Heavy Duty Dog Crates
Disclaimer: We have not had the need for a heavy-duty crate and therefore we have not tested this category of crates. Once again I wanted to include these options so you, the reader would have a complete list of options. The crate I listed is highly rated on Amazon.com. However, please always perform your own due diligence.
Fortunately, we have not had the need for one of these heavy-duty dog crates.
However, we have heard of some puppies that are capable of destroying the plastic molded and/or wire dog crates.
If you have a destructive puppy you may want to opt for a heavy-duty crate like the one listed below:
Guardian Gear ProSelect Empire Dog
That thing is a BEAST! And, speaking of priceyYIKES!
Is Crate Training Ever Over
After reading all of this you might be wondering, When do I stop crate training my puppy?
Ill be honest, it was a lot easier when we stopped putting Oliver in his crate every night and every time we left the house.
We started leaving him alone in the house somewhere around six months old, and then a few months after that we started letting him sleep outside of his crate .
Two big questions to ask yourself when considering taking this next step are:
When was the last time my puppy had an accident in the house?
When was the last time my puppy chewed something up in the house?
If its been a few weeks since either of those incidents have happened, you might want to consider letting them be in the house for a few minutes by themselves and then working your way up.
Just like with crate training, you want to take baby steps and set them up for success.
Now although your dog might not sleep in the crate anymore in your home, its still a valuable tool and skill for them to have in case youre traveling and they need to stay somewhere theyre not used to staying in, or they have to spend the night at the vets office.
The 5 Types Of Dog Crates
Are wire or plastic crates better? Dog owners generally prefer to buy the classic wire crate design as it more aesthetically pleasing in the home setting whilst providing better ventilation for your dog and also being more destruction proof than the plastic crate option. In general, plastic dog crates are more often used for travelling e.g. going on an airplane.
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Traveling By Air Iata Standards
If your Golden Retriever has to travel in the hold, you will need to use an IATA approved crate. These cages must meet very specific standards and norms imposed by the IATA association: rigid plastic or fibreglass shell, stability , security of the closure by two fixing points , etc. This is why it is imperative to buy an IATA certified cage.
How Big Should A Puppy Crate Be
Well, let’s start by stating the obvious… it depends on the size/breed of puppy you have!
Large and X-large breed puppies are usually significantly bigger than small breed adult dogs, so an extra-small crate will not work for an 8 week old Great Dane pup, not even for your average Labrador Retriever either.
Now with that said, here’s a ‘rule of thumb’ that will help you decide which dog crate size is right for your pet….
Your pup should be able to stand up, lie down and turn around inside the crate without touching the sides.
That also means when he’s sitting down his head should have ‘clearance room’. Oh, and don’t forget that his tail doesn’t want to be completely bunched up at the back either!
If you are buying at your local petstore and your pup has had all his puppy vaccinations and is safe to go out in public, then you can have him try out the different dog crate size options and see which ones work and which don’t.
This is obviously a pretty straightforward way to ‘get it right’.
But, a lot of the time you might be buying a crate without the hands-on help of your pup for a number of reasons.
Maybe you haven’t actually brought him home yet and are getting his ‘stuff’ all sorted out ahead of his arrival, or perhaps he’s only had one or two sets of puppy shots so far and isn’t fully protected from contagious dog diseases, so it’s not a good idea to take him out and about.
Or perhaps you’re shopping online where the selection and prices are better.
Useful Tip!
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How To Choose A Dog Crate
In line with the sites focus, most people reading this series will be looking to buy a crate for a Labrador Retriever, but I have received questions from owners of Labrador crosses and other breeds, so Ill address buying crates for all dogs, not just Labradors.
There are a few things you need to consider before buying a crate and we will cover all those points in this crate buying guide. The most important point being the size you buy to ensure its fit for purpose.
But theres also different types, the material theyre made from, and the place you wish to put it to consider as this may affect your final decision on the design.
Dog crates arent the most aesthetically pleasing of things but there are some stylish options and covers for the wire versions to make them look less of an eyesore.
A dog crate can be a metal, wire, plastic, or fabric with a door in which your dog will be secured and transported safely. 🙂
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: Our favorite dog crate is the MidWest Life Stages Wire Crate. We purchased this crate for our puppy over 15 years ago and we still use it today.
Introduce Your Puppy To The Crate
The name of the game with crate training your golden retriever puppy is baby steps.
Heres what you dont want to do: immediately throw your puppy in the crate and let them cry it out.
If youve already done that, youll be fighting an uphill battle, but by following the steps in this section and the next, its a battle that you can definitely win.
Its best if they can learn that the crate is awesome and safe before they spend time in it, especially time alone.
So how do you do that?
First, they need to decide to go into the crate themselves.
You can do that by putting a favorite toy in the crate, or scattering food in there.
Expect them to walk in and right back out the first time.
If theyve eaten all the food in there, or brought the toy back, eventually put more toys, or more treats in there.
You want to make it so that they know fun things are in the crate.
Now that theyve been introduced to the crate, the next step is to get them to love it.
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What Is The Proper Size Crate For A Puppy
If you plan on crate training your puppy then its uber important that you choose the proper size crate for your pup or get a crate that can adjust to the size of your puppy.
What is the proper size crate for a puppy? A crate should not be too big, but large enough for your puppy to stand, stretch and turn around.
Two options Id recommend:
When we brought home Linus we purchased a large wire crate with a divider.
However, when we raised puppies for GDA we borrowed a small plastic molded crate which was much easier for transporting our small puppy from the campus to our home.
As our pup outgrew the small crate we moved him to an intermediate and later a large crate .
Paws & Pals Double Door Crate
- Budget-friendly.
The Paws & Pals Folding Metal Dog Crate is a durable wire dog crate that is comfortable, affordable, and easy to clean. The best feature of this crate might be the lock. Its difficult to break out of, so you dont have to worry about escape artist Golden Retrievers finding a way out.
Like a lot of other similar crates, the Paws & Pals Folding Metal Dog Crate comes with a removable tray for cleaning. It folds up as well to make storage and transport a bit easier. Similar to other wire crates, this crate also comes equipped with a with a divider. Because of the divider, this crate will be suitable for Golden Retriever puppies, as well as adults.
We love the Paws & Pals Folding crate as an option because its available for a variety of different sized dogs. Its durable and difficult for dogs to break out of. This crate is available all the way up to 42 inches for some of the larger breeds.
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Tips To Keep Your Golden Retriever Puppy In A Crate Overnight
Tips For Crate Training Golden Retrievers
You might know what crate to buy for your Golden Retriever, but that doesnt mean you know how to correctly crate train your pup. Luckily, weve highlighted a few tips that may help make the process a little easier:
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Dog Crate Sizes & Dimensions
Dog crates are available in these sizes: X-Small Small Medium Large: X-Large XX-Large Giant
Each manufacturers products are often of slightly different dimensions, and there can be anywhere between 1 and 3 or 4 inches difference between two crates that are both labeled as the same size .
Also, not ALL ranges will come in the X-small or XX-Large/Giant options and one brand’s ‘X-Large’ may be another’s XX-Large or Giant, you need to look closely at the labels!
Here’s a quick look at the average dimensions and weight guidelines for the set of dog crate sizes given above
X-Small – 22″L x 16″H – 1 to 10lbs
Small – 24″L x 20″H – 11 to 25lbs
Medium – 30″L x 24″H – 26 to 40lbs
Large – 36″L x 27″H – 41 to 70lbs
X-Large – 42″L x 31″H – 71 to 90lbs
XX-Large – 48″L x 33″H – 91 to 150lbs
Giant – 53″L x 45″H – 100lbs plus
Although many crates will also give you info. on the breeds each size is suitable for, this is really only useful when you’re trying to figure out what dog crate size you need for an adult or almost-fully-grown dog.
One that would fit an adult dog of any breed is going to be much too big for the same breed as a ‘baby’.
When you’re shopping for a puppy’s crate, matching the crate’s size to your puppy’s current length, height and weight is the only way to make sure you choose one which works.
But, if you are looking to buy a crate for an almost-grown or adult dog, here’s a rough guide to which size of breed the standard crate sizes will fit……
Why Dog Crates Are A Must
Do you hate it when you have to go away, leaving your pet alone for a couple hours?
Wont it be nice if you could take your pet along with you on all your travels? You can take your pets along with you whenever you travel, but it will involve the use of crates.
Cages, kennels or crates allow the owner to make a fanatical and safe space for pets which will be settled within the corner of a home or are often carried along.
It wont matter if you want to take your doggie out with you on a trip or wish to visit the nearby pet hospital for a regular checkup, dog crates will forever remain at your service!
With this crates, you will find it easy to:
- Keep your furniture chew-free by disciplining a spoiled doggie
- Prevent destruction habits in dogs
- Limit the movement of your pooch by providing safe and peaceful space, when sick or injured
- Save you from possible embarrassment on the visit of important guests
- Create a personal space of its own where your pet can do whatsoever it wishes to because even dogs need privacy.
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Advantages Of Plastic Crates
- Lighter and hence more portable than wire, metal ones.
- Bottom of crate can sometimes be used as an open dog bed if the crate is no longer wanted.
- More sheltered, offering better insulation in colder climates
- Better for those that whine and cry if they can see activity and want to be a part of it. Less visibility better for easily distracted dogs and a greater feeling of security for a dog.
- Many are airline approved so can be used for air travel
- Some models have attachable / removable food and water dishes.
- More difficult than most wire crates for escape artists to get out of.
Petmate Ultra Vari Dog Kennel
The Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel is a great dog crate for travel, offering your dog a safe and comfortable travel experience.
The crate allows you to travel along with your dog on airlines as it meets most of the airline cargo specifications.
This kennel is made of heavy-duty plastic that makes it sturdy enough for even the large-sized dogs .
The plastic shell along with metal screw construction enhances the safety of your pet as well as the crates durability.
The bars found at the crates door and windows are made of steel wire strong enough to prevent your dog from escaping from the cage.
The crate can be further secured by tie-down holes, and has a door latch that securely locks the door and is also simple to open using one hand.
The Petmate Kennel features minimal sharp edges, a raised interior, and multiple vents for proper ventilation and 360-degree visibility.
The crate is easy to assemble as it does not require any tool apart from the metal screws and fasteners.
Another significant feature of this crate is its simple cleaning process owing to the crates eco-friendly materials: you can just wipe it down.
The crate is designed so the outer edge of the floor is slightly lowered to allow urine to pass out easily in case of accidents. Thus ensuring that your pup does not have to lie on own urine.
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How To Choose The Right Crate For You And Your Dog
This was a problem that I faced myself. I knew what size I needed but then I was faced with the issue of style and use as I travel at least 3 times a year to other states.
The best way to determine this is to evaluate:
- Where you will place the crate
- How many dogs youre going to need it for
- How long you expect to keep it for
- What the weather is like where you live
- Any health conditions of your dog
Once you got that answered youll know exactly what type of material and style of the crate that will be best suited for you and your dog.
To help you with narrowing it down to just a few crates Ive got a few tips for you to read through in the next section. This will explain what materials are best suited for what uses and pros and cons to each.