Aviary for Alabai - dimensions, can it be kept on a chain?

To keep a dog like the Central Asian Shepherd in a private home requires a lot of space. Since the breed is very large, it will be useful for those interested to learn how to make an enclosure for an Alabai. What size should the structure be and what materials can be used. And also how to independently assemble a sleeping place for a four-legged watchman.

Aviary made of wood and metal Source tiu.ru

Where should a dog's enclosure be located?

The regulations require:

• installing housing away from the road, if space allows;
• being on the western or eastern side - for protection from cold and heat;
• absence of an outdoor toilet near the enclosure.

Important! Is it possible to keep an Alabai on a chain all the time? Dog experts do not recommend this approach. The pet should feel comfortable and not be limited in movement.

The location of the structure on the site must meet several requirements

Features of the structure of walls, floors and roofs

If the enclosure is being built for a dog that will always live in the yard, it is important to protect it from drafts and lock the adjacent and rear wall of the enclosure. To build these walls it is better to use:

To build these walls it is better to use:

• wooden board;
• thick tongue and groove board in metal frames;
• brick; monolithic concrete;
• cinder block.

The open wall should face south, southeast, southwest. It is made from metal rods.

The gate is made using a metal frame and iron rods.

How should the enclosure be closed? Remember, dogs are smart and cunning creatures. They open many locks with ease. The lock must be secure and located outside. Provide your dog with a warm, dry floor.

The best option for flooring is wood. A floor made of thick planks is durable and will provide protection from drafts. The base can be made of concrete, but in this case it is necessary to have a wooden flooring with ventilation from below.

Important! Asphalt, concrete and other similar surfaces can be harmful to your dog's nails and joints. The boards need to be treated with special products to protect them from mold and rot, and also make sure that there are no knots or nails on them, because the dog can get hurt

You can make wooden flooring in the form of a panel structure. In this case, you first need to assemble a metal frame from a profiled pipe. Then cover it with boards at least 40 mm thick.

The bottom of the boards should always be open, this will prevent rotting processes. It is best to waterproof the soil under the flooring using a material such as roofing felt.

In order to create the required gap, it will be necessary to raise the flooring onto a stand, the brickwork will serve as a support.

Important! The floor in the enclosure should be inclined from the side walls to the center and towards the front side

There are no special requirements for the roof; the only important thing is the presence of a large canopy. It can be made from absolutely any roofing material

For example, from:

• metal tiles;
• slate;
• soft roof;
• profiled sheet.

The best roofing will be one that not only protects the dog from precipitation, but also has high sound insulation. The slope of the roof should be in the direction of drainage. This way, water will not accumulate under the decking.

The general condition for keeping a dog in an enclosure is the presence of a place for walking and a spacious kennel.

The kennel should not be huge, but nevertheless, the dog should sleep comfortably in it, stretching out his whole body.

In cold weather, the dog should warm the house from the inside with its warmth. Having a place to walk is also necessary so that the dog can relieve itself. And also run or stretch.

There may be a vestibule next to the booth: the dog’s personal belongings can be stored inside it. For example, toys, bones, bowls. There is also a maternity kennel for puppies.

What should an enclosure be like for an Alabai

In addition to the size of the Alabai enclosure, the owner must take into account the following requirements:

• the structure must rise above the ground;
• created from warm materials - wood, etc.;
• be convenient for cleaning, giving water and food;
• protected from rain and snow.

Important! Alabai should not sit on a chain; he has the right to walk freely around the closed perimeter.

Dependence on gender

In an enclosure for a CAO, the sex of the animal is taken into account during construction:

• females - must protect themselves from bad weather, with an eye on future offspring;
• males need strong and reliable housing to prevent unauthorized absences.

Important! A cage for an Alabai boy should not be made of chain-link mesh. Otherwise, the pet will destroy it in a few weeks.

Housing for 2 individuals

Alabai enclosure area

During construction, the construction of several separate zones is envisaged:

• for food;
• recreation;
• games.

The minimum size of the building is 10 sq.m., and if you are counting on future offspring and want to keep them, you will need at least 5 sq.m. for each new member.

Alabai enclosure floor

After concreting the base, foam plastic is laid on top, then boards. This approach will allow for additional insulation of the structure and prevent hypothermia of the animal.

Roof of the Alabai enclosure

Experts prefer the single-slope option. The main focus is on roofing material. The top of the structure is lined with ondulin, slate, tiles, corrugated sheets or metal tiles.

Alabai enclosure door

The door is installed from the front, it should open inward. Additionally, the structure is equipped with metal valves.

The process of creating an aviary structure

Placement of the Alabai enclosure

The cage is placed in an open place from which the dog can view the entire territory.

Important! Dogs must warn owners about visits from strangers, so their homes cannot be installed behind other outbuildings.

Materials for the Alabai enclosure

When creating a design use:

• for walls - metal rods;
• for the floor - wood;
• for the roof - a waterproofing material that covers the top wooden cover.

Important! The supports of the dwelling must be concreted.

Aviary diagram

Step-by-step instruction

You can make an enclosure for an alabai with your own hands in hundreds of variations. But all of them ultimately refer either to the simplest option or to the relatively complex one.

The simplest option

It doesn’t even make sense to dwell on it in detail. You already know that this is a structure without a roof. It is enough to fence the area around the perimeter with a metal frame of sufficient rigidity, and that’s it – the enclosure is ready with your own hands. You already know what materials to use.

One caveat. To prevent the dog from digging into the pen and getting out, it is necessary, again, to concrete the perimeter. You don’t need to go deep, 30-40 cm is enough. Instead of concrete, you can use, for example, slate, which is dug to the same depth. This will be a good obstacle for the Alabai.

The best option

It is optimal in the most general sense. The specifics can be very variable. Let's give an example of one of the options. You can easily replace some stages of DIY work and materials with other, similar ones.

• The stage of developing a drawing that takes into account the size of the shepherd and other nuances. At the same stage, the necessary materials are purchased.
• The floor is concreted. To be safe, you should go a little deeper into the ground - 5-7 cm to form a foundation. Using formwork we fix the concrete silhouette, the total height of the floor is about 15-20 cm.
• Next, you should insulate the floor with boards. It is advisable to make a slight slope.
• The walls are made of metal lattice. The corner elements are dug into the ground, after which the gratings are welded to them. A door is made on the front side, the latches of which are located on the outside.
• If this does not interfere with the view, the side walls are sheathed with lightweight material - corrugated board or polycarbonate. This will protect the shepherd from the wind. The back wall is sheathed by default.
• The roof is being installed. First, wooden beams are attached. Then corrugated sheets, slate or ondulin are laid on top of them. The latter is characterized by better sound insulation - drumming rain will not irritate your pet as much. The roof must have a slope.
• The metal is primed and painted.

You can do it as in the next photo.

That's it, you made the enclosure with your own hands. You can install a booth and accessories, and invite your favorite shepherd to a housewarming party.

Making your own booth

The design is created using ready-made patterns. The initial option depends on the choice of the owner.

How to choose flooring

Experts prefer wooden blocks, boards, glassine and polystyrene foam. The latter are used as insulation.

Walls

The basis of the home is wood, which retains heat and does not heat up in hot weather. The outer side is covered with clapboard, the inner side is insulated with glassine, polystyrene foam, and additionally covered with plywood or chipboard.

Roof and door

The upper part is created from a frame equal in size to the internal perimeter of the home. From the inside it is reinforced with OSB sheet, insulated with glassine and covered with plywood. The roof is secured with door hinges and covered with roofing felt or tiles.

Important! The door can be hinged or solid, made of wooden material.

Rules for calculating sizes

How to make a dog house for the winter: work order

The construction of a winter booth begins with the floor, which is made double and warm. Then they make the frame, walls, ceiling.

Necessary:

• saw off two 40x40 bars, the length is equal to the width of the booth,
• sew a floorboard on them;
• turn the structure over, install a 100x100 beam in each corner with a length of “booth height + 45 mm”;
• Place 2 40x40 bars in the place where the hole is installed;
• secure the intermediate posts on which the roof-ceiling will rest. Their length is equal to the internal height of the booth;
• cover the outside of the booth with clapboard;
• make a warm removable ceiling: put together a perimeter from 40x40 cm bars and sew on a sheet of plywood. For the ceiling, intermediate blocks must be cut into the large booth to prevent sagging of the plywood;
• insulate the ceiling with mineral wool, foam plastic or other insulation, sew a second sheet of plywood on top, make a roof;
• waterproof the bottom of the booth by treating the wood with a special compound. Roofing felt can be secured to the bottom with a stapler and two pieces of 100x50 timber;
• insulate the floor, make a finished floor;
• insulate the walls.

We made the inside of the booth from fiberboard which was nailed to a 50mm block, and 50mm PPS was placed in the resulting niche. They decorated it with clapboard.

The dog will be comfortable in such a booth at any time, but in severe weather conditions the opening should be closed with special curtains.

Take any durable material slightly larger than the entrance to the booth. It is cut into wide strips, which are overlapped together at the top. The top is secured with a bar above the entrance to the booth. Show the dog once that this is not a solid wall, and he will climb in and out without any problems.

Here is a winter booth made by our member with the nickname Shamilich. There are two rooms in the booth: a “winter road”, the dimensions of which were calculated based on the size of the dog, and a vestibule.

We are ready for the cold, which I personally am sincerely happy about. I am sure that the dog will also appreciate our efforts!

In severe frosts, a winter dog house can be filled with straw. There is no need to feel sorry for the straw: the dog itself will throw away the excess and arrange an ideal bed for itself.

How to make a dog enclosure for the winter

When constructing an enclosure, the following rules should be observed:

• The enclosure is made away from the street fence.
• Part of the walls of the enclosure should be blank to protect from the wind. You can make a completely enclosed enclosure with a fenced walking area.
• A strip foundation will help avoid undermining.
• Part of the enclosure must be covered with a canopy so that the sap can hide from precipitation and, in summer, from the sun.
• An aviary is a rather expensive design; it is better to do it thoroughly right away.

Requirements for insulated enclosures depend on the breed of dog. So, enclosures for Caucasians or Alabai are made on a slab or other massive foundation, with concrete frame pillars, and no chain-link for fencing the enclosure - only reinforcement. Enclosures for dogs of other breeds are subject to less stringent requirements.

Sat-Electric participant made an enclosure without a foundation, so that if necessary, it could be moved to another location.

To build such an enclosure for a dog, you need:

• level the surface;
• Lay out sheets of waterproofing roll material overlapping and with a margin for deflection. Glue the overlaps with a torch;
• make a frame from 150x100 timber.

cover the frame with a thick board, bend the waterproofing.

lay an OSB board on top (or better yet, a tongue-and-groove board).

assemble a frame from 100x100 timber.

• Attach temporary diagonal struts to stiffen the frame.
• Assemble the rafter structure and cover it with metal tiles.

Sheathe the walls and insulate the area of ​​the built-in booth (the booth is also insulated).

• treat the floor and walls with decorative and protective material.
• secure the mesh (or lattice, depending on the breed of the dog).

FORUMHOUSE has many successful examples of warm dog enclosures. The thorough project of our user with the nickname rombikk deserves attention. This warm winter enclosure made of brick is made with your own hands.

The OSB booth is insulated with foam plastic, the roof is made of metal tiles. In the photo, the winter enclosure is in varying degrees of readiness: during operation, it was modernized several times: a sun awning and a metal-plastic window for the winter appeared. Then the building was completely glazed.

In winter, the dog was not entirely comfortable; there was snow. Now the pet is very happy, she has her own glass house.

This is an enclosure with an insulated camping booth for our user with the nickname Oksana.

A booth with a red roof is a summer one, and a white one is a winter booth for an Alabai. It has two rooms with a partition that can be rearranged to change the layout of the room and a folding roof for cleaning. There is a window in the booth through which the dog observes the situation on the site in winter.

The enclosure is not particularly high, but because the bars are bent inward, the dog cannot jump over it.

Common Mistakes

When creating a design, you need to avoid the following miscalculations:

• do not skimp on materials and fasteners;
• avoid additional decor;
• do not install housing near flower beds and flower beds - flowering plants negatively affect the dog’s sense of smell;
• maintain a spacing between the rods of 50 to 100 mm;
• do not use nails to avoid injury;
• regularly check the structure for the integrity of seams and joints.

Important! If the owner does not have experience in building such structures, then it is better to turn to professionals, or purchase a ready-made safe product.

Diseases

Alabai boasts good health. But there are diseases to which the Central Asian Shepherd is suddenly exposed.

Common

Here is a list of diseases common among Alabais:

1. Joint problems. The considerable weight of the dog negatively affects the structure of the cartilage. Arthritis, arthrosis, dysplasia, and so on occur.
2. Problems with the cardiovascular system. If the dog leads an inactive lifestyle, then the performance of the heart decreases and the elasticity of blood vessels is impaired.
3. Excess weight and poor functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle are not good for your dog.

If the Alabai has become indifferent to the outside world and does not want to communicate with the owner, then you should immediately consult a veterinarian. The specialist will examine the pet and prescribe treatment. It is not recommended to select medications on your own, much less test traditional medicine on a dog.

Rare

Such diseases can occur due to a gene defect, or the owner’s neglect of the dog.

Here is the list:

• Skin. For example, the Central Asian Shepherd dog suffers from ringworm and demodicosis. Infected from other animals, or due to living in poor conditions.
• Genetic. These are infertility, diabetes and cryptorchidism. The treatment is long, and is selected only by a veterinarian.
• Parvovirus enteritis. A contagious and practically untreatable viral disease. Very often the animal dies.

Self-medication is not encouraged. Otherwise, all attempts will lead to sad consequences.

Nose becomes swollen

A swollen nose indicates the presence of some disease. The reasons why a dog's nose swells can be different. Here are some of them:

1. bite of a wasp, bee, mosquito or other insect;
2. allergic reaction;
3. runny nose;
4. viral diseases;
5. poor nutrition;
6. immunity disorder.

A swollen nose is a cause for concern and a visit to the veterinarian. For example, a bee or wasp sting causes the dog to have trouble breathing. May be accompanied by swelling of the nasopharynx.

Alabai is a dog that requires increased attention and professional training. If the owner takes into account the recommendations of specialists and doctors, the dog will become a good and healthy protector of all family members. The Shepherd gets along easily with other pets, is unpretentious in food, but needs care.

Tips for use

Experts recommend:

• regularly clean the booth and enclosure from accumulated dirt;
• periodically disinfect accessible surfaces;
• check the roof and waterproofing material for integrity.

The owner must remember that the enclosure and house are the animal’s permanent place of residence. Monthly general cleaning of the home will help avoid problems with your pet's health, and daily washing of bowls will help prevent intestinal infections.

The litter should also be changed and washed in a timely manner. With the arrival of the warm season, preventive work is carried out, including treating wooden surfaces from pests and cleaning the internal parts with disinfectant solutions.

The owner of a Central Asian Shepherd can make an enclosure and a booth independently, with his own hands, or buy an inexpensive finished product. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the degree of surface treatment - otherwise the pet will suffer from splinters in the paws and body.

Brief history and description of the breed

Alabai has a large and strong build. The dog was not specially bred by selective breeding. It has ancient roots, and its homeland is Central Asia. Over four thousand years, nature itself has created an excellent guard, which shepherds initially and still use to protect sheep and other livestock from predators.

The territory where the Alabai live is very huge. It extends from China to the Caspian Sea on one side and from Afghanistan to the Southern Urals on the other. The edges are distinguished by serious severity. Cruel natural selection has created a true fighter and protector for humans. This was facilitated by the fact that the dog’s family includes the fighting dogs of Mesopotamia, and one of its closest relatives is the Tibetan mastiff.

The word “alabai” is taken from ancient Turkic languages ​​and means heterogeneous color with spots. But the breed has another name - Tobet. It came from Kazakhstan and literally means “dog on the top of the hill.” Harsh conditions strengthened the animal’s character and made him a fearless wolfhound.

Adults have a height at the withers of at least 70 cm. The weight of a male dog can reach eighty kilograms. A wide chest with strong limbs and strong bones make the breed tempting for widespread use in the protection of government facilities. Soviet dog handlers tried to do this in the thirties of the last century.

Large Central Asian Shepherd Dog Source vplate.ru

But the psychology of the breed turned out to be very complex and therefore training was considered difficult to implement. Moreover, not every dog ​​has protective qualities. Today, alabai can still be found in the pastures of Central Asia. But for the most part he guards private houses.

How to achieve optimal height?

As mentioned above, improvised means are often used to lift the bowl off the floor: feed buckets, stacks of old books, small chairs. All this does not solve one problem - pushing and knocking over bowls by active dogs. The best option is a special tripod with rings for metal bowls. He:

• has the necessary stability,
• prevents the bowl from being knocked over
• allows precise height adjustment,
• can be used from a very early age,
• allows you to install two bowls at once: for food and water.