Or at least a crate that had real utility or looks. That is neither really pretty nor would I trust it in a car, nor is it lightweight or small when folded. It's just REALLY expensive!!!
Ohhh!!! Now THAT'S REALLY nice!!! I'd be willing to pay the high price for something sleek and beautiful like THAT! (especially if I had a modern house!I settled on a basic wire crate that a friend gifted me and I think it's fine. I was totally looking at the Fable Pets crate with acrylic door. For now the wire one will do but once we move into a house, I will probably get something more ~fancy~ and furniture-like.
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https://fablepets.com/products/crate?variant=29393628495970
They HAD crate pads in those crates, but they only dragged them around. They really are only in those crates to eat. (which is why they are all lined up so cute... They know dinner is coming!
) I feel strongly that dogs should not have to worry about other dogs finishing faster and bothering them while they are eating. Pixel definitely eats the slowest, and she was having to defend her food from the others when they finished and then started to scope hers out. I wanted none of that behavior from her, but it was CAUSED by them, so the answer was to stop THEM from bothering her, when she SHOULD be able to eat in peace.
So do you put the food dishes deep in the crates and then close the crates? Or is enough to put the food deep within the crates without closing them? I'm thinking we may need a video ...They really are only in those crates to eat. (which is why they are all lined up so cute... They know dinner is coming!
No, they go in and turn around, just as you see them in the photo. So they are facing the doors. Kodi doesn't like his door closed, and being the spoiled mama's boy that he is, HE doesn't have his door closed. The girls have their doors closed. By the time I go back to the kitchen and put the food away, they are done eating (30 seconds?) and I go let them out. Then they all go and check for molecules in each other's dishes, then I pick them up. (If the bowls were in the back of the crates I'd have to get down on my hands and knees to get them out each time. That would NOT make me happy!)
Yep. We definitely need a video!
Lots of good suggestions and neat crate ideas. I have many of the items listed. LOL! about the kids question on the cost of the puppy. I'm pretty sure I spent more on the Doggie Nursery before I purchased the homecoming puppy.
Thanks so much for your thoughts, EvaE1izabeth. You (and everyone else) make really good points. I think I'm going to start out more basic with a crate in the beginning.Since you don't know how your setup might change over the first year, and you know you want a furniture style crate down the line, to me that's all the more reason to buy a less expensive, fold up wire crate now and buy something nice for puppy's first or second birthday. You will likely find uses for an inexpensive wire crate that folds up, or be able to give it away, but it's harder to repurpose a furniture type crate if it doesn't go how you plan or inthe room you want to use. I spent a lot of time and money creating a built in for our crate in the mudroom. Then I realized we weren't going to use a crate permanently like I thought. And THEN I realize he would never even want to be home alone in the mud room, which is a room we never spend time in normally and doesn't have any windows. I ended up installing a permanent wood gate in a different place than I planned, too.
Once the cost gets to be above $200, there are so many options, it doesn't make sense to me personally to go with something utilitarian. At that price point, there are a lot more options to customize something for a particular space or need. I could build a between-the-studs doggy door to turn our closet under the stairs into a dog nook for under $100, or install a larger, framed-out crate style door under the stairs for under $200. I seriously considered both and decided I need the storage
On the other hand, if you plan to install a good quality, fixed crate in your car, you might be able to use that as your primary crate in the beginning, and then promote it to the car when you're ready to buy a permanent crate for the house. The only problem would be that some of them are heavy, and some are intended to be installed long term, so if you needed to move it back and forth that might be a pain. But if you also plan to buy a soft travel carrier for plane travel, you could use that for car travel , too. I don't have a car crates, but they're really popular here, especially among moms who take their dogs with them to walk during soccer practice and that kind of thing. My SIL has 2 in her minivan, and it's actually pretty cool, they sit down low but her dogs can get out themselves when the door is open. The top has sort of a tray over it so that the rest of the trunk is still functional for groceries, strollers, etc.
For me, as far as "big" purchases, my freestanding wood gate is the one I'm most happy with. I purchased one and took the panels apart to use as gates in different places. I liked it so much I bought another to actually use as a freestanding barrier. But it's not really portable or practical like my basic wire ex-pens. It looks pretty between my office/living area though, and I do use it often.
It's really pretty, but I would be worried that a small Havanese puppy could walk right through the corners. Pixel was able to walk right through all our baby gates when we got her. Dave had to modify them all when she arrived.
