Gravel and Splayed Feet?

Redwood Coonhounds · Post by **Redwood Coonhounds** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:12 pm

I just got done putting down 2 yards of pea gravel in my two 10 x 10 kennels. It is pretty thick 4+ inches. I'm putting side boards up on the outside to keep them from pushig it out, and put liner on the bottom to keep them from digging, and from the gravel getting mashed into the dust/mud. I did it mostly to keep the dogs cleaner (we have RED dirt), and to keep mud and dust down.

After sitting back and looking the dogs feet seem to splay in the gravel cause it's so loose and deep. Will living in there make them tighten thier feet more or cause them to splay? These dogs have cat feet, are feed good feed, kept lean and muscled, excercised regularly, and will be hunting pretty hard come a few weeks.

Anyone else use gravel in there pens? How do you like it?

My progress so far. I love not seeing 6 inches of red dust.
Still needs the side boards. Then I get to work on a snow roof next week, and my excersise yard the week after. :roll:

Bearhunter · Post by **Bearhunter** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 5:43 pm

when I had gravel floors I used heavier stuff(call 5-7"s here) doesnt give as much as the pea gravel.

Redwood Coonhounds · Post by **Redwood Coonhounds** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:27 pm

I was going to use the heavier stuff, but it's sharper. I know once they packed it down they'd get used to it, but I'd feel bad for them sissy footing around for a while. Plus I used it for around my back porch and for a walkway from the back of the house to the kennels. I would hate to walk on that stuff barefoot out to feed the dogs. Be out there cussin and hoppin around trying to pooper scoop. Sounded like too much work for me. :lol:

DesertDweller · Post by **DesertDweller** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:27 am

I had gravel once before I went to concrete, its a waste of time and money IMO. Its hard to clean, feces stick to it, shedding hair gets caught down in it, along with urine soaking into the hair, you have clean it alot with lime etc to keep the smell down etc, I would rather have them on dirt then pea gravel.

FullCryHounds · Post by **FullCryHounds** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:01 am

Got to agree with DD, pea gravel is a pain in the butt. But so are kennels. I keep all my dogs together in a one acre run on natural dirt/rocks. All my problems went away 10 years ago when I changed to this setup.

Mike Leonard · Post by **Mike Leonard** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:54 pm

Gravel is a pain and you haul it out quickly with clean up.

I will give you a little tip that will really help toughen your dogs feet and and also keep internal paritites down a bit.

Go to your local landscape supply. Get a load of the smaller red lava decorative rock. Spreat some of this in each run. Now don't do this on concrete because it is a waste. You will also drag some of it out with your clean up, but if you wet it good and then put in on there and then sprinkle some rock salt in with it and let the dogs work it down over a period of time rewetting at times and some re salting you will get a cover that will toughen the foot and also harden the pad. It is still a bit of a pain but it certainly helps the dogs feet and the salt also toughens them and reduces worms.