Do-it-yourself Dog Aviary - Step-by-step Instructions With Drawings, Dimensions, Photos And Videos

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Paradise is not in a hut: creating the perfect dog enclosure

In order for the dog to live comfortably in a private house, it is necessary to properly equip the aviary. This is a kind of enclosure that the animal needs for sleep and rest, active pastime and eating. It turns out that the aviary is a universal area fenced around the perimeter with high, blank and open walls (with or without a roof), where a dog can stay 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The main principle followed during the construction of enclosures is that the area of the enclosure directly depends on the size of the pet. But this is not the only condition.

Content

• 1 General arrangement of a dog enclosure

• 2 Aviary for a small breed dog (Yorkshire terrier, pug, jagd terrier, Chihuahua, dachshund, etc.): drawings and dimensions

  • 2.1 Material selection and calculation
  • 2.2 Required tools

  • 2.3 Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

    2.3.1 Video: how to build an enclosure for a small breed dog

• 3 Aviary for a medium breed dog (Akita Inu, Laika, Husky, etc.): drawings and dimensions

  • 3.1 Material selection and calculation
  • 3.2 Required tools

  • 3.3 Step-by-step instructions for making an aviary

    3.3.1 Video: how to build an aviary for an average dog yourself

• 4 Aviary for a large breed dog (shepherd, mastiff, labrador, Bernese mountain dog, etc.): drawings and dimensions

  • 4.1 Material selection and calculation
  • 4.2 Required tools

  • 4.3 Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

    4.3.1 Video: how to build an aviary for a large dog

• 5 Creating a booth with your own hands

  5.1 Video: how to build a simple dog house

General arrangement of a dog enclosure

The aviary is the place where the dog should feel protected. If this condition is not met, then the dog becomes embittered and anxious, it may even pounce on its owner.

As you know, the pen should be suitable for the size of the dog. Namely:

1. For small breeds, there is a corral with an area of up to 6 square meters.
2. For medium - up to 10 square meters.
3. For large ones - over 10 squares.

Any of the largest aviaries can have:

• one open wall;
• two open walls;
• three open walls.

Any dog enclosure should have at least one "blank" wall so that the dog is comfortable and safe inside

Open walls are understood as constructions made of:

• mesh-netting;
• welded mesh;
• forged items;
• metal pipes;
• from iron rods.

Also, all aviaries can be divided into:

• covered (with a roof - a dog can be in such a pen around the clock at any time of the year);
• open (without a roof - the animal should not spend all the time here. For example, in winter the territory inside will be constantly covered with snow, and it is not very convenient for the owner to regularly clear the snow blockages);
• partially covered (one half is covered with a roof, the other is left open for the dog to soak up the sun).

Any aviary is divided into zones:

1. Sleep and rest area - a booth or bed for a dog is installed in it.
2. Food zone - there is a bowl for food and a container with clean water for drinking.
3. The active zone is the rest of the place where the dog can frolic for pleasure.

If you schematically represent the aviary in the form of a rectangle with an aspect ratio of 2: 3, then the booth or couch should be in the upper right or left corners, next to the food zone

Any dog enclosure conditionally has three zones: sleep, food and activity.

Everything else is space for the dog's active pastime.

Another question that a loving owner will surely ask is where to locate the aviary. It must be installed in the front of the yard at a distance of 2-3 meters from the fence. This is, first of all, necessary for the dog itself. She will not be constantly nervous about people passing by and passing cars. It is desirable that the pet has a full view of the yard and house from the territory of the pen. So the four-legged guard will be able to fully realize his "professional duties".

The floor in the aviary can be:

• sandy (the owner specially fills the territory inside with fine-grained sand);
• earthen (the floor inside the corral is nothing different from the rest of the yard);
• concreted (the owner of the dog makes the foundation at an angle (so that the moisture does not "stand", but flows down), pours the floor with concrete, puts wooden boards on top in order to prevent the development of rheumatism in the pet).

Professional dog handlers recommend that a loving and caring owner choose the third option when building an enclosure (even if the enclosure will only be used in summer). The sand will get stuck in the animal's fur, get into food, eyes, nose. The ground is too cold and does not always absorb urine and sediment. Concrete and wood-treated floors are easier to clean. If you put insulation (expanded polystyrene, foam boards, foam) under the boards, the structure can be safely used in the cold season without risk to the dog's health.

The advantages of using aviaries are obvious:

1. The dog does not sit on a chain, which means it feels free, trusts its owner.
2. The dog does not shed at home, the owner gets rid of hairballs on furniture, clothes.
3. The animal knows where it belongs, feels safe, which affects its behavior.

Remember one more rule: when building or buying a booth to place it inside the enclosure, measure the dog: from the nose to the tailbone; from withers to forelegs. Add 15 centimeters to the obtained values. This is exactly the length and height of the doghouse. Use this information to build or purchase a kennel.

Aviary for a small breed dog (Yorkshire Terrier, Pug, Jagd Terrier, Chihuahua, Dachshund, etc.): Drawings and Dimensions

Dogs of small breeds (Yorkshire Terrier, Pug, Jagd Terrier, Chihuahua, Dachshund and the like) cannot be outside around the clock. These are pets that live directly in the house. On the street, such a dog will get sick, possibly fatal.

In an aviary for a small dog, a booth is not needed: the animal will not live on the street all the time, the aviary is needed for walking in the fresh air

An open-air cage for small breed dogs is built solely for the entertainment of the dog. There is no booth inside. There is simply no need for it. There can be only two zones - food and activity. In the active zone, you can place a bed so that the dog can rest. What is important to know about arranging enclosures for small breed dogs:

1. The size of the pen should not exceed 6 square meters. In a larger enclosure, the animal will be scared and uncomfortable.
2. The roof may be partially covered or not needed at all. Dogs of small breeds cannot stay outside in bad weather, and too bright sun is contraindicated for them.
3. The height of the walls is no more than one and a half meters. Yorkshire terrier, pug, yagdterrier, chihuahua, dachshund do not differ in "increased jumping ability". It is inappropriate for the owner to spend money on higher walls.
4. Two or three walls should be closed, respectively, two or three walls should be open. This is the only way the dog will feel safe.
5. The floor is only concrete with a wooden covering. Small dogs catch colds quickly.
6. As a lounger, you can use a children's mattress 10-15 centimeters thick.

The optimal size of an enclosure for a small dog, calculated by professional dog handlers, is 2 × 3 meters.

When building, be guided by the drawing below.

The drawing shows an enclosure for a small dog. Corral sides 2 x 3 meters

Material selection and calculation

To build an aviary for a small breed dog, you will need the following materials:

• OSB plates (each size is 1.5 × 1 meter);
• Rabitz;
• metal pipes;
• copper wire;
• cement mortar;
• wooden boards;
• screws, nails;
• varnish for treating wooden surfaces;
• slate or metal tiles;
• door hinges;
• small stones, sand.

As for the calculations, it is important to decide which enclosure the owner of the dog intends to build. The ideal option is a corral with two open and two closed walls with an area of 6 square meters (2 × 3 meters). How much material is needed to build such an aviary:

• 5 OSB boards;
• 5 meters of chain-link mesh (mesh height - 1.5 meters);
• 2 twenty-five-kilogram bags with dry cement (to obtain a liquid solution, it is necessary to dilute the powder with water in the proportion indicated on the product packaging);
• 2 meters of copper wire;
• 4 metal pipes (height of each - 1.7-2 meters, diameter - 10-20 centimeters);
• 1 can of varnish;
• 3 square meters of slate or metal tiles;
• 3 square meters of waterproofing material (roofing material);
• 9 square meters of wooden board;
• 5 meters of wooden slats.

Required tools

To build an aviary in which a small breed dog will spend time, you need the following tools:

• shovel;
• a hammer;
• a welding machine (if there is one, and the owner knows how to handle it);
• container for mixing cement mortar;
• saw;
• puncher.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

We start making an aviary for a small breed dog. If you follow the instructions strictly, you get the perfect home for your pet:

1. Select the area where the corral will be located, mark it out.
2. Dig a trench about 20-30 centimeters deep around the perimeter. For this you need a shovel. The width of the trench should not exceed 20 centimeters.

3. Insert metal pipes into the trench at the corners. Submerge them 20-50 centimeters into the ground, depending on the length of the pipe itself. It should rise above the surface by at least one and a half meters.

   

   In the corners of the future aviary, you need to place metal pipes with a diameter of 20 centimeters, a mesh is attached to them

4. Place the stones inside the trench so that they cover exactly half the height.

5. Now create a wooden plank formwork around the perimeter of the trench. By the way, after the foundation has hardened, the boards can be removed and used to create a corral.

   

   The depth of the trench for the foundation of the aviary should not exceed 30 centimeters

6. Fill the trench with cement mortar and let sit for 24 hours. During this time, the cement will hold together, it will be possible to work further.

7. As soon as the foundation hardens, remove the boards used for the formwork and fill the floor in the future aviary with cement mortar. Remember that the floor must be tilted (approximately 5 degrees).

   

   After filling the floor in the aviary with cement mortar, leave the structure alone for a day to dry completely.

8. After hardening, which occurs after 24 hours, the floor is covered with boards. Self-tapping screws are used for fastening. Depressions in the cement floor are made with a hammer drill.
9. A door should appear in one of the OSB plates so that the owner can go inside the pen, put things in order, and the dog can enter and exit. It makes no sense to create two different doors - one will be enough. Cut the door of the desired height and width (no more than 1.3 meters in height and no more than 70 centimeters in width) with a saw. Attach the hinges to it and attach to the OSB-plate. Provide a hook on the other side of the door to prevent the door from opening unintentionally.
10. Two adjacent walls of the enclosure (located with the letter D) are deaf. To create them, OSB slabs are used - on one side of such slabs there will be 3, on the other - 2. On the corner, the slabs are fastened with nails, and to each other on one side - with wooden slats located above and below.

11. The other two perpendicular walls of the enclosure are open. For their production, a netting is used. The mesh is attached to metal pipes using copper wire.

    

    During the construction of the aviary, the mesh-netting is attached to the pipe with wire to give the structure an aesthetic look, it is closed with a plastic cover

12. The roof is made only half covered so that the dog can soak up the sun. First, boards are nailed to the OSB plates from above. The beginning of the board is on top of the OSB plate, the end is on the netting. A natural question arises: how to "arrive" the boards to the grid. Of course not. For this purpose, a wooden lath is fixed on top of the mesh from one pillar to another and the third. The slats are attached to the pipes with self-tapping screws.
13. Roofing material is placed on top of the wooden boards on the roof, which is fixed with nails;

14. Then slate or metal tiles are laid. Fix them with self-tapping screws.

    

    The roof of the enclosure for a small dog (as for any other) is fixed with self-tapping screws so that it is not ripped off by a strong gust of wind

An aviary for a small breed dog is ready. This is the easiest way to create a pen.

Video: how to build an aviary for a small breed dog

Aviary for a medium breed dog (Akita Inu, Laika, Husky, etc.): drawings and dimensions

Medium breed dogs can be outdoors all day and all night. If it is not possible to keep a pet at home, that's okay. For the convenience of the dog, it is enough to equip a spacious and comfortable enclosure. There must necessarily appear a booth that meets all the requirements and ideas about comfortable housing for dogs.

It is important to provide three zones in the aviary: sleep, food and active pastime. In this case, the size of the booth should not exceed 65 centimeters in height and 80 cm in width. Only in this case, the four-legged friend inside will be as comfortable as possible.

What should be an enclosure for an average dog:

• the area of the paddock is from 6 to 10 square meters (it is not possible to less, the dog will be cramped inside, it is also impossible to do more - the dog will feel unsafe)
• the floor should be made of concrete and insulated with wooden planks. Only in this case can the aviary be used in the winter;
• three walls should be open, one closed. The last part of the structure is to protect the four-legged friend from bad weather and wind;
• the height of the walls is from 2 to 2.5 meters so that the dog cannot jump over them.

Adequate paddock size is 3 x 3 or 2 x 4 meters. A sample drawing of the aviary is shown below.

This is a drawing of an aviary for an average dog. Length of sides of the structure: 2 and 4 meters

The booth can be purchased at a specialized store or made yourself.

Material selection and calculation

To make an aviary for an average dog, you will need the following materials:

• bricks;

• welded mesh;

  

  In an aviary for an average dog, it is advisable to use a welded mesh, sooner or later the dog will gnaw the chain-link with his teeth

• metal pipes;
• cement;
• wooden boards;
• nails and screws;
• wood varnish;
• slate (metal tile is also suitable);
• metal door frame with hinges;
• insulation material (expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, foam)
• pebbles, fine sand.

If you intend to create an aviary with sides 4 × 2 meters and a wall height of 2.5 meters, you will need the following amount of material:

1. 400 bricks (250 x 120 x 65 mm);
2. 8 meters of welded mesh (mesh height - 2.5 meters);
3. 3 twenty-five kilogram bags with dry cement;
4. 4 metal pipes (height of each - 3 meters, diameter –20 centimeters);
5. 1 can of varnish;
6. 8 square meters of slate;
7. 8 square meters of waterproofing material (roofing material);
8. 16 square meters of wooden board.

Required tools

No special tools are required when making an aviary for an average dog. However, a welding machine is required to attach the mesh to metal pipes. To carry out these works, it is likely that you will need professional help.

Step-by-step instructions for making an aviary

So, we proceed to the construction of the aviary itself:

1. Mark the area where the aviary will be located and dig a trench around the perimeter. Fill it with stones and sand. This is the basis for the foundation.

   

   A foundation for an average dog should be a must. It will provide additional structural strength and warmth

2. Place metal pipes in the corners. Each of them should rise above the ground by 2.5 meters.
3. Form the foundation and fill the trench with cement mortar.
4. After 24 hours, the cement will dry up and the floor can be poured. After the procedure, give it a day to dry. Be sure to do the floor with a slight slope.

5. Cover the floor with insulation and wooden planks on top. Polish the floor for beauty and durability.

   

   The floor in an enclosure for an average dog should be reinforced with wooden planks so that the dog does not get rheumatism due to the cold floor

6. Next, start laying out a blank brick wall. Its length is 4 meters. In one row there are 16 bricks. The height of the building is 2.5 meters. The bricks are bonded to each other using cement mortar.

   

   In the horizontal row of the wall of the enclosure for an average dog - 16 bricks. Then the length of the wall itself will be 4 meters.

7. Next, weld the mesh to the posts. On one of the small walls, install a human-sized iron door frame. The door itself is a metal frame with welded mesh.

8. Hang the door on hinges and provide for it with a barn lock outside so that the dog cannot leave the enclosure without the knowledge of the owner.

   

   A person should enter the door of an aviary for an average dog without hindrance. It is better to hang the lock outside so that the dog does not rip it off.

9. Start creating the roof. First, lay it out with wooden boards, lay roofing material on top, then metal roofing. Such a roof will not leak and will withstand loads in the form of snow masses.

Video: how to build an aviary for an average dog yourself

Aviary for a large breed dog (shepherd, mastiff, labrador, bernese mountain dog, etc.): drawings and dimensions

Large breed dogs cannot be kept in the house. They need space and freedom, otherwise they begin to behave aggressively, which is unsafe for the owner and his family.

A big dog needs a large paddock. Its area exceeds 10 square meters, the height of the walls is at least 2.5 meters (possibly even 3). The rest of the requirements do not differ from the basics of creating paddocks for medium dogs: 3 open walls and one closed one to keep the dog warm. The floor is cement with insulation and wooden planks on top. The aviary should be covered so that the dog can winter inside.

A large dog needs a spacious enclosure. Its minimum area is 10 square meters

The best aviary size is 3x4 or 4x4 meters. The drawing is presented below.

The drawing of an enclosure for a large dog shows different areas for the dog's pastime

Material selection and calculation

To make an aviary for an average dog, you will need the following materials:

• bricks;
• wrought iron fence or super strong welded mesh;
• metal pipes;
• cement;
• wooden boards;
• nails and screws;
• wood varnish;
• slate, metal tiles;
• metal door with a box;
• insulation (expanded polystyrene, mineral wool)
• pebbles, fine sand.

To create an aviary of 3x4 meters and a wall height of 2.5 meters, you will need the following amount of material:

• 400 bricks (250 x 120 x 65 mm);
• 10 meters of welded mesh (mesh height - 2.5 meters);
• 3 twenty-five kilogram bags with dry cement;
• 4 metal pipes (height of each - 3 meters, diameter - 30 centimeters);
• 1 can of varnish;
• 12 square meters of slate;
• 12 square meters of waterproofing material (roofing material);
• 24 square meters of wood plank.

Required tools

When making an enclosure for a large dog, you need standard tools, from a hammer to a hammer drill. The list is no different from the tools you use to create an enclosure for a small or medium dog. A welding machine is necessary in this case. Without it, it will be impossible to weld the mesh to the pipes.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

When building, follow the instructions for making an aviary for an average dog. In general, animal pens are no different from each other, except, of course, in size. It is also better to place a full-fledged metal door in the pen for a large dog for the convenience of the owner. You can buy it at a hardware store.

Video: how to build an aviary for a large dog

DIY booth creation

In order for a medium and large dog to feel comfortable in an enclosure, it is important to build the simplest, but warmest and most comfortable kennel for it. A booth is not required for small dogs. An aviary for Yorkshires or Chihuahuas is used exclusively as a playground for active pastime, and not a territory of permanent residence.

Based on this rule, the material for construction is also calculated:

• measure the dog from the withers to the tips of the paws;
• they also take measurements from the nose to the coccyx;
• to the obtained data add 10-15 centimeters.

The ideal parameters of a kennel for a four-legged friend are obtained.

The booth must correspond to the size of the dog, otherwise the animal will feel uncomfortable inside, which means it is bad

To build a house, you need the following tools and materials:

• wooden boards;
• insulation;
• screws, nails;
• saw;
• a hammer;
• drill;
• varnish for wood.

Instructions for making a simple dog kennel:

1. Knock a box out of wooden boards according to your size.

2. Cut a hole on one of the walls. Its dimensions should correspond to the height and width of the dog (plus another 5 centimeters in height and width).

   

   The dog must pass freely through the access hole without getting stuck

3. Insulate the box on all sides.

4. The floor in the booth should be pitched. To do this, provide a small substrate.

   

   The floor in the booth should be sloped so that liquid does not accumulate inside the house

5. Cover the insulation with wood again. Otherwise, the dog may damage the insulation.

6. Treat the "box" with varnish on all sides. Choose a product that meets environmental requirements.

   

   Treating the booth with varnish will extend the life of the kennel for several years

Such a booth will be an excellent sleeping place for a fluffy pet. The kennel is mobile, you can place it anywhere in the enclosure. So that the house does not "wander" in the entire territory of the pen, attach it with long nails or a wooden frame, for example.

This is the simplest drawing of a dog house. Inside, the beast will be comfortable and spacious

Video: how to build a simple dog house

If the aviary is built with love and conscience, the dog will like it. It will be comfortable and safe inside, which will affect the general health of the dog. He will be calm and focused. Do not forget about basic pen maintenance measures. Clean at least once a day, and regularly remove the waste products of your four-legged pet.