Please critique my Kennel Design

[kfer]

Hello fellow Forum members,

I'm brand new to the board. I've never owned a GSD but served with a few of them in Iraq; they literally saved our butts more than once detecting explosives and intruders.

I'm considering buying one or two. My parents are finishing their retirement home (South America) on a few hilly acres in the countryside - 1,500 m.a.s.l., temperature ranges from the upper 50's to the mid 70's year round, with heavy rains in April and October.

They will be moving there in the near future and I'm a little concerned about security (down there is illegal for a law abiding citizen to own a weapon). I think a couple of fine GSDs will deter most intruders. Both my parents are in their late 50's in great health and physical condition, so I think they will be able to take care of the dogs.

I designed the attached kennel (first time I do this) with the following materials in mind:

-concrete slab
-floor tile (so it can be desinfected periodically)
-cinder blocks covered with cement and painted
-chain link fence
-wood posts
-tile roof

The dimensions are in meters:

Length= 4m
Width= 2 m
Height=1.94m

It will house 2 adult GSDs. Labor + Materials is going to be around $750; a bargain considering I spent $189 for my Bulldog's Igloo house.

I would really appreciate any feedback you may provide.

Thank you very much,

Ken

[msvette2u]

Dogs in a kennel run won't deter intruders. Dogs in the house or loose in a fenced yard might though.

[kfer]

It goes without saying. The kennel's intent is for the dogs to eat and sleep during the day (or if they're sick). They will be released from dusk 'til dawn.

[jocoyn]

If these dogs are not to be active family members I think you should consider one of the molosser guard breeds. A friend has a Boerbel that is a formidable property protector. The GSD is a herding dog bred to work and interact fully with its family, not a guard dog.

I believe the GSD breed development combined molosser origin guard dogs with fleet footed herding dogs to create a great well rounded dog but they are at their best when the partner with their humans as a team.

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by jocoyn

If these dogs are not to be active family members I think you should consider one of the molosser guard breeds. A friend has a Boerbel that is a formidable property protector. The GSD is a herding dog bred to work and interact fully with its family, not a guard dog.

Molossers or Livestock Guardians were bred to work independently, such as you describe.
They aren't a "needy" breed like GSDs.

[kfer]

What do you think about the kennel?

[msvette2u]

It sounds fine...

We keep our dogs in our home where they are a great deterrent, we only kennel dogs in rescue (or if we're leaving somewhere) so I don't really "house" dogs in kennels.

Do your parents not want the dogs in the house at all?

[jocoyn]

I did not look at the plans because I only open files from folks I know. If you have a jpeg of it you can post as a picture [size limit 800 x 600] more folks may comment.

[selzer]

I think it is kind of small for two adult dogs. 6'x12' will be fine for one dog, I think putting two dogs in that area will have them running through their poop constantly,

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by kfer

It goes without saying. The kennel's intent is for the dogs to eat and sleep during the day (or if they're sick). They will be released from dusk 'til dawn.

Released? Released to be in your yard or released to entertain themselves in the neighborhood? What training are you planning on doing with these dogs? If they aren't trained, it's highly unlikely they will actually protect the property. What interaction will they have with humans? Kenneled all day and released to be by themselves at night?