Dog House / Outdoor Shelter Suggestions Please

Bluefrog

I have a 3 year old boxador and a 6 month old boxer pup. Normally I work from home and the dogs can wander in and out of the yard when they choose.

Now a couple of days a month I am out on onsite jobs. Mostly 4 hour stints but the odd 8 hour too. I had been leaving them in the house when I was out which was fine up until recently. The pup has been getting a bit delinquent lately when I'm out, counter surfing etc so with the better weather coming in I figured everyone would be happier if they could be outside for the odd times I'm not there They can toilet when they need to etc and have a good area to play safely.

The obvious issue is what to do when it rains. ATM I don't have any shed or shelter structure in my garden to accommodate them so I'm wondering what others have done for shelter.

I considered a small garden shed but this kinda seems like overkill. Thought about kennels too but any I have seen only accommodate a single dog and I know they'd prefer to be together.

So those of you in a similar situation please let me know what you've come up with.

biko

Besides keeping the rain off you need something to keep them from the cold ground.



The quickest/dirtiest solution is to use an old door lying alongside your house/garden fence and then use a tarp to to cover it, nailing the tarp 4-5 feet up on the wall/fence - like in a half tent fashion iykwim? Put old blankets and towels on the door so there is a bit of comfort there.

Bluefrog

Door's not a bad idea alright if I could come up with some pretty robust construction. The pup has a PHD in dismantling and he's getting the muscle to back up his fiendish schemes of destruction.

Of course, he's an angel when I'm there!

Sigma Force

That pic of the triangle shelter is ok for keeping the sun off but not suitable as a shelter when it rains or is windy or both,

You need something off the ground but with all 3 sides covered and a door in front, B&Q are doing (or at least were still could be so worth checking out) small sheds for only 78 ish Euro dirt cheap compared to Argos or anywhere like that you could put a simple dog flap in it.

I paid 150 pounds for a largeish kennel it's a good kennel but the door's too wide kicking myself now for not origionally buying a shed specifically for the dogs. I also have an igloo kennel they are fairly good because even if the wind blows they can move around into the corner part of it and I think you can get door flaps for them.

I emptied out one of the timber sheds we had origionally for our previous rabbits and popped a dog flap in it, only thing is the rain can get in through the flap but it's big enough so the dogs are at the other end of it. Thinking of building a porch on to it and extending the run section. The dogs love the shed, it's also handy because it keeps their food nice and dry and you can add things like little doggy couches or beds etc. if you like. Even go a bit mad and make it homey by adding curtains and a window box outside if the dogs aren't into eating curtains of course.

I rekon for two dogs that size it would be way cheaper to get a timber shed, the one I saw advertised for B&Q were not huge but would do the shop they probably have larger ones anyway. You can also eventually put lino or tiles down, insulate it etc.