How to choose and install a dog aviary in an apartment

When you have a four-legged friend, he needs the same amount of attention and care as the rest of the family, and sometimes much more. From the moment a puppy appears in the apartment, the owners should be ready to devote time to him and take care of his nutrition, training, walking, rest, etc. From the first days of his stay in the house, the dog is given its personal place, personal corner. But for many animals there are no restrictions on movement around the apartment. As a result, an active and inquisitive dog rushes about in all rooms, rolls around on a sofa, plays with wires or gnaws furniture. The question immediately arises: "How to protect, first of all, the dog, and, secondly, yourself and everything around?" The answer is very close: "Aviary!".

Before installing the enclosure, you need to be sure that this design is needed, and not a carry, cage or small house

The described designs are divided into two types:

1. Street portable It is intended for a short stay of a dog in it, therefore it is not very comfortable.
2. Apartment - usually has a size of about 2-3 square meters, is designed for the possible stay of a dog in it, even for a whole day. It has all the necessary elements for a good rest, food, movement and going to the toilet.

When do you need an aviary: TOP-7 cases

An aviary is a special facility for the temporary presence of animals (in particular dogs) in it.

The design can be made of metal, plastic or wood, with or without a roof. Many dog ​​owners have long and successfully used such cage-playpens. And those who think that the aviary is intended only for keeping large dogs on the street, we can assure you - this is not so.

There are several main reasons why the owners of four-legged eared and tailed think about the aviary. So:

1. A small breed dog lives at home: Yorkshire terrier, chihuahua, Russian toy, Spitz, etc. These cute dogs always attract the attention of guests who want to stroke, touch and sniff them, but they don’t know where to hide from the children. The aviary will become their small fortress, their territory, on which no one can encroach.
2. A puppy appeared in the apartment. He is interested in everything, he wants to run around everywhere, smell and gnaw at his little sharp teeth. So that something harmful or dangerous does not get into the baby’s mouth, let him sit for a while in the arena and take care of his toys.
3. The puppy must be accustomed to the toilet. Such a kind of “pen” is perfect for restricting space to a dog. Therefore, only in this territory will she find a secluded place to relieve herself, and the owner will be able to put a tray there or put a diaper on. As a result, there will be no need to search for “surprises” throughout the apartment and clean them.
4. The animal is sick or quarantined (e.g. after vaccination). The aviary, as a rule, is equipped with everything necessary: ​​bowls for food and water, a soft lining, toys, a toilet tray. There is a small area where you can take a walk. Owners are very comfortable watching and caring for the dog when it is in a certain place.
5. Mom-bitch is waiting for replenishment or is already feeding babies. Both she and the puppies need a place where they can relax and gain strength without outside interference.
6. The owner is absent and it is undesirable for the animal to run around the house. Then the aviary will be very helpful. The construction will come in handy during repairs, spring cleaning, and even going outdoors. A portable structure of small size can limit the movement of the dog.
7. There are other animals in the house. Having put the dog in the aviary, you can easily exclude contact with other "residents".

The open-air cage should become a place where the dog comes in with pleasure, making sure of the good intentions of the person and comfortable conditions of stay in it

Forms and features of their choice

Today, many manufacturers offer a large selection of aviaries for installation in apartments. Among products of different shapes, you can always choose a model suitable for a particular room. Designs are made:

• Rectangular
• Polygonal.
• Square.
• Round.

It is clear that if there is enough free space in the house, then you can safely choose a round or polygonal aviary, although rectangular structures are still considered the most popular.

What materials can be aviaries in an apartment

It is necessary to think in advance of what material the aviary will be of. Dog owners are trying to learn more in advance about the designs, materials of their manufacture, the pros and cons, as well as the possibilities of independent playback of your favorite model. The materials from which fences can be made are:

Metal

Metal apartment enclosures consist of several autonomous modules made of rods that are interconnected. The advantages of such designs are that they:

• Collapsible, which means that they can be quickly folded, laid out, reduced or increased depending on the growth of the puppy.
• Easy to care for and do not absorb odors. It is enough to regularly wipe it with a damp cloth and carry out disinfection as necessary.
• Durable
• Strong. They can be safely used on the street.

Despite the large selection of finished products, dog lovers often make houses for their pets, collect aviaries or sew bedding. To create an aviary with your own hands you must have:

• Material for forming the frame. It is desirable that this was a construction grid with bars, and not Rabitz. Since the cells of the latter are mobile, they can move and harm the dog.
• Metal rods or wooden bars to create supporting parts.
• Wire and pliers.
• Awnings on the door and a couple of locks or heck.

It is worth considering that for puppies a sufficient aviary height is 40-50 cm, for decorative doggies not less than 50-60 cm, and larger dogs - about 1 m

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• First of all, it is necessary to outline the contours of the structure (let it be a box). If the frame is metal, it is necessary to connect the rods together using welding or wire, if wooden - knock together the bars nails or twist with screws.
• Cut off pieces of the desired size from the grid, which will become the floor, walls and, if necessary, the roof of the structure. Fix prepared parts on the frame.
• Around the perimeter, the enclosure is closed, except for one segment where the door is planned to be installed. The door is attached to the main structure by wire and by installing canopies.
• On the other hand, a latch is screwed onto the door, and hinges to fix the latch on the enclosure wall. That's it!

One of the options for creating an aviary in an apartment is presented in the video below.

In a closed design, a plywood sheet is placed on the floor. But before you start the dog in the aviary, it is better to lay a dense, but soft litter on the floor.

It is desirable that the design still did not have a roof, because it can cause fear in a young dog in a confined space.

Plastic

The choice of enclosures made of plastic is huge - these are a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, additional elements, etc.

Indisputable advantages designs:

• Acceptable price.
• Complete set of separate modules.
• Ease of maintenance.
• Ease of installation.

Plastic models are lightweight and have several components. For many dog ​​owners, this is a great opportunity to show their imagination, experiment and create the most comfortable conditions for your pet. The fence can be divided into several sections or remove a couple of modules and expand the space, change the configuration of the enclosure and make it a stylish addition to the interior. And the fact that the products do not absorb odors and moisture, and a variety of detergents are applicable to them, only adds to their popularity.

But even such demanded designs have their own small minuses:

• Firstly, plastic models must be used very carefully for doggies who like to try everything “by the tooth” and nibble things for fun. This is due to the relative softness of the material of manufacture.
• Secondly, it is necessary to have suction cups that will firmly hold the aviary attached to the floor, since this type of aviary has very low weight and any dog ​​will move the structure without problems.

When DIY plastic fencingneed to stock up:

• Profile pipe (round, rectangular or square).
• Tee fittings for pipes of appropriate configuration.
• Scissors for cutting plastic pipes, corners.

We act according to the scheme:

• We cut pieces from the pipe, the length of which is the height of the future aviary, and small pieces of 5 cm each to connect the grate.
• We use small fittings-tees to connect with long pipes and get a finished section with a fence configuration.
• The resulting walls are interconnected by plastic corners.

True, you will have to think a bit about how to fix the door, but the final result will definitely please.

All buildings are carried out taking into account the size of the dog. Inside the structure, the animal must sit, stand, lie and walk freely

Tree

Wood products always look very attractive, in addition, they are environmentally friendly. But for cute dogs, the most important thing is not the aesthetic appearance of the fence, which indicates their territory, but the fact that these planks can be nibbled. This does not mean their absolute impracticality. It’s just that the owners of the animals need to be very careful and ensure that the animal doesn’t break off a sharp sliver with its teeth and does not hurt itself.

It is believed that well-processed and polished coniferous wood is excellent for such structures. Many choose wooden enclosures because they consider the material more “warm”, familiar, with which it will be easier to work. Indeed, by analogy with metal structures, one can independently make a wooden aviary. For work you will need:

• Bars, planks and plywood.
• Ruler screwdriversaw screws.
• Canopies, latch or other latch, corners.

And best of all, if before starting work a drawing, sketch or just a small sketch of the structure will be made, where its dimensions and shape, possibly placement in the room, will be indicated. It is also necessary to carry out the preparation of wooden elements. They are impregnated antiseptic impregnation (non-toxic) or a special varnish that will be a good protection against rot, appearance mold or lesions with a fungus.

And now - to the point:

• We assemble the frame. This is easy to do using wooden blocks and connecting them together with the help of corners, screws or screws. Taking into account the breed and size of the dog, one or two walls can be “sewn up”, making them solid.
• We establish a kind of "fence". To do this, we file the strips of the same length, which is equal to the specified height of the structure, and simply fasten them to the frame at the same distance from each other.Visually, it is very similar to a small fence. Similarly, we collect the remaining walls.
• Similarly, but as a separate element, we collect the door.
• Next, we fix the resulting door and install locks on it for locking, and hinges on the wall in the appropriate place.

DIY aviary - ready! Now it remains to add some important little things so that you can safely run a dog into it:

• Paul should not be ignored. It would be nice to make it on the principle of walls, only solid. If this is not possible, you can take a sheet of plywood, chipboard or a piece of linoleum, and put a dense fabric on top.
• It is important not to forget, equipping the place of feeding the animal, about the strong mounts for the bowls. Everyone knows that the tree is very susceptible to moisture, the structure is not so easy to dry, and it will begin to deteriorate very soon. Therefore, so that the dog, while indulging, through negligence or clumsiness, does not turn the bowls over, they must be securely fixed.

The open-air cage is the younger brother of an ordinary street one and all necessary conditions must be created in it: soft bedding, bowls, toys, latrine (diaper, tray) and a place to rest

On the video you can see one of the options for creating a wooden aviary with your own hands.

Chipboard

This material is well suited not only for floor equipment, as in the previous version, but also for creating a full-fledged apartment enclosure with strong walls. This type of guard:

• Applicable for dogs of small breeds or puppies.
• Differs in simplicity of assembly.
• It has a long service life.
• It is well washed, cleaned and disinfected.
• It is safe for the dog and on the materials of manufacture, and in the process of use (lack of splinter and other similar injuries).

And creating such a “miracle” is not difficult at all:

• Particleboard plates are cut in such a way as to produce rectangles of the desired height and length.
• The resulting walls are connected by installing internal bars. On top of the structure, for fixing, set the corners.
• Choose a wall for the door.
• Slightly departing from the corner of the structure by 2-3 hinges, the door is fixed and a locking mechanism is installed.

Everything is quite simple and fast. And these factors, sometimes, become decisive when choosing fences.

the cloth

For many dog ​​lovers, the ability to transport an aviary, quickly install and dismantle it plays a large role. At the same time, they pay special attention to the strength of materials and the reliability of fasteners, because we are talking about the safety of their pets.

In this case, we are talking about tissue enclosures made in the form of an awning tent. The frame of such products is made of durable plastic or lightweight metal (aluminum) pipes, the walls are made of polyester. For owners of babies such as York, Toy, Spitz or Chihuahua, the designs described are just a godsend, since their basic pros:

• A light weight.
• Waterproof floor.
• Easy assembly and disassembly.
• Compact size.
• Affordable cost.
• Convenience when traveling.

Of course, not without cons, although they are immaterial and fixable:

• The need for regular washes.
• Rapid material wear with heavy use of the aviary.

For those who decide to do independent sewing, it is worth paying attention to a number of nuances:

• Well, if the roof is detachable, it is much easier to look after the animal.
• The bottom of the product can be strengthened so that it is strong enough.
• Special retainers (ties, Velcro) will help secure the aviary, which will protect the pet.
• The presence of additional pockets to accommodate various trifles, bottles and necessary accessories will greatly facilitate the care and maintenance of the dog.

For whatever purpose the enclosure is used (keeping, raising or traveling to the exhibition), the dog cannot be long and often closed, limiting its freedom. This can provoke soreness, loss of strength or, conversely, cause aggressiveness

Cardboard

Rarely for puppies and small breeds of dogs, thick cardboard is used to create enclosures. Such designs are reminiscent of something from childhood made by oneself at labor lessons.

They are rarely used because of rapid wear: they will have to be changed on average once a week. Plus cardboard is easily susceptible to pet teeth, which can lead to its complete unsuitability in a matter of hours.

Interesting ideas for creating DIY designs

Having familiarized with different types of designs, we can safely state that mobile, light, folding aviaries can be made by yourself using different materials. A solid playpen can be constructed of wood, and a modular fence made of metal rods or a building mesh with fixed cells. Plastic pipes will be an excellent material for the assembly of a compact and very attractive structure.

Creating an aviary for a four-legged friend is not only a responsible matter, but also excitingly interesting. If you gather as a family, come up with new parts and technical solutions, you can build a real "masterpiece". In addition, different materials can be combined with each other: a wooden frame and walls made of steel mesh, sides - a lattice made of wood, a roof - transparent plastic, a metal fence - additional elements made of fabric.

Selection and placement tips

Before you purchase or independently make an aviary, you need to determine its future location. There are also several points that are important to consider:

• In the immediate vicinity of the structure, there should be no heating appliances (of batteries) and various household appliances.
• The guard must be protected from direct sunlight and drafts. It is better if it is located in the back of a large room.
• They try to arrange the structure so that the animal, being in it, can observe most of what is and is happening in the room.

When choosing a design, you must pay attention to its safety:

• The material of manufacture must be harmless and in no case toxic.
• Protruding parts or elements with sharp corners should not be on the frame, walls and door of the fence.

It is important to maintain cleanliness in the aviary, as dirt not only causes an unpleasant odor in the room, but also contributes to the emergence of various diseases in animals

• The floor of the enclosure must not be left uncovered, it must be covered with cardboard, linoleum, bedspread, plywood or particleboard (only in the area where the diaper is a toilet, you do not need to lay anything).

If the owners of the dog did not think in advance where to put the aviary, then, after its construction, will have to look for a place to install the structure. And it’s not at all a fact that he will immediately find a place or he will fit into the interior. And in this case, there are a few tips:

1. The metal fence is made of mesh and has no roof. It is unlikely that such an aviary can somehow be masked. But if you take this into account in advance and make it folding, there will be no problem. It is enough to fold it and remove it for a while.
2. A small aviary arena with a roof. You don’t always want this design to be striking, so you can decorate it under a cabinet or table. To do this, you need to select the appropriate countertop and put it on the roof (the main thing is that the countertop is not huge, heavy, in general, monumental).
3. The easiest way is to try hard and find a secluded corner in the apartment, which is suitable for installing an aviary, where no one will interfere with the dog, and the fence will not dissonant with the interior.

Material and height of the enclosure for different situations

The dog should be comfortable and calm in the aviary. Therefore, below are some tips regarding design features in different situations:

1. Bitch got crazy. A product up to 70 cm high without a roof is best.With such sizes and modifications of the playpen, removing puppies from the enclosure will not be a problem, and cleaning and changing of diapers can be done very quickly.
2. Temporary content. As a rule, a small plastic or metal aviary is used, closed both on the sides and on top or in the playpen made of fabric (tent) on the frame. They have a low price and are practical to carry.
3. "Mini" or just small dog. As a permanent apartment building, many dog ​​lovers choose plastic fences with a height of not more than 40 cm.
4. The dog grew and became medium-sized. It is worth picking up a metal or wooden structure, with side doors and a wall height (required) of at least 80 cm. The dog will go out through the door, since such a height will not allow it to jump out through the fence.
5. Active pets. For especially frisky animals, owners, as a rule, choose structures with a pallet. Reliable, strong enclosures do not budge even with a strong dog pressure.
6. Decorative pets. Lovely pets require special attention and want everything around to be beautiful too. And their owners are not against it. A great option for a little friend is an expensive aviary made of wood, which, if desired, can become a highlight in the interior.

How to make an aviary a comfortable place to stay a dog?

The aviary, unlike the cage, is intended to indicate to the dog its territory, the space on which there are zones of sleep and games, food and rest. Therefore, from the first days in the new house, owners begin to accustom pets to these structures. It is better if the aviary is initially open, and the baby begins to get to know him: he comes in and goes out.

There are many ways to attract the attention of a dog to an amazing structure:

• Put bowls with food and water inside.
• Briefly introduce the puppy to the aviary and praise it at the same time.
• Put your favorite toy or a piece of goodies in the fence.

Gradually, the dog will get used to the aviary, appreciate comfort and get comfortable. A big plus of almost all fences is their modularity - depending on different situations or as the puppy grows, individual panels can be added or removed, independently adjusting the dimensions of the structure.

There are many different opinions of dog owners regarding aviaries. But many agree that these are very convenient, practical, functional designs that make it easier for dogs to live in an apartment, and their owners reduce the chores associated with keeping and raising animals. The most important thing is to make the right choice of the structure or responsibly approach the self-assembly of the aviary, correctly determine the installation location, accurately calculate the size, provide the necessary set of devices for a comfortable living of a four-legged pet.