Kennel Security

[garyb]

Chaps.

 

I've decided too have a kennel built in the garden to house my Spaniels, and another potential new arrival (Springer). The dogs have lived in up to now, but this is going to change.

 

My question is....

 

What is the general rules on Kennel Security?

 

We have a LOT of working dog thefts in the area, and I wan't to keep my pack safe and secure.

 

I like the look of the galvanised steel runs / doors used to gain access to the kennel,

 

But a lot of kennels on the market seem to have a basic wood / shed type door - i'm worried this would be easily compromised.

 

 

The access to the the garden is secure (ish) with a locked gate, but it would be faily easy to scale over if you so wish.

 

I guess the other option is too design / build myself... and I happen to know a couple of chaps who are a dab hand with projects (eh Al4x and Stealth Stalker)

 

Has anyone got / seen a design that is security focussed?

Edited August 26, 2010 by garyb

[Mungler]

Just make sure the garden is physically secure and well lit at all times. Decent high fences with climbing roses etc. A real or dummy CCTV camera in the back garden and surrounding area wouldn't hurt either. People never nick working dogs on the spur - they are likely to have a look round first.

 

The problem with physical security on the kennels is that if everytime you have to access your dogs you have to go through some griefy procedure then odds on you will go through it for the first 2 weeks e.g. a series of padlocks with keys and when you get bored of doing it, you won't bother and will leave stuff open / unlocked. So, be realistic about what procedure you are likely to do and poke up with. Best bet would be a decent combination lock but a decent set of bolt cutters or battery disc cutter would make short work of that.

 

The other problem is if you are out at work all day and obviously so from your routine.

 

It's tricky.

[al4x]

round us the best option is to keep it well out of sight to start with, then look at your general garden security so get your gate locked PIR lights etc after that look at the kennel and all you can really do is have half decent padlocks on metal gates but the types that take working dogs tend to be quite good at breaching most locks. I'd say your garden is pretty private so you should be fine but no doubt being in the IT line you can sort out a bit of camera surveillance. The plus point where you are is it would be hard to go in un noticed and people know the dogs. Sadly they seem quite friendly with strangers having a mutt thats the opposite can be a good thing

[MC]

Have you thought about keeping a dog in it to keep away burglars :(

[Richie10]

Do your dogs not bark at strangers in the garden?

[garyb]

They do.

 

But they are spaniels, not Akita's so will bark, and then roll over on their bellys whilst wee comes out :(

[activeviii]

 

my fences i can put two locks on so it makes it harder for them.

 

i have only one door to get into the kennel, this is the bar door at the front. they're low but im and a area where its hard to get into the gardens to start with.

i still wanted a safe kennel that would make in hard for anyone to get in.

 

the week point in the padlock but i can chain it as well if need be. the inside has been lined and insulated, the outside is 20mm timber. the whole lot has been bolted together in panels and then bolted into the concrete base.

 

only mistake i made when building it was not taking the standard board sizes into account. i made it 1500x3000mm two doors as i will put a divider in when the bitch comes into season. the top of the dogbox is used for shooting gear and is alarm the the workshop so there is no real easy way in to the dogs.

 

 

Phil.

[Stealth Stalker]

I'd be thinking about a brick built jobbie, & it wouldn't be to difficult to weld a pair of 5 lever mortice locks to the barred gate, the bars are the problem IMO! it wouldn't take to much effort to pull those apart enough for a spaniel to get through

 

Still they'd be more secure in a kennel than your gaff :(

[al4x]

this is assuming someone would want to steal them such impecably trained gundogs.

 

I used to have a kennel at my last house that was brick built, and its often cheaper and quicker to build them in blockwork if you know what you're doing. Shame you couldn't get a run outside your garage as its huge and would be ideal.

[garyb]

I'd be thinking about a brick built jobbie, & it wouldn't be to difficult to weld a pair of 5 lever mortice locks to the barred gate, the bars are the problem IMO! it wouldn't take to much effort to pull those apart enough for a spaniel to get through

 

Still they'd be more secure in a kennel than your gaff

 

Funny you mention that... I was talking to my bricky mate and he said similar :(

 

1st job is to prep the area, which will involve a skip of soil and old brick / concrete.

 

Once I've got that done, I'll have a think

[WGD]

If you're buying look at Mitton Hall - only one door and it's in the mesh.

[al4x]

that is frigging typical spent the last year getting rid of hardcore do have access to a wacker plate for compacting the base if needed and no doubt can turn up with mixer. Just burned a load of celotex which would have been ideal for insulating it, though do have a fair few bricks and blocks and all sorts of building gubbins about the place

[garyb]

Thanks chaps...

 

Seems like the hardest task at the moment is getting a skip big enough, that they can drive down my road to pick up all the old soil / brickwork!

 

Proving to be an issue Grrrr - did they not think about Skip Lorrys in the 1800's ?

[al4x]

do you need one? assuming its mostly soil can't you create a raised flower bed in the garden, I Lost everything from my extenson in the garden plus all the rubble in a couple of raised areas. You don't need to excavate much for a dog run, failing that any farm locally where you can fill in some holes? its well worth it at £200 odd for a skip. Plus if you put most of the concrete slab above ground it stops it getting wet

Edited August 26, 2010 by al4x

[garyb]

Oh yes.

 

I will upload some photo's of the area in question later.... Some serious mud shifting to be done.

[Stealth Stalker]

Why are you shifting mud? as Alex says knock 4 lengths of scaffold boards together, get em level, chuck a load of hardcore/rubble in (which I can let you have FOC) then concrete over the top & tamp it all down, job done

 

Beer & Barbie are on you

[al4x]

If its going outside the back door i'll let you volunteer to help dig it out Neil

[garyb]

Alex...

 

It is!

[al4x]

Ha ha ha!

 

only thing I would say is its worth making sure you fit some drains to it as it will be a low spot and make cleaning it a lot easier if you can just hose it down. Security wise should be fine as no one will be able to see it.

[kent]

Have you considered making the Dogs less stealable, tatoo in either ear microchips and notices to say so on Kennel. First thing vets etc do is look in ears, then check for a chip.

The big issue here is the ****** who buy dogs from the backs of veichles and at shows etc. make a kennel as secure as feasable as it might slow a thief down but no matter what you do there is always a way of getting into it

Good luck with the build i bought a Mitton Hall Jobbie myself and like it a lot easy to keep clean and should last almost indefinatly with no smells of dog pee etc. Just attack the whole thing with the hose and maybee some bleach and stiff yard brush on the floor as required. I did consider bars instead of mesh but i think the big guy makes it quite clear to visitors it's not a good idea to enter the kennels when i am not there

[garyb]

They are already chipped etc, I'd rather prevent them being stolen in the first place!

 

As I said in my original post, working dog thefts in this area are rife... And usually involve our friends with lots of White transit tipper vans and plant equipment on "long-term loan"... say no more.

 

Anyway... the project has begun, and here are a couple of pic's of the task in hand.

 

The crappy muddy rockery that's been there before I moved in...

 

The result from of a couple of hours shifting topsoil and rocks

[garyb]

New pics to follow shortly...

 

I've just totaled up the current "spend" on Skips and labour... in a week we are up to £1065 !

 

Time to sell a kidney, or even a dog!

 

GB

[aj85]

it really is sad that we have to go to such measures to try and deter thieves nowadays!

 

but personally i say you need one of these...

 

... and a sign asking any intruders to remove any watches or jewelery as the dog cant digest them! :blink:

[garyb]

What's he like on a driven shoot day :blink: ?

[garyb]

Latest pic...

 

This is what £1k buys you in soil and skips :blink: