How to Build a Dog Trap

In this video I describe how to quickly build a simple, effective and inexpensive live dog trap. This is intended to be used to capture medium to large dogs that have gone missing and are too skittish to come to their owner or rescuers trying to help capture a dog.
Here You can read the story of me searching for and tracking "Paco" which became my motive for building the trap. The web page includes photos and a video of the trap in use.
www.theradioroom.net/Projects/...

[@BREEZEONE1]

Awesome trap, and glad you captured the pup and got him back to his family! I've been looking to build a trap to catch coyotes. I might have to give this a shot.

[@JoseMartinez-no2vb]

Great, large trap

[@johnvaldes8725]

I solved the wind problem by extending the slides up about 10 inches above the top of the box. It doesn't add that much to the weight and keeps the sliding plywood steadier inside the track.

[@ShawnDienhart]

Very cool John. I had to fit the thing in the back of my little SUV, hence the height limit for me.

[@j2art]

Do you think drilling holes in the door would keep it from being caught in the wind?

[@elk7046]

very nice!

[@fitriaidayatih4534]

Mantab om dan sangat jelas sekali tutorialnya

[@fitriaidayatih4534]

Terimah kasih

[@ChristopherAMacleod]

This is just what I need!! Got 3 of our hens killed last week. A neighbor says he saw a red fox, but we think it may have been a red dog roaming free. I got a live-trap for fox, and now need to build this live-dog-trap. The ones you can buy are just far too expensive! Either dog or fox, the guilty party will NOT get away with hurting our chickens ever again!!!

[@fontesdeo8582]

What did you catch? Dog or fox??

[@mikaeelharris2634]

I'm killing that dog with a smile.

[@khalidalabeed4113]

wow .. wonderful .. thank you for this idea

[@delrayhayes8648]

Built one copied mostly what you done...with exception , my door groves i just cut on table saw and made them longer extending higher up top...Works great! Caught neighborhood dog that as been running loose terrorizing our streets on the first day i set it....

[@ShawnDienhart]

Very cool DelRay ! Nicely done, glad it worked well for you.

[@TexasNightRider]

What did you do with the dog? I'm having a similar problem. Live in a rural area...lot of loose dogs.

[@smokysantana]

JDP guns work well

[@blackhawktim1259]

@@smokysantanathey work well but it's not the dogs fault. I would say take him to the pound . If it's a stray(NO COLLAR) then yeah, put it out of it's misery but if there is an owner involved that's a whole nother issue!!! I would say bbq the owner!!!!

[@308alaska]

I like your trigger design which I'll use on my friends live trap. Great design/video!!

[@BullsEye050]

Love you, bro. Thank you. I’m gonna start making this for local animal shelters🙏🏼

[@josephpuchel6497]

Hey Nice trap I’m going to build one

[@ShawnDienhart]

Nice. Just an FYI, a few years back I built a 2nd trap but used "field fencing" and not the "welded wire" used in my first trap. The field fencing is much stronger and cost a bit more, but you'll never have to wonder if the dog (or whatever) could chew out of it in a panic.

[@fontesdeo8582]

Wow! Nice job. Got a neighborhood dog won’t stop coming around causing trouble I am going to build one just like this. 73s William AG5VA

[@williambell00]

Great trap i will be making one for a mean dog.What if you extended the drop rail and enclose drop door completely maybe brace the enclosed rail from the back side with removable braces and rails.Would be enclosed and stable.

[@ShawnDienhart]

Yes, that would make the drop door completely stable. I had to build mine so it would fit into the back of my 2005 Xterra which restricted it to the overall height shown. Good thinking Eugene, thank you for the comment.

[@Dakota1533]

Do you have all of the items needed typed up somewhere? Very helpful video! Thank you very much!

[@ShawnDienhart]

Hi Leslie - Sorry to say I don't have an itemized list. Basically some 2x3's, a piece of 3/4" plywood for the door, some paracord attached to a big eye-hook, a box of wood screws, the hinge as shown, and welded-wire fencing wrapped around the wood frame. Cheers.

[@dawoodchatha4553]

hello shawn i was wondering what if you install a tilted board at the bottom and attach it with the rope so when a dog go further for a bait the weight of the dog would close the exit

[@ShawnDienhart]

Hi Dawood - Yes, you could certainly design it that way. I have a similar design which uses a wood plate and a common gate latch mechanism that serves to drop the door (sort of a "rev 2" trap). Still haven't built it yet, maybe this summer.

[@blackhawktim1259]

I was thinking about the door maybe being slid back up or the whole box tipping over cause the door to slide back up. What about a spring loaded dowel rod that would either be place so that it shoots just above the door keeping it from sliding back up or have it go through a drill hole when the door goes all the way down. It could be mounted on the underside of the top front 2x3. ?

[@ShawnDienhart]

As I recall I used 1/2" plywood for the door which made it heavy enough not to bounce when it closed. I've large and small dogs trapped and the door was never an issue. If I were to make changes, I would extend the door "rails" up about 18 inches above the top of the trap to steady the door from blowing in the wind. But I kept the height low on purpose so I could transport the trap in my SUV.

[@blackhawktim1259]

@@ShawnDienhart gotcha. Well I can't afford to make this anyway. I went to Lowe's yesterday and priced everything or almost everything and it was going to cost around $200 . Sucks because this damned dog is really getting on my nerves and I thought of I could catch it in the yard I could pepper it with some rocks maybe and then it wouldn't come back but the little sob never comes at the same time and it's always after 12 at night and I'm asleep because I work so I really have a problem!! I told the neighbors about it but they thinks it's funny or they just don't give a shit I don't know which. I don't want to shoot it because it's not the dogs fault, it's just being a dog but I'm damned sick of cleaning up after it!!!!!!!

[@ShawnDienhart]

@@blackhawktim1259 Shooting a dog because of a temporary problem would be a moral injustice and probably illegal. As the owners know who you are, you would be creating a much bigger problem for yourself than any dog could cause. Please don't shoot the dog.

[@fitriaidayatih4534]

Tolong di buatkan untuk jebakan biawak yg mudah dan praktis om

[@bigal25938]

A big dog might hit the side hard from the inside and make it tip over. There is nothing to stop the trap door from sliding out the bottom or top if is tipped over. Can wire it to a sapling to set beside something to keep it from tipping.

[@blackhawktim1259]

Tent stakes?

[@vickigutierrez3252]

So as far as the bait, do you actually stick the I bolt through the bait?

[@ShawnDienhart]

Yes, that's right. I usually poke a hole thru the center of the chicken with my pocket knife so the bolt goes thru easier.

[@vickigutierrez3252]

So it worked, my only concern is, is the raw chicken bad for her?

[@ShawnDienhart]

@@vickigutierrez3252 There is a very small risk of salmonella or other bacterial contamination. So, the chicken has to be fresh and ideally rinsed off. But there are three more important facts about using raw chicken. 1. It is the ideal bait for a trap such as this because it cannot be easily pulled apart by the dogs teeth (as compared to a piece of cooked chicken, beef or fish). 2. Dogs, especially hungry dogs on the run seem to crave raw chicken, it never fails as bait and , 3) Once the dog pulls on the bait and is trapped, I've never seen one go back to consume the chicken (I always place a bowl of kibble in the back of the trap too). Good question, thanks.

[@jfrncjr]

Nice job! I am having trouble with a skunk and need to build one of this. How did you fix the screen? With staples?

[@ShawnDienhart]

I used a pneumatic gun with heavy duty 1" staples, hundreds of them. That being said, if you're trapping a skunk, a standard (large) live cat trap will be much better for the purpose. When trapping skunks, I've found they really like a bowl of simple dry cat food (kibble) and they'll walk right into the trap.

[@jfrncjr]

@@ShawnDienhart Our skunks , in Brazil , do not smell like Americans but I am concerned with their strong teeth. This last one in my attic, (they jump from trees) bited the wood and part of the weak metal of it and escaped ...It is a fugue master and I need to show him that I am a master of the traps of hahaha

[@ShawnDienhart]

@@jfrncjr Now I understand better, thank you.

[@JimSealyJr]

@@jfrncjr those sound like our Hog nosed Skunks out west. They get almost 3’ long.

[@truenorth9541]

I’m seriously considering building this however there are a couple snags I need to iron out first. My situation is to capture a large dog that was dumped recently deep in the Canadian wilderness. It’s frightened won’t come near anyone and runs into the forest as all abandoned animals get soon after being dumped like this. A plywood floor seems to be needed in order to lift dog and cage without its feet falling through? Also, there is a good chance a bear could enter or a wolf. Some type of pulley system to lift the gate up with a long rope attached in order to lift gate from safe distance is also going to be required. Your thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated

[@ShawnDienhart]

Hey True North - Adding a wood floor obviously adds some weight, but otherwise not an issue other than being certain the wire fence material is secured properly. I have since built a rev 2 of this trap for a special scenario and it has a wood floor and it works fine. As for the door, I had to keep the "rails" ( that the door slides up and down in) purposely short simply so I could load the trap into the back of my SUV. If I had a truck, I would extend the rails above the top of the top of the trap about two feet or more which would keep the door from blowing in the wind and for creating a pulley system to open the door from behind the trap. However, if you watch some videos of the pros releasing bears from traps, they usually stand off to one side or on top and apparently just hope the bear bolts out of there and keeps going. Lastly, if you happen to place the trap under a tree branch, you could always rig a line over the branch to open the door from quite a distance. best of luck on capturing that dog -

[@familiardave6540]

A piece of thin panelling would be enough for the floor, but not even really neccessary IMO.

[@iwantosavemoney]

Nice i like it i have a dog problem my self.

[@donmailo]

My neighbors dogs run around at night an make a mess in my yard. Food tools an other things goes missing. Well is not the only thing going missing with this cage. Hopefully they can cage theirs dogs before i do.

[@equine1904]

I just build a trap using your design. It works great!!

[@ShawnDienhart]

That's great, so glad it's working for you.

[@wazza33racer]

Feral dogs are a big problem in outback Australia..........at a farmers meeting, to deal with the problem.........a government expert, fresh from university she told the farmers that "contraceptives" could help control wild dogs. An old farmer, stood up and said to the government expert.........."Lady, you dont seem to understand.........the dogs arent F*&king our sheep, they are eating them".

[@tracyk3567]

Looks small for a german shepard, not high enough at least. Did it work?

[@ShawnDienhart]

Yes, many times. It is quite large, more than enough for a german shepard. strategicpetrecovery.com/Paco.html

[@tracyk3567]

@@ShawnDienhart -oh great. i was wondering what size to get for strays. Thank you and thanks for the video.

[@danieldoherty7022]

Would u catch a fox in it

[@ShawnDienhart]

I don't see why not. Although, if the fox is small I would size down the trap a bit.

[@homlesy1172]

when you pick the dog up that Wire is too wide for the paws lol you need smaller mesh wire :)

[@sfret1]

Have a pack of 5 dogs running across the property. I'll give this a shot. Hope I don't catch Possums, though.

[@ShawnDienhart]

I think you're in luck, I've never had a possum go in a trap set for a dog.

[@hphillips7425]

I like that setup. I may build one for coyotes. If I do catch a dog I can easily release it

[@familiardave6540]

exactly what I was thinking

[@blackhawktim1259]

I think this will work just fine!!! I have a large mix breed lab/ German shepherd who belongs to my neighbors across the road from me and they refuse to keep him home. They say they have an electric fence but the damned dog comes over here ever night and triggers my camera system and then relieves himself in my back yard. IM TIRED OF CLEANING UP AFTER HIM, and it's either this or shoot him and I love dogs and don't want to do that so I figured taking him to the pound will cost them some money and maybe they fix the problem? All I know is I spent $3000 on one side of my house to erect a fence on the property line to keep the neighbors dogs next door out of my yard and I can't afford to put up anymore fencing. I have three small breed dogs and they aren't an inconvenience to anyone but me. I make sure they don't leave the yard and certainly don't go into anyone else's yard!!!! THANKS FOR POSTING!!!

[@johnliberty7288]

Cut holes in the board, or make a door with a wire fence middle to let air pass through.

[@ShawnDienhart]

Hey - great idea John. I was really pressed for time in the making of the trap and it had to fit inside the back of my 2005 Xterra. In hindsight, I could have also made an extension I could bolt on to support the board above the trap itself. Cheers.

[@johnliberty7288]

I love the design, when I start making traps I will probably use your mechanism over many of the others I have seen. Right now use store bought traps for catching the Raccoons that killed my bantam chickens. However if I end up with a Coyote problem your trap is something I will likely build myself.

[@ShawnDienhart]

Very cool Josh. Coincidentally I just finished searching for a dog that had gone missing for a week. Thought for sure I'd be deploying the trap again, but a very skilled cowboy was able to capture the dog without it. www.theradioroom.net/Projects/Adventure_of_Roscoe.html

[@Knuisance]

35''x 35" is not a rectangle. it is a square.

[@ShawnDienhart]

Yeah, I know - that's what I get for an ad hoc, unscripted video. :)

[@matthewvance4277]

My neighbors big dog travels in my yard and I cant talk to the next door neighbor cause we have issues and now his big dog is shitting in my yard and no one cares so i am building this and then calling animal control...thank u.

[@kevinm3561]

My neighbor brings dogs home like crazy. Then forgets them and let's them go. Animal control suck over here in my area.

[@tjbryan9138]

What happened to the dog

[@ShawnDienhart]

He was successfully trapped and reunited with his owner. The whole story and extra photos are shown at here: www.theradioroom.net/Projects/Pacos_Story.html

[@mitza3613]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHKkYqudibmqb9k

[@shantelfullerton9865]

You'll find all the inspiration you need on Stodoys plans.