i would like to buy a plastic crate but i do not know how big it has to be i have a full grown gsd i already have wire crate,

I have a Large and an Extra Large Petmate for my dogs. The large is for my Lab/GSD mix that is 62lbs. And, the extra large is for my GSD pup who, I hope, will be in the 85 to 90lb range. He is 70lb now and fits in both, but the large one he has to duck to get into.

I have an 80 lb male GSD that is in a 24 x 36 (I think) crate(500 size) (I would probably have a 600 size if I could fit it in the room where it needs to go, since I have 2 crates in the room space is limited) He is very comfortable in there & I have a 60 lb female GSD in the next size down not sure of the dimentions maybe 21 x 34 or something like that (400 size) & she is comfortable. If you have the room then a 600 size crate would be the best for a 85-90 lb dogs or even a 700 size if you have tons of room. If not they can do ok in the smaller ones. The dogs tend to curl up when sleeping in the crates anyway. To them it is like a den & they wouldn't be sprawling out in a den. JMO <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I forgot to ask....is the crate for the house or your vehicle? I have both in vehicles. I have 500 size (24x36) wire crates in my big truck & 400 size plastic crates in my smaller truck. I know that the wire crates are noisier in a vehicle than the plastic, but since I usualy use my big truck when going training (& usually on the highway) & the dogs are in there longer it is more comfortable & there is more air circulation in the wire crates for them, expecially in the warmer weather. The smaller truck I usually use just around town & not even as much in the warmer weather. The plastic crates don't allow the same amount of air circulation in them & can get warmer for the dogs to be in during the summer months. I have the plastic in my house but the crates are near the A/C /Heat vent & it is ok for them there in the summer months with the a/c running, especially when crated when I an away at work. So I guess it depends on weather you are looking for your house or vehicle & weather you are more interested in their comfort or yours in terms of less noise for you & less of am eye sore in you home decor. My dogs are lucky, since I always opt for their greater wellbeing than mine, expecially when working. They work hard & I want them to have optimim ability to cool down afterward especially in the hot weather with the use of the wire crates & fans. I is also dangerous if you swim you dogs or even have them outside & they get soaked thru & thru & them put them wet into a plastic crate in the warm weather or even anytime....it can kill them. There is not enough room for the exchange of air that is required to keep them from overheating. This is something that I do with my dogs in the warm weather so the metal crates work best for me in my big truck. The house is just a matter of it's what I already have & don't want to invest further in more crates. But if I were to buy new ones for the house & would also buy metal because there is more air circulation for them, expecially my male that seems to run allot hotter body temp in general than my female. Again, JMO

i wiil use it mostly for my trucks this crate is a 500 is that ok you think.

As I stated earlier, I use a 500 for my 80lb male in the house & both my dogs are in 500's in my big truck. So unless your do is huge it should be fine.