Have An Outdoor Dog? Follow These Tips When Creating A Fenced-In Dog Run

When you have a dog that spends a lot of time outdoors, building a fence that surrounds your property may not be very practical. Your goal is to keep your dog contained and secure, and you can do that much more efficiently by creating a dog run with chain link fencing. Here are some tips for building it.

Use An Existing Structure

It's possible to create your dog run in a place that's completely separated from your house, but it requires extra material and labor to do so. You can save on both of these things by constructing it around an existing structure on your property. This could be the side of your house or a garage. Doing this will end up saving you money on fencing material, since you'll not need to fence off the sides that are against an existing structure.

Install Protection From The Sun

Depending on where the sun travels during the day, your dog may need some protection from the sun on those hot summer days. Factor into your budget that you will need to install an awning over a part of the shelter. Not only will your dog appreciate the shade, but it will prevent potential health problems such as sun exposure and overheating.

Make Space For A Dog House

Even if you do provide some shade with an awning, your dog will love an area where they're able to sleep comfortably and have protection from the weather. Save on materials by planning for entrance to the dog house to be along the perimeter of the space. You'll use less fencing since the dog house will essentially act as a wall.

Plan For Easy Access

Don't make the mistake of including a gate that is the perfect size for your dog, or a ceiling that is too low. You'll want the gate to be big enough so that you have access for cleaning the area. If you fenced-in the top of the dog run, make sure that the roof is high enough that you can comfortably walk through the space.

Leave Plenty of Room To Play

The key to making an enjoyable dog run is giving your pet plenty of room to have some fun. They shouldn't be confined to a long and narrow path where all they can do is literally run back and forth. Give them a more open area where they can play with toys to stay active while they are inside.

Now that you have these tips in mind, work with a fencing company in your area to help you build your dog run.