How to Build an Inexpensive Dog Kennel

Having a dog kennel can make caring for your dog much easier, especially if you are gone from home for several hours each day. In a dog kennel, your dog is able to go potty as needed, get fresh air and enjoy being outside safely without your direct supervision. Of course, building a dog kennel can be expensive, but there is a way to build an inexpensive dog kennel.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4 treated 6-foot corner posts
• 5 steel posts
• Sledgehammer
• Shovel
• 50 lb. bag of dry cement
• Roll of 14-gauge wire
• Welded wire fence (30 x 4 feet)
• Staple gun and staples

1. Measure out the area for your dog kennel and mark where the corner posts need to go. If you purchased 30 feet of fence, the dog kennel will be 5 x 10 feet.

2. Dig four holes that are about 2 feet deep for the corner posts where you marked and place your treated corner post in the holes. Pound 2 steel posts into the ground, evenly spaced between the two corner posts on the 10-foot sides of the dog kennel.

3. Pour 1/4 of the bag of dry cement into each hole around the corner post and fill the remainder of each hole with dirt. Be sure to tap the dirt firmly into place using the handle of your shovel.

4. Staple the welded wire fence to the first corner posts on two sides from top to bottom. Pull tightly to the next corner post that is 10 feet away and staple it there on two sides from top to bottom. Repeat the process at each corner post but do not staple the fence to the corner post where you started--you need to make the door in that 5-foot section.

5. Wrap the 14-guage wire around the steel posts and the welded wire fence to secure the fence to each of these posts. At the end where you will have the door, there should be 5-feet of fence hanging loose. Wire the loose end of this section to the remaining steel post. Wrap two extra lengths of wire around the steel post to connect it to the corner post. This is your gate to let your dog in and out of the dog kennel.

6. Water the corner posts using the garden hose or buckets of water after completing the fence installation to secure the posts by hardening the concrete.

Tips & Warnings

• Use chicken wire to place an inexpensive top over your dog kennel or floor to prevent escape. Use treated lumber instead of steel posts for a better look if you can afford it. Place your dog kennel under a tree or next to your garage to provide shade and protection for your dog.
• Do not leave sharp edges that could injure your dog.

Resources

• Chain link dog runs
• How to house train dogs