Recommend Soft-Side Or Pop-Up Crate Or Pen?

[revamp]

What do you guys use when it comes to portable crates (for travel, events, etc)? Do you prefer xpens? Play pens? Crates? Nothing? Got links?

[3greytjoys]

We use large crates, and/or tallest metal exercise pens for our Greyhounds depending on travel destination needs. Ex-pens offer more room for fully supervised hounds, but crates are more secure. Attachable water containers are available for either style. When folded for transport, either style slides sideways behind the front car seats.

 

When we're buying ex-pens, we prefer the tallest 48" pens since our hounds are less likely to jump out. Ex-pens should be very well-secured and staked to the ground, otherwise ex-pens can collapse onto dogs. Ex-pens are versatile: when not traveling, we use them to form a U-shape safety zone around house doors or fence gates leading to non-fenced areas, or open them up and add fence posts to create a smaller dog yard within a larger fenced yard.

Ex-pens are useful inside as a post-surgery recovery space also.

http://www.midwestpetproducts.com/midwestexercisepens/midwest-548-48-gold-zinc-exercise-pen-with-door-eight-48-inch-high-x-24-inch-wide-panels

 

If staying in a vacation home, it's safest to have a human stay with dog/s, but if a brief departure is unavoidable, a fully enclosed crate is usually safer. Even calm hounds have a stronger potential for panicking in a strange vacation home if their humans leave dogs' sight.

 

 

I would not recommend anything soft-sided because many dogs will chew through the material and escape.

 

[cleptogrey]

i purchased a good sized soft xpen on ebay- excellent price but annie ate her way out of it in no time. $50 down the drain. if you do decide to go the soft route i would suggest spray bitter apple EVERYWHERE!

when we do events(antique dealers here) we just have some blankets or mats and the dogs hang out on them. if we bring a crate we alternate dogs in it.

but for an xpen metal is the way to go.

Edited November 11, 2015 by cleptogrey

[Hubcitypam]

I'd say X-pen also. I've never used a soft crate with a greyhound but an iggy I dogsat for had one and chewed on it and managed to roll it over a couple of times.

[Guest DarkHorse]

Ex-pen here as well. We used it the couple times we took Araley and Dexter camping, we used it when Dexter first came home and was having housetraining issues, we used it when Cole and KB first came home to give them separate spaces. We frequently use it to block off areas or rooms we don't want the dogs in but the cats are allowed access to. We even used it to block off the front door for Halloween. We also loaned it to my SiL for when her Dane had hip surgery and had to be restricted.

We've had ours (a 48" tall, 8x3' wide panels) for seven years and it's still in great condition. We've never had issues with anyone chewing on it, and it's only ever been knocked down when used as a wide barrier and stretched out to its full 12' length. Plus it folds up into a flat package which can be slipped under a dog bed in the back of the car.

[schultzlc]

I also purchased a large pen from e-bay. It's hard to tell from my photo below, but it has a mesh top that can be removed via zipper. It folds flat and comes in a carrying case. It also came with stakes to anchor it to the ground. I bought the 48 inch size. Both of my girls (about 60lbs each) fit in there together.

 

[revamp]

Thanks, everyone! Rocky is travelling with me to TN for thanksgiving and we'll be staying with my non-dog owning family. Rocky is sedate, but is used to sleeping in his crate (which weighs a million pounds and I don't want to haul with me). I just wanted to see what my options were for a highly-portable crate solution that Rocky can go to for some quiet from the holiday rush, and if I had to leave the house or what have you I would know that he was safe and not accidentally slipping out of a door or something.

 

I appreciate everyone's input.

[XTRAWLD]

I use an x-pen, but it can be kinda heavy, however the advantage of it is, I can open it up if there is a fence or a wall available - giving the pups more space to roam. I use it primarily in the backyard when I'm hanging out there since I don't have a fence, so for my situ, it works best for me.

 

I did debate getting that portable one above - which would be especially handy when camping, and IMO would work best for your situ as well.

[turbotaina]

Amanda, if he likes his crate, you can certainly try a soft one. I have the It's a Breeze II that I occasionally take for events, etc. I think if you train him in it before you travel, it could be a good option for you (provided you know he won't try to get out of it). It's important to test it out before you leave your dog alone in it. I don't know that mine wouldn't try to get out or accidentally flip it, but Neylasmom's boy Zuri won't even try to get out of it with the door unzipped with the flap down So it depends on the dog. The one I got is, irrc, 36 H x 48 L x 28/30 W. Here's a link to the type I have - set up is easy, just insert two spring-loaded poles on the top. It's a Breeze.

Edited November 12, 2015 by turbotaina

[turbotaina]

Oh, poop. I see they're discontinued.

[revamp]

Amanda, if he likes his crate, you can certainly try a soft one. I have the It's a Breeze II that I occasionally take for events, etc. I think if you train him in it before you travel, it could be a good option for you (provided you know he won't try to get out of it). It's important to test it out before you leave your dog alone in it. I don't know that mine wouldn't try to get out or accidentally flip it, but Neylasmom's boy Zuri won't even try to get out of it with the door unzipped with the flap down So it depends on the dog. The one I got is, irrc, 36 H x 48 L x 28/30 W. Here's a link to the type I have - set up is easy, just insert two spring-loaded poles on the top. It's a Breeze.

Despite the crate being discontinued, your post was very helpful. In assessing how good Rocky would do with a soft-sided crate, I was about to respond with "You know, I could probably make a perimeter of shoeboxes around him and he would refuse to step over them". In all seriousness, that is pretty accurate--considering I could pen him in the corner with couch cushions, maybe I am overthinking the need for a whole new crate of some kind...lol

[Guest xengab]

But if something spooks your dog, then cushions wont help keep him safe.

We are going away for christmas to my mother in laws. We are taking our xpen, just in case, because roads can become closed, you could be stuck somewhere and having a pen to put him in while in a motel room could come in handy.

Plus we view out pen as a 'keep people out" item. New places, new people and new smells, a dog needs his down time to process it.

 

Add to say xpens are easy to sell within rescue groups too.

 

If you dog is a chewer then soft sided ones more then likely will be a chew toy.

[revamp]

Ok, you convinced me. I just picked up an xpen on amazon. (30" high, which i think is a good compromise for me between security and portability).

[cleptogrey]

I also purchased a large pen from e-bay. It's hard to tell from my photo below, but it has a mesh top that can be removed via zipper. It folds flat and comes in a carrying case. It also came with stakes to anchor it to the ground. I bought the 48 inch size. Both of my girls (about 60lbs each) fit in there together.

 

that's what annie ate thru in NO TIME what so ever. and she never attempts to eat a metal crate or metal x-pen.

[juliemac]

Amanda -- I live in the NW suburbs of Chicago and have a soft crate that you could borrow (I keep it around for visiting hounds that love having a crate). PM me if you'd like to try it.

[revamp]

Amanda -- I live in the NW suburbs of Chicago and have a soft crate that you could borrow (I keep it around for visiting hounds that love having a crate). PM me if you'd like to try it.

 

 

Thanks, that's a really kind offer! I received the xpen I bought last week and I think it's going to work out perfect. I appreciate the thought, though!

[PatricksMom]

Thanks, everyone! Rocky is travelling with me to TN for thanksgiving and we'll be staying with my non-dog owning family. Rocky is sedate, but is used to sleeping in his crate (which weighs a million pounds and I don't want to haul with me). I just wanted to see what my options were for a highly-portable crate solution that Rocky can go to for some quiet from the holiday rush, and if I had to leave the house or what have you I would know that he was safe and not accidentally slipping out of a door or something.

 

I appreciate everyone's input.

For that purpose, I think soft-sided is fine, that's what I have. Henry no longer needs to be crated to avoid getting into things, but he does need his private space, particularly in an environment more hectic than our house. He did role his over once (he was surprised but fine) but he's never tried to get out.