A dog enclosure in an apartment: how to create a safe place for your pet

Is an aviary really effective in an apartment?

In simple words, an enclosure can be described as a small enclosure within which a pet is permanently or temporarily located. Usually an enclosure as a structure is associated with a private house, but it can also be useful in an apartment. The benefits of an enclosure are especially obvious to owners whose pets do not like to sit still. Here are a few reasons why you should think about having an aviary in your apartment:

• damage to property;
• protecting puppies from injury;
• assistance in training;
• separate territory from other animals;
• assistance in the presence of a brood;
• protection from children.

Furniture in the house changes quite rarely, but a pet can speed up this process if it runs freely around the premises. Some dogs are so active that in the absence of their owners they are ready to smash upholstered and wooden furniture to smithereens.

An enclosure will prevent such a tragedy by protecting the pet from the main territory. The puppy's skeletal system is fragile, so it can easily damage a paw or spine if they are pinched by a door or a heavy object falls on the puppy. To prevent this from happening, you will need an aviary.

From birth, dogs are not trained to use a litter box and this is quite difficult to do, because they are more accustomed to going outside. But the process can be speeded up if you place the container in the enclosure. The puppy will quickly get used to such a device. Not all animals are ready and able to live in peace, so if there are other pets in the apartment, the enclosure will be an excellent personal space for the dog.

If your beloved dog has offspring, then the enclosure will protect it so that the kids do not wander throughout the apartment. If there are children in the house or they often come to visit, then the animal will have its own corner where it can hide from the obsessive attention of the children.

Note! The aviary will fulfill its role only for small breeds of dogs.

For large pets, it is impossible to build an enclosure in an apartment that would be able to hold them in place. Therefore, in this case, only proper training will play a role.

Material and height of the enclosure for different situations

The dog should be comfortable and calm in the enclosure. Therefore, below are some tips regarding design features in different situations:

1. The bitch has whelped . A product up to 70 cm high without a roof is best suited. With this size and modification of the playpen, removing puppies from the enclosure will not be a problem, and cleaning and changing diapers can be done very quickly.
2. Temporary content . As a rule, a small plastic or metal cage cage is used, closed on both sides and top, or a fabric playpen (tent) on a frame. They are inexpensive and easy to carry.
3. “Miniks” or simply small breed dogs . As a permanent apartment structure, many dog ​​owners choose plastic fences with a height of no more than 40 cm.
4. The dog has grown and become medium sized . It is worth choosing a structure made of metal or wood, with side doors and a wall height (required) of at least 80 cm. The dog will exit through the door, since such a height will not allow it to jump out through the fence.
5. Active pets . For especially frisky animals, owners, as a rule, choose structures with a pallet. Reliable, strong enclosures will not budge even under strong dog pressure.
6. Decorative pets . Handsome pets require special attention and want everything around them to be beautiful too. And their owners don’t mind. An excellent option for a little friend is an expensive wooden enclosure, which, if desired, can become a highlight in the interior.

Which to choose

Choosing an enclosure can be a daunting task as the variety of species is amazing. The designs vary in shape, which can be round, polygonal, square or rectangular. The most practical of these are rectangular. They can be placed directly next to the wall, and the interior space of the enclosure has a large area, which will allow the animal to move freely.

A polygonal enclosure is suitable in cases where its placement is planned in the middle of a room. Round enclosures are also used for these purposes. It's easier to get around them from different sides.

Note! It is good if the enclosure has clamps in the form of suction cups or other elements. In this case, the animal will not be able to move it along the floor surface, thereby damaging it.

The materials that can be used in the production of enclosures are:

• metal;
• plastic;
• textile;
• wood.

The most impractical are fabric enclosures. They get dirty the fastest, and the animal can easily damage the fabric with its teeth. At the same time, the enclosure covers are easy to wash and their appearance is quite simple to update. But you will have to do this often, because the fabric of the enclosure absorbs the smell well. Metal structures have the greatest strength. Most often, they are made in the form of a fence made of lattice, which is assembled by fixing several elements using a locking connection.

Plastic enclosures can be modular, which allows you to assemble one from several enclosures or, conversely, divide one into several. Wooden enclosures look good, but their practicality is also questionable. Dogs love to sharpen their teeth on the surface of wooden slats.

Advice! If the task is to purchase an enclosure for a decorative dog, then there is not much difference in what material the enclosure will be made of. It is worth starting from financial capabilities.

In some cases, the enclosure is used not only in the apartment, but also in the country, so it has to be constantly transported. In this case, the ideal solution would be an aviary, which is assembled from a tubular structure covered with an awning. This enclosure can be easily folded and transported in the case that comes with the kit. It is better to choose enclosure designs that are built from aluminum tubes, as their strength will be sufficient.

Tips for choosing the right one

The purchase should be approached very seriously. First, you should decide for what purpose the structure is being purchased. If you need it to accommodate a dog and children, the best solution would be to choose one that does not have a roof. The optimal sizes will be those at which the animal can independently visit its secluded place, and its cubs will not be able to crawl around the room. The most convenient will be an enclosure that has fasteners on the walls. You can attach bowls to them to add food or water.

If an enclosure is required to temporarily contain an ornamental animal, then you can buy a tent. The design is lightweight and will not be difficult to carry. Polyester is used as walls. If you need it to carry your pet, you should take care of its practicality and reliability.

For a product to be convenient, it must have the following parameters:

• clamps that will allow you to secure the enclosure during a walk;
• the roof must be detachable;
• the bottom must be securely fixed;
• It is desirable that the design have many pockets into which bottles and other small items will be placed.

A modular type enclosure would be most suitable if the dog is small. This structure is simple, it contains 4-10 sections. If the dog is very miniature, then a plastic design would be the best option. The modular version of the enclosure is very suitable:

• to isolate a sick pet;
• if the dog has gone on a spree or is feeding puppies;
• for the purpose of re-educating animals that damage furniture or are not potty trained.

Usually such enclosures are very durable. If you approach the design thoroughly, they can even decorate the interior. For example, you can make a disguise in the form of a table or cabinet; for this purpose, you should place a tabletop on the roof.

You cannot keep an animal in confined conditions all the time. This will make the dog angry and it will be susceptible to various diseases. This is simply unacceptable.

Making the structure yourself

The most popular designs are those based on a metal mesh. The shapes vary completely, as does how many doors will be used. The roof is not always erected. Most often they focus on the purpose for which the cell is intended.

To make an enclosure for a puppy with your own hands in an apartment, you need to purchase a metal mesh. You should not use a chain link, because due to the mobility of the cells, the pet may get injured. The most suitable option is one made from rods. This is a more durable and safer material.

The height of the enclosure is selected based on the size of the animal . For a baby, 40-50 cm will be sufficient. You should not make the walls lower. If the dog is too large, you will need a fence whose height will reach 1 m.

You will also need to use the following:

• wire;
• pliers;
• door awnings;
• locks;
• the material from which the frame will be constructed.

To make the supporting part, you can use metal rods or wooden blocks.

How to make a metal cage

Typically, this type of building has elements such as a roof, door, floor and walls. To begin with, it is worth making the supporting part, in which case the beams are knocked together in the form of a parallelepiped. The mesh is cut into pieces from which the walls and roof are made.

Now you need to do the following:

1. Connect all cut elements to the supporting part and secure, leaving an opening for the door.
2. The door is attached to the structure by the edge; for this purpose, canopies or wire are used.
3. On the other side of the door, it is worth attaching the mechanisms that will close it.
4. You need to put a sheet of plywood of a certain size on the bottom.

There is no need to let the dog into the enclosure until you have made a lining for it, for example, from dense fabric, preferably soft.

Reticulate

The mesh version is quite practical, because it is easy to manufacture and does not require any special costs. Also, the metal will last quite a long time. Consumables will require metal mesh and reinforcement rods with a diameter of 3 or 4 mm. The first step is to decide on the shape and size of the enclosure.

If it is a regular rectangular or square structure, then it can be assembled from separate modules. To do this, a frame for each wall is prepared from durable steel wire. The rods are passed through the holes of the mesh to keep it taut. You can do it differently and tie the mesh with wire to the finished frame.

Once all the walls are ready, they can be connected together with wire or suitable bolt clamps. You can do without a door, because the pet will be easy to reach through the top, which is open. To give the structure a more presentable look, you need to paint it in the desired color. Instead of wire, an aluminum frame can be used for the enclosure, as shown in the photo above.

Video “We make an aviary ourselves”

The video shows how to make a six-section enclosure for a dog with your own hands.

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Wood

Making a wooden enclosure is even easier than making a metal one. To implement the project of such an enclosure, you will need wooden blocks with a section of 40 by 20 mm. A drawing is drawn up in advance indicating the dimensions of the structure.

According to the drawing, timber blanks are cut, which will be used for the lower and upper trim, as well as for the racks. First of all, two bases of a rectangular or other shape are assembled. Four main posts are screwed to the bottom one, which are located in the corners. The top trim is fixed to these posts.

After this, wooden planks are mounted at the same distance, which will act as walls. If the enclosure is located near a wall, then it makes sense to make the back wall solid from fiberboard or OSB. This will make it more difficult for your pet to damage the finish. If the structure is more than 80 cm high, then it makes sense to make a small door, as can be seen in the photo above. A video about the construction of another version of the enclosure is below.

What can it be made from?

A lightweight folding and mobile fence can be made from a metal building mesh with fixed cells or a rod, and a more substantial stationary house can be made from wood. Plastic pipes also work great. All these materials are inexpensive and can be combined. For example, sections made of steel mesh are mounted on a frame made of wooden blocks or on a cage made of a metal rod; an old tabletop or a piece of transparent plastic is suitable for the roof.

The back wall is often made of plywood, and the sides and front are made of mesh or wooden slats. The material is chosen depending on the purpose of the enclosure, the size of the pet, it is desirable that the house looks harmonious and neat in the interior. You can arrange a playpen in a corner, niche or against a wall.

Recommendations for arrangement

It is advisable that the bottom of the enclosure is not a bare floor, because in such an enclosure the dog will feel uncomfortable. The floor can be covered with suitable blankets or initially made of wood. The pet’s favorite toys must be located inside the enclosure, only in this case it will not be bored if the owner is absent. It would be correct to place a drinking bowl and feeder inside the enclosure if the dog is still a puppy, since small pets require food more often. When choosing or constructing an enclosure structure, it is necessary to ensure that there are no sharp elements that could cause injury to the animal.

Tips for selection and placement

Before purchasing or making an enclosure yourself, you need to decide on its future location. There are also several points that are important to consider:

• There should be no heating devices (batteries) or various household appliances in the immediate vicinity of the structure.
• The fence must be protected from direct sunlight and drafts. It is better if it is located in the back of a large room.
• They try to position the structure so that the animal, while in it, can observe most of what is and is happening in the room.

When choosing a design, you must pay attention to its safety:

• The manufacturing material must be harmless and in no way toxic.
• There should be no protruding parts or elements with sharp corners on the frame, walls and doors of the fence.

It is important to maintain cleanliness in the enclosure, since dirt not only causes an unpleasant odor in the room, but contributes to the occurrence of various diseases in animals

• The floor of the enclosure cannot be left uncovered; it must be covered with cardboard, linoleum, a blanket, plywood or chipboard (only in the area where the diaper is the toilet, nothing needs to be laid).

If the dog's owners have not thought in advance where to put the enclosure, then, after its construction, they will have to look for a place to install the structure . And it’s not at all a fact that there will immediately be a place for it or that it will fit into the interior. And in this case there are several tips:

1. The metal fence is made of mesh and does not have a roof. It is unlikely that such an enclosure can be camouflaged in any way. But if you take this into account in advance and make it foldable, there will be no problem. Just fold it and put it away for a while.
2. A small enclosure with a roof. You don’t always want such a design to catch your eye, so you can decorate it under a cabinet or table. To do this, you need to select the appropriate tabletop and place it on the roof (the main thing is that the tabletop is not huge, heavy, or, in general, monumental).
3. The easiest way is to try very hard and find a secluded corner in the apartment that is suitable for installing an enclosure, where no one will disturb the dog, and the fence will not be discordant with the interior.

How to press a playpen for dog safety?

There are two types of enclosures - outdoor portable and apartment. The street one is useful when moving and forays into nature; it has a compact size, but is practically unsuitable for normal travel conditions. Therefore, it is the second type that is popular. To describe it differently, this is a kind of doghouse, but with fairly comfortable conditions and is more like a room. Its dimensions are usually about 2-3 square meters. meters.

An apartment playpen for a small dog is usually made of metal rods fastened together, but it can also be made of plastic. This allows the owner to observe the life of the animal without interference. Such a booth is equipped with everything necessary - bowls for food and drink, a toilet (tray or diaper), and a sleeping place. In addition, the house has space for games. Therefore, purchase chewing toys so that your dog has the opportunity to sharpen his teeth.

A metal house consists of modules connected to each other; usually manufacturers make sure that it folds and unfolds quickly. Unnecessary sections can be removed or added, for example, as the puppy grows, to increase space.