Installing a dog kennel

Listen to this radio show (MP3 download) or read below.

Radio interview source: Mike Alexander, president, L Bar M Ranch

When I was a kid, my dad built a two-run kennel under trees by the barn for our dogs. We locked the dogs up there at night, but they roamed the farm during the day because Dad was there to watch them.

A lot of dog owners come home from work to daily disasters. It's not the dog's fault -- he's just bored and trash can contents are great fun. This is when a kennel is a good idea. It's safe, yet large enough for him to be comfortable while you're away.

The size of kennel you build depends on how big the dog is and the space available. There needs to be room for a doghouse, a food area, and some space for the dog to roam. Mike Alexander is president of a company that makes kennels and says the material is also important. Chain link fencing is popular, but a big dog can chew his way out in no time. Alexander suggests using welded wire.

"A lot of kennel manufacturers that offer the welded wire product have a range in size and quality," Alexander says. "Some of the welded wire will be as small as 12-gauge or a 9-gauge, but dogs sometimes even chew out of that. We use a 6-gauge welded wire which is comparable to the thickness of a drinking straw and it's impossible for a dog to bend that wire or to break out of it."