Quote:

You dont have to worry about splinters with plywood floors, Chris?

Kristen,
Nope, it's just as smooth as it looks. I did want quality wood in the kennel so I opted for the higher end wood. If you look at that picture it is just as smooth as it looks. and I'v had this wood here laid for almost a year, of in kennel malinois action. My dogs even attempt to clean their feet by scrapping them after they are done pooping and it doesn't hurt the wood. I got the thickest pressure treated wood I could find and told the homedepot "wood guy" I needed something that would stand up to rain, and daily hosing it's been a year and you can still see there is a protective coating on the wood it bead up when I hose out the kennel. Also, it stops urine from penetrating the wood, ruining it or smelling like one big piss bomb <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />.

That was my next question - the absorbing factor. LoL To have been there for a year, they look good! Especially under Malinois!!

Chicken wire may not work for a large dog. But, this may work, and it doesn't cost too much, either. Buy enough electric fenceposts, which are about waist-high and look like a metal arrow, to be able to put them all the way around your dog pen, close enough together to keep your dog from getting it's head through them (and getting it's idiot self stuck). This depends on the size of the dog. Then drive these posts, with the arrowhead part parallel to the edges of the pen, just barely inside the pen, until they are completely buried. (Lots of manual labor and a very heavy hammer). Most dogs, even earth dog types, will not keep digging until they are underneath the posts. They will pretty much give it up at about a foot. Make absolutely sure there are no buried phone/electric/gas lines where you are driving in the posts. This HAS worked for me, but I had to do it to an entire yard. Small dogs are SO much easier.

Chris's idea is a good one. I have built raised kennels with 2x 10 spaced appropiately for the crap to fall thru ; then just rake it up from below. For a Mal probably 2 inch space between flooring is good, for beagles I use 1 3/8. Cheaper way is 3 inch layer of pea gravel or number 11 white rock, then lay 2x4 woven wire down flat; then cover with 3-5 or more inches of pea gravel or # 11's . I have used that quite effectively for diggers. Good luck

The rate my Mals run back and forth all day with wild abandon there is no way I would put 2 inch gaps in the floor. I would have broken/trapped toes and feet and ankles in no time!

Hi Sammy! How have you been?

Well I will probably do the pallets and wood. Hopefully I can get it done in the next coupple of weekends. Last night Kane was covered in mud when I got home becasue he dug his way out... again. So this morning since he has to be locked up I went out there and moved the paver in the hole at an angle so he couldnt get through... or at least not for a while.

Is there anything I can do to condition him to this? I mean why would he be happier being locked in the crate than the kennel? Ive never punished him in there... Ive always left the door open so he could be used to going in and out (like with crate training) My husbands friend who has had dogs said to run a hot line across and he will soon learn not to dig. (I had to do this with my dog snoop when he had to temp. stay at my sisters. Him and her dog would get out and fight. So the electric wire did stop them after they both got many shocks.) But I also remember when my dad came to help put it up and the pain in the ass it was. The poundung of a metal rod so many feet in the ground and then finding and electrical outlet to plug the box in where it wouldnt get wet. And the adjusting that had to be done to make sure the wire wasnt touching anything and not working, I dont know... it seemed like alot of work. Maybe it would be les work than the wood... but I like that he would be up off the cold ground with the wood.

I taught my husky not to dig useing an e-collar. I would think if you can keep the dog from diging then the problem would be solved. I'm not sure but I would bet that ed's new e-collar DVD includes instruction on this type of behavior modification.

On my 12'x6' kennel where I keep my GSD I use patio blocks. They work just fine. They are not expensive and easy to put on. Your kennel needs 100sq feet of coverage so 100 (1sq/feet a peace) patio blocks would be enough. At Walmart they probably sell for $1.50 a peace. So it will cost you about $150.

Now Chris's idea is very good, as long as you are 100% sure that the pressure treated wood will not do any harm to your dog. Recently I build a doghouse for my dog, and I made a lot of research for the materials to use and the sources that I used suggested that the dog should not have direct skin contact with treated wood.

Now I don't know from what chemicals pressure treated wood is made off but few years ago a builder had told me that the new pressure treated wood does not contain any harmful chemicals. How true is that I have no idea.

The "handling instructions" for pressure treated wood still state to use gloves and wash thoroughly afterwards.

Hmmm... didnt think about that. Kane has had some past skin issues also. He hasnt had anymore issues but I would hate for anything to cause a reaction. So maybe I will go with the stones... patio that is.