Wire Crate Vs Canvas Crate

[matt8602]

I will be recieving a puppy in about 8 weeks (about to be born), and after a few enquiries have become very confused.

i have been told that a wire crate is good for initial potty/crate/toilet training and for travel if required later on as its well ventilated, strong and sufficient for its whole purpose. but reciently was told that they are no good as they can pose a threat to a dog if it tries to bite or scratch at it. where as a canvas carrier is soft and will not pose this problem as well as being every bit as good as a wire create in all other eares for training.

was wondering what other people think, people with experience. wire or canvas?

also, what size is good? the pup is going to be a pug, so only a smallish dog. should there be enough room for toys, water and for the pug to move around? or just enough room for the pug to sleep and turn around?

p.s. will list a pisture of him as soon as he's home.

Edited April 21, 2007 by matt8602

[SwaY]

Canvas a dog can eat, scratch and bite holes in etc.

Wire, whilst they can try to bike it, isn't going to have much luck.

My suggestion go wire, and you can buy a canvas cover to go over the top.

Crates come in many sizes, can you see what size other pug people have?

[ReXy]

id also recomend a wire crate 2 of my dogs are crate trained and have wire crates i did have a canvas crate more for traveling in car etc,, but he ate through it this was a small fluffy dog not the stafford. have had no problems with the wire crates. you can put covers over them and make them cosy and comfy and they will last for ever.

[springdog]

Go a wire crate, it will last a lifetime, they are much stronger.

All my dogs have been crate trained using a wire crate and have not had any problems, my puppies are whelped in a wire puppy pen.

[Mil]

We have a canvas crate because it is so much lighter and easier to move around and put in the car etc. Herwin hasn't done any damage to it yet, but maybe he isn't in the truely destructive stage (only 3 months). We really like canvas but not an expert...

[Kavik]

Go the wire ctate for a puppy As the others said puppies can easily destroy a canvas crate, while they can't destroy a wire one. Once the pup is crate trained you can get a canvas one if you want something lighter for travel.

I have two wire crates and two plastic airline type crates.

[pawpaw]

I have a wire crate and it's fantastic. Easy to clean if there are little accidents as you can just hose it (bare in mind the water restrictions in Qld) and provides excellent ventilation. We cover ours with an old quilt cover with no quilt inside in summer. Just enough to stop light shining through and for pup to feel safe. Also good if you decide later to get another pup as you can put the crates together and they can still see each other and be together.

We didn't start crate training until our pup was nine months old (long story) but we took her into the pet supply store to be sized up. They need when fully grown to be able to stand up, turnaround and lie down without touching the crate. If you know what is the expected size of the pug you should be able to get the perfect size crate. The wire ones are definately heavier but I just figure are a good workout for those biceps

All the best with your crate training. My OH and I were sceptical at first but have seen nothing but good results. Don't know if you know much about it but the author Dr Ian Dunbar has some great advice.

P.s I'm not an expert!

[pawpaw]

Forgot to mention that there should definately be enough room for a water bowl and one or two toys to stop the boredom. The water bowl can be either on the floor of the crate or you can buy stainless steel ones that attach to the side and are up a little of the ground.

Good particularly for those pups who love water. My lab sleeps in her water bowl and wakes up with one side of her face wet and one ear. :nahnah: And then as soon as she is let out of the crate, jumps into her clam shell and gets totally saturated :nahnah:

[Rebanne]

Fern started out in a wire crate, then I got her the soft crate and am about to buy her another wire crate. She out grew the other wire one. Fern has turned into a bit of a Mummy's girl and is scratching at the soft crate mesh to get out when we go showing and I leave her!

[Poodle wrangler]

I'm not a big crate fan, but bought one for our new pup when I thought I'd have the mother-in-law babysitting often for me. Knew damn well she wouldn't be able to watch a pup as well as kids. Turned out I didn't need her to babysit and I've barely used the crate. Sorry, wrong size for pug.

I have an airline crate from a trip away- plastic with wire front. I've used that often, on and off. Useful for trips, then car travel. Most dogs get carsick until used to the car. You can put newspaper in and hose out to clean. Dog safer in crate than loose in car, also. Lighter than a wire crate, but more expensive.

IMO forget the canvas crate for a pup. Hard to clean if he poos in there, too. Dogs will wee and/ or poo in crates at some stage unless you are a perfect toilet trainer .

Our pup was 95% toilet trained after only 6 weeks with us, so I don't think a crate is necessarily the right thing to get. Depends on a few things e.g. Do you want pup inside with you most of the time? Do you have valuable rugs, furniture etc.? Does pup need a safe place to get away from toddlers? Do you have a lot of carpet? Or, easy to clean stuff like tiles?

Re. size: You can buy crates that can be partitioned off for pups toilet training- they will just pee/poo in a corner if they have too much space- defeating the idea that they won't wee/poo in their den. For toilet training, they should only be able to stand and turn around.

[Nevafollo]

pug owner here....my fergus was crate trained in a canvas crate and i never had a problem with chewing it or anything like that HOWEVER he was a good puppy never tried to chew it....not all puppies are like this....im getting an amstaff in 2 weeks and will not be getting a canvas crate....it will be wire and any other dog i have from here on in will have a wire crate!!! only because i think the wire ones last longer...fergus's material one thou not chewed or anything has faded and isnt very nice anymore whilst our wire ones looks like they will last forever!!!

[curlyking]

I also would go for a wire one first up. I do have a soft crate inside for one of the dogs to use but they all prefer the wire ones. As for using a soft crate in the car, I'd never do so. My idea of having the dog crated is more for the safety of the dog (and the inside of the car). In the event of an accident the soft crates would IMO give the dog no protection at all. Any dog with not much determination would easily destroy a soft crate but having said that for a crate trained dog they do have their place

Edited April 25, 2007 by curlyking

[Cath]

We have 2 and need one more. Pup came in plastic crate and till she grew, was transported in car in plastic crate. She is now crated in wire crate, but I want a canvas one for shows cause its lighter BUT I wont get one till she gets beyond Belgian Shepherd destructo phase. I know if she wants to get out a canvas crate probably wont hold her.

Cath

[Hounder]

We have a 4 month old Deerhound which has been crate trained in a canvas crate. At this stage he is fine and not chewing it. He does scratch but it is more when he is stretching rather than deliberately trying to scratch out. His crate is used both as his bed and for traveling in the car. I like the idea of the soft crate as it has a bit of give when he is lying near the side and it seems warmer and cosier than a wire crate. Time will tell. We will have to buy a bigger one soon as in a couple of months he will have grown out of his extra large crate

[Miranda]

I would purchase a wire crate, soft crates are light and handy to take to shows etc., but for general everyday use wire crates are better IMO.

[Mystiqview]

Go wire crate to start with. Once pup gets familiar with that and is happy in a crate then consider a canvas crate.

If you do something like agility, lure coursing or other high drive sport, I would maybe be careful about canvas crate at those events, especially if you dog goes ape with excitement. If you dog is not going to be desexed (ie on contract with breeder or for show purposes) do not use canvas crates at dog shows while a girl is in season. No protection against randy males.(wire crates are not 100% either, but far better than canvas)

[Tim Fairchild]

You need a wire crate.

Just do it

[Mental Midget]

You need a wire crate.

Just do it

Just don't do what I did when getting a crate - now known as "It didn't LOOK that BIG in the shop -

I had never used a crate before. I was convinced that buying one was a good idea after my two Crazy Combat Corgis were left alone for the first time. I popped to school to pick up the Slavettes and in the 40 minutes(max) they were home alone was long enough to leave our house looking like a demolition site.

After cleaning up about 16 trees worth of loo roll, and popping the was-clean-when-I-left-clothes back in the washer, setting dining room chairs back where they normally live, removing chew toys from table, placing vase back on table, cleaning up the contents of the kitchen bin from the living room and having a good swear to myself, I headed for a large pet shop about 18 miles from where I live.

The three Slavettes all wanted to come, this was an exciting purchase afterall. It was quite an uncomfortable car ride for the Slavettes and myself AND the Crazy Combat Corgis. The Daddy was out in the real car leaving us all to squeeze and shoehorn into my beloved ancient sports car.

We arrived at the big pet shop and unfolded ourselves (well #2 and 3 slavette had been crammed in the back seat (ha!) of the Toy with the Crazy Combat Corgis on their laps) from the car. We toddled into the shop and I asked one of the big pet shop people what type and size of crates I should get.

Anyway I ended up taking the advice of someone who is younger than a pair of tights I have crammed at the back of a drawer. The young gentleman advised me that ONE big crate would be better than 2 smaller ones. I should have known when 3 of us couldn't lift the thing into the car. So we ripped off all the box and tried again. Still no joy. SO... I had a brainwave. I'd take 2 of the Slavettes home with the Crazy Combat Corgis and leave #1 Slavette guarding the crate outside the big pet shop.

When I got back to the big pet shop #1 Slavette and I still couldn't get it in the car. I spotted a couple of big blokes in the car park sniggering at our efforts and asked them if they could lift it in the car. They did but only after I had removed the parcel shelf and the cd player from the boot and pushed the back seat (ha!) as flat as it would go. We set off for home with the boot tied down with a tow rope. Oh and I also purchsed a book about crates.

Once home, The Daddy said something along the lines of "What the **** is that?" and "Where the **** are you going to put it ? " I had already planned where it should go. Downstairs at the end of the passageway. It was too big. I did find a place - the dinning room. To fit it in we had to turn the table round and shove it right up against the wall and the crate fitted nice and snug.

To say it's large is a slight understatement. The 3 Slavettes and I can all fit in it.

The Crazy Combat Corgis LOVE it. It's their special wee den. They go in it when they want to have a snooze or just chill out. It's also the place you look first if something goes missing.

Get the crate. Even if like us it's never been used for anything other than the Crazy Combats Corgis Club House where they plot and plan their next mad half hour zooming about the house and garden like loons or stratigies to break into the food store. It's somewhere you puppy can retreat to when he/she wants peace and quiet.

[musik]

We got our pup a wire crate, they are fabulous for toilet training (they don't want to dirty their sleeping quarters) and it's also a great place to put your dog when you need to pop down the shops or out for a couple of hours.

Never use the crate as a place to go when the dog has been naughty. The crate should always be the 'happy place'.

For learning the commands to teach your dog when crate training just do a google search there are so many great websites.

For travelling in the car have you thought of using a harness which can slipped through the seat belt? To protect your seats buy a seat protecter which hooks over the headrests of the seat, I just got some more from the Reject shop for $12. Bargain. The harnesses you can get at the variety stores for under $10 or pet shops have them too but you will pay more.

I have never tried the canvas crates, I guess it depends on the character of your dog and whether he likes to chew stuff

The wire crates are nice and sturdy and fold down easily.

Like others have said, get one with some room to sit up, turn around and lay stretched out in.

I wouldn't recommend putting water or food in there (except chew toy things) as it can get messy otherwise and really the crate should be used for sleeping in or occasional times when you go out. In the morning when you let woofy out, then make sure water is available.

Well, thats just my thoughts anyways, good luck and I am sure you will find the right one to suit you

[matt8602]

thanks everyone for your help...

i opted for the wire crate, and found one with a divider so i can make it bigger or smaller as he grows.

my pup should be born in 3 days!!!

then 8 weeks later i will have a new pug pup in my home. and will post pictures up when i get him.

thanks again for all the help, and im sure i will need more later down the track and i know i will not hesitate to ask you guys

thanks

matt