Best surface for dog run?

coillsaille

Hi all, not sure if this should go in pets forum but would rather post here because it concerns gun dogs. Anyone got any opinion on what kind of surface a dog run should have, e.g. grass, concrete, gravel? I'm building a new house and want to sort out the dogs' accommodation at the same time.
The run I have at the moment is on grass, or used to be grass, cos it didn't last 2 weeks once I put dogs in before they had turned it into mud and grass never grew back.
Would worry about concrete being harsh on their pads but mud can't be great for them either. Plus I like to let them into house when I come home from work before bringing them for walk in the evening and the other half goes mad about the muddy pawprints (and we aren't even in the new place yet!).
Any advice appreciated.

deeksofdoom

Concrete is the only option, grass turns to mud and cleaning isn't an option and gravel is worse.

kildare.17hmr

concrete, easyiest for keepin clean and pickin up sh!t! wash down with jeyes flud every other weekend and your laughin!

coillsaille

Cheers lads.
Concrete is what I had been planning on from the start. It was only when I mentioned it to the contractor and he said concrete would be too harsh on their feet that I started to doubt myself. Should have known better.:rolleyes:

snipe02

i used large smoothe surface paving slabs, tried concrete done the job, but with paving slabs if you ever want to move or enlarge your run it makes an easy job,also easy to keep clean

Bamanlou

concrete with the smoothest finish posible makes it easier to put the powerhose on for cleaning . with a slope to the drain , helps keep the pads tough too.

One shot on kill

gravel for me isnt even an option ill bet the builder said gravel or grass cause its easyer to put down

concret all the way very easy keep clean it will keep there pads tough it will keep there nails short

just make sure they get a break for it aswell like like what your already doing by walkin etc

deeksofdoom

coillsaille wrote: »

Cheers lads.
Concrete is what I had been planning on from the start. It was only when I mentioned it to the contractor and he said concrete would be too harsh on their feet that I started to doubt myself. Should have known better.:rolleyes:

Don't mind the contractor, what does he know about dogs feet make sure he puts a finish on the run that's like glass, this is so you can give it a good scrub with a deck scrubber and jeyes fluid. I also have a fall in my run and all the water runs into a drain which goes to the sewer.

coillsaille

Jeez Deeks your run looks cleaner and neater than my house!:D My fellas have place littered with bits of rope, sticks, stolen socks, etc.

tfox

Id also put a roof on it if you can, keeps it all much tidier and the dogs happier

coillsaille

gravel for me isnt even an option ill bet the builder said gravel or grass cause its easyer to put down

concret all the way very easy keep clean it will keep there pads tough it will keep there nails short

Yeah, it was his suggestion alright and I was thinking as he was talking about their 'poor feet' it was bit of coincidence that grass and gravel made things easier for him;). Thats what brought me here and you just cant get better place for sound advice.

just make sure they get a break for it aswell like like what your already doing by walkin etc

They've no worries there, only in run while we're at work and at night. 2 hours walking every evening and out in fields with me most weekends.

One shot on kill

That's the wAy to go so pal

That will be the best thing for them

They get enough walkin anyway it's only right to Nottingham worse to see a dog locked up most of it's life

terminator2

my springers would have that door eaten in a week ,did you put something on the back

deeksofdoom

terminator2 wrote: »

my springers would have that door eaten in a week ,did you put something on the back

The back of the door is covered in .5" chicken wire, also I had to buy 3 sheets of 2" weld mesh and put it along the bottom of the run to stop the springer going out through it.

That picture is a few years old now at this stage!

Devi

Just a question to the lads that went for the concrete. Did ye put down put down hardcore below the slab or did you just go on gravel? Some people are telling me you don’t have to because there’s no real traffic on it? I think it might crack if I don’t but would love to get away with it if I can.

One shot on kill

depends on what size its goona be aswell once there is not gonna be driven on it or somethin with weight it should be alright

hardcore would make it stronger alright

just if its a big run make sure and lay it with expanstion joints or you could poor the whole lot and cut it after

doyle61

I used 804 and used a whacker on it before pouring the concrete

sikastag

Fine run deeks! +1 on the connection to sewer.

Have gulley in centre of concrete floor laid on gravel with floor sloping inwards from all sides and connected up to main sewer. Helps a lot.

tfox

sikastag wrote: »

Fine run deeks! +1 on the connection to sewer.

Have gulley in centre of concrete floor laid on gravel with floor sloping inwards from all sides and connected up to main sewer. Helps a lot.

Mine slopse to the front into an open gu;;y wich flows to one side, into drain with water trap and on out. I have a roof on so not huge run off but handy when I powerwash it

I also run my gutter into a barrel at one end up on legs, then hooked up an automatic drinker in the pens, and one outside in the paddock which the donkey and lambs use

terminator2

i put down hardcore and whacked it as well , but if you are on good ground you dont need to

deeksofdoom

Devi wrote: »

Just a question to the lads that went for the concrete. Did ye put down put down hardcore below the slab or did you just go on gravel? Some people are telling me you don’t have to because there’s no real traffic on it? I think it might crack if I don’t but would love to get away with it if I can.

I have just sand.

Vizzy

Heres one I prepared earlier.

Floor is 3" concrete( no sub base as there will be no traffic on it)
I reckon that the whole floor is about 3 tonnes of conctete mixed at 7 to 1.Gravel plus cement would cost €100 approx.
I made the surface "fairly" smooth but its not "glass smooth".I reckon it will allow the dogs a bit of grip during icy weather.

The sides are builders fence panel that I got for €30 each.
I set the feet for the panels into the concrete so that I can make it bigger or smaller( or change the shape) if I need to.(the feet are a rubbery type material so you can cut them with a handsaw)
The whole thing slants slightly left to right as you look at the pic so it dries quickly and literally takes 5 mins to powerwash.
It is 7m X 3.5m by 2.2m high.

If you are building a run and are putting a roof on it,make sure that the roof is taller than you,otherwise you will break you back tryin to keep it clean.

Tawny Owl

Nice one Vizzy would you like to come and sort out mine its the pits with the way the weather is at the moment to get a pen done my pup is 12 weeks old might try and wait till next year to get run sorted

tfox

Mine is the same size as Vizzy, avg. 4 inches deep. I ordered 3 cubic metres of concrete and what was left over didnt even fill a dog bag.

On a side note there's nearly 2.3 tonnes of concrete in a cubic metre :eek: