# Plastic or metal crates?



## HShaffer18 (Feb 13, 2010)

We are getting a puppy soon and I was wondering if a plastic or metal crate would be better? Also what brands are the best?


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## Crookedcreekranch (May 27, 2008)

Plastic ...Made by Petsmart Furrari Heavy duty plastic, clip not screws on sides, and most importantly the door opens to left or right and has top and bottom wire lips for those dogs that like to PULL in or PUSH out the door on other plastic crates.

Metal....Midwest with multiple doors, sides or front and divider panel for growing puppy. Advantage pull out tray for easy cleaning.

Given a choice my dogs will always go to the Furrari...why? I suppose because it is more den like...giving them an enclosed feeling....darker, quieter.

But the metal one has multiple openings to arrange differently in the room as needed and can be broken down for easier portability.

If you can afford it get both. Check prices multiple places on line...big chain pet stores are way....overpriced.

If you can only afford one right now get the wire crate in 36" with divider panel.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I'd go with Midwest crates. Get the life size crate so you can buy a crate for their adult size, but it comes with a movable wall so you can make it smaller for the puppy. With the plastic crates you have to switch up the sizes as they grow, but I do have some small ones I use for the puppies. 

I heard that Walmart was selling a wire crate that killed somebody's puppy. It tried to crawl out between the panels, got stuck and died. Probably suffocated. 

Getting the puppy to love his crate is also a good plan. Don't shut the door on it until the pup is comforatable. Feed the puppy in the crate and play games involving tossing treats into the crate. You can find a lot of information on crate training online.


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## HShaffer18 (Feb 13, 2010)

Thanks for the information. Cant wait to get our new family member!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I liked the plastic vari-kennel for puppyhood, and now use the wire as my pup outgrew the 500 series. 
I bought a smaller plastic vari-kennel on CL for his 8 week to 4 month life, you can resell those for the price you pay.
For travel, I like plastic, noise reduction~ but the wire flows air better. 
I agree w/ Midwest brand for wire.
If you have a crate for the life of your dog, better to spend a bit more in the beginning to get a quality brand.
I shopped around on the net, and my local mom and pop petstore matched the price I gave them, so I spent the $ in my neighborhood instead of a website.


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## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

I prefer a good quality plastic crate for at home unsupervised. If size is an issue (moving up crate size as the pup grows) there are often nice barely used quality crates that can be bought second hand (so long as they are well cleaned before use in case there are any microorganisms that might be hanging out in it). 

The wire ones scare me because of the large squares on the bottom under the pan. I know the pan is supposed to securely stay in place in most crates with the clip but with an exurbarent pup in particular, it has always been a fear of mine. Also ensure if it is a metal crate that it is positioned somewhere so that it cannot be tipped over sideways and that the pan is secured to the bottom well. I would definately not buy a cheap-o wire crate, only a good quality one.


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## HShaffer18 (Feb 13, 2010)

We are definitely going to get a good quality crate. We want only the best for pike.


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

I use a wire crate, I put a blanket over it to make it more den like


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

When I was a manager at petsmart our return policy was so loose you could return anything, from any pet store(even competitors), without a receipt, even if it's been used or broken, and get a gift card or a replacement(if you have no receipt) or your money back in full. I would tell EVERYONE to get a crate that fits their puppy currently, and then when the puppy outgrows the crate, to just return it to the store FOR THE FULL PRICE YOU BOUGHT IT FOR and get a bigger one. Check with your local petsmart's return policy. It's likely to be this loose.

Since Chrono was a puppy, we've went through a million plastic crates. He BROKE them all. Let me tell you, when a plastic crate cracks, it's pretty much done. No amount of duct tape can help you. Chrono has broken out of his wire crate a few times already but it's all been completely repairable. It also folds down to nothing and stores better.

And I've never had a problem with the pan sliding out or breaking, even with a 110 pound escape artist, but he has a big fuzzy blanket on the bottom.


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

We use the wire/metal crates for many of the reasons mentioned above:

-portablity (easily folded up) and stored 
-pan that can be taken out to clean 
-the dogs seem to like that they can see out, especially in the car, good air flow 
-you only have to buy one for each dog (buy the biggest one you think you will ever need) and just use the divider/partition as the pup grows. -Excellent for potty training, I think.
-the double doors can be handy, theoretically with the wire crates, if you have a certain postion you need it to be in while outside the house at an event or something


Negatives on the wire crates (and I do prefer wire) But mostly because that is what we use and that they have done well with, never have used plastic crates

-they are heavy
-If you do need to put a blanket over it to make it more den like (never have really had to do that) the dog can pull whatever cover you put on the crate through the wires and destroy it
-the pans can crack and can be expensive to replace
-with the pans/wires you could potentially have a big mess if the dog pees/poops as it could fall to the side of the pan or go outside the wiring, but with a plastic crate the dog could also be sitting in it which would be a mess as well
-if you have a dog that doesnt like the crate they could probably bend the wires/hurt their teeth on some of the models

I have never experienced any of the negatives of the wire crates with our dogs (except that they are heavy crates to carry) so think that like mentioned above, whichever you decide to use the most important part is the crate training itself, not really which one you use. If they like it, you will not have the mess, destruction or problems that could come with either style. And then again, no matter how much crate traning or whatever, they just may not like it ever? I think I have seen people post about that. Guess we have been lucky.

Already mentioned, but we have the Midwest Life Stages. I know it sounds terribly cliche, but our dogs really do love them. The go and lay in them all the time on their own (which is something that I wonder if they would not do with the plastic as they feel they just have to see everything that is going on as well)
http://www.midwesthomes4pets.com/category/default.aspx?maincatid=1&subcat=1&submenu=0&catid=3

congrats and good luck with the new pupster


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

:gsdhead: I use both wire and plastic crates. All the ones in the house are the size used for Great Danes. The Hooligans seem to prefer the plastic Vari-Kennel over the wire crates for naps, etc. They'll use the wire crates but if the Vari-Kennel is free they'll go in there first.

I've had two escape artists. The Vari-Kennel stopped Niki from escaping, however, with Mac, none of the normal type kennels can keep him in.


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

I bought this 48 in wire kennel by Precision for Nikki and it's really good quality. Precision Pet 3-Door Deluxe Great Crate - Dog Crates and Pet Crates from PETCO.com

At night she sleeps in her Vari Kennel crate.

Michaela


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## HShaffer18 (Feb 13, 2010)

I really appreciate all the information you guys have given me. It will make my choice a lot easier.


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