Chain Link Dog Kennels and Runs: Permanent Enclosures Set in Concrete

Sizing a Run and Choosing Height

Dogs use a run lengthwise. A long narrow shape gives more room to trot than a square of equal area, which is why the classic layout is a rectangle running off the side of a garage or along a back fence. Tell us the breed, how many dogs will share the space and how many hours a day they will be in it, and we will suggest dimensions.

Six feet is the standard height. Dogs that climb or jump need either a taller run or a top. A chain link top panel also keeps hawks away from small dogs and stops anything from dropping in.

• Single run: one gate, typically attached to a building or existing fence.
• Side-by-side runs: shared divider walls, one gate each, for multiple dogs.
• Run with top: for climbers, small breeds and escape artists.
• Run with roof or shade cover: framed to carry panels or shade cloth.

Floors, Dig Barriers and Drainage

What is under the dog matters as much as the fence. Bare clay turns to mud and gets dug out along the edges. The common choices are a concrete slab sloped to drain, compacted gravel or screenings over fabric, and pavers. Concrete is easiest to hose clean and the dog cannot dig through it.

If you prefer a gravel or natural floor, we add a dig barrier: a concrete mow curb under the fence line, or chain link fabric laid flat inside the perimeter and buried. A bottom rail or tension wire keeps the fabric from being pushed outward at ground level. We build the fence and can coordinate with the concrete contractor of your choice on slab work.

How We Build a Kennel Run

We start by confirming location. Shade in the afternoon, a spot that does not collect runoff, and reasonable distance from a neighbor's bedroom window all make the run easier to live with. Then posts are set in concrete or core-drilled and anchored into an existing slab.

Once the concrete cures, top rail goes on, the fabric is stretched with tension bars and tied off, and the gate is hung. Kennel gates get a latch a dog cannot lift with its nose and that takes a padlock or snap. For side-by-side runs we can add solid or slatted lower panels between dogs to cut down on fence fighting.

Replacing a Worn Out or Undersized Kennel

Signs a run is done: rust at the base of the posts, fabric curled up along the bottom, a gate that has to be lifted to latch, or panels held together with wire and zip ties. Dogs find those weak points quickly.

Replacement usually means removing the old panels, keeping a slab that is still sound and anchoring new posts into it. That saves the expense of new concrete. If the old kennel was too small, we can extend the footprint with a gravel section or a new pad and re-fence the whole run as one enclosure. We haul away the old kit.

Kennel Runs in the Carolina Piedmont: Heat, Clay and Local Rules

Charlotte summers are hot and humid, so shade and airflow are the first design concerns. Chain link is the right material because it does not trap heat or block a breeze. Position the run under tree cover or plan a shade cover from the start, and never rely on a solid-sided enclosure in July.

Red clay holds water, so an unpaved run in a low spot becomes a wallow. We look at grade and may recommend raising the floor with stone. Galvanized chain link handles the humidity well, and black vinyl coated fabric adds another layer of protection along with a look many HOAs prefer.

Counties and towns in Mecklenburg, Gaston, Cabarrus and York set their own animal ordinances and setback rules, and commercial kennels or boarding operations face additional zoning and permitting requirements. Check with your local animal control and zoning offices, and with your HOA, before choosing a location.