Kennel for Your Puppy

Kennel for Your Puppy, having a kennel is essential for puppies if you leave them outside for long periods of the day. It ensures their safety and gives them a comfortable place to rest.

However, many might consider building an outdoor dog kennel a complicated and time-consuming project. But it does not need to be.

Building a DIY puppy kennel is an expensive and relatively easy process. It mainly requires you to meticulously follow some steps. And the result?

A safe, entirely customizable, and comfortable kennel for your little puppy!

Hence, keep reading this thorough guide to learning the steps you should follow to build an outdoor kennel for your little dog.

DIY Puppy Kennel: Step-By-Step Guide

While there are tons of ready-made kennels for puppies online, such as at Petnap, if you have the time and resources to build it yourself, the experience can be rewarding.

If you need more clarification on building an outdoor dog kennel, keep reading this guide as we highlight all the steps to follow. Building an outdoor kennel requires you to follow each step carefully. The process will likely not be completed in one day and may take a while, especially if you do it on your own.

Here are the factors to consider and steps to take to build a safe, fun, and liveable outdoor kennel for your puppy:

Determine the Right Location

Firstly, you must determine where exactly you will position the kennel in your yard. The outdoor kennel takes up a lot of space and should be far from the sidewalk or road.

You should also be careful about positioning if your dog typically barks at people. In such a case, keeping the kennel in the backyard is better. Moreover, you should ensure that you position the kennel under shade.

Determine the Dimensions and Size

After picking the right spot, you must determine the size of the kennel. An easy way to determine this is by considering the size of your dog and the amount of time it will spend in the kennel.

The longer they spend in the kennel, the larger it should be. The same goes for larger dogs as well since they will need more space. The dimensions of the kennel range from 6 x 6 feet to 10 x 10 feet.

Line the Perimeters of the Kennel for Your Puppy with Chain Link Fencing

Chain link fencing is an inexpensive type of fencing you can use to line the kennel and keep your puppy within the boundaries. When you buy it from a hardware store, you will get posts, top rails, gates, and other necessary attachments to create proper fencing.

Consider Your Dog’s Safety

Before building the outdoor dog kennel, you must consider your puppy’s safety from elements like rain. You can either keep a doghouse within the kennel or line the top of the fence with a tarp for shelter from the rain.

Position the Wooden Stakes

Now, it’s time to start building the DIY puppy kennel. The first thing you must do is attach wooden rakes on all corners of where the kennel will be. This will create a square shape and provide you with a starting point.

Prepare the Kennel Floor

It is better to build the kennel on grass, but if you think your puppy might dig in the ground, consider alternatives, for example, with landscaping fabric.

However, avoid building the kennel over concrete or gravel. Both of these would be uncomfortable for your puppy and pose numerous problems, especially while cleaning up.

Install the Kennel Posts

Using a post-hole digger, you must dig at least two-foot holes for the kennel posts. Then, make a mixture of cement and water. Once you have placed the posts in the holes, pour the cement mixture into each fence post until the concrete is level with the ground.

After this, you must also attach tension bands on all posts. There should be three tension bands in the middle posts and six on the corner ones. Tighten these bands by turning the posts.

Once done, you must install the top rails for all four kennel posts. These will be the long poles that will essentially hold the fence.

Add the Fence to your Kennel for Your Puppy

Now, it’s time to attach the fence. Unroll the fencing and slide the tension bar through the link and tension band on the posts. Tighten the bolts on these bands to secure the bar into place. Once this is in place, you should tie the top of the fence with the bar using a metal tie.

Do this for all four sides of the kennel, but make sure you leave space for the gate on one side. You should keep checking the tension of the fence to see if it is securely attached. If it seems loose, then tighten the bolts to secure it further.

Attach and Secure the Kennel Gate

By tightening the bolts, you should put the hinges on the gate. One hinge should be 8 inches at the top of the gate, and the other should be 8 inches below the gate. Then, attach the gate using these hinges. The gate should be at least 2 inches above the ground.

The gate latch should also be directly opposite from the hinges. You can attach it to the gate using the bolts on the latch. Secure it by tightening these bolts. Then, test the gate to see if it has been securely and tightly attached to the fence. Your DIY puppy kennel is now ready.

Get a Ready-Made Outdoor Kennel for Your Puppy from Petnap!

By now, you can tell that building a DIY puppy kennel is more complex. It requires patience and dedication. If you think that sounds like a lot of work, you can get a premium outdoor dog kennel from Petnap.

We have a wide range of kennels depending on the dogs’ size, energy level, and outdoor needs. Visit our website to choose from the many excellent options.