Helping your dog to find comfort in a kennel can start at any age, but we’ve noticed that starting when they’re babies is easiest. This short blog helps you to not make the mistakes we made when buying kennels that don’t actually match our needs.
Below is a general comparison between a cloth style versus metal cage style kennel. This comparison can help you to choose wiser than we have!
Also, another “thank god” tip that can go with buying the best kennel for you and your dog is a snuggly stuffed animal with an internal heartbeat that puppies seem to appreciate when they’re in their kennels. This brand has a battery operated heartbeat inside, allowing dogs to snuggle up with something that is sort of a biological comfort when they need to. Some of us would have gotten this for our human babies if we’d known these stuffed animals existed!
Reflections on Cloth vs Metal Kennels
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Metal |
- Quiet: When the dog moves around, there is no clanging. This is helpful for kennels in bedrooms and/or homes where noises travel.
- Lightweight: Easy to relocate, store, and put in the car for road trips or move to your neighbor’s place if she is dog sitting for you.
- Moderately easy to clean: The cloth material does wipe clean if your dog makes a mess.
- Cannot see through easily: The cloth material is not clear and the zipper-based doors and windows are not easy to see through.
- Placing food bowls inside can be difficult: Not as easy because there is less room, typically.
- Not adjustable in size: Size is only great once your dog is fully grown.
- Affordable for sure: If you are single-parenting, the cloth kennel option is really helpful. We have the TopPaw brand which is under $60.
- Assembly is easy: An 8-yr old child can assemble this kennel.
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- Loud: When the dog moves around, there is clanging of the metal walls.
- Heavy: Not easy to relocate, store, nor put in the car for road trips.
- Easy to clean: The metal frame and plastic insert flooring is easy to wipe clean if your dog makes a mess.
- Seeing into the kennel is easy: The cage material allows for you and your dog to see what’s going on.
- Place food bowls inside: It is easy to place water and food bowls in the kennel, if needed. The metal crates can usually adjust to be larger when needed like in the case of including bowls.
- Adjustable size: The metal crates can shrink and grow with your growing puppy.
- More expensive: If you are not pressed to stick to a monthly spending budget, this option is typically under $90.
- Difficult to assemble: It can take two adults to figure out one of these kennel designs 🙁 Once you set it up, forget about wanting to collapse it and move it!
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