Hi! I would like to here if anyone has any pros and cons concerning certain models of wire crates. Within the next year I will be getting another puppy and am looking to purchase a 4th wire crate. I have heard some horror stories of "accidents" happening while crated. My labs generally do not wear collars, but if I do put one on, it comes off when they are crated. Does anyone have any input or problems they have had with the following crate. Cost is not an issue. I only want the best/safest crate for my new baby.
Midwest 3-door Ultima
Midwest 2-door Life-stages
Drs Foster and smith 2-door Gorilla tough
Hammertone finish fold & carry
Kennel-Aire Professional fold and carry
J-B Wholesal Pet crates (my concern is with the latch system?)
I bought the Midwest lifestages crate, model 1642. It was handy keeping the crate small, with the divider, until my lab puppy was fully housetrained. BTW, he never had an accident in the crate. The crate is 42 inches long. The only negative is that it comes with a plastic bottom/tray. That seems a little cheap. I had a previous crate years ago with a metal liner...I think that was a cooler surface for the pooch.
Also, I bought mine on Amazon to avoid the sales tax.
We have some old kennelair crates that are wonderful. They have very small openings in the wire so dogs can't get toes caught or puppies get mouth's in it. I like them the best.
Traci
I'm gradually switching over to as many Vari-Kennels as I can, mainly because cleanup is so much easier. After the Potomac crud went through each of my dogs in turn and I spent more time cleaning out the van than watching the show, that's a no-brainer. I do have to use some wire crates some places to fit everyone. For the van, I use heavyweight guage. For carrying in and out of show sites, I use the Best Buy, really light weight crates. Those cheap plastic trays do end up cracking and breaking, but I've found that a piece of cardboard or linoleum between the crate and pan will help prevent that.
We have alot of crates - back to some 20 year-old Kennelaires. I like the 3 door Ultima and 2 door Life stages now. Trays have a tendency to crack, so we put another pad between the crate and the bottom of the tray.
If you're looking for the "safest of safe" crates, it probably isn't going to be a wire one. The safest are probably going to be the Vari-Kennel types- there is a reason why they are required for airline travel.
However, I've had pretty good luck with the 2-door Midwest Life Stages crates...I have 2 and like that I can fold them down and store them when not in use, but still have something more sturdy than a soft crate around the house. At shows, I've witnessed more than a couple of dogs getting toes stuck in the openings of the wire or between the pan and wire, though.
