Previously, dogs that lived in the yard, built booths and tied them with a chain. Today, increasingly resorting to the construction of spacious enclosures. On the one hand, the dog does not have access to the body of the guest who enters the courtyard, on the other hand, the collar does not dangle on his neck all the time, and the faithful guard can move around his house to his full height. In this material, we invite you to get acquainted with the technique of making the correct enclosure for dogs with your own hands.
Where to start
First you need to deal with the true purpose of the aviary. After all, it should be not only the usual fence for the dog. In the construction of your friend and the guard will spend almost all day. Therefore, all the elements necessary for its normal and comfortable living should be clearly thought out. Namely:
- feeding trough from which the dog will eat;
- a place where he can hide in case of bad weather, cold or sun;
- walking area.
Next, you should decide on the place where the aviary will be equipped, its size. Sizes will be calculated depending on the breed of pet.
Did you know? Scientists can not reach a unanimous opinion about the origin of the domestic dog. Some believe that she had several ancestors: the wolf and the jackal. Others adhere to the theory that dogs are descended only from wolves, as indicated by a comparative analysis of some of their characteristics and the results of molecular genetic studies.
Choose a suitable place
The choice of place should also be made in accordance with the priority that the dog should be comfortable. It should not be annoyed by the noise of cars, so if possible you should have a home away from the road. Buildings for other pets should also be located at a distance. Like the places where you join the carpentry or do any other noisy work. Unpleasant smells should also not reach your pet's home, for example, from a toilet or a cesspool.
Ideally, the source of irritation should be located 500 m from the open-air cage, for example, in a rural area or on a large summer cottage, and 10-15 m in a private townhouse or country house.
You will probably also be interested to learn how to build a chicken coop, a cage and a rabbit shed.Accommodation for a pet must be placed near the trees so that the animal has places to relax in the shade during the day.
At night, the aviary should be illuminated - this point should also be considered: is it possible with the help of centralized lighting or can it be light itself? 
The place where it is planned to equip the enclosure should be sheltered from the winds. It should not be somewhere in a remote corner - the dog needs to observe what happens in the yard and at the entrance.
The recommended location of the premises is southeast.
The best place will be in the frontal part near the entrance to the courtyard, on the side of the walkway leading to the house.
Calculate area and height
The area and height of the enclosure is calculated based on the size of the pet. By area there are certain minimums. One of the sides must be at least 2 m. 
Here are some guidelines for building a dog enclosure and its size:
- For dogs with a height in withers up to 50 cm, the minimum area of the enclosure should be at least 6 square meters. The dwelling for two dogs or one bitch with children of such dimensions should not be less than 9 square meters. m
- For dogs that are 51–65 cm tall in adulthood, an open-air cage area of 8 square meters is required. m. For two dogs or females with puppies - from 12 square meters. m
- Pets above 66 cm must be kept in an open-air cage measuring 10 square meters. m. For two dogs or females with puppies need to equip a room the size of 15 square meters. m
The height of the dog "flat" should be such that the dog could stand up to its full height on its hind legs, without touching the ceiling. By the way, if the pet is still small, and you do not know how it will be in adulthood, you can approximately calculate it, knowing the size of its paws, chest, weight and other parameters. For example, one of the unscientific formulas says that the weight of a puppy in two months should be multiplied by three and add 200 g - this will be the mass of an adult.
Did you know? The largest dog in the world, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, is considered to be a Great Dane named Great Zeus. His height is 111.8 cm, and weight - 70 kg. He lives with the owners in the United States. And the oldest dog is a native Australian Blue. He lived 29 years and five months.
Draw a drawing
After the dimensions of the enclosure for dogs with their own hands will be determined, it is necessary to draw a drawing. You can take as a basis ready-made, examples of which can be found on the Internet. Usually enclosures on them consist of lined borders:
- winter road with a booth and without;
- scaffold;
- open area.
Important! Failure to follow the guidelines on choosing the sizes and materials of the aviary can lead to the dog suffering from uncomfortable conditions, multiplication of diseases and a risk to visitors if any element turns out to be too flimsy and cannot keep the furious watchman.
Selection of materials
After the drawing is ready, it is necessary to think over and purchase materials for a dog enclosure. Here are a few recommendations about what is best to do the walls, doors, roof and floor, so that your pet was cozy and comfortable.
Walls and door
The front wall, which will serve the dog for a review of the courtyard, must be from the grille. At the same time, it is not recommended to use the net - large four-legged ones can easily carry them with their paws or break their teeth about them. 
The best solution is to use round or square metal tubes. They should not be galvanized or powder. It is necessary to cook them together with each other qualitatively, especially if your pet is large and heavy.
The pitch between the pipes should be 10 cm for large animals and 5 cm for small animals.
Metal structures and connections for the safety of four-legged should be well primed, cleaned from burrs, remove rust and covered with hot-painted enamel.
There is an option to equip the grid without welding machine. To do this:
- the rods are good to drive into the ground;
- prepare wooden beams, the length of which is equal to the length of the lattice;
- make a notch on the bars at a distance of iron rods;
- insert bar notches in each of the rods;
- fix with corners - drill holes in the bars and corners and fasten them with bolts.
The side and back walls of the dog "flat" can be made of wood, but not thinner than 2 cm, slate, metal profile. Wood walls should be treated with decay agents. They are the best for the health of the animal.Important! Elements used for fastening must be rustproof. Wooden parts must not touch the ground.
Roof
Materials such as ondulin, soft tile, decking, etc. are selected for the roof. It is better if it is shingles, since the sediments drumming on it sound the least loud and annoying for an animal.
When installing roofing nails should not be used.
Mandatory element should be a visor.
Floor
The floor can be made of concrete or asphalt. Cement is not recommended because it is too cold. On it, your pet will freeze, in addition, there is a risk that he will catch a rheumatic disease. 
In any case, it is better to think about the wooden flooring, which is put on an asphalt or concrete floor. They can not cover the entire floor, but only part of it. It will be enough plot of two by two meters.
Also, the concrete base can be insulated with rubble, placing it between the soil and concrete.
It is not necessary to fill the entire floor in the aviary, you can leave a section of soil that is planted with grass. Then your friend will just walk.
Gender should not be done evenly, because moisture will stagnate on it. It is necessary to build it with a slight slope.
What else is important to consider
After the aviary is ready, it is necessary to tackle its arrangement: make a shed (if it is provided), a feeding trough, entrance doors. The door needs to be made so that it opens in the middle of the enclosure. Heck should be both external and internal.
The presence of the booth
The best shelter for a dog will be one that is equipped with a booth. It is in it that the animal will spend especially cold periods. 
In its construction should also consider some factors:
- The booth must clearly correspond to the size of the dog - it must be placed in it in an extended position and have space for a turn. If you make the kennel spacious, it will be cold, it will not be able to keep warm.
- The material for the booth must be exclusively wooden. It is better to choose for the construction of coniferous wood.
- If you live in regions where there are especially severe winters, then the booth should be made with double walls, the space between which should be laid out with insulation.
- The ideal option allowing to clean in the box will be a removable roof.
- It is better to make the roof flat with a slope - some pets like to use this seating position so that it is more convenient to observe the territory entrusted to it.
- It is strictly prohibited to use the inner lining of the paint booth or varnish for processing.
Manger
The feeder is recommended to be installed at a height of 20-30 cm from the floor.
Learn how to make a bird feeder and bunker feeder for rabbits with your own hands.When equipping the place from which the dog will eat, you need to think about how it can be safely fed by someone else or an unfamiliar person, if you are away for a long time at home.
It is better to think about the rotary mechanism for the feeder and the device for fixing it in the closed position.For the safety of the animal, the feeder must be attached to a blank wall.
Did you know? The time of domestication of dogs is considered to be a period of 31.7-36.5 thousand years BC. (Upper Paleolithic). As a result of research scientists of the Royal Museum of Natural History (Belgium) found the remains of the skull of a prehistoric dog, it was found that they belong to this date.In conclusion, we want to note that the enclosures can be bought and ready. However, they do not always take into account all the nuances necessary for keeping dogs. And who, if not you, can know what your pet needs. With the possession of the minimum skills for working with a welding machine and wood, it is not so difficult to cope with this task, and to make a home in which a healthy and contented four-legged friend and caretaker will live.
