Okay, let’s talk about getting one of those above ground dog kennels. Had to do it myself not long ago. Our dog, Max – good boy, but a real digger and just generally messy – was making the yard look like a warzone. Plus, keeping him clean when he needed to be outside for a bit, especially after rain? Nightmare.
So, I started looking. Fired up the computer, you know, typed in the usual stuff: above ground dog kennels for sale, raised dog runs, outdoor dog pens off the ground. All sorts of things popped up. Websites showing fancy ones, cheap ones, big ones, small ones.
Sorting Through the Options
Honestly, it was a bit overwhelming. You got your basic chain-link panels bolted together, sitting on some kind of frame. Then you got these plastic molded things that look kinda like big playhouses. Some had roofs, some didn’t. Some had plastic flooring built-in, others just a frame where you maybe put down wood or something yourself.
My main thing was keeping Max off the dirt and mud. That was the whole point of ‘above ground’. But then you start thinking:
- How high off the ground is enough?
- Is the flooring solid, or is it that grid stuff where paws could get stuck? Max is a big clumsy oaf sometimes.
- How sturdy is this thing really? Max likes to lean and jump up on stuff. Didn’t want him collapsing it.
- Cleaning. If it’s raised, how do you clean under it? Stuff’s gonna fall through, right?
I looked at some local farm supply stores too, drove over to a couple. They had some heavy-duty panels, but building a raised platform myself seemed like a lot of work. And the pre-built ones they had felt kinda flimsy for the price, or they were gigantic, way bigger than I needed.
Making the Call
After clicking around for days, comparing pictures, trying to read between the lines on descriptions, I settled on one. It was basically heavy wire panels that clipped together, sitting on a metal frame maybe six inches off the ground. It came with a plastic tray flooring system. Not super cheap, but looked solid enough, and the plastic floor seemed easier to hose down than wood.
Putting it Together – The Fun Part
It arrived in a couple of big, heavy boxes. Dragged them out back. Instructions were… well, they had pictures. Mostly. Took me a good afternoon. Lots of bolts, lots of panels. Had to lay out the frame first, make sure it was level-ish on the grass. Then piece by piece, clip the walls on. The floor panels snapped in last. Dropped a few bolts in the grass, spent ten minutes searching. You know how it goes.
The Result
Got it all set up. Looks decent. Sturdy enough, I think. Max walked in, sniffed around, looked at me like I was crazy. He uses it when he has to. The main thing? He’s not standing in mud anymore when we need to keep him contained outside for a bit. And yeah, hosing down that plastic floor is way easier than dealing with a muddy dog.
Cleaning underneath? Still gotta get the hose under there and blast it out now and then. Not perfect, but way better than the mud pit situation we had before. So yeah, it was a bit of a process, finding the right one, then the assembly hassle. But it solved the main problem. That’s usually the best you can hope for with these things, right?
