Dog Crate Size?

[mbc1963]

I've never had a crated dog before, but since I'm going to be bringing in a new dog, and many of the rescue dogs are well crate-trained, I figure it's a good idea to get one and learn. It will certainly allow the early days to be more predictable, even if long-term I let the dog loose in the house.

 

So - imagine a dog the size of an average border collie - 30 to 50 pounds. What size crate do y'all experts use for a dog that size? Also, any types or brands that you prefer, and reasons why? I'd like to find one or two on Craigslist over the next few weeks.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Cass C]

I use the XL wire petco crate for my 50 lbs border and the large for my 30 lbs BC. I feel that gives them plenty of room to move around and stretch out. Some dogs will use crates that are larger as a bathroom, but you can always block off part of the crate if it becomes an issue.

 

I like the wire crates because they collapse when I need to move them.

[Debbie Meier]

These are my favorite if buying new, I use the 28" for the most part http://www.revivalanimal.com/Ultra-Vari-Kennel.html?sku=12430-1164

[mum24dog]

Size rather depends on when you intend to use it and for how long.

[GentleLake]

I use a 36" crates most of the time as it gives the dogs enough room to stretch out comfortably, especially if they'll have to spend any length of time in them. I have both wire and the Vari-Kennel types.

 

I love soft crates for traveling when the dogs can ride in the back seat and the crates don't take much room to pack and I can use the crate when I arrive.

 

I also have a 30" wire crate that I use if I need to use it in the car, but they're a little cramped in it.

[Liz P]

For in the house use, I like at least a Vari Kennel size 500 so they have room to stretch out. I have several 600s and even an old one (30 + yrs old) that is larger than my 600.

 

Airlines regulate the size of the crate for flying. I think my smaller bitches fit in a 400, per their standards. My average size males need a 500. Tweed's brother shipped in a 300 size at just 10 weeks old.

 

For travel, mine are in crates that are about the same size as a vari kennel 300 (different brand), even the big boys. In a car accident, smaller is better because they can't get tossed around.

[waffles]

We use 36" plastic sided type. They are the Petmate brand. Not too pricey but not super cheap/flimsy. CL is definitely the way to go to save money. Lots of people have ones for sale that they only used once to fly a dog in.

 

I personally do not like wire crates. They are so flimsy these days and I have seen dogs easily get out of them (obviously they can chew through the plastic ones too) by pushing through. They also get their tags stuck in the wire openings as well as collars when they push through the corner of the collapsible ones. If you get a wire crate try to look for an older one. We have an old one we use for chickens that is heavy duty,non collapsable and has a closure that took me 5 min to figure out how to use! Best wire crate I have ever used and only paid $5 at a garage sale for.

[gcv-border]

I have various crates, both plastic and the wire suitcase type. (Suitcase is a term for the folding type of wire crate.) When I bought the wire crate about 5 years ago, I bought the upgraded version of a Midwest crate which has the heavier gauge wire.

 

I have heard that some dogs prefer the plastic and some prefer the wire crate. A plastic crate is more 'enclosed', whereas the wire crate is more open. Putting a blanket over a wire crate will make it feel more enclosed (and hopefully the dog won't pull the blanket into the crate and chew on it.)

[Beach BCs]

Most of my crates are 36 inches. However one of my dogs has a very thick bed (she has to be crated in case of storms) so she's in a 48 inch crate.

[GentleLake]

I have a thick bed, probably about 2", that fits perfectly in my 36" wire crate. I almost didn't buy it because it's ACK brand, but I found it at Big Lots and ancient Tilly needed something better than the blankets I'd been using because she bunches everything else up and it fit so perfectly.

[sjones]

I don't know if I have the 30 or the 36" ones, but would have to go out to the garage to measure. I like the wire crates, easy to take down/put up, especially when I go to a trial. Also when not in use its easier to store, doesn't take up much space. I bought one crate with double doors and really like to use it when I travel, as that one can be arranged in multiple ways in my car along with another crate.

 

Here is where I bought my crates, they have held up well for many many years and still look good. I always waited until Fleet was having a sale.

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/pet-lodge-wire-crate-double-door/0000000000794

[moosikins]

I like the enclosed crate because it gives the dog some privacy and cover if they're nervous or just need some alone time. We have both - the wire crate is huge and is the daily one we use, but we have a much smaller plastic crate in the bedroom that never gets locked anymore and it also travels with us when we stay the night elsewhere.

 

Callie always goes to lay down in her plastic crate when she needs to get away from people, even us, or there's something she's afraid of outside.

[mbc1963]

Thanks for the info! I think I'd mainly use the crate for making sure the dog can be safe home alone. I think for the first few days, it would be great to put the dog in the crate for some down time, and let him or her adjust to the new environment, knowing that there's no pressure to take it all in at once. It would also provide shelter from scary things like fireworks and thunderstorms.

 

Long-term, it would be delightful to have a place to put the dog if I have company or workmen in the house. (One thing I wished I had done with Buddy was train him to settle in and relax in a predictable way when something odd was happening in my house.)

[chene]

Bringing this back because Aed hasn't had a crate in a while and I want to get him a soft one for agility. He's 35lbs and about 19" tall. Could anyone who has had a similar sized border collie weigh in about 30" crates vs 36"?

[CptJack]

Molly's an inch and a half taller and about 5lbs heavier, and I got her a 36" crate.

It's fine for in the house but frankly speaking the only way I'd use it for agility would be if I was also crating her with Kylie or another dog. She just has a ton of room in the thing, not just to sit down and stand up and turn around but when she curls up she fills slightly less than half the crate.

Great for use at home but a huge waste of space in agility where, frankly, space is sometimes at a premium. Her crate for that, if we ever get there is like 32" (odd size I know) and that one works.

(And frankly? She often crams herself into my rat terrier's 24" crate at home, but I refuse to NOT have a bigger one for her and have no idea how she manages that).

[gcv-border]

Will you be using the crate at home or at dog sport competitions? If there are no restrictions on size (for example, when trying to fit a crate or two into a car), I would go for the larger crate for more comfort for the dog (unless he prefers a smaller space). With a soft crate, the weight difference should be minor between the two sizes.

 

BTW, I only use hard crates in the car.

 

Just saw CptJack's response: Agility trials (or any dog competition held indoors) can sometimes be pretty crowded. A smaller crate may help a little, but I find that many of the space hogs are the chairs, coolers, etc. that people bring and then spread out.

[CptJack]

Honestly, with just one dog it doesn't bother me much, and Kylie's crate *is* bigger than it needs to be for her (though a very cheap thing that collapses to nothing). The thought of Molly and Kylie both in larger crates kills me a little though, because I'm not sure we'd be able to fit our stuff in our 10x10 area. Or, well, the fact that we deliberately park our chairs in front of the crates. You are right, though, a lot of that's cooler/dog-bag/chairs/coats/layers of clothes/assorted stuff, rather than JUST the crates and 6 more inches probably wouldn't matter much.

[GentleLake]

The thought of Molly and Kylie both in larger crates kills me a little though, because I'm not sure we'd be able to fit our stuff in our 10x10 area.

 

Are you serious?

 

I've never competed in an agility trial, but I've done craft shows and other dog events in 10' x 10' spaces. Craft shows with another person, a couple of 6' or 8' tables (i.e. much larger than 2 dog crates), 2 chairs, a cooler and boxes of our inventory under a 10' x 10' EZ up canopy. Dog events with 2 people, an 8' table, a couple chairs and 2-3 crates and dogs, of course who were not all always in the crates.

 

I've set up the same canopy to camp in with 3 dogs (one in a 36" crate), a twin sized air mattress and a Rubermade tote (roughly the equivalent of a second smaller crate) and still had room for my chair inside.

 

10' x 10' should be plenty of room for a person to set up with even 2 or 3 crates.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

 

I think most people choose crates on the basis of what they'd prefer if they were a dog. Fly's sleeping crate(she's 44 pounds) is a veriKennel 200. I think that's too small for most Border Collies but Fly feels safe in it. The others live and car travel in a marachino Ithaka 5. I use airline crates exclusively because I may want to fly them.IATA rules for crates are NUTS. If your dog is flying air cargo, you must buy a huge kennel (i could curl up in one) because the IATA hasn't figured it out and does not care. (DONT ARGUE WITH THEM). I've not had problems flying with excess baggage dogs in the Ithaka 5.

 

I've been at trials where dogs had traveled a thousand miles two in one dog box. Not what I'd do but they don't need the den space we do.

 

Donald McCaig

[CptJack]

Are you serious?

 

I've never competed in an agility trial, but I've done craft shows and other dog events in 10' x 10' spaces. Craft shows with another person, a couple of 6' or 8' tables (i.e. much larger than 2 dog crates), 2 chairs, a cooler and boxes of our inventory under a 10' x 10' EZ up canopy. Dog events with 2 people, an 8' table, a couple chairs and 2-3 crates and dogs, of course who were not all always in the crates.

 

I've set up the same canopy to camp in with 3 dogs (one in a 36" crate), a twin sized air mattress and a Rubermade tote (roughly the equivalent of a second smaller crate) and still had room for my chair inside.

 

10' x 10' should be plenty of room for a person to set up with even 2 or 3 crates.

 

It should be, but one of the people is my 6'4" 200+ lb husband. The collapsible (soft) crates do not double as feet rests, though a cooler will. He's not there ALL the time but when he is, space goes away. Way away. 2 36" crates are a combined 6 square feet, too. The rest of it's pretty negligible.

 

There's also a matter of the center of the thing being the only TRULY dry place sometimes and me being generally kind of claustrophobic.

[GentleLake]

I'm still not buying it.

 

If you're indoors it's dry. If you're outside using an EZ Up or similar canopy you can put sides on it.

[CptJack]

I need to get sides on it, but I don't have them now.

I have never attended an indoor trial - I will in January! But in January I'm not using the canopy, I'm just using chairs - and maybe not even that since there are bleachers.

You don't have to buy it? But I feel kind of cramped with 2 people, 1 dog, 1 crate, 2 chairs, a cooler, a bag, and a couple of coats. Putting another 3 square feet of crate in there doesn't seem appealing to me, or pleasant. That's me. Other people clearly feel differently but. Um. It's really hard to argue with what I feel is crowded.

[GentleLake]

I'm not telling you how you feel. I'm attempting to pint out that you have options that you're not using to maximize your space.

[Cass C]

You want to talk about cramped at a trial, my agility trainer has 2 10x10 mats that she lays out for her small group of friends and any new students that want to sit with her for advice or just for company of someone familiar. At one point we had 7 people and 8 crates (5 large crates and 3 small ones), not to mention personal belongings on the mats, so we were shoulder to shoulder with each other and there was no space between the crates. Luckily none of the dogs were reactive and we all had sheets to cover the sides so they couldn't see eachother. However, we did manage to make it work better for us by staggering our chairs.

[mum24dog]

Bringing this back because Aed hasn't had a crate in a while and I want to get him a soft one for agility. He's 35lbs and about 19" tall. Could anyone who has had a similar sized border collie weigh in about 30" crates vs 36"?

I've just bought a 30in soft crate for my nearly 21in 30lb collie and it's perfectly adequate for agility training but some dogs curl up smaller than others. Crates aren't often used at gaining and virtually never at competitions as there is no room but my dog is a screamer so he needs somewhere to chill when not working.

 

36in wire crate for sleeping for an average sized collie.