# Heavy duty - quality kennels



## Ron Short (Mar 25, 2011)

Looking for a 42"-48" for my boy that is sturdy... not looking to spend a fortune on some of those awesome all aluminum ones just want some nice quality.

The ones I looked at Petsmart, Petco and others seem kinda wimpy...


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I got mine at WalMart. They work good for me. Much better than the icrate from midwest that cost twice as much.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I take my folding kennes and zip tie them with a LOT of ties. Seems to improve rigidity.


----------



## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

jocoyn said:


> I take my folding kennes and zip tie them with a LOT of ties. Seems to improve rigidity.


I have a midwest one and I still had to do this to it. I also use metal leash clips to keep the door closed. It doesn't really matter what kind you get, a determined german shepherd is just going to dismantle it anyway if it isn't zip-tied


----------



## Ron Short (Mar 25, 2011)

There are several series of the midwest... anyone have the ultima pro?


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

l used the zip-ties with the midwest. I do not need them with the WalMart crates. I use a metal clip with the midwest, I do not need them with the WalMart crate. 

Odd that you can get a crappy crate from WalMart for 69$ or a great crate from a dog product manufacturer for 120+ and the crappy crate is the one you do not need to reinforce and clip shut. 

No, I do not have the ultimate pro -- I will never buy anything with the midwest name on it. I think they are overpriced and junky from my personal experience.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Here ya go, proof is in the picture:

WalMart crate is a 48 with a full grown male in it, no tie wraps, no clips.

Midwest crate has said male's female puppy in it, and needs tons of reinforcement. For a PUPPY! That is a 42 inch. I use 42s for girls and generally 48 for boys. Unless I have no boys, then girls go into the 48. The 48 is a drop pin, the other 42s I have are not, but I do not need tie wraps or clips with them either. 

The pup could actually lean on the door and the latch is so short that it would bow the door out and unlatch. Without the tie wraps the whole front of the crate just collapses outward. Unreal. I do not think it is good enough for them to suggest I buy a more expensive model -- they make certain lines so crappy that they cannot contain a dog??? Makes you want to buy the more expensive model.


----------



## Ron Short (Mar 25, 2011)

anyone have a weblink to the walmart kennels??

THANKS!!


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

This is the one I use for my girls, petmate 42x28x31.
pet home training wire kennel | Petmate

I do not know what the brand name is on the big drop pin kennels. I bought them at WalMart years ago, they have a 36 inch height which I like for dogs.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

If the dog is trying to break out, then I would worry more about their teeth,etc than the crate quality. I have a Precision and a New World(by Petmate) wire, the New World is much sturdier, but the dogs don't try to escape.


----------



## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Ron Short said:


> There are several series of the midwest... anyone have the ultima pro?


I do, I had 2 but my boy Logan shredded the door on one.. That was pretty freak though, and I really like the quality of the crate compared to others I've seen. I just bought an icrate off someone on craigslist, and the wire is noticeably thinner and it doesn't seem as sturdy at all. I tend to not like powder coated crates, as the coating makes it appear thicker and sturdier than it truly is. 

The one Logan busted through the door... I was having some issues at the time, and I don't blame the crate for not being strong enough. First he kept pawing at the door I think because he was getting it open. So I started zip tying it shut when I left, and came home to the wire of the door sticking straight out.. It was crazy. But it had 3 doors so I was able to just turn the crate and keep using it. However when my dad was helping me move, he left it sitting outside the house for a trip and came back to the crate gone... Someone swiped it off the porch.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

The think with Milla was, she would just LEAN against the door and it would bow, and the latches were not long enough and it would come open. She is not trying to EAT her way out of it. None of them CHEW on the crate. 

I mean, if you have a puppy, and they manage to OPEN a crate on their own, can that not CREATE an escape artist. I mean, there is no incentive like success.


----------



## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

selzer said:


> I mean, if you have a puppy, and they manage to OPEN a crate on their own, can that not CREATE an escape artist. I mean, there is no incentive like success.


I think thats part of what happened with Logan. There's no way he could have gotten the wire on mine to bow out, but I think with his paw he managed to get the latches slid open. And after that he just started being a nightmare because he knew he could get out if he tried hard enough. I was going to get an indestructible crate*, but ended up just leaving him uncrated and babygated instead. 

*ProSelect Empire Cages | PetEdge.com


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

The frustration I have had with the Midwest crates is the latches falling out completely.

I wish Kennel aire still made the one with 1 inch mesh - I think that was supposed to be a great crate.

I am refusing to use any folding wire crate in a car now because my dog's leg slid under the wire and got caught.

I know of one dedicated escape artist left in a wire crate and in 10 minutes he had it completely destroyed


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I like the vari-kennel with the wire window vents. I use that for the vehicle except when it is really hot, then I put a wire crate in the truck. Even running a fan, the plastic won't circulate air like a wire.


----------



## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

selzer said:


> I mean, if you have a puppy, and they manage to OPEN a crate on their own, can that not CREATE an escape artist. I mean, there is no incentive like success.


I think that's what happened with my dog too. All he had to do was nudge the door up with his nose, and the door flew open. He's never used his teeth.

Plus, when we first got him, we used have some sort of meat almost every meal. So there would usually be lamb, buffalo, deer, or beef thawing in the sink during the day. When he escaped the first few times and ate all of the meat while we were gone, we assumed it was because we were improperly closing it. Then when we were ABSOLUTELY SURE it was closed properly, we started latching it with metal latches. And then he just started dismantling the sides, so we had to zip-tie those.

The next dog I get is going to have its crate zip-tied right from the beginning before they figure out that if they try hard enough, they do succeed!


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Lin said:


> I think thats part of what happened with Logan. There's no way he could have gotten the wire on mine to bow out, but I think with his paw he managed to get the latches slid open. And after that he just started being a nightmare because he knew he could get out if he tried hard enough. I was going to get an indestructible crate*, but ended up just leaving him uncrated and babygated instead.
> 
> *ProSelect Empire Cages | PetEdge.com


I researched that crate and the reviews were not that good.....when I did

If you are spending that much a welded alumunum crate can be had for pretty close - at least an ugly owens -- for more you can get a larger prettier alumunimum crate - once again welded, not screwed.


----------



## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Elite k9 occasionally has a sale on their all aluminum kennel. I have one. Its super top notch. It survived me totaling my truck while it was in the back (no dog inside, thank god). it is 100% escape proof

I believe I paid something around 500 or so if memory serves correct


----------



## Ron Short (Mar 25, 2011)

I can't believe how hard it is to find a descent crate these days... everything I see looks like cheap junk!


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Have you specifically looked online for heavy duty drop pin crates 
Maybe ebay
Any of the old drop pin crates I had (not folding) were made of a heavier guage metal


----------



## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

jocoyn said:


> I take my folding kennes and zip tie them with a LOT of ties. Seems to improve rigidity.



Ditto.


----------



## Ron Short (Mar 25, 2011)

We ended up with the midwest ultima pro... I am happy with it for the price. I think I have about 150 in it shipped for a 48".

I added the zip ties to make it even more solid but not bad without...


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

If anyone else is looking for a sturdy kennel, this might be helpful:






They show a Vari-kennel type crate in various strength tests, versus the "Ruff Tough kennel". I haven't used this kennel myself so I can't comment personally but it does look very strong.


----------

