Backyard & Kennel

[Oskar der Drachen]

I am making decisions about the backyard kennel. I would like to build a dog-box for Bear and Fred to stay in during the day while I am at work. I am thinking a whole-yard solution as opposed to a dog-run in a smaller section.

Moderator - Is there a better place for this post?

Anyway... I am going to build it into the back end of my wood-shed. Floor up off the ground. Double walls with an insulation between them. Sloping roof that can be lifted for cleaning.

Will two dogs kennel together happily? They sleep and play together inside on the quilt and pillows, how about outside?

Yard fencing - The whole yard has a fence already, can you recommend a height, or will a puppy (4 months now) brought up in a yard accept the existing fences as Boundaries?

Grass - Do I go quietly mad trying to have a GSD AND a lawn? Is there a way to have both?

Please answer with pictures of your backyards and kennels if available?

Thanks from Matthew, Fred & Bear!

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Oskar der Drachen

Grass - Do I go quietly mad trying to have a GSD AND a lawn? Is there a way to have both?

Yeah, you'll lose your mind trying to have a nice yard with dogs living in it. Back when I tried, I lost several nice bushes, most of my grass, and my internet cable, which they dug up and played tug-of-war with. Finally brought them inside and my problems were over. Evidently destroying things inside is not nearly as much fun as destroying things outside.

[jprice103]

Thus the reason my back yard is now all straw!

[mysweetkaos]

I would assume if they get along well inside and share, outside would be no different. My two actually have a much better time together outside than inside. As for the grass....we maintain about 70% of a nice lawn....the remaining part is a place they love to play and it is impossible to keep it looking nice as it is on a hill, so the slope also makes it hard to keep up with the damage. As for fencing....depends on the puppy. We bought this house when Kaos was about 4, he always had a 6 ft privacy fence. This house has a 3.5 ft chain link, in one area due to sloping and a creek bed it is only 2 ft at most for height...he has never even acted like he wanted over it. Our new puppy follows his lead, so he has never tried to get out either.

I will agree with Emoore....they are very destructive outside together. Seems that anything is fair game for a game of tug. Inside that would never happen.

[Twyla]

I'd post pics of the backyard, but it would be boring.... just dirt and weeds now. When I want to see grass in the backyard, I have to pull out pictures of it from summer before last.

Straw is a great idea though, save the muddy feet after rain. My luck though, Woolf would decide he could eat it as well <sigh>

[Oskar der Drachen]

I am lucky in the fact that Fred, my elder statesman is past the destructive digging phase. Bear has just started scratching the surface (literally) and hasn't started excavations.

Would it help do you think to Start a digging-place in a corner by trucking in some sand and encouraging him/them to dig *there*?

An advantage is that they won't be living there exclusively, only while we are away from the house. Our house is in the middle of the section, and placed in such a way that it is going to be easy to separate the front and back halves with gates. While we are home the dogs can go right round the house inside the fenced yard, and in and out of the house. While were are gone (so goes the theory) the dogs have a kennel and the Back half of the section to hang out in. Good that they are off of the street side fence too away from passerby, though they will be able to see the street they won't be able to get to it and visa-versa.

[mysweetkaos]

What are the ages of your dogs? I don't want to be a downer....but Kaos was well past the digging/destructive stage, hadn't done any of that for almost 7 yrs....until we added a puppy. If they are unsupervised at all outside ( I am in the house, not gone) it is game on and all of Kaos' training goes out the window so to speak. So you may be surprised. Not sure about a "digging" corner. We just curb all digging by putting their own "poo" in the spot and reburying it. They learn real fast in my experience with that method.

[Lilie]

I have my (male) GSD and Golden outside while I'm at work. I have a large yard, with plenty of shade. A large, covered patio as well as an oak tree. I have no plants....I have no flowers....I do have grass, in most areas. I have a 4' chain link fence with a hot wire on top.

I have found that I can keep hearty plants in one of those wooden half type whiskey barrels. Ferns don't seem to mind a squirt now and then.

[kiya]

For almost 20 yrs all my dogs were allowed to dig under the deck. Then I put rubber mats down because of the dust. So my youngest was deprived of a digging spot. She loves to dig, fortunately its usually small mole/vole holes and the occasional sprinkler head. I can't let her out if the sprinkler is on. When I come home I patrol the yard with the rake, try to cover the hole and express my dislike.
Outside all 3 of mine get along fine. I would just worry about someone snatching up a young pup.
Forget about my lawn, we don't put anything down since Kiya started having siezures. It's mostly crabgrass now. I have a small garden and border shrubs that I put hot wire from my horse fence. I think the worst is the fence line they run with the neighbors dog, no grass will ever grow there.

[Oskar der Drachen]

Originally Posted by mysweetkaos

What are the ages of your dogs?

We just curb all digging by putting their own "poo" in the spot and reburying it. They learn real fast in my experience with that method.

Vixen the Foxie is 13, Fred the Lab is 8 and Bear the GS is 4 months.

Great idea on the poo burial! I just had a quiet pee on the spot where is a proto-hole. Claiming it for the Big Dog as it were and Bear has not gone back to the spot I have Marked.

I think I like the poo burial idea better, less having to look out for the neighbors, and a nice disposal/fertilizing method too. I love a solution that takes care of more then one problem.