LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

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Oh Ross, I'm so sorry to hear what happened. Thanks for sharing with us though, and thanks for that very good advice.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

A word of caution about limestone. We just had to put down our 13 yr old Mal after she ingested a stomach full of the stuff.

I refreshed the limestone in their run this past Saturday, the old stuff had become full of mud and pine bedding. I didn't water it down and I suspect that the "dust" had a salty taste which she must have liked. This girl never ate rocks before. We took her to the vet on Tuesday after she began having diarrhea and stopped eating. The xray showed clearly that she had eaten the stone until her stomach was full. Surgury would have been too hard on her, and there was no way she was going to pass those rocks.

Limestone is a good material, just make sure you wash it down thoroughly and watch your babies closely. I only wish that I had.

-- Contributed by: Ross Spratt

Hi Jody,

I did some searching and as far as I have been able to find, there doesn't seem to be a reason you can't use packed limestone for a kennel floor. Just check your dog's feet occasionally for unusual wear and tear, but I don't foresee a problem.

You may actually get more feedback if you post this question on our dog forum.

Thanks for visiting. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have a dog run along the side of my home which is 25'X8', and is mainly used as my dog's bathroom. I originally had pea gravel too. Although my dog never dug it up, I used to pick up the gravel with the stool, and the gravel seeped through the fenced area. So I recently put down a limestone screening base of 3". I packed it down, put a wooden border around it (using 4"x4" fence posts, laid down) to maintain the screening. I also put a PVC elbow pipe in the downsloped corner with a drain cover on top, for proper drainage of excess water. I have found it to be cleaner. Picking up the stool is easier, and the urine soaks into the limestone. And with limestone, it kills the odour, while the rain washes away any potential stain. I would like to know from someone though if there are health issues for the dog or it's feet with regards to using limestone as flooring? I'm assuming there isn't any, as, through my research, I have found many parks, trails, and baseball diamonds use this material.

-- Contributed by: Jody

Hi Doug,

I give you points for innovation on this one, but I'm not sure how well it would work. Metal is just as hard as concrete and also picks up cold temperature in the winter, so I don't think it would necessarily be a better alternative than concrete for flooring. Additionally, the rubber coating could get very hot in the summer and may burn your dog's foot pads. The urine might also eat through the coating fairly quickly. I haven't tried anything like this, so I really don't know how durable rubber is in a kennel situation.

All things considered, it also sounds like quite a bit of work on your part. It may be easier to go with prefabricated high density plastic flooring as an alternative to concrete. Check it out and see what you think.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I was wanting to get my two labs off the concrete slab that their outdoor kennel is currently on. The idea I had was to put a raised floor of expanded metal panels in their pens that would allow most of the waste to go through. I was planning to coat the flooring in rubber coating for traction for the dogs. I would have them off the slab about a foot or enough that I could hose down the slab underneath their pens easily. What are your thoughts on this type of design? I was told concrete slabs for dog kennels can increase a dog's arthritis as they get older.

-- Contributed by: Doug

Hi Lesley, and welcome to the site.

As suggested to Dennis below, a liquid enzymer is the best way to break down the smelly bacteria in the run. You can find a variety of these products at your local pet supply store. Personally, I like Outright Odor Eliminator.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have pea gravel in my dog run, and now with an additional puppy the run is getting a lot more activity! Is there anything organic I can put down amongst the pea gravel to stave off the smell and make it more hygenic? I rinse down the area once a day with water but am concerned.

-- Contributed by: Lesley

Hi Dennis,

Honestly, you might want to take Greg's pea gravel suggestion below for better drainage and cleaning ease. The problem with using a bleach solution on the urine soaked ground is that you are going to make mustard gas mud. I would instead suggest you use an enzyme based product to help eliminate the urine crystals. This should safely reduce the smell.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

We have a dirt area where the dogs like to go. Only problem is the urine smell is getting worse. How much do you dilute the bleach to get rid of the odor?

-- Contributed by: Dennis

I like the pea gravel idea the best, at least for our situation. We have an electric doggie door that allows our dog in and out of the house into his area as he pleases. His area used to have sod, which was fine as long as it didn't rain. I was thinking of a concrete slab, which is washable, but it has to be bleached periodically to reduce the smell, so it has to have proper drainage. What killed the concrete slab idea for me was that the would puddle and he would end up getting it on his feet and tracking it in. I decided on the pea gravel as it allows for drainage. I took out the sod from the 8'x8' area, and placed railway ties at the lower edges, and left the bottom sloped slightly toward the drainage corner, covered the ground with thick polyurathane plastic, and filled the area with pea gravel. A 5' high chain-link fence keeps him from jumping over, and u-nails keep the bottom of the fence secured to the railway ties so he can't get under. The pea gravel is easy to maintan. Feces are easily raked up. The gravel falls through the rake and is easily hosed down. The water drains through a drainage pipe out to the street drain. I can use bleach if a scent starts to be a problem but so far it is not. He can't dig much in the gravel as it just falls back in. He has given up trying to dig holes now.

-- Contributed by: Greg

Hi Kevin,

I believe you're right, the plastic flooring could become just as hot as cement. That is why it is so important to make sure the kennel has some kind of covering to provide protection from the elements.

The following articles have more useful information:

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Well... wouldn't the "high density plastic flooring" get as hot as concrete??? Because that is another concern of mine and the main reason why i do not want to keep my dogs outside in the heat here in Lancaster, California. Please let me know.

-- Contributed by: Kevin

Hi, I'm hoping that someone might have a solution for me. I purchased a house with a very small backyard. It's pretty much a glorified dog run. I have a dog and I like to entertain. I love gardening and I have retained flowerbeds, but I cannot get grass to grow in the rest of the area. I thought about putting down mulch or pebbles. The downside of this is that my dog is pretty wild and I know that pebbles and mulch will be everywhere but where its supposed to be. Is there another material that can be recommended or a hardy grass I could get to grow?

Thank you. Jenine

-- Contributed by: Jenine

Hi Anne,

I don't think straw is the ideal material for a dog run. It holds urine rather than allowing it to drain properly, and that will increase the bacteria levels and the smell. Additionally, straw is rather pokey and could damage a dog's eyes. I think at least a good six-inch layer of pea gravel or a solid concrete slab is a better flooring solution and far easier to clean and maintain.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

What about straw on the ground of a dog run?

-- Contributed by: Anne

i want to put up a dog run im my back yard and the place i would like to put it is on a little hill.and the ground is some what soft .I just wanted to know if i can put it there or not

Hi Vatani,

It's always better to look for level ground that is slightly higher than the rest of the yard. As for on a soft hill, I think you would have difficulty getting the bottom of the kennel even with the ground, which could create spaces for your dog to escape from. The soft ground could also lead to sinking, in which case your kennel might wind up off kilter once again as the weight settles in. Although slightly grading a floor to allow water run off is a good idea, the pitch of your hill might be a bit too much. Take another look with my suggestions and see if this makes sense. I can't say for sure if your hill is a good location or not since I can't see it, but I think you may want to look at another area from what you're describing.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: vatani

Hi, I too have an outdoor run where my dogs spend part of the day (weather permitting)but I want to waterproof the run floor and half way up the walls too, as we have part concrete and part chippings at the moment it is starting to smell, especially in the summer. I am trying to find a product to fit the purpose so that I can remove any mess and thorought wash and disenfect the run, making it hygienic and a better place for the dogs when they do go in there, any suggestions?

Expert Reply

Hi Charlotte,

There's a non-toxic product called Concrete Remedy Top Sealer that should help you seal your kennel walls and flooring quite nicely.

You can find it at solvingconcreteproblems.com/kennels.

Let us know if you're happy with the results you get.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: charlotte

Hi Kathleen,

You have a tricky situation on your hands. I never recommend using wood flooring in a kennel because the smell of the urine and feces soaks in and can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove.

First, I would have a closer look at the situation to gage the smell and possible damage. Next, I'd try to have a reasonable conversation with your tennant and explain your concerns. I'm not sure what will take away the smell, but I usually recommend a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. If you can get the deck cleaned sufficiently you might be able to use a wood sealer to prevent further damage.

Finally, if there is truly damage that needs to be addressed, I recommend you sit down with your attorney to review the tennant's lease and map out a plan of action.

Thanks for your question, and I hope you can work out an amicable solution.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have a rental unit and the tenant is using the deck as dog pen - the dog does his business on the wood decking. I am worried that this is going to cause damage and long term odor problems. I have never seen my tenant mop or attempt to clean the surface of the deck - though he does on occaison pick up the poo - Is this doing damage to the wood? what should i have him do to fix any damage? is there something he could put down on the surface that would protect it? he does this due to his long hours at work.

Thanks

-- Contributed by: kathleen
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