Horse Trailer Converted To Low-Cost, Portable Dog Kennel
Old horse trailers can be converted into low-cost, portable dog kennels, says Dan Ruby, Spirit Lake, Iowa, who converted a 16-ft. long, tandem-axle horse trailer into a two-dog kennel. It's complete with electrically heated waterers as well as a pair of self-feeders.
"We use it all year long to house our two hunting dogs. Everyone who sees it is amazed at its design," says Ruby.
He paid $500 for the trailer which he bought used from an electrician, who had gutted the inside and installed work benches. The electrician had also closed in the trailer's sides with sheet metal and installed a steel door on back. Inside the back door Ruby installed a homemade wire gate made from cattle panel. He also ran a length of cattle panel lengthwise down the trailer, then installed a wooden kennel on each side of the panel toward the front. A door on front of the trailer provides access to both kennels, which have slide covers on top.
The gate on back has two narrow wooden doors built into it, which can be raised up to allow the dogs to leave the trailer for exercise. There's also a small wooden door on each side of the trailer where the dog can enter and exit. A slit cut into each side of the trailer provides ventilation.
"It's completely enclosed and has plenty of food and water so whenever we go on vacation we can leave it with a neighbor or friend and know that our dogs will be safe," says Ruby. "We've been gone for two weeks at a time without worrying about anything. The trailer is big enough to give two dogs plenty of room to run around, and whoever's taking care of the dogs can also exercise them once or twice a day outside the trailer.
"I open the back door for ventilation during the summer. During the winter I keep the back door closed and open the wooden doors on the sides of the trailer to let the dogs out. That way they're not exposed to the cold."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dan Ruby, RR 7323, Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360 (ph 507 847-3745).
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Horse Trailer Converted To Low-Cost, Portable Dog Kennel LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules 24-4-43 Old horse trailers can be converted into low-cost, portable dog kennels, says Dan Ruby, Spirit Lake, Iowa, who converted a 16-ft. long, tandem-axle horse trailer into a two-dog kennel. It's complete with electrically heated waterers as well as a pair of self-feeders.
"We use it all year long to house our two hunting dogs. Everyone who sees it is amazed at its design," says Ruby.
He paid $500 for the trailer which he bought used from an electrician, who had gutted the inside and installed work benches. The electrician had also closed in the trailer's sides with sheet metal and installed a steel door on back. Inside the back door Ruby installed a homemade wire gate made from cattle panel. He also ran a length of cattle panel lengthwise down the trailer, then installed a wooden kennel on each side of the panel toward the front. A door on front of the trailer provides access to both kennels, which have slide covers on top.
The gate on back has two narrow wooden doors built into it, which can be raised up to allow the dogs to leave the trailer for exercise. There's also a small wooden door on each side of the trailer where the dog can enter and exit. A slit cut into each side of the trailer provides ventilation.
"It's completely enclosed and has plenty of food and water so whenever we go on vacation we can leave it with a neighbor or friend and know that our dogs will be safe," says Ruby. "We've been gone for two weeks at a time without worrying about anything. The trailer is big enough to give two dogs plenty of room to run around, and whoever's taking care of the dogs can also exercise them once or twice a day outside the trailer.
"I open the back door for ventilation during the summer. During the winter I keep the back door closed and open the wooden doors on the sides of the trailer to let the dogs out. That way they're not exposed to the cold."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dan Ruby, RR 7323, Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360 (ph 507 847-3745).
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