I'm looking for a plastic airline crate to use while traveling in the car. Ryuk won't be "in" the crate in the car, it will be taken apart into halves and he'll he able to use the half as a bed while being belted in place as he normally is. I took him to the pet store today to try out airline crates as he only has a wire one at home and I know the sizes are slightly different....

Here's the thing....at home he's in a 36 long wire crate. He can sit, stand, sprawl in awkward positions on his back, etc. The problem is that a 36 long airline crate simply will not fit in the back of my car, even sideways. The 32 long does perfectly. Ryuk does fit in the 32 long. He can stand (his head is slightly lowered but not to an uncomfortable level. He can lay down square (no giant sprawl stretch though) and he had no problems entering the crate in the store, laying down, and taking a nap while I talked to the associate...

I've always been taught that a dog should be able to stand, turn around, and lay down in a crate however the definitions of each are a bit vague to me. Ryuk can do this in a 32. However the associate was trying to convince me that the requirements are standing to a full height (Ryuk ears even stick out of his 36 if he stands up straight, he's bat-dog), lay down sprawled (which at his full length is WAY more than a yard), and turn around without touching the sides of the crate at all....

He doesn't look uncomfortable in the 32 and it fits in my car....I'm sure he'd be happier with more room in the 36 (which is why I bought his 36 wire for home over taking my parent's dog's old 32) but this is for travel and hotel rooms only so that his hair doesn't furspode over the nice hotel.

Does anyone have any experience with going a little smaller for a crate? Is there really a lot of harm in it? What problems will I be looking forward to if I decided to go with the 32?


Thank You!

 Quote: Jamie Craig

Does anyone have any experience with going a little smaller for a crate? Is there really a lot of harm in it? What problems will I be looking forward to if I decided to go with the 32?

Awww, heck, I stuff Koenig (80-85lbs, 27'' at the shoulder) into a 32' on training days!!! He does not mind at all, and has to chance of sitting upright. He can stand, but barley, and his ears poke out too. He's all too happy to stuff himself in, if it means SchH. I bet your boy won't mind at all, especially if it's not a permanent replacement of his XL crate at home.

I think you will know the right one to buy. Your the only one that is going to be concerned the whole flight. The only way, I go to the airport is in a Black Car going to NYC airports. They have plenty of room and trunk space. Half the time you end up with a stretch, because they ran out of town cars. So, maybe get the larger crate, feel good, and rent a black car to take you to the airport. Added expense for the dog, and oh, so much less hassle. Especially when I come home and they are there waiting for me. Hope it helps you out.

Given a choice of several open crates in the house, I notice that most of mine seem to prefer to stuff themselves in the smaller ones. I tend to try for condo sized crates if they are to spend any long periods of time in them, but for a road trip or training days, the smaller crates are fine. Actually, I feel they may be more sercure since the smaller crates give them a little more to brace against if needed.

I think I'll go for the 32 then I should clarify this isn't for air travel, it's for when we travel (by car) to use the half of it as a bed then to be put together into a crate he can be put in when we get to the hotel (to avoid the fur getting everywhere and to make sure he lets housekeeping in the room if I'm not the person who's there when they come (there's always SOMEONE there....but if its not me he's in a crate)

Wishing you and Ryuk many happy and safe adventures.

 Quote: Jamie Craig

However the associate was trying to convince me that the requirements are standing to a full height (Ryuk ears even stick out of his 36 if he stands up straight, he's bat-dog), lay down sprawled (which at his full length is WAY more than a yard), and turn around without touching the sides of the crate at all....

I've heard this rule of thumb before, too, but if we take it literally, then there are a whole lot of very caring and concerned dog owners who have our dogs in under-sized crates. My male Doberman is 29 inches tall at the withers. I've not measured his full height to the tops of his ears, but it's got to be another 10-12 inches or so. Unless you get into a very expensive, custom-made crate, they just don't make them tall enough to accommodate dogs of that size. Same would be true for having it big enough for him to sprawl out lying down. I don't think I could find one big enough.

While the 36 that you have at home is nice and comfortable for him, it's impossible to get it into your car, and it sounds to me like the 32 you are describing will be plenty big enough for the occasions when you use it for traveling. The crates I use for going to trials or traveling are a little smaller than the ones I have for home use.

Besides, Ryuk, whose opinion matters the most, seems to have already let you know he's fine with it.

Edited by Cheri Grissom (07/30/2011 06:50 AM)
Edit reason: left out a word

You might also want to consider a soft-sided crate, if you think he would not try to break out of it. I have three of these and they are wonderful for travel. I have two that remain set up in my mini-van and one that slides right under them when folded down.

I keep seeing these super lightweight boinky crates like laundry hampers at the feedstore, and am really tempted, they look like they could be mashed into any car and would do a great job of hair containment, they weigh nothing, and cost $40 for a pretty big one.

I wouldn't trust my dog in them. Sara-dog (the pointer) Sure, she'd be fine in a mosquito net crate... but Koenig manages to bust out of good quality airline crates. If I need him in a crate, I just can't trust a fabric/flexible.

Then again, Koenig is nuts, so that pretty much explains it.