mobilehomerepair.com

I need some ideas on how to keep my skirting in place on the bottom. My dog loves to lay up against the skirting and she pushes it in at the bottom. The bottom track stays in place but the vented panels push right out of her way. When she lays down she takes out a section about 8-10 feet. She is a 150 pound Malamute and loves laying in one or two spots.

You could try framing the skirting up wuith 2x2 or 2x4. a dog that large will be a challange. You may want to think about steel skirting. Greg

Hi Squirt,

Welcome to the site.

I am going to move this thread to the repair forum, others may have some more thoughts.

Have a great night,

~Yanita~

I had a northern breed that would dig a hole to "den" in. If your dog is doing that in combination with leaning, you can put a small sandbox in and moisten it. They'll dig until they get the back support they like, and then they'll never leave!

Good for saving lawns, too.

solveg

She does have a couple of sunken areas in the back of my house where there is just sand. The funny thing is she does not bother the skirting in these areas. It is the spots on the grass that she pushes the skirt in knocking it out of the bottom track and laying where ever she likes.

She likes the grassy areas because it's cooler than the dry sand. Like solveg mentioned, try wetting the sand down. I doubt she'll move from her favorite spot though!

Other options are to place a small fence about 12 inches away from the skirting, so she can lean into it. Maybe a decorative small brick or block wall? Even a cheap wire fence would keep her away from it.

I've got a dog about the same size. I know that he'd just bend the wind rods for skirting after a few months.

Another option is to make it not so inviting around the skirting! Placing asphalt shingles around the skirting will do 2 things. You won't have to trim around the skirting and it will keep the dog off that area.

I'm sure others will come by with more ideas!

Maureen

This is what my dog does to my skirt. I am not sure if putting a wood frame behind it would help. Any other ideas?

I tried to post a picture of the skirt on the last posting
but it didn't work.

Hi Squirt!

Is your dog a Siberian Husky by any chance? Or is it an Alaskan Husky? I just noticed your avitar.

As a former owner of a real beauty ( Siberian) for 14 years, I can tell you that they love to dig, destroy and obviously move siding! I feel your pain. Our female chewed through a wood fence several times.

Wind rods may help that, if you placed them a shorter distance than recommended. About the only thing that will really do the job is a small fence at least 2 feet tall. You could do something decorative there in that area and it will still look nice.

Lowes has a small 3 foot aluminum fence available that's both decorative and you don't need footers to install. It's black aluminum, but I bet it can be painted white to blend in. Just go to lowes.com an look up fencing, or look at their weekly ads.

Maureen

My dog is a Alaskan Malamute who weights about 150 pounds. She stands 26 inches at the shoulders but compared to her father she is small. He was a giant Mal and was at least 250 pounds. When he stood on his back legs he was a head taller then the sliding glass door.

She had dug 2 holes in the back of the house where there is sand and likes to lay there when the sand is wet.

I want to replace at least part of the skirt next summer if not all of it. I see that some people have put metal skirting in but I have never seen it here in Utah. Where can I get it and how does it compare to the cost of vinyl?

Hi,

The metal used for the skirting is corrugated metal used on pole barn roofs. You could do a quick google to Lowe's or Home Depot and see what it cost a sheet compared to vinyl skirting packages. Prices vary from state to state.

Above in the ARTICLES link is a good write up from Mark on installing the metal skirting, I believe it is titled Monster skirting.

~Yanita~

Wondering if you put a stone border the entire way around the home and come out about a foot or foot and a half if maybe she wouldn't not like to lay there any more and find some other place to nap. White marble chips or even limestone. Something sort of chunky and not to comfy. She is very pretty.

Hi Squirt,

All I could see was the nose! Yep. we're big dog lovers here also, and I mean big dogs, as in large LOL! My German Shepard stands about 23 inches at his shoulders. He can easily lay his nose on a table LOL!

Here's my advice. You have to make that area around the skirting as uncomfy as possible! Since you live in Utah, right next to me in Nevada, why not use some course, large gravel in that area.

Yanita's correct, the metal siding is a DIY project made of corrugated metal. It's a lot of work, but it's the best, solid skirting around!

Bottom line, make that area the least inviting to the dog as possible. She'll find another favorite area!

Maureen

For years we had a problem with the neighbor's dog busting through our vinyl skirting to hide under our MH every time the storms or gunshots got a little too close for her comfort. She is also a VERY heavy digger and it always made me nervous having her under there. We tried alot of quick fixes but she always managed to bust through until FINALLY, we come up with 2 ideas and tried them both. One way was putting railroad ties under the home just behind the skirting and the other was driving stakes deep into the ground.....we did it in early spring when the ground was at it's softest...we put them in at an angle, pounded against them to level them up and to get them behind the skirting, we then attached decking boards across the stakings and then covered it all back up with the skirting. Both ways are working great (for a 90 lb dog) but the railroad ties are definately the sturdiest.