here's .... Bonnie!

Since I have received a number of emails regarding Bonnie and her kennel, I thought it's time to introduce her. It's a month since the operation and she is doing much better.


Here she is on one of her garden excursions. She is allowed outside a few times per day to relieve herself and stretch her legs.
No stairs or jumping! But she has been reasonably well behaved.
Except for slyness...
She is getting way too clever. She sits and cries in the kennel, just to get let out, and then she has no special needs, just wants outside.
She would always listen to me the best. If I call, she'd go straight inside and into the kennel. Until yesterday. Now when she gets called, she hides under a bush in the garden.
I've left her outside for a few hours at a time and if she remains still it's no problem. The problem comes with the backdoor, it has 4 steps and a doggy-door. Bonnie wants to go there and try to enter the house, even though the doggy-door is shut. It's the "No Stairs" policy that's being broken.

Just two more months of kennel time. Then all will be fine.
By then the patch on her back will be re-grown too.

Here is Katana, Bonnie's "sister".


Katana has become my apprentice in the garage. She loves following me around all day. Every time I lift a tool, or a metal ruler, there is a chance to chase reflections. Oh, and then there is that large ostrich-feather-duster .. if only she could get at it.

Building a kennel/table

After finding the idea on the internet I decide I was going to build a table, with a dog kennel enclosed underneath. Functional, pretty and the table can always be used as a stand-alone.

I used Sketchup and started designing the Table Kennel and a cutting list. One sheet of 18mm plywood was ordered (2440mm x 1220mm) and cut to size by the supplier.



I sanded all pieces and the four kennel sides were drilled to accept dowel bars.



At first, I was going to go with wooden dowels for the bars, then I found aluminium round tube which was slightly more expensive. Wood and metal gives a much better look.



No fancy jointing - I simply marked and drilled holes for 6mm wood dowel pins.



Stained Mahogany Gripseal® gave the project a whole new look.



The table and the kennel. Two hinges and two sliding bolts ensure easy access.



All in all, it could have turned out worse.

Intervertebral Disc Disease

Bonnie is a crossbreed daschund that came from the SPCA about seven years ago. Four weeks ago, Bonnie was not looking happy. She was listless and not moving much and when trying to get on the couch she would struggle, even whimper sometimes.
The dog was diagnosed with Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD or Disc Disease or Slipped Disc). Basically it's the calcification of the discs seperating the vertebrae and can lead to paralysis.
We were recommended to a specialist vet who suggested that the only sure fix was an operation.

The dog has now returned from the operation and is on "sick leave" for 3 months, meaning NO STAIRS OR JUMPING.
Having to lock the dog in the downstairs toilet was a workable but unsocial option, so we decided to get a kennel or cage. Searching the internet led to numerous ideas but the prices were high for everything. Simple wire cages cost over R1000.00.

Although I am not a good carpenter, I can surely make something that looks fairly decent and won't cost an arm-and-a-leg. We need the pay for the operation after all - no money left over for cages.

Check out the build in a later post.