Home Best Dog Crates for Large Dog Breeds

Best Dog Crates for Large Dog Breeds

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Dog crate size for large dogs next to 3 silhouetted dogs on white bg
Icons © Depositphotos.com / Ryhor, crate courtesy of midwesthomes4pets.com

Wire dog crates are full of features and benefits that make them stand out as the best when compared to crates made from any other material.

They are the most popular crates used by people in the dog world for very good reasons.

Reasons that we’ll look at in the article below, before making a few recommendations of the best crates – in our opinion – for your large breed dog.

At a Glance: Our Choices of Best Crates for Large Dogs

Note: The links above take you to more information, current prices and customer reviews on Amazon.

Why are Wire Dog Crates so Recommended?

Fold With no Tools Needed, Making Them Highly Portable

Most people will think fabric or plastic crates are the go to option if the crate will need to be moved around at all.

Yes, a metal crate is somewhat heavier, but they fold flat into a suitcase size with carry handles, making them just as portable as any other crate…so long as you have the strength to carry them (and they really aren’t that heavy!).

No tools are needed, they collapse and can be re-assembled in seconds, no fiddly parts and are pretty much fool-proof.

Cleaning is Very Easy

For routine cleaning, or in case of any ‘toilet mistakes’, a wire crate is the easiest to clean.

The base of the crate is a slide out tray – Simply take it to the garden and hose it down. The crate itself is covered in a hard-wearing, water-repellent resin that is simple to wash and wipe down with a cloth and soapy water.

Does it get any easier than this? Compared to fabric, plastic and wooden crates that stain and absorb smells – no, it really doesn’t!

Tough and Long Lasting

As we all know, metal is an extremely strong material and can stand up to a lot of abuse without damage.

This means any dogs attempts at escape or damage will have no effect and your metal wire crate will last for many years, usually longer than the average life of any dog.

Buy for Your Puppy, Resize as They grow

It’s quite obvious a puppy needs a different size crate compared to an adult of the same breed, meaning that multiple crates are needed throughout the life of a growing dog.

Well, not so with a metal wire crate that come with a divider included that can be used to resize a large crate to suit a smaller growing puppy.

This makes these crates a ‘crate for life’ and can save hundreds of dollars in the long run compared to re-sizing the crate as your furry friend grows.

Ventilation and Visibility is the Highest

If you live in a hot country, or summer can reach high temperatures, it is vitally important that your dog ‘s crate allows maximum ventilation and airflow.

Plastic, fabric and most wooden dog crates have pretty solid, fixed walls that restrict the movement of air. Not so with a wire crate which is the most open of all crates.

And if it gets cold, or your dog prefers some privacy, you can always use an old bed-sheet or two, or buy a commercial crate cover to give the cover you need.

Price Vs Features Cannot Be Beaten

There may be better crates on the market made from different materials, but they cost double or more than a quality wire crate.

If you like to be cost conscious – and who doesn’t – The mix of features in a wire crate just cannot be beaten by any other crate of a comparable price.

What to Look For in A Wire Dog Crate

There are almost as many models of crate available as there are dogs in this world. OK, maybe an exaggeration, but it’s not that far off!

With so many models available, cutting through all the options to get the right one that matches your needs can be tough. Just make sure you keep the following buying tips in mind and you won’t go far wrong:

  • Ensure it’s not too small – or too large: The perfect size is 2 to 4 inches longer than your dog from nose to base of tail, and 2 to 4 inches taller than they are. Any smaller is cruel, any larger and it loses it’s effectiveness for house training.
  • Make sure wire ends are rounded. It’s rare, but some crates have been shipped with sharp edges on the wire ends. We’ve made sure not to put those on this page, but look out for it if you shop elsewhere.
  • Is it stainless steel or epoxy coated?: Stainless steel or epoxy resin coated crates are easier to keep clean and will resist corrosion, lasting for many, many years without deteriorating.
  • Easily removed tray in the base should be a given: For ease of cleaning, make sure your crate has an easily removed tray, especially if the crate is going to be used with a puppy who almost certainly will make the odd house training mistake.
  • No tools needed for folding and assembly is a bonus: If your crate is going to be assembled and left in one spot, this isn’t a deal breaker. But if you’re going to move the crate around or use it for travel, you want a crate that can be easily folded and assembled without the need for tools.

Best Dog Crates for Large Dogs

Note: The crates on this page are handpicked to be perfectly sized for the following breeds:

Australian Cattle Dog, Basset Hound, Beagle, Belgian Sheepdog, Bull Terrier, Bulldog, Chinese Shar-Pei, English Setter, English Springer Spaniel, Finnish Spitz, Harrier, Norwegian Elk hound, Portuguese Water Dog, Standard Schnauzer, Welsh Corgi, Whippet.

Midwest dog crates are the single most popular crates for sale in America – and it’s easy to see why.

The company has been trading and producing dog crates now for over 90 years and in that time have truly perfected the art of creating high quality, feature rich yet affordable crates for all.

I’m sure nobody would argue that Midwest Homes for Pets are the most highly respected industry leaders in the space. Therefore we feature and recommend their two most popular models.

Following this are two great alternatives, from Proselect and precision pet. Very similar feature sets to the Midwest crates and certainly up there matching in quality.

Midwest Life Stages Folding Metal Dog Crate

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The best selling crate from the most popular brand of crate manufacturers in America, The Midwest life stages crate comes highly recommended by all. No other crate receive such high praise and good reviews as this model.

Notable features:

  • Double door crate, for easy access from the front and side.
  • Tough, protective black electro-coat finish ensures good looks, durability and long life.
  • Easily removable and easy to clean, tough ABS plastic tray in the base.
  • 2 slide catches for closing the crate, rounded corners and no sharp edges – Safety and security is foremost with this crate.
  • Complete with divider panel for re-sizing a larger crate to suit a puppy.
  • Extremely easy to set-up and break down, with no tools required.
  • Folds down into a suitcase size, complete with two handles, for ease of portability.

Click to learn more / check pricing.

Midwest iCrate Pet Crates

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2nd most recommended in our list is another model from Midwest homes 4 pets. The iCrate series has a very similar feature set to the life stages series above, but there are some notable differences:

  • The wire bars and grid on the life stage crates are a little thicker and closer together. This makes the life stages crates a little heavier, but more durable. In a Side by side comparison, the life stages crate just looks ‘tougher’.
  • The iCrate model is also slightly narrower with a lower ceiling than the life stages for crates that are otherwise the same length.
  • Due to slightly fewer materials being used, the price is lower in the iCrate series than the life stages.

Don’t let what seems like negatives above put you off! The iCrate is still a high quality crate that receives high praise from all. It’s just more suited to less boisterous (and less destructive) dogs who like maximum visibility from the inside of their crate.

Notable features:

  • Double door for flexibility in positioning in your home, and two methods for access from the front or the side.
  • Stylish looking, durable, protective black electro-coating.
  • Easily to clean and tough ABS plastic tray.
  • Secure slide bolt catches, no sharp edges, built with safety and security in mind.
  • Divider panel with the larger crates – a crate that grows with your puppy.
  • Simple, tool free set-up and fold down in seconds.

Click to learn more / check pricing.

Proselect ‘Easy’ Wire Dog Crates

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The ‘Easy’ line of dog crates from Proselect are a great value, great priced series of crates combining all the necessary features to make them a highly secure and safe crate to use with your dog or puppy.

Great feedback with over 200 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon from previous owners, this crate earns high praise indeed from the people who matter – people using the crates day to day with their pets.

Notable features:

  • Slide out floor tray for easy and convenient cleaning. The wire crate itself has a black coating that’s simple to wipe clean with a cloth.
  • Divider panel included as standard to resize the crate as for a puppy and increase space as they grow.
  • Dual sliding bolts for securing the door – extra protection if your dog is a wannabe Houdini.
  • Easy assembly with no tools needed, and folds extremely easily for storage or transportation.

Click to learn more / check pricing.

Precision Pet Two-Door Great Crate

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Another great value, high quality wire crate providing maximum ventilation and visibility from within.

Extremely good feedback and reviews from previous owners, testifying to the crates quality, durability and great value.

Notable features:

  • Double door crate providing flexibility for placement against different walls and easy access to your dog inside.
  • Removable, easy clean plastic tray for a base.
  • Divider panel included for re-sizing the crate to suit your puppy until they grow.
  • No tools needed for assembly
  • Effortlessly folds and includes a carry handle for easy storage and portability.
  • Rounded corners and no sharp edges to ensure the safety of both you and your pet.
  • Stylish looking, black epoxy resin coating that is easily wiped clean and durable.

Click to learn more / check pricing.

Product image credits: © Amazon.com

Top Picks For Our Dogs

  1. BEST PUPPY TOY
    We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs - Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home.
  2. BEST DOG CHEW
    We Like: Bones & Chews Bully Sticks - All of our puppies love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors.
  3. BEST DOG TREATS
    We Like: Crazy Dog Train Me Treats - One of our favorite treats for training our service dog puppies.
  4. BEST FRESH DOG FOOD
    We Like: The Farmer's Dog - A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer's Dog.

For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining.com blog.

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