Automatic feeder for large breed dogs

Alabais are considered loyal and very friendly dogs; they are good as a watchman or friend. The dogs have a calm, fearless disposition, and their large size gives them an intimidating appearance. All these qualities make dogs excellent guards of the local area or site. Thanks to their dense wool and undercoat, Alabais tolerate heat and cold well, which allows them to live outdoors without any problems.

It is not recommended to keep dogs of this breed in an apartment; they feel best outside. A booth and enclosure for an Alabai is the best option for a dog’s comfortable life.

Insulation

Regardless of the type of wall and roof material, the booth must be insulated. It is best to use environmentally friendly materials for these purposes, such as sawdust. Mineral wool and polystyrene foam are also suitable as insulation materials. But remember that mineral wool needs protection from moisture, and polystyrene foam can be laid in buildings far from sources of ignition. In addition, mineral wool, when ingested by a dog, affects the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. When laying the material, carefully insulate it so that the dog cannot reach it.

If you live in a cold region, in winter the booth must be insulated with additional lining with hay and snow. To do this, the kennel is lined with bales of straw (or other similar material, such as sawdust) and covered with loose snow or cubes of hard crust. To prevent snow from sweeping inside the booth, it is worth providing a curtain or door that the dog cannot tear off and through which he can easily pass inside.

Roof structure

The dog's kennel is constantly clogged with wool, supplies and waste products. To avoid the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria, the booth is cleaned every 1-1.5 weeks. For easy cleaning, it is optimal to install a removable roof on your home.

The way of life of the Alabai obliges him to use the roof of the booth as a place for observation and rest, so the roof structure should be flat with a slight slope towards the rear partition.

Advice! The slope will allow water to flow down the booth without flooding the entrance.

Alabais are watchdogs, so they simply need to have an open view of the entire yard. It is best to place the booth on a hill. If there is no elevation on the site, you can make a small embankment that will allow the dog to easily monitor the site.

Building a house for a dog: stages

By showing your imagination, you can draw a huge number of models and options for a dog’s home. It depends only on you what kind of kennel for the Alabai will be. We have already determined the dimensions, now we move on to drawing up a construction plan:

1. We make a drawing. If you don’t know exactly how to do this, you can find a drawing of a similar structure on the Internet and remake it to your dimensions.
2. We cut the bars into appropriate sizes.
3. Using self-tapping screws, we assemble the walls of the future structure: the back, the front and two side ones.
4. We cover all the internal parts with plywood and fasten them together using self-tapping screws and metal corners.
5. We assemble the floor frame from bars of the required size and sew it up with boards. We make sure that there are no gaps between them.
6. We make a roof (ceiling) frame and cover it with plywood from the inside.
7. We insulate the roof with a thick layer of mineral wool.
8. We insulate the floor and wall panels using polystyrene foam of the required thickness.
9. We cover the structure with clapboard, plywood and other materials, and “sew up” the roof.
10. We attach the roof to the back or side wall of the booth using door hinges. This creates a retractable roof. This allows you to ventilate the kennel and clean it.

Booth design and size

Turret roofs and gable structures are not suitable for alabai. You can’t lie on them and watch the world around you.

Note! A booth with a flat roof structure would be ideal.

You should not make too much of an incline; the dog should be comfortable constantly lying on the booth. It is better to arrange the ramp at the back wall. If the booth is located on a slight hill, dig a small trench to drain water from the Alabai’s home.

The removable roof will allow you to clean the kennel and monitor your dog during illness. If you have a bitch, then this design will be convenient during the birth of the dog or while feeding the puppies.

For covering the roof, soft roofing materials such as roofing felt, bitumen shingles or non-slip rubber are optimal. The material should dampen the sounds of rain so that the dog feels comfortable inside in any weather. In addition, it is more convenient for Alabai to climb and move around on the soft upholstery.

Booths with flat roofs are made in two different ways:

• single partition design;
• a booth with a vestibule and a place to sleep.

Both structures can be insulated so that they are warm in winter. However, a booth with a vestibule is more convenient for year-round use (an example is shown in the photo).

In a kennel with two sections, the vestibule acts as an air cushion. It protects the sleeping area from drafts, precipitation and wind. The slightest breath of wind, dust and dirt will remain in the first compartment. In addition, the bulk of the dirt from the dog’s paws and fur will remain in the vestibule. A kennel with two compartments will be much warmer in winter and drier in spring. If you are taking the Alabai indoors for the winter, then a booth with one section will do. You can install an additional canopy with a bed so that in the summer the dog has a place to rest in the shade.

What types of enclosures are there?

The variety of options can cause confusion for the owners of Alabai, since in the endless number of photographs found on the Internet, all “apartments” have their own configuration. The design of the enclosures is also very different. The appearance depends on the functions assigned to the enclosure, as well as on the preferences of the animal owners.

All dog enclosures can be divided into main types.

1. Temporary structures. Since they are intended for short-term residence, the structures do not have a roof and are completely open. The fencing is a mesh or fence. A flooring is arranged inside and a booth is placed.
2. Closed dwellings. This type refers to intermediate enclosures. There is also a deck and booth inside. It differs from temporary housing in that it has solid walls on three sides. There is only one lattice, it gives the Alabai the opportunity to calmly observe all the events in the yard.
3. Capital enclosures. These structures have a secure roof and one lattice wall. The rest are solid, they are additionally well insulated. A booth is placed inside the enclosure, which also has flooring. Another option is to equip a special “bedroom”, which is separated from the rest of the space and has a separate entrance.

Dimensions

It is very important to choose the right size dog house. A cramped house in which an alabai barely fits cannot be called comfortable. However, too large booths are not very practical. The heat from the dog's body and from the insulation will not be enough to maintain a comfortable temperature in freezing temperatures.

If you are planning to buy a kennel, choose a design for a large dog. These houses are made specifically for large breeds. Many offices and companies are engaged in the manufacture of dog booths according to individual measurements. If you plan to build a dog house yourself, use the following calculations for the design:

• the height of the booth inside should be the sum of the dog’s height and 5-6 spare centimeters;
• the width is made equal to the length from the tip of the nose to the tailbone of the dog + 7-10 cm;
• the hole for the booth is made slightly smaller than the size of the dog at the withers, and the width is made according to the size of the chest +5-10 cm.

If you adopted the dog as a puppy, then the above parameters should not be taken into account. In such a case, it is optimal to use standard dimensions:

• length – 13-135 cm;
• width – 100 cm;
• height 85-90 cm;
• entrance – 50-55 in height and 35 in width.

If you are planning to build an enclosure around a booth or a fence for walking, decide on the material and height of the fence. The length of the fence must be at least two meters. To prevent the dog from undermining, dig the fence 50-70 cm deep. It is optimal to make not a fence, but a full-fledged enclosure in which the Alabai can run around calmly.

For those who are planning to build an Alabai enclosure with their own hands and do not know how to make the correct design, it is better to use the recommended dimensions of an Alabai enclosure. The optimal area of ​​the enclosure for a large dog is 10 square meters, height – 2.5-3 meters.

How to properly arrange a hole

At the same time, in order to correctly calculate the size of the doghouse for the Alabai, it is very important to properly arrange the entrance to the dog’s home. It is best to place the hole a little away from the center of the structure, so the dog will be more comfortable. In inclement weather, she will be able to hide behind a solid wall and, curled up, wait out the bad weather.

Quite often you can find recommendations for building a two-room kennel. One part of such a booth is a vestibule, and the other is a sleeping area. Such a home is good only if your pet is not assigned additional guard functions. Often, especially vigilant watchmen, even in the most severe frosts, refuse to leave their post and go to the sleeping compartment of the kennel. After all, you cannot see the entire protected area from there.

There is one more subtlety. It would be a good idea to build a small threshold before entering the kennel. Just 10–15 cm of height is enough, and the entrance to the booth will be reliably protected from wind and snow.

Drawing and materials

It is more convenient to assemble if all materials and tools are purchased in advance. To calculate the amount of building material for a structure, build a schematic drawing or take a ready-made diagram.

To assemble a standard kennel for alabai you will need:

• timber 10 by 10 cm, 4 by 4 and 10 by 5 cm;
• planks for cladding;
• sheets of particle boards;
• floor boards 2-3 cm thick;
• insulation (sawdust, mineral wool, etc.);
• rolled roofing material;
• OSB board and other particle boards;
• glassine;
• sand;
• antiseptic treatment for wooden structures;
• metal staples;
• fasteners.

Before assembling the booth, carefully sand the wooden structures. Apply antiseptic impregnation only to the outside of the booth; a dog’s sense of smell is stronger than a human’s. Therefore, the dog may not like the strong smell of the impregnation.

Installation location

First, the optimal location for the dog kennel is selected. It is better if the site is located in the shade of trees. It should be a small hill. Residential buildings should be 10 m away from the booth. A good solution is to build an enclosure.

If the booth is located in the sun, the dog may become ill due to heatstroke. You should not build a kennel in a dark place. Alabais constantly monitor the protected area. Therefore, from the place where the kennel will be located there should be a good view of the site. During rains, the area where the booth will be located should not be flooded with water. Alabais cannot coexist with other animals. They are settled far from farms. The booth cannot be placed in a barn. Once the location for the kennel has been chosen, you can choose a design model.

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