# Really good wire crates



## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I am going to have to make a decision soon as to whether or not get an aluminum crate or a really good wire crate. 

My issue is heat and a lot of it. Not wanting to put a dog up under a camper shell in a plastic crate even with fans running. A lot of aluminum crates don't have the ventilation I want either. 

The problem with wire crates is they are almost all folding and that design leaves a gap that can catch a paw. I had a close call a few months ago and one trip to the vet would pay for several aluminum crates not to mention having a dog out of commission. Plus they are not very strong.

I did make an incredibly strong crate before out of Gridwall, but it was too heavy for me to move without help [and that is important] and the 3 inch spacing was too much. I had to gerry rig the door etc. too -- to my credit it did contain a dog that destroyed a wire kennel in a few minutes. 

I did find one at Foster and Smith [drop pin model] that looks a bit more solid than typical but I was very disappointed in a Gorilla tough crate I got from them before.

Does ANYBODY make a decent wire crate?


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+10627+540&pcatid=540


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Why are your dogs tearing up crates like that ?? This is a behavior problem, not a crate problem. Get an e collar.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

How about this one for 1/2 the price of an aluminum?

http://www.petedge.com/product/Home...ct-Empire-Cages/pc/194/c/310/sc/502/45512.uts

I've seen cage bank kennels on CL. They suck for ventilation, but no dog is going to break out of one! They're pricey brand new though.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

Anne Vaini said:


> How about this one for 1/2 the price of an aluminum?
> 
> http://www.petedge.com/product/Home...ct-Empire-Cages/pc/194/c/310/sc/502/45512.uts
> 
> I've seen cage bank kennels on CL. They suck for ventilation, but no dog is going to break out of one! They're pricey brand new though.



I did find that one but some of the reviews indicate it is actually a poorly made chinese thing that is screwed together. -

I guess I was not clear. I am not worried about an escape artist - I am worrying about the gap in the wire crate between walls and bottom where my dog has gotten his foot trapped before and something that is less likely collapse on me in a wreck. 

The dog that did not tear up my homemade job was someone elses dog who trashed a wire crate in a heartbeat. That crate was about 80lbs though.

If I did not care about ventilation I would just get a vari-kennel.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Hi Nancy: A friend of mine has a couple of the deluxe High Country crates. They have a 10 gallon water tank on the bottom that keeps dogs cool in the summer:

http://www.gundogsonline.com/dog-cr.../high-country-plastics-deluxe-dog-kennel.html

better price: http://www.sprigkennels.net/online_store/dog_crates/

http://www.highcountryplastics.com/products/kennel.html


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I hate wire crates in general, so I was stoked when I saw this on sale at Orscheln's ($80 each for a large on sale, woo hoo!):










It's by Pet Lodge: http://www.hotshotproducts.com/page/1/Product-Detail.jsp?groupId=303&prodId=42755

So it's got not one but two doors (which is awesome if you need it for more than one car and like flexibility of arranging them) and lots of ventilation. I currently have one in the back of my Chevy Impala with the side door facing the front seats so I can easily see the dog if I need to. I also bought a cheapy $11 fan at Wal-Mart that plugs into the accessory adapter that can blow back that way too. The extra door also makes it a snap to hose out without having to take it apart to get the back corners clean.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

Susan - I like that crate a lot but it would be a bit cramped for my dog.

Maren-That is about the fugliest thing I have seen but I think you have a winner there. And they do have different sizes. The XL is 41x27x30 and the L is 37x24x26

I did call these folks. For a smaller dog I would jump in a hearbeat but they don't have plans to make their double door crate in the larger size and it is just too small to jam my dog in. The demo is incredible!

http://www.rufftoughkennels.com/


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

I use an owen pro aluminum crate. It's MUCH hotter in AZ than So Carolina.


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## Guest (Apr 19, 2010)

That IS a tough crate. Hmm.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

The Owens Pro is about twice the price of the Owens Hunter - what makes it so much more? I like the Pro more as it is a bit more open.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Ooh, I do rather like those Ruff Tough Kennels. The demo video is pretty impressive. I wonder if they could make a two dog crate system where it's basically like their two doors on each end one but extra long (the width of the average sedan like my Impala) with a wall or grate dividing it. That'd be really helpful for having two 60ish lbs dogs together easily crated for training, but without having to buy an SUV.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

You're right Nancy, the dimensions seem awful small. I'll see Mark Tuesday night, he's the guy that has a couple of those High Country crates, and double check the sizes because his look much bigger than that on the inside. Maybe he got customized crates or maybe the company also makes other sizes or something.


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