Outdoor Dog Kennels
Perfect for short-term confinement, outdoor dog kennels are a convenient solution for giving your canine a quiet place of its own to relax in the great outdoors. When used responsibly, an outside dog kennel can become a safe space for your dog to be when you are not able to supervise them. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, outdoor kennels should be furnished with everything that your dog needs to feel comfortable in his surroundings.
Why Use an Outdoor Kennel?
Think of an outdoor kennel like you would a crate. You want it to be your dog’s special place that they can go to feel safe and secure. However, you would never want to leave them in there for an extended period of time. This is because a dog belongs indoors with his family.
Kennels are particularly useful when you don’t have a fenced-in yard, and there are neighboring dogs or other animals you are concerned about coming onto your property and having access to your dog.
When you use a kennel, you don’t have to worry about your dog getting into trouble because they are unsupervised. It stops them from digging up the landscaping, chasing squirrels, or most importantly, running away.
Selecting the Right Outdoor Kennel
Kennels generally come pre-fabricated, in many different sizes to accommodate your needs. It doesn’t need to be very large, because it is only meant to be used temporarily, as opposed to leaving your dog in there for hours and hours.
Logically, if you have more than one dog to contain, it needs to be larger. Make sure your dog(s) have enough space to relieve themselves away from the area where they are resting.
To give you an idea, a square enclosure that measures 10 x 10 feet would work well, even if the dog is a large breed. If you have more than one big dog, the enclosure should measure twice as long as its width.
Make sure that the height is tall enough that your dog isn’t going to try and jump over the top to get out. The smartest solution would be to buy a kennel that accommodates a cover or top panel so that your escape artist doggie will stay put. Having a cover is also extra nice because it provides shade, as it stops the hot sun from blazing down directly on your furry friend.
Making the Kennel As Comfortable As Possible
To begin, make sure that you put the kennel in an intelligent location in your yard. An area that is free of distractions as possible is ideal. Placing it right next to places in your yard where your dog tends to become the most excited is probably not a good idea. If the kennel doesn’t have a top cover, be sure to place it in the shade or somewhere that it is protected from the elements.
Your kennel will need to be rinsed down with the water hose on a regular basis. Keep this in mind as well. Having a water source nearby will make cleaning easier, as well as make sure your dog has plenty of clean, fresh water available.
Try having an elevated resting area for your dog to relax upon. A dog cot is ideal for this. It allows air to circulate beneath your canine while he is laying down. This is particularly useful if the ground beneath him is a hard substance, such as concrete.
Lastly, be sure to give your dog a few fun and interesting activities to do, to relieve boredom and prevent excessive barking. For example, you could put a baby pool filled with fresh, cool water in his kennel for him to splash around in. Try hanging a food-filled Kong toy from the kennel that can occupy his attention. Feeding him meals when he is in his kennel will help your dog make positive associations with kennel time.