dogs chained or Kenneled?

[Powder River Walker]

I was wondering what your thoughts would be on which is better staking a hound out on a chain or putting them in a 10 x 10 kennal? Each with good shelter and shade.
PRW

[liontracker]

Kennel, by a longshot, for a lot of reasons.

[Brady Davis]

My hounds are in 10x10 kennels. I like the Preifert powder coated kennels. They sure are spendy but I'll tell you this, you won't have to replace them. I have a couple that I've had almost 15 years with dogs in them almost constantly and I love them. Super easy to move too and mine have moved about 6 times with me...

[cab]

Many bird dog trainers say that dogs that are tied, stay in better shape and respond to training more readily. However for parisite control and cleanliness, and most importantly, for my ease and comfort, kennels are the way to go.

[Redwood Coonhounds]

I have 10x10 kennels on gravel with a roof. They are probably the safest and most conveinent. But my dogs tend to be more happy tied. I have owned 2 dogs of the same line that were so depressed in a kennel they wouldn't eat, sleep or go to the bathroom for days on end.

I don't like "chains" but have one of the nice Cable Trolly systems. My male dog runs around on that thing all day, all you can hear is "zip, zip, zip" while the others just lay in the dog house in the kennel. If I had the choice and a nice yard, I would have them all together, all the time. Right now I have them doubled, and that helps with warmth and from being bored.

[ZeluvaRIP69er]

CHAINS!

Build your dogs houses the way you like and take a big piece of thick flatboard, drill 2 holes on one end on each corner and put that side on the ground, lean it up against the house to get the right angle you want, stake it down, drill another hole on the top corner, the one furthest away from the dog house door, stake it down, but make sure the dog can't get tangled.

Barry the buckets.

Barry the chain with the orange stake things they have at wal-mart.

And if you are worried about mess, simply buy a hoe, shovel, and 5 gallon bucket and clean dog poop morning and night, I know a lot of people who do it, hell I did it for my childhood with dad, so it is possible lol.

I would never in the world put my dogs in a kennel system. Just my oppinion, I would rather have 30 evil derranged Plotts living in my hounse with me then in the kennel.

[Gamedog]

I definately prefer chain set up's. I run 4' truck axle shafts thru a heavy piece of 3" id steel tubing cut 1/2" wide. Attach to a stout "S" link then to a heavy grade chain. I typically run 12' lengths.
I believe the dogs get more exercise and stay in shape better than being kenneled.

[waylon]

I have dogs tied and in pens bigger than 10x10 the ones on chains are just as happy,healty and hunt just as good. So long as a dog doesnt live on the chain and gets hunted it works just as good IMO. But one thing I dont like and cant stand that almost every one else likes is concrete flooring, to me it's bad on the knees and joints and i havent noticed dogs kept on concrete looking or doing any better than dogs on dirt so long as you keep it clean and worm like you should anyway.But i have seen dogs who spent there life on concrete when not hunting and to me they got stiff knees and joints earlier in life. Like i said though most every one else seems to likes it, but i dont

[Huntin Hounds]

Kennels!
I have my dogs in 10x10 Kennels and i love them. I let them run around my fenced yard when I'm home. They each have there own kennel. I think it is important for your dogs to have there own space every once in a while. I agree that concrete is disgusting. Its very messy and if it rains a lot in your area it just smears around. My kennels are filled with gravel. First lay some wire mesh down flat on the ground. You can get a roll of concrete mesh at home depot pretty cheap. Get 8x8x16 cinder blocks and lay them on the steel mesh at the edge to help hold it down. This will prevent any diggers from escaping. Make sure you lay it out so your kennel panels rest close to the middle. Fill the inside of the kennel with 3-4 inches of 3/4 crushed gravel. You may need to place some bricks in the center to hold down the wire until the gravel is in. It drains very nicely! The poop dries out fast making it easy clean up and when your dog gets into the grease you just scoop up a little gravel with it. This works well for me however i do believe chains provide way more exercise but they are ugly as hell. I let my dogs run around for a couple hours everyday and road them in the off season.

[FullCryHounds]

NEITHER! I used kennels for many years and about 11 years ago, swithed to keeping all my dogs together in a one acre run. Never used chains so can't say much good or bad about them. For some reason they are illegal in many states. Maybe theres a reason.
Keeping them all together is by far the best thing I've ever done for my dogs. No more barking because they are bored. No more sore feet because they're feet aren't in shape. One, 8 foot long dog box they all use and keep nice and warm in. One water bucket to clean and fill every other day. No picking up crap twice a day. And best part is the dogs are healthier, socialized better and not bored every day sitting in a kennel or stuck on a chain. I only run males because I don't think this setup would work with males and females together. Also if you have aggressive dogs, it probably wouldn't work.

[jimmyd]

I had kennels, but had digging and climbing problems. I went to 40' cables on the ground with a 7' lead attached to it and the dog. They really seem to like this set up. Get good exercise by themselves. The pens I had were 12' X 16', but I think we are all happier with this new set up. Of course you have to have the room to do it.

[waylon]

FullCryHounds, what type of fence are you using, my dogs will get out of regular fence even with a hot wire at the top, plus what do you do if you got a sick dog. and do you ever have dog fights when your not at home.also what about feeding time any trouble. I am not asking with doubt here just wondering how you work it

[perk]

I have some of both. I keep 3 dogs on the chain, and I have about 15-20 more at any given time in bunch of pens. Some pens are 10x20 some are 15x20 some are 20X20. Some times some have as few as 2 dogs and as many as 8. I use 6 ft 2x4 welded dog wire, and 4x4 treated wood post and I have a peice about a foot wide attached at the bottom incase of digging, and about 12 inches at the top attached leaning over in the the pen in case of climbing, the pen floors are gravel dust. I try to clean poop 2 times a week, raking the gravel pens are easy and keeps the dogs feet tough.
I prefer pens to chains, but keep some of my males on the 3 chains to keep them away from gyps in heat. feed all my dogs at the same time, they each have a bowl and know it, and have learned not to run another dog away from his food or he will get stomped, lesson has to be revisited about 2 times a year. No problems with dogs fighting in the pen.

Perk

[Brady Davis]

I have some of both. I keep 3 dogs on the chain, and I have about 15-20 more at any given time in bunch of pens. Some pens are 10x20 some are 15x20 some are 20X20. Some times some have as few as 2 dogs and as many as 8. I use 6 ft 2x4 welded dog wire, and 4x4 treated wood post and I have a peice about a foot wide attached at the bottom incase of digging, and about 12 inches at the top attached leaning over in the the pen in case of climbing, the pen floors are gravel dust. I try to clean poop 2 times a week, raking the gravel pens are easy and keeps the dogs feet tough.
I prefer pens to chains, but keep some of my males on the 3 chains to keep them away from gyps in heat. feed all my dogs at the same time, they each have a bowl and know it, and have learned not to run another dog away from his food or he will get stomped, lesson has to be revisited about 2 times a year. No problems with dogs fighting in the pen.

Perk

How do you have 8 dogs in a pen? Even if it's 20x20? Seems way too cramped?

[perk]

That was probably a poor estimate in size, It is more like 25x25. Thats 625 sq ft, big pen. At the moment I only have 5 dogs in this pen. Normally dont get more than 6 in there, but sometimes numbers are up cause Im trying some dogs from someone. I have 3 houses attached to the outside that pen that are 8ft x 4ft x 4ft. well more than enough room for sleeping. Most of the time if you look at my pen my hounds are laying down in the pen sunning themselves, or laying in the hay in the houses during the winter. The only time you see them outside running and playing or barking in the pen is if Im feedinging them, someone comes in the driveway, I crank up my hunting truck, or a bunch of gyps are in heat, at the moment all 6 in my big pen are in heat.

The only dogs who run around in the pen are normally my young dogs, when they reach about 24 months they normally settle down and act like an old dog. And they get tauhgt not to bark aimlessly at nothing. I dont see my dogs as looking depressed because they just lay around when not hunting, I see that as they have sense. Heck my grandfather used to keep his hounds loose in the yard and they didnt do anything but lay around under the trees most of the time until it was time to go hunting.

When you expect dogs to behave a certian way in the pen it doesnt take alot of space. When i clean my pens I leave the doors open while I rake and shovel the crap and they know not to run out the door too.

Again just my opinion but it doesnt take alot of space if your dogs have good kennel manners.

Perk