A DIY Indoor Kennel With Secure Access

If you have a dog, you may need to keep him confined during the day or night while you sleep or spend time at work. A good solution is an indoor kennel that will hold your dog securely without exposure to changing weather conditions. You can make a do-it-yourself indoor kennel and add a secure access system so your dog will be safe during the hours you are away.

  1. Basics

    • Find an indoor area with sufficient space for the kennel. This space may be in a basement or in a garage. A correctly sized kennel provides space for your dog or dogs to stand up, turn around and lie down. If you already have a concrete floor in the basement or garage, this material will make a good surface for the kennel. If you plan to build the do-it-yourself kennel on a wood floor, cover the wood with plywood board that has no so that can be cleaned adequately.

    Construction

    • Chain-link fencing provides an inexpensive and safe material to use for the kennel walls. The chain link comes on a roll that attaches to posts. You can set as many posts as you need to create the right-size kennel for your animals. These posts are set into the concrete flooring by creating holes with a core drill. You insert the posts into the holes and fix with anchoring cement. After this sets, you roll out the chain link from post to post and attach it with chain-link brackets. On a wood floor, you must purchase posts with a flange that is screwed into the flooring. Connect top rails horizontally to hold the top edge via additional brackets. A chain-link door on the front of the kennel completes this part of construction.

    Secure Access

    • Secure access encompasses several issues that will keep your dog safe while he is in the kennel. Some dogs can be ingenious at finding ways to manipulate kennel closures. A dog-proof latch that the dog cannot jump on to open is important. You may wish to install a camera to keep an electronic eye on your dog during the day. Today, dog owners and breeders can use inexpensive electronic equipment to monitor their dogs around the clock.

    Surveillance Equipment

    • These systems use a small camera and can be monitored by computer, cell phone, a monitor or television. Electronic surveillance of the kennel area is particularly useful when a dog is expecting puppies or when a dog is ill. Some systems can monitor your pet while you are away from home. Costs vary on surveillance camera systems, but a simple system to monitor your dog kennel costs as little as $100, according to the American Kennel Club website.