Project selection

Drawing of an indoor enclosure covered with bars
Even if the animal moves freely around the yard, it is necessary to allocate an area that the Caucasian will consider his own, where he can also be isolated if necessary. The most common options are covered enclosures covered with mesh or lattice, providing a good overview, protected from rain and sun.

When choosing a place to build in the courtyard of a private house, you should take into account the need of the Caucasian to observe and control what is happening. Therefore, it is best to place the building where the approach to the gates and doors of the house will be clearly visible. If possible, it is better to use an elevation - this way you can provide visibility and also reduce the risk of flooding the enclosure during rains or melting snow. You definitely need to make a booth inside where the dog will sleep and also hide in the heat or bad weather.

IMPORTANT: It is better to place an enclosure with a booth near other buildings; their walls will provide reliable protection from wind and drafts. But it is better to avoid proximity to the fence - the dog will be constantly worried about passers-by.

Drawing of an open enclosure fenced with mesh

How to make a dog house: choosing a roof

It is possible to choose what kind of roofing it will be. It is easy to make - single-pitched, installed on a slope so that precipitation drains and moisture does not get into the house.

How to make a dog house, choosing a roof:

• However, a triangular roof would be an ideal option, but its construction requires some skills. For particularly sophisticated dog owners, the ideal option would be a building with a gable model.
• You can make a hole or a small window in the attic, you can store food and toys for the dog. This will become a kind of compartment for storing necessary goods and products for caring for four-legged friends.
• Find out what material the house will be made of. Affordable - this is coniferous wood. Pine would be an ideal option, as it has a low price and good resistance to getting wet.

Doggies

Aviary for a Caucasian - drawings and dimensions

Option one: drawing with dimensions 4*2.4 meters

Option two: drawing with dimensions 4*5 meters
Comfortable keeping of an adult animal is impossible in a building with an area of ​​less than ten square meters. Below are examples of building plans 4x3m, 4x5m:

The main part of the enclosure may have natural covering - soil or grass. A wooden flooring must be made under the booth and the space near it to protect the animal from dampness and dirt. The work is performed in the following sequence:

1. The foundation is prepared - a hole 30 cm deep is dug according to the size of the base, filled with crushed stone, then supports are installed.

2. The foundation can be poured with concrete and raised 15 cm above the ground level - this will protect the enclosure from flooding.

3. The solid foundation is covered with boards, and a frame made of strong wooden bars or reinforcement is installed on the crushed stone.

4. When the base is ready, you can install the walls of the enclosure. Usually one or two walls are covered with boards or plywood to protect against wind. The height of the walls of the open enclosure must be sufficient so that the animal cannot jump over them.

5. The facade and side walls can be covered with metal mesh, but if you keep large breeds of dogs, this option will not be strong enough. It is better to immediately install metal grilles; the distance between the rods should be no more than 10 cm.

6. When keeping a large and heavy Caucasian, reliable welding and strong locks are required. It is also recommended to install the doors so that they open only inwards - then the animal will not be able to knock them out.

The roof against rain is often made pitched, covered with soft waterproofing so that the loud sound of drops does not irritate the dog. The roof structure can cover the entire enclosure or part of it, increasing access to sunlight.

IMPORTANT: The covered building is also made high enough so that a person can enter it without bending down. This is important for training, and also facilitates cleaning work and the necessary care of the dog. The recommended height of the enclosure is from two meters.

Booth for Caucasian Shepherd

Drawing with the dimensions of the booth
When building a booth, it is important to remember that in winter it will be heated mainly by the heat of the animal itself. Therefore, the size of the booth should not be too large, and must be calculated taking into account the size of the dog. To do this, add 15 cm to the animal’s data: height at the withers + 15 cm = height of the booth. The depth will have the same value, but to calculate the width you should measure the dog from the nose to the base of the tail and add 15 cm.

The entrance opening should be 10-15 cm below the animal’s withers, and its width is equal to the width of the dog’s chest + 10 cm. The average dimensions of a booth for a Caucasian Shepherd are 135x95x95 cm, the dimensions of the opening are 45x65 cm.

Booth size according to the dimensions of a Caucasian

The booth for a Caucasian is made of treated coniferous wood - a regular pine board will work well. The wood is impregnated with moisture-proof, antiseptic agents, and sanded so that unevenness does not lead to splinters. Construction is carried out in several stages:

1. The base frame is made from wooden blocks so that the floor boards do not sag; the frame frame is reinforced with crossbars.
2. The base frame is covered with boards; it is safer to use self-tapping screws for fastening.
3. Vertical bars are nailed at the corners of the base, onto which the roof slabs are attached on top.
4. The finished frame of the booth is sheathed with clapboard in two layers, between which it is recommended to lay a layer of insulation.
5. The entrance hole in the booth is covered with a curtain made of tarpaulin or plastic; to make it heavier, a metal strip or thick bags of sand are attached to the bottom.

The kennel is usually used by the dog as an elevation for observing the surroundings, so it is better to make the roof flat, at a slight slope. The floors must be strong enough to support the weight of a Caucasian - adult animals often reach 80 kg.

IMPORTANT: The booth must have a drop-down or removable roof - this will allow for thorough cleaning and disinfection. In case of illness of the animal, the removable roof will provide the opportunity to carry out the necessary procedures without unnecessary worry for the pet.

DIY dog house

The easiest way to start building a house for a pet is with a simple lean-to kennel. All actions should be performed step by step. Use wood as a building material: timber and boards.

Before starting construction, draw a general view of the future booth and make drawings. Prepare building materials and tools according to their sizes. Then get started.

Dog house dimensions

It is necessary to calculate the size for the booth according to several parameters:

• the animal must enter the kennel freely;
• there is enough space inside for the dog to lie on its side and stretch out its paws;
• There should not be excess space, especially in the northern regions.

You should measure the dog and adjust the dimensions for the kennel. The ratio of the sizes of the animal and the house for it, as well as the dimensions of the kennel for a standard-sized shepherd dog, are shown in the table.

How to calculate the size of the booth
There should not be any extra space, since in winter the heat will go under the ceiling and dissipate to the sides. For a medium-sized dog, the kennel will be smaller by approximately 5 - 10 cm for each size.

Large dogs will need more space. The dimensions of the booth for a large dog, for example, the Alabai-Caucasian, are as follows:

• manhole 35×55 cm;
• booth 120×100×80 cm.

The numbers are averages. If the dog is large for its breed, then it needs a larger kennel than the standard one.

Photo: drawings and diagrams of different options for dog houses

The procedure for constructing a kennel

It is necessary to indicate the exact dimensions of all elements on the drawing. The cutting of materials is done according to them. The construction procedure is simple and cannot be changed.

1. Make the frame of the future booth from wooden slats. For a pitched roof, you should immediately maintain the slope of the upper part.
2. Attach 2 additional posts in front along the width of the opening.
3. Cover the floor with boards underneath.
4. Nail 2 slats parallel to the outside along the edges. The structure will stand on them.
5. Cover the side and back walls.
6. Add boards to the front of the dog house using additional posts. Maintain the size of the hole.
7. Make the roof frame to fit the top section. first the roof frame, then cover it with boards if it is made of wood, or secure it with other roofing material.
8. Place the booth on the bottom slats and strengthen the roof.

The best option for installing the roof is to make it not overhangs at the rear, so that it rises in front. In summer you can open the booth for ventilation. At any time of the year, the owner can freely get inside through the roof.

The roof must have a backward slope of 4 - 6⁰ to allow water to flow down it. Otherwise, after each rain, moisture will linger on the top of the booth.

Arrangement of the enclosure

To properly maintain a Caucasian Shepherd, you need not only an enclosure, but also various additional devices. The space near the booth, where the Caucasian most often lies, must be equipped with a canopy that protects from the sun. To equip a toilet, a flooring is placed in a selected corner of the enclosure at a slight slope so that sewage drains into the drain.

The feeder and water bowl should be installed under a canopy, and the bowls themselves should be located on an elevated platform so that the dog eats while standing. The height of the feeder for a Caucasian is about 30 cm. At the pet store you can purchase adjustable metal stands or hanging structures that are attached to the bars of the enclosure. You can also make your own raised platform or shelf for bowls from wood.

This design is convenient because anyone other than the owner can feed the pet without letting it out of the enclosure