bugs and rain unless properly covered. You will also need to assess how large you wish to make the kennel, its location in your yard and whether you wish to put a door on the kennel or leave it open for your dog to roam.
The Kennel Shape
If you are making a wooden kennel, you need to build the roof in an upside down V shape so that rain will not collect on the roof. You will also need to remember to put a sheet of wood under the kennel and then secure the kennel in place using old tent pitchers (or a similar item). When completed, the kennel should resemble a house. If you wish to put a door on it, you will need to buy hinges and a bolt to lock it.
For the mesh kennel, you will need to make a boxlike kennel that has a wooden or plastic sheet on both the top and the bottom of the structure as prevention from rain. You can cut a panel in the mesh and then use hinges to make a door inside. In the cold of winter, you may need to keep your dog inside, although its fur coat should be able to stand most weather conditions.
The Wooden Kennel
To build this, you will need to purchase enough wood to meet the size of kennel you require. That means calculating how big you wish to make the kennel and then calculating the surface area of the wood needed so that you meet the required dimensions. You may wish to buy extra wood to account for any damage or mistakes you have during the production. When you have your wood, you should mark it with a pencil using the dimensions you calculated earlier and then use a saw to get all the panels and frames you need. You should use nails and bolts to piece the panels together and then remember to apply the hinges and bolt for a door if you wish to lock it.
The Wire Mesh Kennel
You can buy sheets of wire mesh from most large home warehouses or DIY stores. To attach the mesh together, you can use rope, nails or you can weld it (if you have the knowledge). You must also remember to place the wooden/plastic sheet on the ground before building the structure. When you construct the roof, use wire mesh as a basic roof and then attempt to construct a negative gradient roof to stop rain from collecting on top. If you use wood for the roof, you can simply put two sheets of wood together on an angle. If you use a plastic sheet, you can place a piece of wood in the middle of the cage that pokes through the mesh roof and about 1 foot above the kennel. This should support the sheet well if properly secured. You can also buy bolts and hinges made specifically for wire mesh from most DIY stores so that you can build a lockable door.
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