# Collapsible Kennels/Crates Recommendations



## MichWilkins (Apr 20, 2008)

I wanted to see if anybody has any recommendations on the Soft-sided Collapsible Kennels and who has the best prices. We currently use a big wire crate at home and wanted to find one a little easier to travel with for when we go places. We will continue to use the one we have at our house but when we go to our parents we would love to have a spare one that is a little easier to handle. 

Thank you!


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

If your dog doesn't seem like one who would say, rip the mesh open with their paw and come out like something from Alien, (not that I know...twice...Mariele...) the ones at http://www.petedge.com are really inexpensive. I have one and knock wood, the one who rides in it doesn't know...and Mariele isn't talking.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Yes, you have to be careful if your dog is not content to lay about in there! Darn things are expensive and its crazy when they get ripped or the zipper gives. I love it when they become "exercise balls" and like a hamster, the dog is running about the room inside one.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

This site has a ton of options 

http://www.northcoastmarines.com/crates.htm

I personally have and LOVE the Canine Camper. A bit heavier than some others but all 4 sides can be rolled up to allow the dog alot of ventilation. Or rolled down if it's cooler (I trial outdoors) or if you want to give your dog some quiet time.



















As mentioned, these aren't good for younger dogs or ones that are destructive. They CAN get out, it's just zippers and fabric! But if you have great crate trained dogs, they work like a charm.


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## MichWilkins (Apr 20, 2008)

Thank you! These are some great suggestions so far! My dog is very use to his kennel and would not try to get out of one.


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## balakai (Feb 9, 2005)

HAH! You say that now, but I wouldn't count on it. My little female terrier mix, after 4 years, ate her way out of a soft crate. She chewed the zipper out and escaped. Of all my dogs, she is the one that I would have SWORN would never do anything like that!

~Kristin


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: TitanHThank you! These are some great suggestions so far! My dog is very use to his kennel and would not try to get out of one.


I thought the same thing............I now have a very nice collapsible kennel with the zipper completely torn out of it, and Ava had never even attempted to get out of her previous kennel.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: balakaiHAH! You say that now, but I wouldn't count on it. My little female terrier mix, after 4 years, ate her way out of a soft crate. She chewed the zipper out and escaped. Of all my dogs, she is the one that I would have SWORN would never do anything like that!
> 
> ~Kristin


And out of the 4 pups I've raised the only problem I had was with Bretta (go figure







) when I put her in the K9 Camper for the first time at a trial when she was only 6 months old. But did she ruin the zipper trying to get out and to me? 

No she did not.

Instead, in less than 5 minutes, she decided that the fake lambskin that covers the board that supports the bottom of the crate was left in there as a NEW TOY. So while standing on the fabric covered board, she reached down, grabbed the fabric at the end and jerked up snapping the board in 2. I just bought the darn thing 10 minutes earlier at the show and she already had affected the structural intregity! (actually, the fake lambskin covered board is easily seen in that strip of 3 photos I put in above. The woman is holding the board in the first photo and putting it into the crate floor.)

Fortunately I had a friend who's husband cut me a piece of plexiglass that I covered up and have used ever since. AND Bretta was in a hard crate until she was a year old (see I can learn). When I reintroduced the fabric crate then, she never had issues or attempted to eat (or play) with it again.

Each dog is different, so you have to be careful initially. The more calm and socialized your dog is (and not bored) the more likely they are to just get in the crate and relax like normal.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

A dog who accepts the crate will likely do well in one. I don't leave mine unsupervised in such a soft crate. I use them while I am in a hotel room or at a show. Some dogs do fine though with being left alone in them. 

I had some difficulty leaving a dog who was super in her metal crate for years in one of them. If I went off and left my girl in it in a new place..... bada bing, bada boom... outta there!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I have the day tripper, never use it. I bought it a couple yrs ago, when I got into agility with Onyx...she is un-agile, so we never needed it for training or trials. 
A dog in drive will never let the soft mesh hold them. 
A friend has soft sided for her greyhound and that dog has never ripped it, she is very content in her camper-crate.
If anyone wants to buy mine, pm me


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I used to have one of those collapsible soft-sided crates and never used it. It was such a PITA to put together (had these spring-loaded things), way more difficult than even my bulkiest wire crate. I much prefer to take my collapsible wire crate. It's no bigger, not that much heavier, much stronger (don't have to worry about my dog scratching out, or another dog scratching *in* which is ultimately how my soft-sided crate met its end), I can stack stuff on top of it which is a major plus at shows where space is always a premium. I like to be able to hang my water buckets in the crate. IMO the soft-side never made travel easier. A flat crate is the same size whether it's wire or soft. Plus the softer material meant we were always concerned with it getting japped and ripped.

I use this crate, it's truly portable (it folds into itself, not off to the side like most wire crates).









If I don't feel like carrying it, I have a dolly from Ikea that was $2.50 that I can use for carrying the crate, my chair, and other stuff.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I love the look of that wire crate that collapses inward! It would be sturdier, for sure

It is so easy to carry the soft ones though, Mine are lightweight and the newer ones don't have those poles you have to insert. Always worry about damage to them though>

Maybe time for a dolly! Why can't I be sane and only train one dog?!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Usually when I'm at a show I have so much crap, wire vs. soft is the least of my concern, lol. Even with the soft crate I needed a dolly! That crate pictured is very sturdy. I can stand on top of it which I do often b/c it sits right under a cubby hole in our wall where I store dog supplies. It's the sturdiest crate I have. My sister made me a cover that also has a flap for the door which can roll up and tie. I prefer this setup for shows/trials because I can walk away and shop without worrying that the dog can get out (or another dog can get in....my soft crate was ripped when the outside dog took a swipe at the door!).


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## MelissaHoyer (Sep 8, 2006)

http://www.petedge.com/product/Guardian-Gear-Collapsible-Crates-Dog-Crates/46652.uts

I have the yellow/orange one and the red/blue one from the site above. I find that the y/o is the perfect size for my long legged 75 lb female. The r/b is really huge! I highly recommend these if you want to try out a soft sided crate that is pretty sturdy without spending lots of $$$.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I have a few soft sided crates different sizes for the gsd's and aussies..Never ever had any problems with any of them in the soft sided ones, (which I used for dog shows easy to carry)..until,,the masi monster LOL..

I put her in one in the back of my van, and one swipe of the door and that was it,,big long rip..I'm thinking with her, the wire collapseable will be her future crate anywhere)


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Melissa, I love those Guardian ones, very flashy !! If I can get Masi to keep her feet to herself, I think she'd look good in one))


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## MelissaHoyer (Sep 8, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: JakodaCD OA
> 
> I put her in one in the back of my van, and one swipe of the door and that was it,,big long rip..I'm thinking with her, the wire collapseable will be her future crate anywhere)


I wish they would put a sturdier door on them lol...why don't they put a metal door on a soft crate!?! My Grace stays in it just fine...Kira...well, I am slowly working her into one...we'll see! I'd really just like her to stay in one when we are camping in our pop-up. She always wakes up so dang early when she isn't crated and getting her plastic one in through the door is really hard.


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## MichWilkins (Apr 20, 2008)

Thank you!! I would really hope he wouldn’t try to break out of one! I just need it to use for short periods of time when we take him to my parents or a friends and they seem ideal. 

Thank you Melissa for the link. I think the R/B one would be ideal since his the measurements are pretty close to his kennel now. What do they actually look like closed? I see the other pictures but they are all with the door/flap open.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: 2SableGirlshttp://www.petedge.com/product/Guardian-Gear-Collapsible-Crates-Dog-Crates/46652.uts
> 
> I have the yellow/orange one and the red/blue one from the site above. I find that the y/o is the perfect size for my long legged 75 lb female. The r/b is really huge! I highly recommend these if you want to try out a soft sided crate that is pretty sturdy without spending lots of $$$.


Gee thanks. Now Keyzah thinks she needs the yellow/orange one (ya know the Orange Krush girl).









Actually those are pretty nice. I just recently won a smaller one at a Chinese auction at work and was thinking about posting it on here for sale since Keyzah has already outgrown it (never been used).


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## georgiapeach717 (Jan 28, 2010)

I am also looking for a crate to make travel with Clover safer until he is big enough for a harness and seatbelt between the kids, lol.

I like that collapsable wire one posted above as well as really like the pop up fabric ones...but I have a feeling Clover would eat through the fabric ones. 

Anyone who has them for sale please post them!


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