state of the art kennels
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Well, I'll tear a page from Jean Donaldson's philosophy and restate her question....Why do we put our dogs in cages? Zoos create a communal environment for their animals...why can't we do something like that for our dogs?
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Because some dogs are not social therefore can't be left in a "communal environment". I also note that many zoo animals are caged.
She can try to make a communal environment with them and end up with some very unfortunate results.
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Is this for a boarding facility? Honestly, Slightly graded Concrete slab with the Gutter is as good as it gets for cleaning just hose down and go, put the PVC pipe beds in (they have a sling type webbing for the dog to lay on). Dirt floor is too hard to keep up with and encourages fleas. Be sure they have an ample place to get out of the rain, heat and cold as well so perhaps an indoor/outdoor run.
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I'll be honest, if I was planning a kennel that I REALLY wanted to be low maintenance and needed 20 runs? I'd make those runs as big as possible (like 12x40 minimum or better). Bigger kennels can keep grass, and I'd make a gravel 'runway' area around each door, with a border of railroad ties that was tall enough to keep the gravel in place! While it's a lot of area to scoop, it's also a large enough area that on agood diet, anything you miss should break down pretty rapidly. Enough of a eve over the door too that dogs would have outdoor space (with a wooden lounging platform) to be there even when it was raining. I'd make the indoor space big enough to be comfortable but small enough to discourage indoor playing- indoor space is for sleeping! I'd separate the indoor areas with REAL walls with insluation between 'stalls' and real doorways to try and cut down on indoor barking. I'd have a comfortable office/lounge/quiet play/petting area for dogs to hang out in with people (who depends on the purpose of the kennel- it could be people there to adopt from a rescue group's kennel, or staff if it's a boarding kennel- or breeder and co-owners, etc, or puppy people, if youw ere talking a kennel for show or performance dogs- or for small group classes, if it was a performance/working breeder).
There's some interesting books on kennelbuilding out there, and some websites, too. I *do* think that having a dedicated 'dog area' is useful if you're going to have more than 6-8 dogs, especially once you throw intact dogs of both sexes into the mix. I would REALLY like to have secure kennel runs where my girls could exercise and plan rather than being onleash-only (yes, even in the fenced yard) while in season.
There's some interesting books on kennelbuilding out there, and some websites, too. I *do* think that having a dedicated 'dog area' is useful if you're going to have more than 6-8 dogs, especially once you throw intact dogs of both sexes into the mix. I would REALLY like to have secure kennel runs where my girls could exercise and plan rather than being onleash-only (yes, even in the fenced yard) while in season.
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I was trying to point out that many high end (state of the art) boarding places have gotten away from runs/kennels. They offer communal rooms, sofas, chairs, Animal Planet TV, the dogs are free to mingle (by size) all day and only go in their separate kennels at night.
This is somewhat common in our area. The one closest to us has 4 communal bays for the various sizes. My dogs have been there with no interaction problems.
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The problem is, a lot of those places are UBERSELECTIVE in who they take. If you have a high drive dog, or a bully breed, or an intact dog? Forget it!
Man, that seems like that's going overboard just for a dog.
My dogs wouldn't know what to do in such a classy place as that. ;-) All they need is a good, secure run and a good manager when they are boarded. They come back happy.
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I'm still addressing the OP....high end boarding facilities bring in lots of money.
The well-to-do will not leave their 'child' in a cage. The $75 a day cost is a small price for them to pay.
The well-to-do will not leave their 'child' in a cage. The $75 a day cost is a small price for them to pay.
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I've owned and run a boarding kennel and, trust me, a lot of well to do people WILL leave their 'child' in a cage. If boarding unknown dogs, it is THE safest way to do it.
There is nothing inherently cruel about a crate or kennel.
I second what cshellenberger said....
There is nothing inherently cruel about a crate or kennel.
I second what cshellenberger said....
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We kennel everytime we move, and that`s often with the military and the hard part for us is getting a keenel sight unseen that we feel we can trust. We often move where we don`t have family and friends for a reference and each move we use 2 kennels fo about 2 weeks minimum, one at point of origon and one at destination. I can tell you we will pay extra for a place with land!! Forget the kennels and cages, although I prefer that to the communal idea since I know not all dogs can play with others well, I want my dog to be able to run and maybe even swim! The last place in Kingston ON was the best to date, he made a dog swimming pool with fresh water supplied to it, he divided his acreage into seperate areas depending on big dog and small dog and I had trouble finding the poop *lol. So for all that land he kept the bugger pretty and pristine *smiles*. The owner was more of an animal person and was awkward with regular folks, but he was great with my dog!!
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Why not?
I agree with cshellenberger if it's for boarding dogs. I'd have a large walk-in kennel inside with beds and a doggie door out to a segregated potty space. That would then open out to a large communal area for supervised interaction with other dogs.
Right now im attending triple crown… sooo the other day I got to wondering, what the top of the line kennel would look like… and to be honest there has to be a more efficient way of cleaning kennels… the gutters that most kennels have will just not do… if you have them in the front, u have to walk into the kennel and spray all poop out (cleaning this way is very mess, and water and poop splatter everywhere)… however when u have the gutter in the inside u can spray the water into the kennel keeping things a little cleaner, but there is also I flaw to this the poop gets stuck underneath the run walls… so that’s y I dislike the gutters…
The purpose of this kennel would be for boarding, and training… someone should design a self cleaning kennel that would work kindda like a car wash.. Ok lol so maybe not, but I wonder if u could run a pvc pipe(or something eles like it) along the inside wall the would spray high presser water out and spray water into a gutter… I think something like this would save time and money…
As far ass a play/potty area I would fence that in and have the ground be sand… that would make it a breeze to clean…
The purpose of this kennel would be for boarding, and training… someone should design a self cleaning kennel that would work kindda like a car wash.. Ok lol so maybe not, but I wonder if u could run a pvc pipe(or something eles like it) along the inside wall the would spray high presser water out and spray water into a gutter… I think something like this would save time and money…
As far ass a play/potty area I would fence that in and have the ground be sand… that would make it a breeze to clean…
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man my dogs would for sure be in a home away from home ALL Day long,
but since i have never put my dog in a kennel since i got them, IF i ever did what you described would be PERFECT!! the only thing i ( nor they) would like would be sleeping in the actual kennel part at night .. they are used to spreading out and sleeping on the bed.We have built such a kennel that requires little effort to clean. The flooring is made of a material that looks like linoleum that comes in a 16 or 20 foot wide roll at about any length. The material is new formula that is somewhat pliable and soft, provides decent traction and is not too slippery, but very durable and has a lifetime guarantee. The surface has high gloss shine and and dirt and poop do not stick to it for the most part and water can be quickly squeggied off or blow dried with a electric leaf blower to allow for a quick dry. IT WORKS GREAT!!! and clean up is fast!.. The guttering is formed with this material also by extending the flooring material down and up a cavity to facilitate a one piece no seam design that allows for easy no stick cleaning.
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Uh....good question.
An ideal kennel to me, would have an inside space large enough for a bed and for the pup to walk around in a bit...say....6x8 to start. If they have access to a fenced run (partially or covered) + regular turn outs, there should really be no reason for there to be a lot of pooing or peeing in their inside living space. Inside cleaning would pretty much be disinfecting the area between dogs or however often the kennel protocol is.
For pure ease of maintenance for humans perspective, racing kennels have a pretty good set up...stacked crates (two high) that are typically in "six packs" which are on wheels and can be wheeled outside and sprayed/hosed down. Bedding is either carpet or shredded paper. Kennel room opens to 2-3 fenced turnout pens so the dogs can be turned out while crates are being turned over/cleaned. Turnout pens are sand which makes it easy to pick up poo and pee tends to drain down. Sand can be sprayed down as necessary for odor or bugs. Dirty kennel carpets are soaked in a huge tub in diluted bleach solution and hung on fencing to sun dry. Racing kennels are able to manage 60 or dogs with just a few kennel workers.
However...a racing kennel is a pretty regimented lifestyle that the dogs get accustomed to it...I wouldn't design a pet boarding kennel like a racing kennel even if it would make some maintenance things easier.
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Yes you can, I've seen it done at some the shelters here in san Diego. As far as the poo getting stuck under the walls in a rear gutter, that's why you sink the gutter deep enough to keep that from happening. Of course the alternative is to not spray the poo into the gutter, but to use a flat edge shovel to pick it up first THEN spray down the kennel.
Are you going ot set up digester (kinda like a septic system) or have the waste go into the city sewer system for treatment?
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