| If you've decided to crate train your dog, the first | | | | a coin or your thumbnail along the plastic. If it seems |
| step is to choose a dog crate. There are essentially | | | | to gouge easily, then it probably won't stand up to |
| three types of dog crates- wire mesh, hard plastic, | | | | prolonged chewing. If you're not interested in |
| or soft fabric. The hard plastic variety offer several | | | | damaging a crate you don't want to buy, ask a |
| advantages over other varieties. They are almost as | | | | salesperson for information about the durability of |
| sturdy as a metal cage, and far lighter and easier to | | | | the crate. |
| transport. They typically require little to no set up- at | | | | Also, take a look at the doors. The more doors, the |
| most, a simple matter of clipping the top to the | | | | better- you never know what kind of position you'll |
| bottom. Because they do not have an open mesh or | | | | need to place the crate in. Some crates have doors |
| breathable fabric, though, they do not offer as much | | | | on both ends, and are hinged by the same |
| ventilation as other types, and thus require more | | | | mechanism that opens them, meaning they can be |
| attention to the ambient temperature. On the other | | | | opened on either side of the door. These are ideal, |
| hand, the more enclosed space reduces the dog's | | | | since they are that much less likely to be blocked by |
| view of the outside, which may make it calmer and | | | | other furniture or the like. A top door is not strictly |
| less likely to become carsick. For this reason, these | | | | necessary, but can be desirable. |
| crates are popular for use on car trips. Finally, if you | | | | If you plan to transport the crate frequently, see |
| want to transport your dog on an airplane, these are | | | | how comfortable it is to carry. Even lightweight |
| the only type of crates accepted by most airlines. | | | | plastic crates can be awkward to move, due to their |
| When choosing a plastic dog crate, there are a few | | | | shape. Try walking around with it a bit, and if it has |
| features to consider, apart from size. If your dog is a | | | | handles, give them a good tug to see if they bend. If |
| puppy in the chewing stage, or is simply an | | | | so, they may be flimsy. As noted previously, many |
| inveterate chewer, the plastic is at risk of damage | | | | plastic crates are made in two sections, which can be |
| from your dogs teeth. Not all crates are alike in the | | | | unclipped from each other. This makes cleaning the |
| quality of their plastic. If you have the crate in | | | | inside much, much easier, so look for one that has |
| question in front of you, and aren't averse to | | | | this feature. |
| committing a minor act of vandalism, run the edge of | | | | |