I have to lock up one of my dogs when I am gone. He gets put in a 4x4 kennel which is in the unfinished part of the basement. I hate him laying on the concrete all day, but he destroys any type of bed or blanket I put in there with him (even the supposedly indestructible heavy-duty nylon cot beds). I was wondering if a stall mat would be a good alternative since it would offer a little cushion and seems like it would be hard for him to destroy. I figure the standard 4x6 would fit well under the kennel without giving him a way to really get to the edges of the mat where I think he would try to chew it up. Anyone tried this with any luck?
Sounds like a good idea to me. I agree, I wouldn’t want him to lie on a cold, hard floor all day, and the stall mat would be softer. And, I’d hope, impossible for him to destroy!
We use stall mats in all 3 of our large chain link kennels. We have never had one chewed or damaged. We also have never had any sores on the elbows of our dogs. I would give I a try if I were you. :yes:
Stalls mats absolutely! Can you put some hay in for him to snuggle into then? Can’t tear up hay!
You could also try the interlocking anti-fatigue mats. They are cheap ($10-15 for a 4 x 6 section) and they are softer than stall mats. My dogs chew up everything they lay on, but haven’t bothered these a bit.
I have these ones: http://www.ruralking.com/anti-fatigue-mat-2-x2-interlocking-flooring.html
[QUOTE=khall;7506253]
Stalls mats absolutely! Can you put some hay in for him to snuggle into then? Can’t tear up hay![/QUOTE]
LOL I actually thought of throwing hay in there for him to build a nest! Good to hear the mats seem to work well! I know what I will be purchasing later today 
[QUOTE=CrowneDragon;7506384]
You could also try the interlocking anti-fatigue mats. They are cheap ($10-15 for a 4 x 6 section) and they are softer than stall mats. My dogs chew up everything they lay on, but haven’t bothered these a bit.
I have these ones: http://www.ruralking.com/anti-fatigue-mat-2-x2-interlocking-flooring.html[/QUOTE]
Ah, yes. We tried these…destructive dog had these torn into confetti in a day :lol:
Stall matts are great-I used them in my kitchen when my dear aged shephard was having trouble getting around and other issues. I wish I had thought of them sooner as they worked better than rugs. Not easily chewed, good traction, yeilding but firm and clean up well.
i would worry about the dog chewing and ingesting parts of the mat.
I’ve been using stall mats in the kennels for years. My kennels are 5’ x 10’. The stall mats are 5’ x 7’. In the back I put a 3’ x 4’ wood pallet and put a dog house on it. My insane chewer dog doesn’t bother the mats at all. I usually put shavings on top of the mats and straw in the dog houses.
We have stall mats in all the large kennels in the barn. The insane chewing lab actually has flipped the mat up on occasion, but has never chewed. These are regular 4x6 3/4" mats – I can’t believe the persistence it must take to get a paw or nose under an edge and then roll it back. I wish I could harness that energy for moving the darn things in the stalls! But as I said, no chew marks and no destruction. This is a dog that’s chewed food dishes and crates to bits. So that’s quite a testimonial to them.
