‘In the dog house’ never felt so good!

We were made aware of this great article about one of our outdoor dog kennels and wanted to share with you  ...

When the need for an Outdoor dog kennel for Rio, Teal and now Monty arose, people told us how cheap and easy it would be to build our own or convert the shed.

That might well be true, but as we will always have dogs yet never have much time, we decided that getting a decent outdoor dog kennel would be an investment. Timberbuild is a name I know and trust, having heard good reviews from other people. Their website is comprehensive, with excellent descriptions, pictures and even videos so you can get a really good idea about each outdoor dog kennel style.

There are seven designs to choose from, each of which can then be modified, plus entirely custom-build options, so there’s a lot to think about. But the website makes it easy to price up and compare. We made our decision even harder by looking at other seemingly cheaper options online, but soon realised that once you add on all the extras that come as standard with Timberbuild (such as quality of wood, roofing, and flooring), you are not getting as good a deal elsewhere as you imagine.

So, we chose Timberbuild’s longest-running, best-selling Chappell outdoor dog kennel model, with full kennelling to one side of the run and a full height access door. We went for the upgrade to include a stable door and opening window on the kennel side, and chose galvanised bars instead of mesh.

The Chappell outdoor dog kennel is built with a solid timber floor which can be removed to allow for easier cleaning and maintenance. The kennel and run are fully separate with a hatch that allows the dog to move between both areas and which can be manually closed to confine the dog to either area.

The outdoor dog kennel is raised off the floor by 66mm with damp-proofed feet. We added a base to help level out the sloping surface of our site. The snag is that this has created quite a step into the kennel (as there is already a wooden bar to step over) which could be an issue later on for the old boy.

However, it is easy to clean, and the gap between the floor and the walls makes it easy to hose out. Inside, the sleeping area is draught-free, particularly if you shut the hatch. I would prefer there to be a box option to give the dogs the security of sleeping underneath something and to make better use of the kennel’s height, but other Timberbuild outdoor dog kennel designs do offer this.

I think what really sets Timberbuild apart from the rest is the build and wood quality. The wood used is sustainable 5th Scandinavian redwood, which gives a top-quality finish that the makers claim will last. This bit I cannot vouch for yet, but it certainly looks the business.

All panels are dipped in a non-toxic preservative that contains waxes and additives to prevent water getting in. Six months in and I can definitely vouch for that one. Similarly, the roof felt is 38kg sturdy felt (not shed felt) which is held in place with batons and facer boards – no risk of this coming off in a storm.

The whole ensemble (bolts and latches included) is sturdy, strong and well put together.

I can’t tell you whether our dogs are happy in the outdoor kennel (if only they could talk!) but I can tell you that it keeps them warm and dry in the winter; cool in the summer and they don’t whine or cry at night, so they obviously sleep well.

When friends and family first saw the kennel they joked that it was good enough for a human… perhaps being ‘in the dog house’ isn’t so bad after all?

The Chappell starts from £539 (at date of writing this article) for a standard single kennel and covered run, with a range of sizes. Double outdoor kennel options are also available.

OUTDOOR KENNEL FEATURES AT A GLANCE

• Fully seperated kennel areas
• Full height access doors
• Damp-proof feet
• Raised off the ground by 66mm
• Quality grade redwood timber
• Covered run area
• 38kg green mineral felt (not shed felt)

Good enough for a human? Rebecca is very impressed with the quality of this kennel. Latches are solid Rio, Teal and Monty appreciate the cosiness of their new house - ‘In the dog house’ never felt so good!