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Pros/Cons of Wire Crate vs. Plastic Carrier We will be picking up our first pup on Dec. 23. We are debating which crate is best, and who better to ask than experienced owners! I thought the hard, plastic carrier would be best since it can also double as a carrier when traveling. Hubby thinks a wire cage/crate is a better option since it is a little more open. I am home during the day, so our pup will be with me most of the time, but we do plan to crate train when we're gone and at night. Advice? Opinions? |
I have owned both and I would recommend a wire crate with the divider wall that you can adjust as your pup grows. A good wire crate is also collapsible, making it convenient for transport. When traveling by car, the crate can be secured in the back seat for the dog. For air travel, buy a soft carrier such as a Sherpa. I purchased my wire crates at Walmart. Congratulations on the addition to your family. Enjoy your pup! |
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I agree totally, Harley has a wire crate that is like 5 times the size he needs, I bought it so that it would block off the hallway, and he would have a little play area. Then I put the divider, now that he's potty trained he has a massive crate/bed. Plus if you buy a purse like carrier that is airline approved not only can you travel with the pup on the plane, you can smuggle your baby into places that uh, may not quite let you walk through the door :D Although don't bring your yorkie anywhere that sells food, that's illegal and kind of gross. Congrats! also make sure you are careful with Christmas stuff, there is a forum for holiday awareness, check it out so your baby is safe when he/she arrives |
I agree with the others, I just don't like the plastic carriers, so many have no ventilation. I made a cloth cover for the wire carrier, and Joey loves it and goes in it on his own. We use a soft carrier for a car seat and visits to the vet, it also worked great as a puppy bed, because it's small, he wouldn't pee in it. I could keep it next to my bed, and I would take him to a pee pad during the night, he became pad trained very quickly. Snoozer Roll Around Pet Carrier and Car Seat Pets Dog and Cat Travel Supplies on Sale at Travelin Paws - |
We have always used the plastic carriers.Our Wheaten arrived at the airport in one and it worked so well. She was always hot and prefers to sleep without bedding, also throws up often and easily wiped up. I buy the Dr Foster and Smith one that is very well ventilated and a little taller but still nice and dark/den- like. I do sit them on cotton bathmats to make them quieter and up off the tile floor.Ziva's has a crate mat(Walmart) and her blankets inside(cut a fleece throw in 4 pieces). I say "nite-nite time" and she can't get in fast enough. I sleep better knowing they are safe/so do they! |
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I like the wire crates i just do i used a plastic one but now that he is bigger he rests better when he can see me |
I use a wire crate now and cover most of it, except the door, with a blanket. I am thinking of getting a plastic crate for two reasons though: 1. If there was ever an emergency or some kind of disaster (tornado, flood, etc.) where we had to suddenly leave our home, I think the plastic crate would be easier to carry and take the dog in a hurry. 2. I actually borrowed a plastic crate from my mom that their dog hadn't been using last time we visited my family, and my dog really seemed to like it a lot better. He went in there on his own a lot more and seemed more comfortable in it for whatever reason. We're going on a long road trip soon and so I'm thinking the plastic crate might be lighter and easier to carry in and out of the car to hotels and family's houses. |
I used a wire crate when I trained my oldest- I loved it and we never had any issues with it, he slept in it and went in it whenever I was out of the house until he was a year old. However, then I started hearing horror stories about the wire crates collapsing on dogs, or dogs getting their heads, paws, etc. stuck and injured. So when I got my younger one I only used an x pen set up and the rare occasion I needed a crate I used an old plastic type I had around. I think I am probably way too paranoid though, especially since I never had any problems with the wire crate. Either one is probably fine- I originally bought the wire crate because it seemed more open but I ended up covering three sides and the top all the time anyway, so that kind of defeated the purpose. Ha! that was probably no help, but just some things to consider- good luck with your little one :thumbup: |
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I havent figured out a good way to buckle in the hard plastic crates. |
Levi has a plastic crate, but I've never actually crated him in it - in fact, the door is permanently removed. My brother's dog has separation anxiety and chewed and bent his wire crate, which made me extremely nervous about the wire ones. He does much better in his plastic one. But again, I've never actually "crated" my Yorkie. He just likes to hang out in there like it's a cave. |
Couver and Khloe have a wire crate that is big enough for a great dane, but we only used it when Khloe was a puppy and now they use it as a retreat or bed. I keep their bedding and blankets in their and they like to cuddle up in there when we are gone. I prefer the wire over plastic because they feel more sturdy, ventilated and you can see through them. |
We had the wire crates with the plastic slide in bottom. Both Sam & Loki hated their plastic crates. They didn't like that they couldn't really see us. The wire crates were super easy to clean for house training. Now that they are trained, we actually have a gigantic fabric travel crate that we take everywhere - vacation, grandma's house if we go for like a holiday dinner... otherwise it sits in our living room. It fits in the back of our SUV without collapsing it and it's super lightweight - I can carry it assembled if I have to. Collapsed, it's super easy to handle. I put two big fluffy pillows on the bottom with fleece pillow cases I got at Bed Bath & Beyond, so it's easy to wash those all the time. This is the one we have. Yeah I know it's ugly green, but they nap in it half the day by choice. They love this stupid thing.  Amazon.com: Firstrax N2-36 NOZTONOZ Sof-Krate... |
Hinckley started off in a plastic crate and was fine...we put her in a wire crate since it was more open and she was more terrified I guess because she wasn't feeling as closed in so we moved her back to the plastic crate. I guess it depends on what you get them used to. :) |
If you have a chewer, the plastic crates can be an awfully big temptation to them. I prefer the wire for all of the reasons listed above. For traveling or emergencies., I have 2 collapsible cloth ones. |
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