According to international rules and to animal welfare policies, the surface of a decent kennel is based on the dog’s height at the withers, with none of the side panels less than 2 m. For a dog smaller than 50 cm, the surface should be 6 m2, from 50 till 65 cm, 8 m2 and taller than 65 cm, 10 m2.
For each supplementary dog or for a bitch with a litter, the surface has to be augmented with half of the figure for one dog. If the dog is alone and spends most of its time outside its kennel, the surface should be at least 6 m2.
Inside each dog kennel there should be a doghouse, the sizes of which should perfectly match the dog’s size to be capable of lying down comfortably and to protect it from heat and cold.
Our dogs stay inside and are free to run in the garden whenever they want. For our visitors, it was important for us to have different pens to meet the dog's size, behavior habits and character, though we admit they are hardly ever used, since most of our visitors are also staying inside, when the owners ask for it. Some are allowed to run free, but spend the night in a pen as they are used to at home.
This is our puppy or small dog pen, 6.25 m2, 5cm width between the vertical bars and with plain panels on all four sides, leaving only 2 x 1.25 m open. The panel you see on the left side is prolonged with a gate closing on the side of the house. It faces the kitchen terrace and door. Both pen and gate separates the garden from the front part of the house and of the entrance gate. Everything is possible!
This is our refuge-pen, 2.5 m x 1.20 m, with solid little wheels underneath, which permit to move it easily. Removing 2 x 2 bolts allows us to dismantle it and to move it inside the house or to put in the garden, depending on the weather conditions. We've put it on our large, covered terrace, facing the kitchen and the dining room so the dog sees what is happening and has company. It is used as a temporary refuge for a puppy, for a shy or nervous dog, for an injured dog or for an adopted stray dog until it feels sufficiently confident and at ease to come inside or share the garden with other dogs.
If you have a terrace, this is an example to follow. All dogs, ours and visitors, like the cozy feeling of this one.
This is our large, 12
m2 well protected pen, for medium and large dogs with its own 2m2 little house.
Some examples of other constructions:
