The kennel protects the animal from precipitation, wind and cold, the pet feels warm and cozy in the house. The booth for the dog should be of such dimensions that the dog can lie down stretched out to its full height. Too large housing for a puppy is difficult to heat up, loses a lot of heat, and an adult dog cannot turn around in a cramped house. The dimensions of the kennel are selected compact, in accordance with the growth of the animal, the materials are used taking into account the characteristics.
Types of booths
For a dog, a simple booth is enough, in which there is a room for staying and sleeping. The owners are improving the layout to add coziness and convenience to the pet.
They are modernizing housing by choosing options:
- A booth connected to the vestibule. Reduces wind blowing into the entrance hole, retains heat due to additional walls. In the extension of the house, they put a bowl, a drinking bowl.
- House with a walking area. Aviary increases the activity of the pet, improves appetite.
- A warm room is used for breeding, in which puppies develop and grow in summer.
By location, stand-alone booths and houses attached to the wall, a shed, a garage, and other utility rooms in the courtyard are distinguished.
Wooden structures made of boards or timber
Wood is a common material, because it is strong, withstands compression, bending, and torsion loads. Environmentally friendly material does not have a harmful effect on the animal's body.
A dog kennel made of wood is distinguished by its features:
- durable, withstands temperature changes, bad weather;
- beautiful appearance;
- does not conduct heat well, it is cool in summer, cozy in winter.
The structure is based on a frame made of timber, which is sheathed with boards, OSB panels, clapboard, block house. Inside, they also use moisture-resistant plywood, grooved lumber. The wooden kennel is suitable for all breeds of dogs, from small to large.
Of stone and brick
A stationary house for a pet is built in half a brick, inside is upholstered with wood, plywood. The box requires external insulation, since the brick conducts heat, and it will be cold in the kennel in frost. Exterior decoration is sometimes done with natural or artificial stone.
Characteristics of a brick building:
- serves for a long time, does not deteriorate from weather factors;
- environmentally friendly material;
- red brick does not absorb water, silicate brick requires protection from ground moisture and precipitation.
The walls are laid out from natural stone. This manufacturing method pays off if there is a lot of natural material in the area.
Kennel for a large dog
The pet is measured in a standing position in order to make a doghouse of the desired size. The growth of large pets is 60 - 72 cm, for example, the Doberman, German Shepherd, St. Bernard, Rottweiler. Laika is more of a medium-sized breed with a height of 54 - 65 cm, like the spaniel (38 - 56 cm).
Sizes of the booth for large species:
- in length - 1.25 - 1.35 m;
- inside height - 0.85 - 1.1 m;
- kennel width - 1.7 - 0.8 m;
- inlet - 0.55 x 0.65 m.
Complex two-room buildings are difficult to maintain and clean.For dogs, there is enough sleeping room, an extension with a canopy for eating in the rain and snow. Two-story apartments look interesting, but such designs are not always appropriate - the animal will feel uncomfortable.
For a small dog
Pets of small stature, for example, dachshunds, Yorkshire terriers, English Bulldogs, can assemble a booth in the room so that the animal has its own place. Sometimes small pet dogs get cold in the apartment. They are provided with protection from the cold in the form of a thick mattress, warm bedding in the kennel.
Small booth dimensions:
- depth of space - 0.7 - 0.75 cm;
- booth width - 0.55 m;
- ceiling height - 0.6 - 0.65 m;
- section of the manhole - 0.4 x 0.3 m.
The breeds differ in height, body length, therefore, it is better to calculate the dimensions of the house after measuring. For small mongrels, a wooden booth in street conditions must be built on the leeward side, for which the walls of buildings are used.
Required materials and tools
The walls, roof, floor are made of a material that can endure multiple winter freezing and thawing without destruction. Fences should not be saturated with moisture, deform from the sun.
You can make the simplest doghouse out of the following materials:
- frame - bars 50 x 60 mm, sheathing - planks 20 mm thick, inside - plywood 8 - 12 mm;
- bottom and top strapping - rails 40 x 30 mm;
- rafters or trusses - bars 40 x 50 mm, lathing - rail 15 x 40 mm.
To put together a wooden booth, prepare a hacksaw, a miter saw or an electric jigsaw for cutting parts. You will need a hammer, wire cutters, pliers, drill, screwdriver. To measure and check, take a tape measure, level, plumb line, carpentry square.
Roof type
The design and type of roof is determined by many factors. The aesthetic side of the issue plays a role, since the booth is part of the architectural ensemble of the courtyard landscape. Consider the practicality and cost of the chosen construction scheme.
Types of roof structures:
- single slope;
- gable.
The roof can be assembled from pieces of roofing that remains after the construction of a house or other structure. Then the two buildings will match in style. They use materials that do not get too hot in summer, for example, slate, ondulin, roofing material on bituminous mastic (soft roof), bituminous tiles. The structure must be insulated along with other enclosing surfaces.
Single slope design
Such a roof has a smaller area, so it helps to retain heat and heats up less in the summer heat. Dogs like to lie on a flat surface in order to observe what is happening in the yard from a height. They do not make a completely sloping roof, you need to observe a slight slope, about 10 - 11 °. A steep slope is more susceptible to wind load, and a gentle slope is more susceptible to the weight of snow.
A pitched roof can be built:
- folding on hinges;
- removable;
- non-separable.
The first two types help to maintain the inside of the kennel, treat fleas, clean, ventilate. When insulating, attention is paid to the processing of the opening points in order to exclude cold bridges.
Gable
Structures with two roof slopes are more likely to be attributed to the decorative decoration of the house, since such a roof is not necessary for the animal. There are many options for making a beautiful roof in the form of a palace, a castle, and other original projects.
The roof is assembled in two ways:
- put rafter legs that rest on the Mauerlat and the upper ridge;
- collect small farms, installed one after another.
When choosing the first design, a false ceiling is made to reduce the internal space, otherwise heat will collect at the top and go through the slopes.
Insulation requirements
The correct instruction material should be environmentally friendly. In summer or in winter, artificial heating can release harmful components, which must not be allowed.This requirement especially applies to materials for interior upholstery.
Insulation is chosen to be resistant to moisture. The material should not absorb water, keep it inside. Moisture in the mass of the insulator increases the conductivity of heat, and the insulation ceases to serve as protection.
Strength is a relative requirement, as any layer inside must be finished with a tough material that the dog cannot tear with his teeth. The canopy at the inlet is made tight, it should work well for bending, not tear.
Electric heating
An electricity line is connected to the booth, sometimes battery-powered heating devices are used. Often these are heated beddings, they work in the range of +35 - + 70 ° С. The cover is a waterproof material.
Other models of electric heating:
- Panels. The silent heater does not take up space in the kennel, since the thickness is only 1.5 - 2.0 cm. It requires waterproofing.
- Heated cable floor. Installed in the floor structure, sewn on top with plywood.
- IR film. Saves electricity, distributes heat evenly.
All options do not dry the air and have a high level of protection against fire.
Felt
It is a non-woven fabric obtained by felting wool. Low heat capacity is successfully combined with excellent vapor conductivity. The canvases are produced in different thicknesses, for the booth they are taken in the range of 7 - 10 mm. They also use expensive thin felt - a material made from rabbit and goat down.
The naturalness of the felt means it is safe for the pet. Inside the booth, the layer is fixed with nails, usually such insulation is not covered with hard plywood or boards. For installation, no lathing is needed, as well as waterproofing. Large cracks are caulked with scraps of material.
Mineral wool
Popular material due to its low cost, the ability to mount on curved and complex structures. The thick layer of insulation, together with the pie structure and the lining, is about six centimeters thick.
Types of material:
- stone wool;
- slag;
- glass wool;
- ecowool (cellulose).
All types, except glass wool, require a waterproofing membrane. Minvata is placed outside the kennel, since the insulation is classified as toxic, except for ecowool. They use the technology of additional lathing (counter-lathing) to create a ventilated gap. The gap separates the cotton wool from the film, on which condensation appears. So the mineral wool is not saturated with moisture.
Styrofoam
Cheap material is placed outside, since toxins are released in the heat. Foamed plastic has a high degree of insulation against cold.
Styrofoam characteristics:
- air cells are closed inside, so they do not absorb water;
- serves as good sound insulation.
An analogue of foam is a more expensive extruded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam. These types provide protection at a lower layer thickness. Plates are glued to the walls without lathing, then boards and lining are stuffed.
Improvised means
Mats and warm mattresses are placed inside the floor. Covers are put on them, which must be periodically removed and washed, the bedding is dried in the fresh air. The mattresses are stuffed with hay, straw, cotton wool, sawdust, shavings. Natural material can rot, so a replacement mass is prepared for the winter. For hay take wormwood, sage, thyme.
A canopy for a manhole is made of thick drape, an old blanket, wool, felt, rubber. Ready-made curtains made of silicone are on sale, they do not deteriorate from frost, moisture, and wear out slowly. A load is attached to the lower part of the canopy, for example, metal plates.
Economical pallet kennel
A whole pallet is placed on the bottom to make the booth raised on legs. They put foam on top, put waterproofing on it, then fill the chipboard, OSB plate. The rest of the pallets are disassembled into separate planks.
Step-by-step sequence of actions:
- at the corners, support posts are nailed from bars of 50 x 50 mm;
- make the upper and lower strapping;
- inside sheathed with boards from pallets;
- put insulation outside;
- make waterproofing, nail the boards of the outer layer;
- collect the roof frame, stuff the crate;
- insulate the surface, put a roof covering.
Inexpensive material saves money for the owner of the animal, since used wood is used.
Home cardboard house
A simple booth is made in a house for small pets. The box retains heat, warm materials are laid inside. Exterior decoration can be combined with the interior of the room.
The dimensions of the kennel must be calculated by analogy with the yard structures, they depend on the growth of the dog. Increases in size are allowed, since the internal climate in the apartment is not as harsh as on the street.
For joining parts use PVA glue, Bustilat, Titanium can be used. Wide stationery tape helps. Rigidity is provided by double walls. The roof is made gable, if the height at the location allows.
