History: Amber is a 72 lb., 16 month old lovable, GR pup. She currently is and has always been in a custom-built 10x20 foot kennel in our basement since the first day that she proved to my husband that she could knock down the doggie gate in the laundry room. She has water/two beds and toys to play with, but no access to outside to potty. I leave at 6:00 a.m. and we have a dogsitter that comes in at lunch for an hour to play with/potty/love our 3 girls. Hubby gets home most days at 4:30 p.m. I play Frisbee for 1/2 hour in the morning and she gets an hour of outside time for ball playing at night. We have considered building an outside kennel which would have a chainlink run and an attached shed under our 400 yr. old oak tree with running water and possibly heated . We are trying to determine the best/safest place for Amber. She eats everything, e.g. pea gravel, acorns and oak tree leaves (which are toxic). Our dogsitter is amazing, but may not continue to be available on a daily basis. We disagree on the best location for her. My question is: which do you think is best/safest....indoor kennel or outdoor kennel? Thanks so much. Vicki

May I offer a third option? Is there a reputable doggy day care where you live? I know Tehachapi....I lived in California City when I worked at Edwards Air Force Base. I now they're small towns, but there may be a doggy day care in Tehachapi, Mojave, or even California City.

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@Lilliam. Thank you for a third option. I work @ NASA on Edwards AFB. We would have been neighbors. I have checked in Tehachapi and the closest doggy day care option would be with our trainer in Caliente, a far drive. I checked with her as she offers a pickup/delivery service, as well. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate each other schedules. Thanks so much for your response. I will check into some doggy day cares as they come available. I hope to visit D.C. some time in the future. Vicki

I think she would love it outdoors in the fresh air. Place to go potty and all. As long as she is fenced in with no way of getting out she will be just fine. I couldn't imagine myself staying cooped up all day indoors let alone my doggie. Wyatt stays out back all day with no problems

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WOW!!!! How long have you been there? I would drive right past Dryden every morning...small world, eh? I remember the left turn into the NASA site. And of course the museum itself. The first time I ever saw the B2 was on approach, right over NASA. And of course, the shuttle....on approach over the rocks opposite Dryden.

Would be fun to have lunch in DC when you come this way. Let me know.

Oh...wait....with the bear, fox, and coyote population so high in the Tehachapi area I'd be concerned about tempting the devil outside. Do you have a deck or patio close to the house away from the fence line? The bears in Tehachapi have become quite a nuisance, and so have the foxes, if I remember.
Then there are the cougars.
It's a wilderness area, if I remember well. I'd be concerned of what a bear with an attitude could do.

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I did not know oak tree leaves were poisonous. She should not be left alone where she could get into anything toxic. I know my MacKenzie's favorite pass time, especially this time of the year is stalking, chasing and carrying around leaves in her mouth.

Do you have any stay at home mothers or college students nearby that could use a little bit of spending money? My 9 year old even started a little pet sitting business for herself this past summer for the neighbors ( with my husband or me assisting! ) by letting dogs out to potty, feeding cats and dogs, etc.

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@Lilliam......I have been at Dryden for 15 yrs., now With a contractor as QA Spec. My husband, 29 years, lead on the flight and chase aircraft. He leaves at 5 and me at 6. Some squirrels,deer, and some coyotes, an occasional bobcat, no bear. Amber would be inside a fence, then inside a covered run and attached. My hubby built a 10x10 completed covered kennel with a ramp, steps, and a sun deck with doggy door access for the little girls. Guaranteed he would built just as nice for the love of his life . Will let you know if I ever make it back to D.C. .
@Cubbysan (cute name )....I read that if oak leaves soak in a puppy's water dish it could be toxic. She eats an occasional brown acorn with no poor results. Research says that green leaves and acorns are more toxic. We have a dog sitter that comes in for an hour everyday at lunch to exercise/play/love the 3 girls. I feel bad keeping her in basically a lit dungeon all day, but she is safe (unless a water pipe breaks. I know OCD ) We will probably built her safe kennel sometime next Spring. She loves it outside so much. She plays with gravel less now and we had her x-rayed at spay with no gravel seen.
Tank you both for your great input. Vicki and Amber

Not sure what the set up would be but I simply don't like to leave my dog somewhere where someone could possibly get at him. Dog theft is pretty big here, especially for a purebred.

I'm not a big fan of daycares as few around here are run by people who understand dogs but I do love one-on-one dog walks (though only with a trainer - I'm lucky enough to have one here!). I know, I'm picky (;

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Jacqueline

"I have just met you and I love you" - Dug (Up!)

Why not have both so that you can alternate between the two? You already have the indoor kennel, and you are thinking about building an outdoor kennel. If you build the outdoor kennel, will you take down the indoor kennel? If you do build the outdoor kennel, can you build it with a top on it to make it secure enough that nothing can get at her?
I think it would be nice to have 2 safe secure places to keep her while you work. That way she gets a change of scenery and won't get bored.

Our outdoor kennel has a locking door, we put a combination paddle lock on it. We also put down chicken wire then heavy stall mats (horse). The chicken wire was because our other golden was a digger and she would dig between the mats, once the chicken wire was put down, not more digging. She would have had to go to some really extra effort to get to the wire after it was down and under the mats.

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