If this doesn't belong in this category let me know.

I crate train all my dogs and the rule no matter what is that they don't get 'free run' of the house until 2 years of age.

What I am looking for is ideas for a dog room. I'm at a point in my life and finally have a place to devote a room to a dog. I'm working with about a 6'x10' room. This is not intended to be a jail cell. It's in a finished walk-out basement ( was going to be a bathroom with tub, stool, and sink ). The room doesn't even have walls yet so we have a clean slate to work with.

Here is what I have so far...
**floor will get epoxy paint or sealer like some people put in their garage floors.
**will have 'nice 6 panel door to the outside, but will have some form of door/gate to contain dog yet still allow it to see through it when the door is open.
**will have one of our crates in the room (when gone dog will not have free run of this room).

Looking for ideas to make this room useful for dog type stuff. Wash tub, storage of equipment, do I put a vent like a bathroom vent in it, how about power do I raise the outlets to a higher level so dog can get to them, insulate the walls for sound for him and us, fold down table (like old bed in wall) for grooming......

If you've done something similar let me know what you did, if you've got ideas share that as well.

I'm actually doing over my workshop now to be a dog area. It will be the indoor training area so I can train no matter what the weather is outside (not like that is affecting training now but I won't get as wet).

I will be putting in sound proof insulation on all the walls. I already have workbenches built into the walls so I am stuck with those. I am tiling the tops so they will be easily cleaned after preparing raw for the freezer.

I am also putting up peg board so I can hang the training equipment. I have to figure out a wall I can put a screw eye in so I can back tie them but that shouldn't be a major problem.

Good luck with your project.

In our tack room I have hung from the ceiling some dogs on stretchy rubber tubing. The two bigger dogs love to play with them. The boxer is five and has yet to tire of them.

an indoor spring pole is a GREAT idea!!!!!
Also, if you use a treadmill for your dogs, that would be a good place to put it.

And personally, i think there should be LOTS of windows-it's nice to be able to really air out any room dogs stay in. Plus, i think all animals benefit from lots of natural sunlight, so even while you are gone and he is in his crate, he can soak up that sun!(but not get too hot )

 Quote: Mallory Kwiatkowski

And personally, i think there should be LOTS of windows-it's nice to be able to really air out any room dogs stay in. Plus, i think all animals benefit from lots of natural sunlight, so even while you are gone and he is in his crate, he can soak up that sun!(but not get too hot )

I would tend to think that a spring pole and windows would not go together very well.

If you are going to let the dog loose in the room, or at least that is what I interpreted, then I would have equipment storage somewhere else and also have no electrical outlets unless they were in the ceiling and all cords ran through PVC or some kind of pipe in order to prevent any chewing. Also, I have seen dogs chew through walls for something to do.

I have a 5 kennel set up, indoor/outdoor. Converted our barn into kennels actually. My tack room became equipment storage as well as a fridge and the freezers for food storage. I have crates surrounded by straw bales that we used during the winter in one of the stalls if needed.
We hung heaters from the ceiling away from any walls as well.

Any of my dogs (except the Dutchie and the Bloodhound) would destroy a room if left out alone.

i think he said he would not be letting the dog in the room alone at all.

why wouldn't a spring pole and windows work?
the dog is hanging down, even if he was swinging around-as long as there was plenty of room, he shouldn't hit anything.

He said it was initially going to be a bathroom, so I am thinking bathroom size I guess.

I guess it depends on the drives and temperament of the dogs, but I do not promote any kind of play in my house. But then, you would have to have truly working, high drive, go all the time dogs to know what I am trying to say.

To each his own, but making a room to play with dogs is not something I would recommend, unless it was a building that you could convert into a training facility.

I agree that a springpole in that small of a room is a BAD IDEA. Dogs need a lot of room for a springpole to work properly, dogs like to swing on and jump for springpoles. Unless the dog is going to be 100% totally supervised (which I recommend for springpoles no matter where they are) putting a springpole in a 6' x 10' room is not the best idea.

When using springpoles you need to have a good amount of space around them so that when the dog swings it doesn't slam into anything.

I don't condone the use of springpoles unsupervised or allowing dogs to jump for springpoles from distances of more than 6-8 feet for safety purposes. I make springpoles in sturdy, thick, low-hanging tree branches. FYI springpoles are safe to use if used intelligently. Dogs CAN be hurt on springpoles by slamming into things or if construction is not right/strong enough or jumping to get the item(I use burlap)

OK suggestions.. treadmills are wonderful!. I think the outlets being higher up on the walls to keep power cables out of reach is a great idea. Wash tub is also a great idea, fold down grooming table is good too. Will this be a room the dog is loose in or just a room to be supervised in/for grooming/equipment storage?



Edited by Jennifer Marshal (03/27/2008 03:30 PM)
Edit reason: ps

oh, i was thinking like garage sized or bigger room....in a room like that, i would see no problem with supervised springpoling.....

yeah, bedroom sized or even bathroom, no way.

 Quote: Jennifer Marshal

OK suggestions.. treadmills are wonderful!. I think the outlets being higher up on the walls to keep power cables out of reach is a great idea. Wash tub is also a great idea, fold down grooming table is good too. Will this be a room the dog is loose in or just a room to be supervised in/for grooming/equipment storage?

The room is mainly a place to keep the dog crated while we are gone, if we are home there is also a crate in the common living area. The only time the dog would be in the room out of the crate other than grooming would be if he needs a 'break' from the insanity in the house but doesn't need to be crated i.e., Holiday with then entire family or a kids birthday parties. We'll be home if he's out.

Figured I could use it to store dog equipment and supplies (out of reach) and also provide him a quite haven if he needs it (un-crated once he's house broken), hence the gate type inner door he can see through.

The room is only 10 feet x 7 feet so I'm just trying to optimize the space while still making it safe and comfortable. It's by no stretch of the imagination a 'play room', though that would be awesome.

The Miniature Schnauzer is small enough to find her own out of the way places when it gets insane, trying to make one for the GSD because he'll probably have a tougher time camouflaging himself when he wants to.

Once question I do have is what is a springpole?