As many dog owners know, crates and plastic dog kennels have many great uses.  Whether you’re using a crate to housetrain your puppy or to keep your pet safe in your vehicle when you drive, a portable kennel can come in very handy.  Here are some things to consider if you’re thinking of buying a carrier for your pet.

 

1. Materials.  Plastic kennels, as the name suggests, are made of plastic.  Most, if not all of these kennels are made from a hard plastic so the kennels can be airline-approved.  The hard plastic prevents the carriers from bending or folding when your pet is being transported on a plane — in case other cargo should shift and hit your pet’s crate.  So, the hard plastic protects your pet.  This is true whether your pet is riding in the smallest carrier or in the largest.

 

Just to be safe, you should look for a label or tag on the crate that states that the portable kennel is “airline approved.”  If you ever fly with your dog or ship your dog by plane the airline will insist that the carrier be airline approved so it’s best to go ahead and get a carrier that meets these specifications from the start even if you plan to use the kennel in your car or to housetrain your puppy.  If you are using the kennel in your personal vehicle then the hard plastic material will also provide protection should you be in an accident with your pet.

 

2. Size.  Many people worry about what size kennel to get their dog.  Some people feel that they should get their pet the largest possible crate or that it’s cruel to put their dog in one of the smaller crates.  Actually, you should get a carrier that is the correct size, which is not the same as the largest size kennel.

 

If you are using your kennel to housetrain your puppy you will want to limit the area of the crate to prevent accidents.  Use a crate that is no larger than your puppy will need as an adult dog.  Otherwise your puppy will go to the end of the crate that he’s not using for sleeping and use it for relieving himself.  This will defeat the purpose of using the crate for housetraining.

 

If you are using the kennel in your personal vehicle then you do not want your dog to have a lot of extra room in the carrier.  If there is too much room your dog can be tossed around if there is an accident and injured.  The same is true when your dog travels in the crate on a plane.  If there is jostling or turbulence your dog can be thrown around the crate and injured.

 

For all these reasons you should follow the manufacturer’s suggestions about what crate to purchase for your dog’s breed or size.  Manufacturers generally provide good guidance and recommendations about which crates to buy.  Check the labels or tags attached to the crate or crate boxes for recommendations.

 

3. Other Considerations.  When you purchase a crate you will probably also want to get a nice crate pad for your dog.  Many are sheepskin (or faux sheepskin).  These are very comfortable for dogs.  In the summer time you may want to get a cool pad for your dog if he will be spending any time outdoors in the crate.

 

Dog kennels come in a variety of colors and there is some latitude in style, though not a lot.  Durability and protection for your dog are usually the primary considerations when purchasing a portable dog kennel.

 

Portable dog kennels are not terribly expensive.  If you check pet stores, home building stores, discount stores and even grocery stores you can often find them.  Sometimes they are on sale for very good prices.

 

Plastic dog kennels can also be used as dog houses in some cases.  The Igloo style dog house is made of hard plastic.  Its design is said to do a good job of keeping dogs cool in summer and warm in winter, although dogs cannot survive in such a kennel without additional heating.  There are some other hard plastic dog houses that are built in the shape of traditional dog houses.

 

Plastic kennels of all kinds are usually lightweight and easy to clean.

 

Plastic dog kennels have many advantages.  If you’re traveling with your pet or housetraining a puppy then a hard plastic crate may be exactly what you need.