Hi all,
hoping to get new working pup this fall. have "how to raise a working puppy" DVD (need to get the other puppy one) as well as many of the obed/schuthund/drive/power of... dvds. Currently own 1 working line GSD, dobie, and adopted small dog. I am taking lessons w/ my GSD working toward a sch title. learning as much as I can w/ her (who I got as young adult).

I realize the new puppy will need its own enclosure when I am at work and to keep it from playing the other dogs or being dominated by them. On limited budget so trying to think minimal what I'll need and then add more as I go on.

I have 10 acres total of which about 2 acres is fenced around my house/barn w/ horse board fence. I had invisible fence installed all along the horse fence. I have 2 temp/home made kennels in the barn I rarely use - face N winds and are far from the house. I have limited space around the house for new kennels and little protection from elements (I'm on a hill facing north).

I was thinking of buying a kennel run, adding shade tarp and placing it near the house in back for the pup. Eventually I could fence off part or all of yard immed. around house and keep pup in that w/ other dogs outside of it.

My main concern is my GSD will "run"/pace the kennel if she is inside it or if another dog is inside the kennel and she is out. So it looks like I will have alot of work managing 2 kennel areas to keep her away from pup. Unless I add the fenced yard around house. currently only a string electric exists betwe house yard and bigger yard.

appreciate any thoughts, help w/ design, and your experience in keeping multiple dogs.

currently my 3 dogs play together and are out in the big yard all day long. I turn horses into part of the yard at night and my dogs get along w/ them. Dogs come inside w me at nite. I realize the benefit of kennels bec my GSD uses all her drive up playing w/ my dobie at present.

Donna

here is diagram, not to scale

one more pic - shows scale of things before I purchased this property. small house, big barn, and lots of grass for horses LOL.

I don't know if this helps, but I am heading to Tractor Supply asap for a new chain link kennel. It's not the size I actually want, but it'll keep my pup away from my other dogs. It's a 10X10X6 and around $200 or so. I use the kennels as potty spots and a safe place to leave them outside when not supervised. When I am with them is when they are allowed to run the whole fenced in backyard. If you're worried about fence fighting, separate the kennels with landscaping or privacy fence (my next project, btw).
Nice place you've got there.

thanks. when I was at my trainers recently I saw they had put up chain link pens - didn't look too shabby. I always had this thing against chain link. but now that you mention it, probably an economical way to fence a yard or add a pen and can add landscaping as you say - would probably need to add electric to keep from digging? especially if wanted to use while I was away.

have you looked at the video (not sure where it is here) that shows how Ed and Cindy have their kennels? I noticed that ed suggested putting some of his runs near the house/garage, using latice as shade and planting plants on the outside. You then can place shade material from the top of the garage to the side of the chain link. You can also have a dirt area and an area that is cement for the dogs to lay on.

I like my dogs little run next to the house. At night when I let them out, or I can't be with them outside, they go into it.( I can't let my dogs out with out me like i used to neighbor using poison on squirels. they could get in my yard, my dog would eat them)
Anyway it is very convenient to have the dogs next to my house. In the evening I let them out and do not have to worry as much about coyotes, and when they bark can check it out quickly.
just a thought. You have a nice property there. good luck. sharon

Be careful with the lower cost chain link, the dogs can un-ravel the bottom.

that's why I was thinking of adding a run of electric wire along the bottom of the fence to keep them off it.

agree, having a run close to the house is nice. If I fence off a small back area w/ access to the back porch, the other side of the yard would have a separate side and front entry. That way I could manage what dogs go out what doors into what yard!

We tried that, didnt stop our lab.