Today I’m making up and installing top nets on kennels #1 and #2.  Kennel #3 is already done, but because I was up against a deadline (inbound dog) I rushed that one and it’s not done as neatly as these are coming out.  But it does serve the purpose of keeping (escape artist) Sable in her kennel.  She has been up standing on top of her dog house to get a closer look at that net, but she hasn’t found a weakness yet

To keep things from falling apart should a weld break while I’m installing the net, I secure the end strands of wire. When I cut the fencing, I cut down the middle between vertical strands so I have tails to work with. Most of these I just fold over to hold things together, but the two at the end corners, I wrap around tightly to hold that joint together if that weld fails.

With two 10 foot runs of fencing cut and ends wrapped, I lay them side by side. Each run of fencing is 4 feet high (wide) so together they just cover the 8 foot wide kennels.

I stitch the runs of fencing together with 3/8″ hog rings. I install one every third juncture, and I install them diagonally – alternating directions of the diagonals so as a whole, the sheet of fencing is locked together and the two pieces cannot slide past one another.

I install a rail at the top of the back of the kennel, and another across the kennel at the halfway point. These (along with the front panel) support the netting. I start at the back and fasten the netting to the rails with stainless steel zip ties. Every two feet across the back and center bars, every 1 foot along the outside and front rails. I don’t fasten the inner edge at all yet. I’ll do that when the netting is in place for the center kennel, then use one set of ties to fasten both nets.

Josephine has been fascinated by this process. She’s not inspecting, not being judgemental, just being a spectator (and enjoying the sunshine).

In fact, to avoid being in the way, she is spectatoring from a distance.

These nets will keep our foster dogs inside the kennels, and keep other critters out of the kennels.  Right now, with the dogs living in the outdoor runs, the chances of coons, possum, or a cat wanting to get in there to go after food or water is minuscule. But when I get the indoor runs built the doggos may well be sawing logs on a bed inside at night, and that could make a tempting score for woodland creatures.

These nets will prevent larger creatures from getting in. I’m not so worried about stolen food or water as I am that a dog might awaken and get into a tussle with said forest creature. Aside from the possibility of rabies, I don’t want my charges getting chewed up by a desperate raccoon or opossum.

These top nets will prevent that.