??? Tips For Keeping Dogs In The Desert ???

[Dan McDonough]

Does anyone have any good tips for an outside kennel in the AZ desert ? I'll be moving there this year and have never kept dogs in that kind of heat before. I can tell you 100 ways to keep dogs in the Winter up here in MN and WI but am entirely unfamiliar with doing it in the desert.

[Mike Leonard]

Dan,

We don't get it quite as hot here as where you are headed but I will give you some suggestions.

Covered kennels with plenty of side protection for those sizzling afternoons that stretch on, and on.

I use several of those large industrial fans to move air thru my dog barn but this may be impractical for some. My covered kennel area is quite large 2000 Sq.Ft. I also have water hookups so I can run misters over the runs on the hottest days. The mixture of air moving and mist really makes it pleasant. In fact I set out there with them quite a bit. LOL!

I also use large water troughs in the general run areas that are big enough for a dog to bail in and cool off if he really gets hot. Some run air conditioning in their closed kennels but I have never got quite that plush.

Glad you coming out this way Dan I want to see some of those UBD's some day.

Mike

[pegleg]

Water shade air flow face north. Upside automatic waterers can be used in most valley locations with freezing maybe once in 10 years. Doghouses need thermal mass. It gets hot early but dont forget it also gets cold at night with our big temperature drops. Ive built plenty of kennels in the desert so if you wish ask away

As a after thought. General location would be helpful. Az has varied climate. Also check any dog laws for the area you plan to move to. City AND county. Some counties are asinine

[scrubrunner]

Pegleg mentioned automatic waters, be careful how you rig it up. It's probably a nobrainer for y'all but I had a buddy install some in his kennel one time connected to a garden hose. if the hose is in the sun the water in it gets scalding hot which resulted in the water at the licker was always scalding hot. That's in Florida, never seen a desert but suspect it would be a lot worse.

[Goose]

[Cowboyvon]

I do feel sorry for them in the summer ... I have big tubs of water for them I kennel my hounds and have shade material over each pen and like someone said above you have to have some kind of shade block on the west side of the kennels for that afternoon sun. I just use the blue barrel dog houses. When I was at my last place I had a lean too barn and used some big fans to move the air around. I did have the opening to the south but sun is mostly over head in the summer and then during the winter they would get some sun when it was cold because it is lower on the horizon. I also had them on concrete and I really liked it ..for sanitary reasons and it was pretty cool in the summer. Maybe some day I can have a similar set up here.. Here is a video that shows the set up I had at my last place .. It still wasn't complete when the video was taken . https://youtu.be/7mzwPV3h4NM

[cajunl]

I use shadecloth on mine in the summer in FL. But I get lots of it. You have to be careful though they will chew it and eat it if they can get to it.

[pegleg]

I hadnt considered someone hooking one to a hose. Id think the dogs would eat enough hoses anyone would be willing to bury a water line. Mine is 3/4" galvanized risers inside 4" pvc painted outside and spray foamed inside. This stops any heat or freezing and provides enough extra support they cant break the pipe loose from the pvc below ground. I also have half barrels or empty supplement tubs full of water in the kennels and put cheap wading pools out as needed for pups . concrete floors have advantages if you have the square footage. I really dont like chains or small kennels. I have kennels at the house here and in mexico. As i cant be both places sometimes the dogs have to be comfortable for awhile.
I have had barns with kennels inside with fans and swamp coolers. But this can be dangerous if your relying on it and the power fails. Im not against doing anything you can to provide comfort for your dogs. But believe its best to make sure they wont be exposed to deadly temps regardless. If you design everything with their safety being assured at each point the occasional failure wont be deadly.
To be honest the best doghouses ive found are buried in dirt.i came across some used commercial refrigeration boxes 40" 78" 26" tall laid down so i cut doors in them and put the against the outside of the fence with a wood box built around it and filled the box with dirt. Ive never had issues with these. I believe the same could be done with icb totes or similar.
My others are inside a three sided building with barrel style dog houses inside.

[pegleg]

One thing to add. For anyone really. if your south of the mogollon rim forget 99% of the manufactured dog boxes. Figure some other way of hauling dogs. Even the dog trailers with 12 volt fans dont move enough air once it gets warm. Shade and airflow. Stock trailer. Full bed platforms with air flow along bothsides. Expanded metal sided boxes. And dont try crowded very many dogs in the same space.
And if this trip includes day time travel through cities or slow traffic be extra cautious.

[scrubrunner]

Expanded metal blocks a lot more air flow then it seems like it would. My son had an airboat with expanded metal around the side of the prop cage, boat would not plane with two people. Changed to 2x4 panels and boat performance increased dramatically. Would haul butt with two people. So I think 2x4 panel on sides of box allows a lot more air flow than expanded metal.

[pegleg]

Probably so. However its easier and lighter using expanded metal also breaks up the sun that does come through . but whatever works