Regulations for Dog Pens

Dog pens are used to keep dogs confined in their own space. When keeping dogs in a pen, there are important standards that must be met. The ASPCA defines animal cruelty as acts of violence or neglect toward animals. Keeping your dog safe in a dog pen that meets ASPCA regulations for a safe and secure environment helps you meet standards for taking care of your animals.

  1. Materials

    • Pens can be made up of many different types of materials. The most common include concrete flooring and wire mesh cage sides. A good dog pen will also have a roof made up of corrugated plastic or metal, which will keep the rain and sun away from the animal. Other materials that you will need will include a secure and correctly-sized dog house, permanent food and water pans and materials to create a door through which you can access the pen.

    Height and Flooring

    • A dog pen must be tall enough to keep the dog in and to keep other animals out. If you do not have a roof on your dog pen, it must be at least 6 feet tall fence on all sides. For pens that are not at least 6 feet tall, a secure roof is needed to keep the dog in and other animals out. For pens with roofs, the pen must be at least 1 foot taller than the animal standing on his hind legs. For a dog that is 3 feet tall when standing up on his legs, the pen must be 4 feet tall with a roof. The roof needs to be secured to the pen. The floor of the pen should be made up of concrete and should either be sloped for cleaning, or have a drain in the center for cleaning.

    Area

    • A pen is required to be big enough for an animal to move freely. A kennel for short-term confinement (no longer than a couple of hours) needs to be at least wide enough for your dog to stand up and turn around completely. A pen that is made for housing your dog is required to be much larger. For a large breed dog, it should be no smaller than 5 feet by 5 feet. A smaller breed dog can have a slightly smaller pen, at 4 feet by 4 feet. The area of the pen must be larger if you intend to keep the dog in the pen overnight, because it must accommodate a dog house as well. For pens that are permanent housing pens, the area should be no less than 8 square feet. The pen does not need to be a perfect square. In fact, pens that are 3 feet wide and 5 feet long will give a dog more walking and running room.

    Interior

    • Along with a concrete floor that either slopes or has a drain, the interior of the pen needs to have several things. It needs to have a dog house if you intend to keep your dog in the pen overnight, or if you intend to keep the dog in the pen when weather might be less than perfect. The dog house should be big enough for your dog to sleep in securely. It should open from the top for easy cleaning. Along with the dog house, your dog pen needs to have securely mounted food and water bowls. They should be mounted on the fence, and not set on the ground. Dogs in pens should have fresh food and water several times a day.

    Conditions

    • Keeping your dog in a pen is fine for normal conditions. However, if the temperature is above 70 degrees, your dog needs to be closely monitored. Pens can get very warm, especially if the roof is metal. Dogs should be brought inside at temperatures higher than 70 degrees and lower than 30 degrees, unless they are a northern breed dog, especially bred for colder temperatures. If your dog lives in a pen without a roof, bring him in when it rains. A dog pen should not be a dog's only habitat. Dogs who live in pens need daily running and exercise time, as well as socialization.