Which crate?

[tessybear]

I am overwhelmed at the choice of crates there are. I have no idea whether to get small or medium, wire or soft? Any ideas? Dexter is part toy poodle so he won't grow that big. Will I have to buy one for him as a puppy and another one when he is older and another for travel? I would appreciate some advice.

[MichelleE]

Had the same dilemma myself - we pick up Poppy next Sunday. After a LOT of web research I went for a 30" Savic wire crate with a divider so that she will grow into it. May end up getting a car crate depending on how she travels, but have bought an extra small car harness that plugs into the seatbelt in the hope that she will be ok between the kids in the back seat of the car. Not sure I've made the right choice, but went with advice on this and other sites and gut feel. Good luck.

[flounder]

We asked the breeder which size to get (he had the mum in a crate) and we got a 30" as advised by him. By far the cheapest place I found was ebay. this is the one we got (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120707474479)
Funnily enough we went out and bought Lolly a travel crate for the car today which is a soft sided one. We got this one in small (http://www.partnerspets.com/store/product/20503/Rosewood-Options-Soft-Travel-Dog-Crate/) I hope this helps :)

[tessybear]

Thanks Michelle and Flounder I will get a 30". So do you put the bed inside it or separate?

[flounder]

Thanks Michelle and Flounder I will get a 30". So do you put the bed inside it or separate?

Lolly hated going in her crate for the first couple of nights and we didn't have a bed at all just Vetbed (like a fleece). To help we bought a bed which we encourage her to sleep in during the day out of her crate and we put it in the crate at night and whenever we are putting her in it. I also advice getting some DAP spray to spray in the crate and bed. We got ours from the vets following a terrible night where she seemed to cry all night, sprayed that and she slept all night long the next.

I think I bought a 20" bed which just fits sideways in the crate. I also advice getting a water holder to fit on the side of the crate as Lolly kept knocking her water bowl over and soaking everywhere.

[tessybear]

I was in the petshop today and the 30" crate was £65 which I thought was rather steep but perhaps that's normal!








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[flounder]

I was in the petshop today and the 30" crate was £65 which I thought was rather steep but perhaps that's normal!

3

Please look on ebay. They are new and much cheaper! We paid £25 delivered for ours and that included a matress. Click on the link in my post above to see the one we got.

[Happyad]

Hi
30" crate in the house will be fine, to encourage sleep we did cover it at night to stop excitement and that definately worked.
To make life easy, we also have a fabric one for the car.
This is good as its quite dark and it stops excitement from the outside world.
It also means when we stay away we have a safe bed for her.
She loves them both, but its gotta be comfy, if a dog could choose soft and squashy to flat surface to sleep on, always soft!
Internet searching is good, DogsHealth and they are also on EBAY so you can check their feedback.

Crates are the way forward!

A

[Enneirda.]

Tessy, crates and e-pens are also much cheaper on craigslist.com. I have large wire crates for the house, and small wire and plastic ones for travel.

[tessybear]

Thanks for the tip Enneirda, not sure why but I can't seem to get into that website.

[Mez-UK]

Hi I picked up Harley on Saturday and I have used a very large crate (it stays at home) I bought this 7 years ago for my two boxers (it then fitted in the back of the jeep) however I have covered it with a blanket and then inside I have put a smaller carry box made from canvas. This is working very well and I have it in the corner next to my bed it makes a perfect "den" which is what wolves or wild dogs would have but it also enables me to put a water bowl and all his toys. He has not kept me awake and needed no encouragement to use it. When I collected him from the breeder I took a soft doggy squeeky teddy and asked them to rub it over the bitch and his litter mates this helped no end. So for me the larger the crate with inner part works really well! He is a picture as you can see he is so relaxed he is horizontal:D
Harley's "den"
http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd192/mezz-g/Harley/052.jpg

[embee]

Hi I picked up Harley on Saturday and I have used a very large crate (it stays at home) I bought this 7 years ago for my two boxers (it then fitted in the back of the jeep) however I have covered it with a blanket and then inside I have put a smaller carry box made from canvas.

What a great idea, Harley looks very relaxed and content in his own little bedroom.

[tessybear]

Mary it looks perfect for Harley - he looks really cosy.