Dog Crates – Pick The One Your Dog Needs

The main thing you need to worry about when deciding on the right crate for your dog is getting a crate that’s the correct size. It makes sense that bigger dogs need bigger crates, but there are more sizes available than “small, medium and large” just like dogs come in more than three sizes! Dog crates are typically measured by the weight of the dog they’re meant to hold, not always their length.

If your dog is smaller, between 1 and 12 pounds, find a small crate around 18” to 22”. Dogs between 11 and 25 pounds need a crate that’s somewhere around 24”. For dogs in the 26-40 pound rage, their crate needs to be 30” long. Dogs that weigh between 41 and 70 pounds need 36” crates while 70 to 90 pounds need 42” ones. And now we get to the very large crates – for dogs between 91 and 110 pounds, they need crates that measure a whopping 48”! If you’re wondering why they seem so big, think about it – your dog needs as much room to be comfortable as you like to be, and that means having real space. They should be able to not only stand up straight, they should be able to both turn around and lay out comfortably. If you’re worried the crate is too small, go with a larger size – it can’t hurt.

Types Of Crates

And now we get to the actual type of crate you’ll need. Wire crates are the most common and the easiest crates to find. They’re meant to pretty much stay in the same place for long periods of time as like a permanent den for your dog. They’re cheaper than other crates and are very sturdy, so if you’ve got a spirited dog, this might be the type you need. They also do a great job protecting your dog – even if something falls on them, they’ll be fine. They’re also easy to clean. Remember though that they are wire, so you need to put some sort of padding down at the bottom – dog beds work well, as does padding actually made for dog crates. The only real con with wire crates is how heavy and hard to move they are.

Soft-sided dog crates, meanwhile, are a bit different. They work best for small dogs less than 10 pounds. They’re meant for people interesting in bringing their dogs with them on short trips like running errands and things like that. They’re very durable, although larger dogs will be able to rip them if they really want to. They’re also collapsible so that’s a plus. They’re easy to clean and they even come in great styles if you want to coordinate! However, make sure that the zippers and snaps are sturdy so there’s no risk of your dog getting out when you don’t want him to.

Travel crates are usually plastic. They’re meant for people who want to take their dogs on planes or who want them to be secure in the car for a long period of time. Because they’re plastic, they’re not as durable as wire crates but they’re also not as heavy. They do come in full metal, but the plastic ones should be good enough. They have a front gate that allows you to see in and your pet to see out and it also keeps the crate ventilated.