If you are reasonably handy, yes, you can plumb a water softener. One issue is what type of piping (copper, PEX, CPVC, etc.) to use to make the connections. CPVC is probably the easiest, soldering copper takes a little skill but is doable (it's all in the prep work), and PEX requires tooling that you probably don't have and don't want to buy ($$$). You've run conduit as an electrician, so you should be able to transition to water-based conduit. lol!

When you buy the softener, be sure to know what the pipe fittings/connections are going to be. Probably most accept threaded pipe or adapters, some are sweat-soldered. Plan for a bypass valve setup either on the softener or in the supply lines.

Do the softeners come ready to install? Most don't, which requires one to assemble a few items and put the resin in the tank. It's not hard.

You only need a twin tank softener if you will be using soft water in the middle of the night (when a typical softener regenerates). The computerized on-demand control valves can predict water usage and maintain enough reserve that you won't run out of soft water before the unit regenerates.

Do get a softener that regenerates based on gallons of water used (demand type). It will save salt $$ in the long run. A good valve to consider is the Clack WS-1. Just google it for some softener vendors. It has a computer chip that does a lot of nice things for the softener. Fleck has a model to compete with the Clack (Fleck 7000??).

A big issue is how big a softener do you need? Most softener vendors figure on 60 to 70 gallons of water usage per day per person. You will have to use some sort of adjustment factor to estimate your dog water usage (based on people). You probably want to bathe the dogs with soft water,but if you can replumb and use hard water for the dog drinking and kennel washdown water, I think you would be way ahead.

Please do not take this as an endorsement of the vendor (I am not partial to any particular online seller), but they do provide some rather nice instructions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Softener setup example

Another example of softener assembly, installation, and setup with step by step detail and lots of useful pics... with no endorsement of the seller

click here for another softener setup example

I just received a softener and acid neutralizer from ewateronline.net. Very simple to assemble. I am plumbing it in tomorrow. Saved a lot of money and I know EXACTLY what is in the unit and that it is set-up properly.

Is anyone familar with the WaterBoss brand. I am interested because the only use 14 gallons of water to regenerate. Would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks to everyone who sent information. I did get the water softener installed. It is working great. After talking to a the company I purchased from online, and explaining that we have ALOT of dogs here and are doing multiple loads of laundry every day I decided on an 80000 grain softener from Fleck and paid just under $900 for it with some accessories. I did get the twin 9100. It was fairly easy to install. I do have a pet peave though as regards to the instructions you get, or should I say, lack of instructions you get. I believe that if you are going to sell to the general public, then you have to include instructions for them. Step by step, plain English, idiot proof (ok, maybe I do sometimes qualify) instructions. The instructions I received included how to put the media in the tanks, and how to screw the heads on and attach them to each other. It would have been nice to have instructions for the two hoses they sent. I have a small mesh filter which looks like it goes into the brine hose, but which end? Also, there was a fitting for the brass end of the small hose (on the head of the 1st tank) that looked like it a gas fitting that you crimp or something. It did come with what looked like, and worked like, a compression fitting, and the unit is working without these two parts. So here is a lesson to remember, do not install one of these on a weekend as you can get no phone support from where you buy it from. I am waiting until Monday, unless a gracious member can tell me where that mesh filter goes :-). I would also like to thank Shark Bite brass fittings for making this job doable for me!! :-)
I will admit, the water is soft.

Tiji, what online company you purchase the water softener from?