Need votes! Wire v. plastic crates? And why? As we were watching the opening ceremonies for Olympics, my BF and I were discussing the pros and cons of getting a wire or plastic crate for the impending arrival of our puppy. We've read up on the pros and cons (more insulation v. more ventilation, more privacy v. more isolation, etc.), but we're still in a quandary over which one would be most suitable for our 12 week puppy, as a training tool and as a den. Can you tell me which one you use for your yorkies and why? Thanks so much! |
Congratulations on your new pup! I have both plastic and wire, and I prefer the wire. It is sturdier, has better ventilation, and more versatility. Many wire crates are collapsible (making them easy to stow in a car trunk when traveling). If your pup wants more privacy, you can buy a fabric cover for the wire crate. My Yorkie has an aversion to the smell of plastic, so he is much happier with his wire crate. We bought our collapsible wire crate at Walmart; much more reasonably priced than any at the pet stores, and same quality. |
I also have both but use the wire one here at the house. My plastic ones are smaller and I only use those when we are traveling. The wire one is the large one so if need be I can put the food and water in there. If I was going to buy one, (mine were given to me) I would buy a small wire one. Like stated above, they fold down for travel, and you can cover it if you need to. I did use the plastic one to train my first yorkie, he was in it at night, and it worked just fine. |
Thank you both! It's settled. We're going with a wire crate. I think the BF had a aversion to it because it seemed too reminiscent of a cage, and I was a bit biased against the plastic ones because I think they're not as aesthetically pleasing. But thanks for the tip about getting a cover. By the way, the BF is so impressed with how much help all of you have been. And so am I! |
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My Yorkie loves his crate -- the experts are right, it is his den and safe place. My boy is over a year old and I often find him napping or hanging out in his crate. He also has a little pup tent that he enjoys. YT is great for information -- there are so many people here who have a wide range of experience and expertise. They have been very helpful to me, a first time Yorkie owner. :) |
I went with the wire crate because I have a chewer.:rolleyes: I was afraid she would chew on a plastic crate. I have thrown a blanket over the top and sides to give her crate a den feeling and she loves to take her toys and treats in there to enjoy. I was able hang a water bottle on the side so no spills to clean up. I also like the fact they fold up so easily and will store anywhere. I think you will be pleased with a wire crate. |
I have both plastic and wire and both my girls prefer the wire crate to the plastic. I also like the wire for the convenience of it being collapsable, more sturdy, and it does not trap oders like the plastic tends to do. I also like it for the visibility, so much easier to see what's going on. |
Thanks for sharing your experiences! I have another question regarding which size crate to get. My puppy will be about 6 lbs full grown, but is obviously much smaller at 12 weeks. I want to get something large enough for him to grow into (one that'll serve as a comfy den), but small enough to use for crate training purposes (I've heard that crates that are too large won't work). I'm trying to decide between the x-small (22"Dx13"Wx16"H) and small (24"Dx18"Wx21"H) Midwest double door crate. The size recommendation indicates that the x-small would be most suitable for the puppy, but it just looks way too small to me. What size do you use? Would the small size work (esp. with a divider)? Any help would be much appreciated! |
You've already said you're going with a wire crate- just wanted to second that. :) I used a wire crate for my mini schnauzer when we got her 5 years ago. I got a fairly big one, and used the divider when she was a puppy. It's much bigger than the "just able to turn around in" rule says, but she's done fine with it- no accidents in the crate. We're using an x-pen with our Yorkie puppy, so I thought one of the small plastic carrier type crates might work well. Not so much. Less than 24 hours after we had her home she had learned how to hop up on top of it and peer over the top of the ex-pen. :eek: We figured it was only a matter of time before she tried to jump over/out of the ex-pen, so that crate was short lived. We went and got the x-small wire crate and while it would have been fine now (she's 4 mos. 3 1/2 lbs.), I couldn't imagine her being much bigger and being comfortable in it, so we swapped it for the small size. The small one comes with a divider, but we aren't using it and don't have any problems with her pottying in there. We thought she would like the plastic crate- it would be more den-like being more closed in, but she didn't. She hardly ever went in it. We figured out after getting the wire one that she didn't like not being able to see anything while in there. We learned quickly that Yorkies are VERY social and want to keep track of their humans at all times! ;) Good luck with your new puppy! |
I have wire and I have always used wire when crate training just bc I think they feel less confined. They can see you as with a plastic it is more enclosed. |
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