# Best wire crates? Kong or Midwest?



## Cameron County K9

Morning everyone. I'm in the need for a couple wire crates for our GSD. I saw online that Midwest has great reviews. Went to Petsmart and they had Kong brand wire crates. They are 148.00 on sale for a large. About 80.00 more than Midwest. But man do they look bomb proof. Any experiences with either of these? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Billy


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## llombardo

I have had nothing but problem after problem with wire crates. I had one dog eat the tray a couple times, one dog escaped several times, another one bent the wire and got his head stuck, and the last one pulled the wires up and stabbed himself(thankfully not in the heart or lungs). I ended up getting a collapsible crate Collapsible, Durable Aluminum Dog Crate from Grain Valley
and this has been great. I don't foresee having to replace it anytime soon and its very secure. I do have one wire crate left and I have locks all over it so that they can't pull the wires up and escape or hurt themselves.


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## maxtmill

It depends on the purpose for your crate -I have always bought Midwest crates through PetEdge.com - great prices and nice crates.I never really needed a bomb-proof crate! Haha! I did buy a Kong dogbed from PetSmart, and it was nice and tough!


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## NancyJ

I have pretty much said no more to wire crates. To many accidents. I have aluminum for in the truck and plastic for in the house.


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## Fodder

I don't have an experience with Kong crates but if you're looking for bombproof I would look outside of the market of wire crates. I have not had any problems with them because my dogs have always crated well but by design and from horror stories I can understand the caution.

my midwest crate from 2008 was given to a friend who still uses it regularly for his gsd. for basic needs the quality is good.


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## zyppi

my dogs do well with the Midwest wire crates, but they were crate trained from 8 weeks on.

I actually had a space built in for them


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## NancyJ

For me it is the gap all around the bottom of the crate for the tray that has caused many trapped paws. 

I would buy one of the old kennel-aire crates with 1" grid spacing but it is not made anymore.


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## maxtmill

I am surprised at the problems some folks say they have had with wire crates, since I have never had any issues. But, my dogs were sleeping at night in their crates from the day they came home. All but one have loved their crates, and can't wait to run in them when we say "bedtime, kennel up!" They have a nice bed and a chew toy, and a high value treat that was only given at bedtime, and they seem happy as clams. The ONE that didn't like his crate was my sweet little Chinese Crested, who chewed through the sides of a plastic crate, then when placed in a wire crate, dug wildly and loudly at the plastic tray! His issue was he wanted to sleep in bed with me. Period.  The reason he couldn't was that he would jump off the bed and run zoomie laps around the room and keep us awake all night!


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## Liesje

In my opinion, the "best" wire crate means the sturdiest wire gauge. This isn't limited to one brand, as it seems most of the big brands sell models with various gauges and the price often depends on this. My "favorite" wire crate is my 9 gauge Precision Pet crate. I love the Precision Pet crate trays, they are made of a more flexible plastic that doesn't crack like other brands and the edges are higher.

I have a lot of metal crates in many sizes, between all my own dogs, puppies I've raised or started for other people, carpooling to Schutzhund with other people's dogs, and foster puppies/dogs. At one time I had 18 different crates. I've only had one wire crate get destroyed by one of my dogs and it was already bent/broken (I must've run over a corner with my van or something) so the dog found it very easy to push his way out.


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## LuvShepherds

Precision. I looked at the Petco crates which were not Precision and they were flimsy. I have had no problem with this crate, which has worked for three dogs, but they have all been crate trained and don't try to escape.


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