Soft Vs Metal Crates....

[Joypod]

Hi all,

As some of you will know, I don't actually have a dog yet but am doing heaps of preparation.

I bought a soft portable crate but am now wondering if I should have bought a cage/metal one. The soft one has mesh vents on all sides with an opening flap on the top and front. It also has a handle and folds down flat so it's very portable. I also liked the look of it much more than a metal crate.

Is there really such a difference between soft and metal crates considering what they're used for? I mean, I can still toilet train and confine my puppy in a soft crate so is there a need for a metal one?

Just wondering what your views are on this. Ta muchly to all

[Kavik]

I would go a metal or hard plastic crate until your pup is crate trained. Some dogs can destroy the soft crates, which teaches them bad habits besides the obvious getting loose and wasting money. I would save the soft crate for when your pup is older and you want a lighter option for travelling. Also, I would imagine cleaning a wire or plastic crate would be much easier than cleaning a soft crate, and puppies do have accidents!

[Miranda]

I wouldn't use a soft crate for a puppy, puppies chew and they also have accidents, buy a wire crate and use the soft crate when the dog is older and past the destructive stage. A puppy could destroy a soft crate in a matter of minutes and they're not as easy to clean, wire crates are far more practical even if you don't like the look of them.

[Chipper]

From experience with a German Shepherd who loved his soft crate so much he wanted to eat it !!!!!! No more soft crate !

The steel crate we use at our Holiday House is still like new...only he can get out of it himself. Should've called him Houdini!!!!!

[Working_Setters]

I also use metal crates (I’m up to 5). I prefer the metal over the plastic for increased ventilation. I prefer the metal over the soft b/c of the strength, when I put a dog in a crate I want to KNOW it will stay there, and be safe from any outside dogs.

[helen]

I would put a pup in a wire crate to begin with, especially as when training him to accept the crate he will still be able to see out. There are also some great training tips for pups including getting them used to crates on this website - http://www.k9events.com - good luck with the pup

[PAX]

I second what Helen said.

I prefer a soft crate as they are lighter to carry at trials and training but they are expensive for a puppy to wreck so stat with a metal crate. The metal crates are also cooler, just they are a bit heavy to cart with all the other doggy stuff we lug around.

[Poodle wrangler]

Ditto what Kavik said.

You could always sell either the soft or metal crate later on. Most people seem to use the metal type for day-to-day use.

You can buy special fitted covers if you don't like the look- or blankets are a more economical option. Probably nice to cover the crate when pup's sleeping, anyway.

Even at 8 months, I wouldn't leave my dog unsupervised in a soft crate- he still likes to chew. From what people say, labs are puppy like for a long time .

[Tassie]

I'd agree with getting a wire crate as well as the soft one. I use both - but I can't leave my boy (now 5) in a soft crate if it's at a trial or somewhere where something very exciting is going on - even setting up agility equipment counts as very exciting for him! But he's very happy to be in his soft crate, with no problems, when we go on holidays, and they're sleeping in crates in holiday houses.