Make Your Own Dog Pen

As much as we love our dogs, left to their own devices dog can get into mischief. This can lead to potholes in the backyard or chewed items inside. Even the most obedient dog when left at home for hours can get bored and anxious. A pen is an excellent way to keep your dog safe and out of trouble. However, they can be quite pricey at a pet store. Luckily, it is fairly easy to make your own pen at home.

Things You'll Need

• Wire mesh 14 Ga. Wire cutters Hog rings Snap links Metal file Metal stakes or pipe (optional) Tarp (optional) Astroturf or perforated mat (optional)

Instructions

1. Find a good location for your pen. The location of the pen will influence the type of materials you will need to buy. If you plan to put the pen in your backyard you will need to add roofing, flooring and possibly some sort of corner posts to your shopping list. Or you may choose to put the pen inside, maybe in your kitchen or even in your garage.

2. Purchase building materials. You should be able to get everything you need for your pen at a good hardware store. At the very least, you will need welded wire fencing which stands up well to weather and is less likely to cause injury to your dog. The size of the fencing will depend on the size of your dog. The fence shouldn't be too low that your dog could easily jump over it. Additionally, your dog should have adequate room to move around within the pen. If you plan to put the pen outside, you may want to make your pen large enough for your dog to run around.

3. Put together your pen. First you will want to cut the wire into panels. Cut at the end of the mesh and file down the cut mesh so that they are smooth. While putting together your pen make sure that you use the factory edge of the welded wire for the top and bottom, making it less likely to injure you or your dog. To put together the permanent sides of the pen, simply attach using hog rings. If the pen is going outside and needs to be more stable, run metal stakes through the mesh panels at the corners of the pen. For a door to your pen simply attach your final panel using snap links.

4. Add a roof and flooring. This will depend on where the pen is located. If you need to add roofing simply drape the top of the pen with a tarp and secure to the wire mesh with hog rings. For flooring, consider using Astroturf or perforated mats to make it more comfortable for your dog.

5. Make your pen dog friendly. Consider adding a blanket or bed for extra comfort for your dog. Additionally, if you will be leaving your dog in his pen for several hours, leave a variety of toys such as kong toys filled with treats or even cardboard boxes that your dog can play with. Always make sure that you have plenty of water available for your dog.