# Best for kennel?



## bigdaddyx4 (Jan 11, 2008)

I am going to be putting a couple of kennels in shortly. I was just wondering, in your opinion, what is the best thing to use on the ground? I know that concrete would be easy to clean, but I have heard that it tends to be hard on paws. Dirt just turns into mud, and makes a mess. I have heard that gravel helps to build strong paws. What do you guys think? The wife has agreed to let me put two kennels in, so i better jump on it while the opportunity is there!

Thanks


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

Cement, for nothing more than sanitary needs. The urine and and feces get in the gravel and it is hard to keep the kennels clean and odor free, I have never had any issues using cement with my dogs and their feet are fine they need to be conditioned before hunting season anyways. Be sure to pour a trough ar gutter if you will with a nice slope on your cement with some sort of drain and then just pick your solids and wash out the urine daily.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Anaconda Pintler said:


> Cement, for nothing more than sanitary needs. The urine and and feces get in the gravel and it is hard to keep the kennels clean and odor free, I have never had any issues using cement with my dogs and their feet are fine they need to be conditioned before hunting season anyways. Be sure to pour a trough ar gutter if you will with a nice slope on your cement with some sort of drain and then just pick your solids and wash out the urine daily.


Respect to AP, but I couldn't disagree more. I've been using gravel for years now and it is the WAY! Tough feet is just the beginning of the benefits. It is way easy to clean, much more sanitary, and way cheaper. I treat my kennel once every spring with a bacterial enzyme solution that deodorizes and cleans at the same time. The sun is a natural cleaner and deodorizer during the summer months. The best part, It's NOT permanent. All you need if you decide to move your kennel to a different spot is a shovel and a wheel barrel.

If you want soft feet, arthritis, and sore dogs, go with cement.


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## bigdaddyx4 (Jan 11, 2008)

So, what size of gravel is best?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

I use the crushed, washed pea gravel.


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## Anaconda Pintler (Oct 29, 2007)

No Tex with respect to you, I have young dogs to geriactics and have never had a sore dog or soft feet or the smell from the urine leaching into the dirt beneath the gravel! After all what is cement? Rock, I thought. Just messin' with you but really use whatever you want I seen a top breeder in ID that has his dog runs done in Lava Rock! Go figure.


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## Steve Shaver (Mar 9, 2008)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> [quote="Anaconda Pintler":3nozh51u]Cement, for nothing more than sanitary needs. The urine and and feces get in the gravel and it is hard to keep the kennels clean and odor free, I have never had any issues using cement with my dogs and their feet are fine they need to be conditioned before hunting season anyways. Be sure to pour a trough ar gutter if you will with a nice slope on your cement with some sort of drain and then just pick your solids and wash out the urine daily.


Respect to AP, but I couldn't disagree more. I've been using gravel for years now and it is the WAY! Tough feet is just the beginning of the benefits. It is way easy to clean, much more sanitary, and way cheaper. I treat my kennel once every spring with a bacterial enzyme solution that deodorizes and cleans at the same time. The sun is a natural cleaner and deodorizer during the summer months. The best part, It's NOT permanent. All you need if you decide to move your kennel to a different spot is a shovel and a wheel barrel.

If you want soft feet, arthritis, and sore dogs, go with cement.[/quote:3nozh51u]

What is this bacterial enzyme solution and where do you get it?????? Sure could use some.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

I get it at Steve Regan Co.

It's the same stuff they use to clean horse stalls. You mix the solution, spray it all over the gravel, and cover with a tarp. The sun heats up the solution and activates the bacterial enzymes that eat away all the fecal matter and clean the rock with microbial action. After a few hours, uncover and rinse with the hose. Works great. I only need to do it once a year in thew spring. The winter months can make it pretty messy with the snow covering the dookie. When all the snow melted this spring I had quite a mess. but now it's back to roses again. The only good thing about cement is easier cleaning in the winter.



> I seen a top breeder in ID that has his dog runs done in Lava Rock! Go figure.


Holy shizzel! thems gotta be some tough footed dogs. :shock:


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I must side with AP on this one; been using nothing but cement ever and have never had any issues with "soft feet"???? I agree with AP's exact idea on design also, the trainer that has the store in Sandy; can't remember his name...uses the same idea, heavy grade towards the drain with a trough so that the urine runs out. You must live in a different hemishphere than I do if the sun makes dog urine and fece not stink; the sun I see does just the opposite as it warms it all up and makes it stinkier. Same thing with cow manure, stinkiest time of the year is right now; grew up raising cattle, because of all of the accumulation of water and mud; too saturated to evaporate and soak in to the dirt. I don't even understand how you can possibly clean up fece in gravel without eventually hauling all of your gravel out with the poo...and only cleaning it once a year ??


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## Ironman (Sep 7, 2007)

I use a wood decking setup. 
Cove Mtn in Sevier county has a good write up on how it works here: http://www.covemountainkennels.com/category/kennel-facilities/


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## GSPS ROCK (Sep 14, 2007)

Here is what I have and the gravel is there but just smoothed over.....


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Your kennel looks just like mine. Nice big shed for the dogs to get in for their housing, and a huge run with gravel. Nice set-up.


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## plottrunner (Apr 3, 2008)

Cement all the way...... For several Reasons... Sanitation being number one also if you breed at all or have pups Parvo lives in dirt........ if you get parvo in the ground in your kennels you will always have problems with it......As far as feet go just get a spray bottle and put vinegar in it and spray your dogs feet after you run or hunt them....It toughens them up...


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