How to make a playpen for puppies with your own hands: step-by-step master class

Often, breeders are faced with questions that they did not expect when purchasing that same family favorite - a puppy. One of these questions is where and how to buy an enclosure for small dogs in an apartment, what should it be like and what does it look like?

You might think that an enclosure is absolutely useless, but in fact, such a design can be very useful. Let's consider a number of issues related to the purchase and installation of an aviary in the house, as well as how to make it with your own hands.

Ideal shape for playpen

A playpen for puppies that has the shape of a square or rectangle is considered ideal. The minimum dimensions of a dog playpen are 2 x 1.5 m. I would like to immediately note that the larger the size of the playpen, the faster your puppies will learn to go to the toilet in one place and play in another place.

If the playpen is small, then the puppies go to the toilet and play in the same place. And let’s also add that in this case the dogs will definitely get dirty in their feces. You understand that in such a playpen there will not be a favorable atmosphere of a cozy home for the successful growth and development of a pet.

Patterns

There are a large number of different patterns for dog beds. It all depends on the size of the dog and the shape of the future product. We suggest viewing the best options for patterns of beds.

As you can see, decorating a resting place for a dog with your own hands is not difficult if you choose the right pattern and choose a manufacturing technique. But you won’t spend extra money, spend your time creatively, and make your pet happy.

Materials for production

The optimal material for a dog playpen is laminated chipboard - it is easy to clean and disinfect, and also has a smooth surface that the dog can hardly catch with his teeth. It is worth taking wooden beams as the base for the structure.

These materials must be connected using self-tapping screws and metal corners. Note that the structure must be connected in such a way that the dog does not then have the opportunity to chew screws, corners and other pieces of hardware.

How to make a sleeping place for a dog with your own hands

To increase the comfort for your pet in the enclosure, in addition to the bedding, you can install a soft bed. The easiest way to make it yourself is to sew it from an unnecessary sweatshirt.

List of required tools and materials:

threads and thick needle;
scissors and pins;
a sweatshirt and a pillow of the appropriate size;
padding in the form of pieces of fabric;
fabric to cover the sleeve joining areas.

An important element when arranging an enclosure for a dog is a soft and comfortable bed.

Helpful advice! As a filling, you can use a special filler, which is sold in sewing stores.

The procedure for sewing a dog bed:

The sweatshirt is turned inside out.
The collar is sewn up, but not to the very end. There should be a small opening left.
The sweatshirt is carefully aligned, using pins a straight line is drawn from one armpit to the other and stitched. After this, the pins need to be pulled out.
The sleeves are sewn to the sides of the sweatshirt. You don't have to go all the way to the end.
The sides of the bed are formed by filling the sleeves with pieces of fabric or filler.
The pillow is placed inside the jacket through the bottom, which is then sewn up.
The sleeve cuffs are connected and stitched together.
The area where the sleeves join is decorated with a piece of fabric.

The finished bed can be placed in an enclosure so that your pet can relax and get some sleep.

The process of making a dog bed with your own hands from an old jacket

What kind of walls should there be in the arena?

The walls of the dog house must be solid. Remember that walls with cracks or slatted walls are often the cause of injury in dogs. Also, the one-piece design will protect your animal from unwanted drafts.

The height of the walls should depend on the height of your legs. Make the walls so high that you can easily step over them, but at the same time, do not make the walls so low that your dog cannot climb over them. Usually, when making playpens, they stop at a height of 70 cm.

entrance and exit

The entrance is usually made in the shortest wall of the arena. The entrance door is installed at a distance of 20 cm from the corner of the arena. The lower edge of the door should be raised 18 cm from the floor, and the upper limit of the door should not be lower than the walls of the arena themselves. We recommend hanging the door on two high-quality hinges. Be sure to install two valves. One latch is not enough for dogs - they will definitely knock it out.

We recommend making a small threshold under the door to make it convenient for the dog to go out. The door can be made of the same material as the entire playpen, or it can be made of plexiglass. This way, you will be able to watch your pet, and he will see what is happening in the world around him - this is another step for the dog towards socialization.

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:

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.
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).
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.

Floor

It will be good if you cover the entire playpen with a single piece of linoleum. The edges of the linoleum need to be let out and attached to the walls, thus creating a kind of trough. Thanks to this, you will protect the floor of the playpen from dog claws and urine leakage. Please note that you cannot make a floor from several pieces of linoleum. As soon as the dog finds this joint, it will begin to tear it apart and will not calm down until it ruins the entire coating.

If the room in which the playpen will be located is poorly heated, then the floor must be insulated. To do this, ordinary insulation is laid under the linoleum.

Special fur rugs are placed on the floor of the arena in which small puppies will live, under which a layer of absorbent material or paper must be placed. Thanks to this, the puppies will always have warm, dense and dry bedding under their paws. If you do not have the opportunity to buy such bedding, we recommend covering the floor of the arena with padding polyester blankets. As they become dirty, such blankets are replaced with clean ones, and the dirty ones are sent for washing. We recommend washing dirty synthetic blankets in a washing machine on a high temperature setting.

Kinds

The modern market for animal products offers a wide range of indoor enclosures. Among them there are soft mini-models for very small breeds, and reinforced designs for medium-sized pets. Classification of apartment fencing is made according to two main criteria: material of manufacture and shape of the structure. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as a number of features, which will be discussed below.

By shape

The shape of enclosures can be very diverse. The most practical and common are rectangular structures, which are usually installed in the corner of the room and, unlike round samples, do not take up excess space. But round and polygonal playpens are convenient for installation in the middle of a large room: such structures do not distort the space and are easier to walk around.

By material

Home dog enclosures are made of metal, plastic, fabric and wood.

Plastic models are the lightest and most inexpensive. They have a composite design and consist of individual modules. This allows you to experiment with shape and size, assembling one large structure from several arenas or, conversely, dividing one enclosure into several separate ones. The advantages of plastic models include ease of assembly and ease of maintenance. Such models do not absorb moisture and can be treated with any detergent.

The disadvantages of plastic enclosures include too little weight, which is why even a not very large dog can easily move it. The way out of the situation is suction cups, which firmly fix the structure to the floor and do not allow it to move under the pressure of the animal. Another significant disadvantage of plastic playpens is the relative softness of the material, which is why it is not recommended to purchase models for puppies and dogs that chew things.

An aviary-tent with a metal frame is the most impractical type of fencing and is not suitable for permanent use. Such models are well suited as a temporary structure, for example, for going out into nature or to the country. The advantage of tent models is low cost, light weight, as well as ease of transportation and storage. The disadvantages include the tendency to quickly become dirty and absorb unpleasant odors. In addition, the most active dogs can easily chew through the fabric base and get out.

A metal folding enclosure is the best option for home fencing and is suitable for any dog. The model is a collapsible structure consisting of wire modules made in the form of a mesh. The advantages of this type are: long service life, resistance to chewing of metal rods and excellent hygienic characteristics. The fences are easy to clean with any liquid product and retain their attractive appearance for a long time. The disadvantages of metal structures include the inconvenience of transporting long sections and the likelihood of scratching the floor if the pet is too active and moves the enclosure.

Wooden models look very noble and harmonize perfectly with furniture and home design. The advantages of such playpens include an attractive appearance and a completely environmentally friendly design. Among the disadvantages are the risk of segments being chewed, a tendency to swell from excess moisture and high cost. In addition, the side panels are of one-piece construction and often do not fit into the trunk of a car.

Tools for work

To create a dog playpen yourself, you will need a regular tool that every man probably has at home.

To complete this job you will need to take:

hammer;
construction stapler;
ruler;
roulette;
pliers;
pencils for marking material.

Step-by-step instruction

First of all, you need to decide on the material from which you want to make a playpen for your dog. We will assume that you have settled on the option of creating a playpen from laminated chipboard. So, the choice has been made, now you can start cutting. We advise you to draw the future playpen on a sheet of paper - this way you will know exactly what pieces to cut the chipboard you purchased into.

You can cut a sheet of chipboard into the required pieces using a regular wood saw. The ideal option is an electric jigsaw. In this case, the cut will be smooth and without possible cracking.

After the material is cut into the required pieces, you can begin assembling the playpen. You need to connect the chipboard using self-tapping screws, which can be tightened either with a regular screwdriver or with a cordless screwdriver. After assembling the main structure of the dog house, all you have to do is hang the doors, which you had to cut from the same sheet of chipboard. Using smaller self-tapping screws, we drill the hinges onto the door, and then attach it to the structure of the playpen. Make sure that the door is securely attached, as the dog will try to break it down.

The final touch is the latch on which the door will close. Choose a latch that is not too bulky, but at the same time not flimsy and without sharp edges so that the dog does not get hurt.

As we wrote above, the standard shape of the playpen is rectangular, but you can create your own special playpen. For example, it can be divided into two separate rooms, one of which will have a sleeping place, and the second will have a toilet and a bowl of food.

Peculiarities

A guard dog, regardless of its breed and location, needs an enclosure that will be considered its personal corner. The owner can make such a space for a pet independently or purchase a ready-made structure. There are hundreds of models on sale, from which you can choose the best option.

To make your dog’s enclosure as comfortable as possible, you need to study its features.

If the pet is constantly kept outdoors, the pen must be carefully protected from adverse weather conditions: wind, rain, snow and hail. Equipped blank walls will help protect the animal from precipitation; in frosty winters, the lattice wall should be additionally covered with an awning.
A warm booth should be placed inside the enclosure. Even if the dog lives in an apartment, the pen should still have a sleeping place.
The parameters of the enclosure are calculated based on the dimensions of the animal. The minimum area is 4 square meters.
The design provides for convenient maintenance. A person should be able to clean the premises and feed the animal without difficulty. To do this, you should take care of the equipped flush. It consists of an inclined floor with holes through which water will drain into the soil.
Sufficient height to be positioned at human height will ensure ease of cleaning the pen and communicating with your pet.
The pen must be dry so that the dog does not get sick.
The kennel should not only keep warm in bad weather, but also match the size of the dog. The height of the side at the entrance to the kennel of at least 25 cm can ensure heat retention.
The area for walking the animal should be spacious. The minimum dimensions are 2 square meters.
The roof is located above the walking compartment so that the dog does not get its paws dirty while walking.
Pen doors should be equipped in such a way that they open inwards and can be pressed against the wall surface.
We must not forget about lighting, which will allow feeding and walking the animal in the dark.
Due to the simple locking mechanism, which is reliable, it will be possible to ensure the necessary level of safety for the animal and others.
Wood elements should be easily replaced, because the floor will begin to rot in any case. To increase the service life of the floor surface, you can use anti-rot impregnation and raise the boards above the ground.

Proper care of the playpen

The playpen must be thoroughly cleaned every morning. During cleaning, there should be no animals in the playpen.

All rugs, rags and dirty newspapers are removed from the playpen. The floor and walls are washed with a damp cloth using disinfectants. If desired, after wet cleaning, you can treat all surfaces with a product that eliminates unpleasant odors. Remember that all cleaning products are toxic, so be sure to wash the playpen thoroughly so that no traces of chemicals remain. When cleaning, do not forget to ventilate the room.

After wet cleaning, you need to wipe the playpen dry and leave it for quartzing. To perform this operation, use a special UV lamp. After quartzing, the playpen is covered with clean rugs, rags and newspapers. The dog is allowed into the playpen only after the temperature in the room becomes comfortable after ventilation.

When you need an aviary: TOP-7 cases

An aviary is a special structure for the temporary residence of animals (in particular, dogs).

The structure can be made of metal, plastic or wood, with or without a roof. Many dog owners have been using these crates successfully for a long time. And for those who think that the enclosure is only intended for keeping large dogs outside, we can assure you that this is not the case.

There are several main reasons why owners of four-legged eared and tailed animals think about an aviary. So:

There is a small breed of dog living at home : Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, Russian Toy, Spitz, etc. These cute dogs always attract the attention of guests who want to stroke, touch and lisp them, and they generally don’t know where to hide from children. The enclosure will become their small fortress, their territory, which no one can encroach on.
A puppy appeared in the apartment. He is interested in everything, he wants to run everywhere, sniff and chew with his small sharp teeth. To prevent anything harmful or dangerous from getting into your baby’s mouth, let him sit in the playpen for a while and play with his toys.
The puppy needs to be toilet trained. This kind of “pen” is perfect for limiting the dog’s space. Therefore, only in this territory will she find a secluded place to relieve herself, and the owner will be able to put a tray or a diaper there. As a result, there will be no need to look for “surprises” throughout the apartment and remove them.
The animal is sick or is in quarantine (for example, after vaccination). The enclosure, as a rule, is equipped with everything necessary: bowls for food and water, soft lining, toys, litter tray. There is a small area where you can take a walk. It is very convenient for owners to observe and care for the dog when it is in a certain place.
The mother bitch is waiting for a new baby or is already feeding her cubs. Both she and the puppies need a place where they can calmly rest and gain strength without outside interference.
The owner is absent and it is undesirable for the animal to run around the house. Then the aviary will be very useful. The structure will come in handy when carrying out repairs, general cleaning and even going out into nature. A portable structure of small size can limit the dog’s movement.
There are other animals in the house. By placing the dog in an enclosure, you can easily exclude contact with other “residents”.

An apartment enclosure should become a place where a dog enters with pleasure, making sure of the person’s good intentions and comfortable conditions for staying there.

Video “Building an enclosure for dogs and puppies at home”

In this video we are talking about how to independently build a spacious enclosure for dogs awaiting the birth of puppies, as well as, in fact, for the puppies themselves.

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Start of the project

In a country house or private area there is always some space for a dog.

Drawing with dimensions of an enclosure for dogs

animal height up to 50 cm at the withers – 6 square meters. m;
from 50 to 60 cm – 8 sq. m;
above 65 cm at the withers – minimum 10 sq.m.

The minimum amount of space allows the dog to feel more or less comfortable in a limited space without much harm. When calculating the area, it is worth considering that a room that is too large will not only be expensive to build, but also extremely harmful for your pet, since it is very difficult to protect it from weather conditions. Next, you should find a level place to lay the foundation. The easiest way is to use a thin concrete screed as a base, which is usually used when building a garage. You should not place the building near the garden and plants. Excessive humidity will have a negative impact on the dog’s well-being, and the integrity of the plants may be at risk.

Advantages of aviary keeping

If the dog is properly and fully kept in the enclosure, as well as following the rules of rational feeding in order to avoid obesity, there are a number of advantages of this type of keeping the animal:

pets experiencing seasonal and daily temperature changes become more resilient;
Frequent exposure to the sun and getting vitamin D helps strengthen the skeleton and reduce diseases associated with the musculoskeletal system;
the seasonal shedding takes place quite quickly, the coat becomes thick and shiny;
dogs have a more stable psyche than those that are overly influenced by people, children, involved in family conflicts, and so on;
have a good, healthy appetite;
less susceptible to inflammation of the outer ear.

Your own home is very important for the life and health of a dog. You just need to help her create, arrange and maintain a comfortable home.

Installation required

Many owners are embarrassed by the prospect of locking their pets within four walls, but letting a large breed dog into the house is not the best solution. According to dog handlers, for some breeds, keeping an enclosure is a necessary necessity. Alaskan Malamute, Tibetan Mastiff, Alabai - these breeds were created for protection; they are naturally given the need for their own guard post. Such dogs feel great when kept outdoors, even in winter, but when kept at home they cause more harm.

The ubiquity of hair, the danger of damaged furniture and interior items, and an unpleasant odor are some of the reasons why you should not keep large dogs at home. Moreover, some owners worry that the dog will be lonely on the street. This is absolutely not true. Of course, he will be glad to communicate, but he will never feel limited or locked in. Dogs, having gotten used to new conditions, perceive it as their territory.

Now there is a large selection of ready-made enclosures for dogs, but many people strive to make them with their own hands. For some, the standard design is not suitable, while for others its price is not suitable. Some people themselves want to arrange their pet’s home so that it is as comfortable as possible. The cost of the finished product is quite high, but the materials are not cheap now. And in order to build a high-quality enclosure you need to have some skills. You may not always have all the necessary equipment and tools at hand at home, and you will have to turn to a specialist for help. Before you start creating a home enclosure for dogs with your own hands, you should think about everything carefully and calculate it. It is possible that it is better to do only part of the work yourself, and let specialists perform other more complex workpieces.

Choosing a location for an outdoor enclosure for a dog. In the northern regions they are located with a façade facing south, and in the southern regions, on the contrary, towards the southeast or southwest. It is necessary that it stands on a hill, and that the dog has the opportunity to hide from the sun. We select materials for making the product. It is better to choose one that is safe for your pet. When using boards, our design will be safe and reliable. One of the walls of our structure can be a ready-made wall of a garage or other building. It is best if you first sketch out a simple drawing, which will help take into account all the nuances of the future design.

Next you will need to prepare the site for construction. It is best to concrete it or lay asphalt. If this cannot be done yet, then you can cover the ground with roofing felt or put down roofing felt. Then we make a border on which we will begin to mount our structure. Its height can be approximately the size of a couple of bricks. What is it for? It is necessary to ventilate the space between the platform and the enclosure, which will allow it to be ventilated and remain as dry as possible.

Let's move on to making the floor. The most environmentally friendly and comfortable for your dog will be a wooden covering. It's warm and easy to clean. When you make an enclosure for a dog with your own hands, it is advisable to fit the boards tightly and without gaps so that the pet cannot get hurt. To prevent the floor from sagging, it is advisable to install the shield on strong supports. These can be logs or a frame specially welded from pipes.

Let's start making the walls. One or two of them need to be made solid. Wood or corrugated board is suitable for this. The rest can be built from lattice. We will make a gap between the bars of about 10 cm. Here, in the lattice, there will be the door of our enclosure.

After constructing the walls, we proceed to the roof. It can be built from any high-quality material - corrugated sheets, slate, galvanized metal, metal tiles. The main thing is that there is a slope for water drainage, so we make one wall 10-15 centimeters higher.

How to set up an enclosure for a dog? You definitely need to make a wooden one for it.

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.

Exhibition accessories

If you are going to show your pet at an exhibition, you need to collect a fairly large list of everything you need:

Show rings: you will need several of them, as they get torn or lost. They cost 260-1,600 rubles.
Combs: 600-2,500 rub.
Bowls, water and treats with a bag.
Toys: 60-900 rub.
Number holder: 150-450 rub.
Pre-ring cosmetics: 150-250 rub.
First aid kit for dogs: 450-1,500 rubles.
Carrying cages: RUB 1,500-5,200.
Towels and diapers: 200-1,000 rubles.
Table and table for grooming: together from 6,500 rub.

At the exhibition Also, do not forget a certificate from the veterinarian, documents for the dog, wet and dry wipes, a garbage bag, a schedule for the rings, an invitation to the exhibition, and, of course, the pet itself!

Yorkshire Terrier: affectionate and brave beast

Do not forget that the Yorkshire Terrier breed was not bred to decorate the knees of celebrities and was not always decorative.

The ancestors of the modern baby were much larger in size and gained a reputation as merciless exterminators of English rats.

Yes, this adorable dog has terrier blood in his blood. Not a single Yorkie will sit still when he sees a neighbor's cat or a bird taking flight. The call of blood will tirelessly call him forward, towards adventure.

These inquisitive explorers, despite the danger, can suddenly throw themselves under the wheels of a bicycle or car in pursuit of their goal.

Yes, the Yorkshire Terrier does not shed, fortunately for allergy sufferers and lovers of cleanliness, but he is desperately cold when the temperature outside is sub-zero. Without special shoes, this baby is not comfortable splashing through the snow and autumn slush.

Can't stand loneliness.

Yes, the Yorkie is selflessly devoted to his owner.

He shouldn't be left alone for long. He will be alone, or he will start looking for entertainment.

And it’s unlikely that the owner will like the way he thinks. Or, even worse, you might get sick from boredom.

If you cannot give your dog constant attention, then it is better not to get a Yorkie. Yes, the Yorkshire Terrier is called the “baby with a Napoleon complex”

This dog knows no fear and has willfulness and great ambitions.

Yes, the Yorkshire Terrier is called the “baby with a Napoleon complex.” This dog knows no fear and has willfulness and great ambitions.

Add to this extreme intelligence and you can easily get a domestic tyrant. To prevent this from happening, the Yorkshire Terrier must be taught basic commands from an early age.