# Gravel dog run floor



## JDF_GSP

My GSP puppy is going to be born in the next few days (I am very excited) and I have about 7 weeks to have everything ready for her arrival. I have already scored a dog run, and need to make a spot for it in the back yard. I have done some research and decided on using gravel for the floor, but I am not quite sure what type and size to use. I have heard that pea gravel works fine, but would like to know if there is a better gravel to use before I go ahead and buy the gravel. Any information will be great. Thanks!


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## TEX-O-BOB

Crushed, washed, pea gravel is the only thing I would use. I have a 15X36 run for my dogs outside their 12X12 housing enclosure and it's solid gravel two feet deep with a chain linc floor nailed to 4X4 landscape timbers stacked three deep, on all four sides so they cant dig out. It truly is a doggy hotel.


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## JDF_GSP

Thanks for the info! Sounds like you are the gravel master! Well, the puppies were born last night, 7 females and 3 males, so i will have 7 little gals to chose from  I would like to have a killer run like you and get a few more dogs, but the wifey would probably kill me in my sleep. Thanks again!


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## TEX-O-BOB

No sweat, You can come over any time and look at my set-up to get ideas.


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## Huge29

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Crushed, washed, pea gravel is the only thing I would use. I have a 15X36 run for my dogs outside their 12X12 housing enclosure and it's solid gravel two feet deep with a chain linc floor nailed to 4X4 landscape timbers stacked three deep, on all four sides so they cant dig out. It truly is a doggy hotel.


Why so much gravel and how do you ever scoop? Just take some gravel out each time?


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## TEX-O-BOB

Huge29 said:


> TEX-O-BOB said:
> 
> 
> 
> Crushed, washed, pea gravel is the only thing I would use. I have a 15X36 run for my dogs outside their 12X12 housing enclosure and it's solid gravel two feet deep with a chain linc floor nailed to 4X4 landscape timbers stacked three deep, on all four sides so they cant dig out. It truly is a doggy hotel.
> 
> 
> 
> Why so much gravel and how do you ever scoop? Just take some gravel out each time?
Click to expand...

After a short time the gravel compacts pretty good. I don't "scoop" I "rake" with a small pooper-raker. Ya, you'll take a little gravel now and then, especially when it's one of those gooie cow pie style turds. :x The reason I went so deep was for sanitation. All the little bits of fecal matter and the pee just goes down through the gravel and gets washed away naturally. The sun is a natural sanitizer too. Winters are the only pain in the asz. When it's just really cold with no snow it's great. The frozen turds rake up really easy with no gravel at all. But when it snows it's a pain in the butt. However, I've now got that pretty dialed too. I simply keep a small pitch fork buy the door and every morning when it's still cold and frozen I chip the turds out of the snow with the fork and then rake them up. It's really not too bad. But if I get lazy and let it go a couple days, and then have all the turds get snowed on so I can't see them any more, that's when it's a nightmare to keep clean. But that seldom happens as I'm pretty good about doing it every day. My kennel NEVER stinks. My wife has a bionic nose and if she's not complaining about the smell, all is well. And,my dogs have feet as tough as iron. I never have sore feet on any of my dogs even after the hardest of hunting in the rockiest terrain. Gravel, IMO is the WAY!


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## Huge29

Interesting, thanks for the info!


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## MB

TEX-O-BOB said:


> No sweat, You can come over any time and look at my set-up to get ideas.


How about some pictures??? Here's mine. I really want to get some gravel around the concrete pad.


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## TEX-O-BOB

My kennel is guarded by a vinyl fence on two sides and lots of trees and bushes on the other two sides... I can't get far enough away from it to get a good picture... Sorry, you'll just have to take my word for it. Or come over...


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## JDF_GSP

TEX-O-BOB,

I just might have to hit you up on that. Where are you located?


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## TEX-O-BOB

JDF_GSP said:


> TEX-O-BOB,
> 
> I just might have to hit you up on that. Where are you located?


I'm in Kaysville just a little north of LaGoon. Call me and I'll give you directions.

801-718-7353


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## vdogs

Another vote for gravel!


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## InvaderZim

Dang, you guys' kennels are clean!


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## bwhntr

I have never been a fan of gravel...to each his own, nothing beats concrete though...easy to clean and it stays put.


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## TEX-O-BOB

bwhntr said:


> I have never been a fan of gravel...to each his own, nothing beats concrete though...easy to clean and it stays put.


Ya, plus I hear you are really good at putting it in.  And cheep too!


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## InvaderZim

TEX-O-BOB said:


> bwhntr said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have never been a fan of gravel...to each his own, nothing beats concrete though...easy to clean and it stays put.
> 
> 
> 
> Ya, plus I hear you are really good at putting it in.  And cheep too!
Click to expand...

Hey! I have him first! 8)


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## bwhntr

InvaderZim said:


> TEX-O-BOB said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> bwhntr said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have never been a fan of gravel...to each his own, nothing beats concrete though...easy to clean and it stays put.
> 
> 
> 
> Ya, plus I hear you are really good at putting it in.  And cheep too!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Hey! I have him first! 8)
Click to expand...

SOBs! I don't do concrete!


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## Artoxx

I used concrete in mine, but it has a really rough finish. A little hard to keep clean as the rough texture makes poo a little clingy, especially if I am lazy and they walk on it before I get to it, but it keeps their nails short naturally and the pads rough and tough. A full day in the hills with no other warmup and their feet are just fine. Breathing a little rough, but feet are fine. :wink: 

I wish I would have thought of the deep gravel when I was doing it, Mine tends to smell if I don't do it EVERY day, and I forget far too often for comfort or pride. 

One idea that you might want to try is the way I got my concrete.
Wait for a nice calm saturday, have everything formed up and ready, figure out how much you need yardwise, and then call one or more of the local readymix places and ask them if they have any haul back they would be willing to sell you cheap.
I got three yards of concrete delivered to my house for NOTHING. Geneva Rock brought it.
I gave the driver a $20 tip for doing it, but the company didn't charge me anything, as the cement on the truck had already been paid for by whoever ordered it, but not needed for the project they were working on.
If you break your job up into 1 yard sections, or make it adjustable as to size of form, you are more likely to get mud delivered, as for whatever reason most of the Haul back seems to be about 1 yard or so. With an adjustable form, you can use whatever they deliver and then adjust the form to fit it.
I used to deliver concrete and this was common. In fact when I got my mud from Geneva, I was working for Altaview. The sorry dispatchers at altaview would not send me any but the guys at Geneva were happy to. Ironic, what?


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## TEX-O-BOB

Bwhntr is REAL cheap and he gets the mud cheap too since he works for Big-D construction. Plus, he does custom stamp and tinting and his finish work is second to none! 8)


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## bwhntr

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Bwhntr is REAL cheap and he gets the mud cheap too since he works for Big-D construction. Plus, he does custom stamp and tinting and his finish work is second to none! 8)


Thats it you SOB...You are out of the circle of trust!

Tex is an alcoholic and lies when he drinks, don't believe a word he says...he also hits me sometimes...


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## TEX-O-BOB

:twisted: :mrgreen:


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## Chaser

So Tex- how much does it cost for all that gravel? What did you say- 12'x36'x2'? That's a sh**load of gravel!


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## TEX-O-BOB

Yes that is a sheeit load of gravel, and it took several hours to wheel-barrel it back to my hole too! But gravel is cheap. Lot's cheaper than concrete. And, you can move it if you like.


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## Dekashika

Some good looking dog runs, and good ideas here.

I have tried both pea gravel, and concrete. I prefer the concrete dog run, and have never had a problem with keeping the dogs pads tough, or sanitation. It was much easier for me to maintain a clean kennel with the concrete. 

Nothing against those with gravel runs, as they are obvioulsy working out well for some.


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## Huge29

Chaser said:


> So Tex- how much does it cost for all that gravel? What did you say- 12'x36'x2'? That's a sh**load of gravel!


So, 864 cubic feet of gravel or 32 yards, that is a lot!! that would be 3 large cement loads, if it were to be 2' deep. I don't have any idea what it costs per yard??? Concrete was about $120/yard last I checked, but that may have changed a lot since?? For 432 square feet that is 4" thick-same as above that would be 5.3 yards of concrete = cost of about $600 plus labor - last I checked they charged $3/yard for everything or about $1,300; I am sure that the gravel would be a lot less than that. I do like the idea that the smell would be gone; thinking of getting some gravel to put along the edge of my concrete for it to soak into and dry out.


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