Welcome to our Ultimate Guide to Dog Crates! Choosing the best dog crate for your loved pet can be a painstaking process if you are not equipped with the right information. We at BestDogCrates.org aim to make the buying process as easy as possible for dog lovers by providing you with buying advice, dog crate information, and unbiased product reviews on dog crates of all kinds. We will cover everything from inescapable escape proof dog crates to beautiful and elegant furniture dog crates.
Dog crates & kennels have become very popular among dog owners in the last decades and there is a huge variety of crates to choose from on the market today. There are plenty of choices regardless of your budget, the size of your dog or your personal preference and making the right choice for you and your pet can be a daunting task.
Whether you want a sturdy no nonsense crate, a fashionable designer crate or even a pink dog crate – There is a whole range of dog crates for sale! BestDogCrates.org will make these decisions easier for you.
By Breed
| Size of Crate (Inches) | Dog Weight (lbs) | Breed of Dog |
|---|---|---|
| 18 – 22 (45 – 56cm) | 0 – 25 | Affenpinscher, Chihuahua, Brussels-Griffon, Maltese, Pomeranian, Papillon, ToyFox Terrier, Russian Toy, Yorkshire Terrier |
| 24 (61cm) | 0 – 25 | Australian Terrier, Bichon-Frise, Fox Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, Manc Terrier, Mini Poodle, Mini Dachshund, Norfolk Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Pug, Parson Russell Terrier, Schnauzer, Shih Tzu, Skye Terrier, Silky Terrier, Tibetan Spaniel, Toy Poodle, Terrier, Wirehaired Fox-Terrier |
| 30 (76cm) | 26 – 40 | American Pit Bull Terrier, American Water Spaniel, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Clumber Spaniel, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, French Bulldog, Dachshund, Irish Terrier, German Pinscher, King Charles Spaniel, Lhasa-Apso, Mini Schnauzer, Mini Pinscher, Pekingese, Tibetan Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog, Staffordshire Terrier, Welsh Springer Spaniel, West Highland Terrier |
| 36 (91cm) | 41 – 70 | North American Eskimo, Australian Cattle Dog, Basset Hound, Beagle, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Shar-Pei, Cocker Spaniel, Harrier, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, Kerry-Blue Terrier, Norwegian Elkhound, Portuguese Water , Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Schnauzer, Whippet, Welsh Corgi |
| 42 (107cm) | 71 – 90 | Airedale Terrier, Australian Shepherd, American Bulldog, Bearded Collie, Belgian Sheepdog, Border Collie, Belgian Tervuren, Standard Boxer, Chow Chow, Dalmatian, Gordon Setter, Golden Retriever, Ibizan Hound, Irish Water Spaniel, Irish Setter, Labrador Retriever, Normal Poodle, Vizsla |
| 48 (122cm) | 91 – 110 | Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd, Bloodhound, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bouvier Des Flandres, Briard, Bullmastiff, Collie, Chinook, Doberman Pinscher, German, Shepherd, Giant Schnauzer, Greyhound, Komondor, Malinois, Newfoundland, Otterhound, Old English Sheepdog, Pointer, Rottweiler,Siberian Husky, Tervueren |
Types of Dog Crate – What Is The Best For Your Dog?
The dog crate is one of the most expensive items you will purchase for your dog, and this is especially true of you have a large breed of dog! It can be difficult deciding what type of crate you want to get as there are so many options to suit a range of budgets. It depends on your needs and what you are planning on using the crate for. Each type of crate has its drawbacks and advantages, and we will look at them all. Before you dwell on ‘what type?’ You will need to find out what size crate you will need for your dog. You can severely damage your training program if you buy the wrong crate so choose wisely!
Wire Crates
The most common type of crate is the collapsible/folding wire dog crate, and indeed, this type is some of the strongest dog crates out there. Dog Crates made of stainless steel wire are the most durable making them also hefty to move around. They are very easy to setup, maintain and clean. They are popular because of their high versatility and their many advantages.
One such advantage is they provide excellent airflow and ventilation to your dog which on warm days can help keep your dog feeling comfortable and relaxed. Wire crates are very functional units and being made of metal are the most secure type especially if you have an active, strong pet. They are easy and quick to setup. They are not the most aesthetically pleasing compared to luxury or wooden furniture-style crates, but they are dependable and long-lasting.
Midwest iCrate Pet Crates
We have assessed that the Midwest iCrate Pet Crates offer fantastic value for money and are a solid option for those looking for a wire crate for their dog. The iCrate is a highly popular choice of crate on Amazon. With over 11 thousand mostly positive reviews you will hardly go wrong with this crate. It comes in a variety of sizes to suit any dog from 18 inches to 48 inches, and they also are available with a single door or double door option.
The iCrate is very easy to setup and takes a few seconds; furthermore, it does not require any specialist tools to setup. Safety is paramount and features included rounded corners to prevent injury, secure bolt latches and a washable plastic bottom pan in case of toilet accidents. The iCrate is available in seven sizes (inches): 18, 22, 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 and the single door varieties also come with the added option of the color blue or pink.
Wooden / Designer Crates – For the Home Decor Conscious
Wooden dog crates, also described as designer dog crates or furniture crates can double as not only crates to house your canine friend, but also an aesthetically pleasing attractive part of the room! Some wooden crates can double as tabletops or nightstands. There are many varieties of wooden crate on the market today, and it should not be too difficult to find something suitable for your pet that also matches your home decor. Due to the materials used, wooden crates are often more expensive than the more traditional wire or plastic crates. Crates made with expensive woods such as Mahogany can cost many hundreds of dollars.
Plastic Crates
Plastic dog crates offer a great option for those travelers amongst you and those that take their dogs on camping trips. They are light and easy to pick up, and their lower prices allow you to use them as a house-training crate to control chewing behavior that could otherwise destroy furniture and more expensive crates. We recommend Plastic crates to people with puppies. Plastic crates often are sturdier than their metal counterparts but lack the ability to be able to fold down.
Plastic crates offer more privacy for your dog, but they lack in ventilation that a wire crate may provide. This might be a problem if you live in a warm climate and/or you have a long-haired dog. Plastic crates lack the divider that many wire crates come with however a good tip to reduce the amount of space is to place a box a the back of the crate reducing space. This can be ideal if you have a growing puppy. With a solid plastic bottom, these types of crates are very easy to clean if your dog has a toilet accident.
Petmate Sky Kennel
With over 900 reviews on Amazon and sporting a four / 5 rating this Petmate plastic crate is the standard setting crate in the industry. This is a plastic crate, but it sports a rugged design due to its focus on airline travel. This crate has durable and sturdy doors and wire ventilation to give adequate air flow.
This crate comes in a range of sizes to suit different breeds of animal.
- 21 x 16 x 15
- 28 x 20.5 x 21.5
- 32 x 22.5 x 24
- 36 x 25 x 27
- 40 x 27 x 30
- (Extra large) 90 – 125lbs
First and foremost this crate is designed for airline travel however it still makes an excellent home crate for your dog. Of course you will need to double check with the airline you intend to fly with to make sure this crate still passes the requirements/conditions.
Finally this crate comes with a nice doggy travel kit consisting of ID stickers, labels stating “live animal” water and food cups to keep your pet fed as well as an absorbent pad to take care of any spillages.
Soft Sided Crates
Readily available and transportable on the go, soft crates are lightweight, washable and often very stylish. They are suitable for use both outdoors and indoors. Soft-sided crates are often a firm favorite with dogs because of their comfortability. They are a firm favorite with owners because they are made of vinyl and mesh as opposed to metal and wood which reduces the risk of injury significantly – especially for an easily frightened or overly active dog.
There is an obvious risk of your dog destroying the soft material of these types of crates so that should be taken into consideration. Indeed, most of the negative customer reviews on Amazon typically begin with “my dog ripped the crate to bits!”. Soft-sided crates are ideal for dogs that are already crate trained and well behaved. You might buy a soft-sided crate because; you travel a lot with your dog and you need a portable crate to take with you. Your dog might appreciate a dark place to hide with no distractions, or you have a very timidly and laid back animal that is not prone to crate-destruction.
Heavy Duty / Escape Proof Crates – For Those Problem Pooches
If you have a particularly skilled escape artist of a dog or one that is hard to control then, you probably will want a heavy duty dog crate. They are made from sturdy and durable metals such as aluminum or stainless steel and are often much heavier than their wired counterparts. Heavy duty dog crates are primarily built for dog security and peace of mind that your dog will be in their crate when you come home.
Indestructible, inescapable, heavy duty, strong & escape-proof are just a few of the adjectives used to describe these more robust dog crates however they all mean one thing. Your dog should not be able to escape easily. Heavy duty crates are not very asthetically pleasing compared to furntiure crates but they do the job well.
The quality of the materials used is a huge factor to look at when choosing a heavy-duty crate. They are primarily designed for security and toughness so that you will want top build quality. There are plenty of escape proof dog crates out there, but there are also a lot of sub-standard cheap ones as well. Heavy duty dog crates need not be heavy as some manufacturers are producing aluminum heavy duty crates that are robust as well as lightweight.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped you in your quest to find the perfect dog crate! We have given you a detailed overview of the different types of dog crates available to buy in 2016 and have listed their advantages and disadvantages so you can figure out what will work for you. It is important to consider every type of crate and research into their benefits, so you do not run the risk of overlooking something. Finally before making the final decision and clicking the purchase button, take note of recent customer reviews. Customer reviews give you an entirely unbiased source of comments from real people who have also purchased the product.
We welcome suggestions and tips in the comments section below and as always – we always welcome doggy photos and stories.
