# Custom Dog Crate for SUV



## Mark Connolly (Jun 19, 2006)

I'm looking to buy a custom made aluminum dog crate for my new FJ Cruiser. I'm wanting one custom designed to fit with the rear seats still upright. 
I am planning to go with Kustom Krates as they seem to be the best but it is very costly.
Can anybody share a link to anyone else that makes custom crates for SUV's? I'm not looking for your typical dog box but something that will be a custom fit.
Thanks,
Mark Connolly
K9 Command


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Have you looked at American Aluminum or Havis-Sheild?

DFrost


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

American Aluminum made my crates, you can see them here:

http://www.workingdogforum.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1248

I don't like the fact that they were made with a cheap-grade aluminum with lots of finishing problems, because to sand em down to polish em it'd take forever or cost stupid amounts of money, so I am trying to find someone who can sandblast em for me to a nice uniform dull finish.

Kustom Krates quoted me DOUBLE the price I paid, from a functionality perspective, save $1500 and have someone else do it -- but if you want to spend what they quote you and you want their beautiful polished/diamond plate finishes, go with Kustom Krates.


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## Mark Connolly (Jun 19, 2006)

I was quoted $1099.00 plus $100.00 for shipping from Kustom Krates. This is for a single dog custom crate. The one I'm looking at his on their site sitting in the back of a BMW SUV.
I know American Aluminum makes an excellant Police K9 insert so they should carry that quality over to the crates.
What kind of price did they qoute you?


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Try going to www.qualityk9stores.com Or contact Matt Hammond. We can get'er done for you.


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## Sam Trinh (Jul 31, 2006)

I just went through qualityk9. If you want to look at the crate you would be looking at, go to Kennel Master. I have not received my crate yet, but I spent almost exactly 1/2 of what Kustom Krates would cost and had a few extra tweaks done to my crate as well.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Jerry, I am glad I just stumbled onto this post as I was about to post a thread entitled "Free Belgian Malinois." :evil: I came home this afternoon from work and Zoso had shredded and pulled the carpet out by the basement door that leads to the garage and shredded the carpet pad underneath. He was somehow able to open the door that leads to the garage, peed, and had some pretty massive diarrhea in the garage. Our landlord is seriously going to kill us as he did not charge us a pet deposit out of the goodness of his heart as I am, afterall, a behaviorist and should know how to deal with this sort of thing and my dogs should be perfect robots, right? :roll: 

Zoso will not stay all day in a metal wire or plastic crate as he's broken the door off 4 of them. Normally he's fairly trustworthy in the house as long as he's had enough exercise. Now, I can't entirely want to kill him as it did look really pretty gross and I'm sure he's pretty sick to his stomach. However, I've been meaning to get one anyways and now I'm really wanting to. You or Matt can PM me if you like, but I see the 1 dog crate is $415. How much would a connecting 2 dog model be? About how heavy are they?


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Have you tried checking out the places that do custom dog boxes like this - http://www.dogbox.com/dog_boxes.htm
If you search "dog boxes" or "hound boxes" alot of stuff comes up and most places like that will do custom if you give them a good set of dimensions. If nothing else you can look at some of the features you would like and then if you find someone to make it they have something to go on.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I did see dogbox.com when I was looking earlier and I did appreciate how they listed how much everything weighs. Ironically, I can keep Zoso in a basic Lifestyles wire metal crate behind my Impala during Schutzhund and he patiently waits his turn (for the most part). It's when I am gone for the day when he tries to break out of the crate in the house. I don't need a storage compartment on top as I wanted to use it just as a house crate, so that seems to take the price down. In a few years after I've learned the ropes in dog sport a bit more with my current dog, I'd like to get another Malinois, so having the double crate would be nice in the house as well as possibly in a truck if me and my husband happen to buy one. Would two 60ish lbs dogs be fine in a 48" x 39" x 22"? The width just seems small to me for some reason...


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Hi Maren - or should I say Mrs. Maren  
The individual compartments on my dog boxes are 24W x 24H x 36D and two 50 - 60 lbers fit in them very comfortably if you have to double box. I am assuming the 48" dimension you listed is the width of the box? so that would make each compartment 24"W, which seems wide enough for an individual dog. I would like a nice two dog set for the truck for summer when the big boxes are off.


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

Every thought about a small local welding shop or metal fabricator. I know when i used to own a retail business we needed bars for the front window and a security company quoted us 2500 and a guys from a welding shop custom built us some for 450. Just a thought might be worth ch3cking into.


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## Mark Connolly (Jun 19, 2006)

I want to thank everyone for their input on the custom crate. I have decided to stick with Kustom Krates. I have looked at so many other options but the build quality and finish is just not what I'm looking for. Now I have to remain patient for next 4-6 weeks while it is built. I will post pics as soon as I get the crate in.

Note: The other options had nothing wrong with them but they just were not what i was looking for personally. 

Thanks,
Mark Connolly
K9 Command


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