VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

SIZE AND FURNISHING OF PENS

• The size of pens varies with the breed, age and breeding of the dogs.
• Average size of pen for non-breeding pet dogs may be kept as follows:
• Toy or small breeds: The pens may be 1 m long, 75 cm wide and 70 cm high, and covered with wire gauze.
• Front door should be well ventilated and sliding or dropping type.
• Medium breeds: The pens may be 1.5 m long, 1 m wide and 1 m high.
• Large breeds: It may be 2.5 m long, 2 m wide and 1.5m high.
• Each pen should be provided with a 15-cm-high wooden bench for resting, a bowl full of clean drinking water and a dish for feeding.
• Pens should open in a fenced run for exercise.
• The height of fencing should be sufficient to prevent the escaping of dogs even during the breeding season when they are highly active and acrobatic.
• It should be more than 2.5 m for the large-sized sporting dogs.
• The area for brood bitches should be at least double that for non-breeding bitches.
• The bench should be placed by the side of the wall and the open space should be blocked to prevent the entrance of pups beneath the bench.
• A cardboard box should be placed around whelping for the rest of newborn puppies.
• Each pen of a brood bitch should have an enclosed run for the exercise of pups.
• The floor should have a thick layer of ash, sand or soft grass.
• It should be kept clean, dry and free from sharp objects.