Wire crates or plastic? pro/cons?

[Fran101]

Ive seen both kinds, and each seems to be popular. I was just wondering which ones you would use/do use and why?

[StillandSilent]

I prefer plastic. It seems to make them feel more secure, plus I've never been able to get over the fear that my dog will get a leg trapped in a wire one.

[Dekka]

I like wire... never had a dog or a foster get their legs caught. You can toss a blankie over if you think the dog wants privacy, but you still have the choice of having great ventilation and visibility if you want too.

If you plan to travel with your dog the wire folds up sooo much nicer.

Oh and I have had a dog or two who can chew through plastic crates.

[MafiaPrincess]

I used plastic ones for ages. Cider came with one, Moo was shipped in one. Was too cheap to change them. I got Cider an afghan sized wire one, and for the first time in her life she actually settled in a crate. I think she preferred being able to see.

Now I've gotten 2 slightly smaller wire crates and use them for my daily crates, take them to trials, etc. Ventilation is 100x better. I now feel bad that I used to trial Cider in a plastic kennel. They fold up nicely into my trunk, and look nicer too. I take blankets to protect the dogs from the sun, or if I go anywhere and think they want more privacy.

I still have my plastic ones, in case I ever need to ship.. But I don't for see using plastic again as a daily crate.

[Lizmo]

Wire. All of my crates (I've had about 4) have been wire.

I'd like to get a plastic crate soon for car travel since the wire rattles to no end.

[skKi]

Wire. All puppies I've had prefer being able to see me, plus it's prettier and can't be chewed out of. That and I was able to convert it into a very spacious rat cage for my senior rats when Pit grew out of it.

[AGonzalez]

I have one of each...I really prefer the wire one because it's much more store-able (is that a word? It is now). The wire ones fold down, it also can be secured in the bed of the truck for trips, and is much easier to clean.

[Toller_08]

Plastic here. I do have a wire crate, but don't like it and niether did the two dogs I used it for. Dance couldn't settle in it, and Tango destroyed the bottom part due to stress whereas her plastic crate never had any marks in it whatsoever and she settle nicely into it.

[Lizmo]

Those that travel with wire crates, how do you get them to stop rattling when driving?

[corgipower]

I prefer plastic at home and wire in the van.

I've had puppies, puppies that were seriously difficult to potty train, dogs with SA causing potty accidents, dogs with incontinence, a dog who vomitted and had diarrhea routinely as a pup until we figured out he had food allergies, a dog with a hormone imbalance causing her to have peeing accidents. I gotta say, it was nice to have less of a mess outside of the crates.

Ares gets snarky when other dogs look at him, Nyx is slightly calmer when she can't see as much of what's going on outside her crate. I can't put blankets over their crates ~ they'd quickly drag them into the cage and shred them.

In the van, if I'm going somewhere local, plastic crates are easier - if I have neglected cleaning the van, they can't get stuff into their crate as easily . If I'm going somewhere long distance ~ traveling ~ I prefer wire crates so they have better air flow.