The American Beagler Forum

I need to expand my kennel and am trying to decide between pouring concrete and using pea gravel. Concrete will run about $1500.00 labor and material; pea gravel about $420.00 and I have to haul/spread it. Concrete would clean easier--hose or shovel--pea gravel would have to be replenished occasionally since it would stick to poop. Concrete would solve any digging problems. gravel would let urine flow through. What are everyone's thoughts?

Older dogs can't take the concrete I'll never go back to it. I use pea gravel, toughens the pads and keeps them dry.
Thanks,
Bob

Concrete is a more permanent fixture. No mud, no digging. We use wooden benches and rubber roofs on the flat-top dog boxes for them to lay on. A trench and good drainage allows them to be washed and dried.

Pea gravel is easy to rake up and easy on the joints but the ground underneath becomes sour with time. It's good if you can move the pen every few years and allow the ground to revive it's self by turning and adding lime. Don't fool yourself that the waste and urine is not spoiling the ground over time, it needs a break every so often or your creating a blackened sewer underneath.

The 2'X2' pavers for patios are a good option. They can be moved as needed, solid dry flooring, no digging or mud, expanded and needed for more kennels or taken with you if a move is necessary or heaven forbid, you get out of owning hounds...

ROCK DUST !!!!!

Slant the concrete and add trench one end, and but a bucket in the ground with holes in the bottom with gravel and lime dust.