iCrates

Make sure you have plenty of room for this dog kennel, taking the measurements before you buy it is one thing, actually seeing it put together inside of the house is quite another! Our 3.5 month old great dane puppy was starting to look a bit cramped in an older 36" kennel we had. She still fit but looked very uncomfortable when she tried to stretch out and stand up. She looks so much more comfortable and has plenty of room to grow in this kennel.I read all of the horror stories about the condition people received their kennels in due to the size and weight so I was worried we would receive ours damaged too. Ours actually arrived in pretty good condition. The UPS man moved it around with a dolly and my husband wrestled it into the house. The box is huge and the kennel is very heavy. We sliced open the side and slid the kennel out. Everything is held together with white zip ties. A few of the panels were stuck together, but they were easy enough to unhook the side hooks from where they attached themselves.Putting this together was a bit of a chore, not because it was hard, but because it was big and bulky and there were two of us that insisted we knew what we were doing, so we argued over which way the panels should face, put them upside down a couple of times, then had to re-do them. This does come with a set of directions, but some of the pictures weren't really that clear. The picture on the outside of the box actually gives you a better idea on how this all fits together.There were a couple of places where the wires were bent and we had to straighten them out with a pair of pliers. Also one of the side wires had a broken weld where it connects at the top, it was next to one of the bent hooks (corner area) so it had probably been set down a bit too hard at some point during shipping. It doesn't seem like it will affect the kennel, and it doesn't show so I'm not going to worry about it.I'm not too pleased about the side door of this kennel though. The top slide bolt latch did not slide into the holder that was welded onto the side. The holder had been welded a tiny bit too low (quality control should have checked this), we had to bend the tip of the sliding pin down a little so it would be able to slide into the latch. The side door also seems a little stiff to open and close, as if it is misaligned. We can still open and close the door though, and once shut it is very secure. There were also a few areas we had to straighten out so the drop pins could connect the corners.Once this is put together it really is very sturdy. It is not flimsy at all, we are actually pleased at how sturdy this kennel looks and feels. The bottom pan slides in and out smoothly, and I won't worry about our dog spending time in the kennel while we are gone, or during the night. She loves the extra room and until she finishes growing she has plenty of room inside to sprawl out and play with all of her toys.The problem areas we found when this kennel first arrived were easy fixes, the completed kennel is large and strong. I checked around before I purchased this kennel and the price here was so much more reasonable than anywhere else, plus you get free delivery right to your house. If you have the room, and you have one of the giant breed dogs, then this kennel will be perfect.*Update 7/31/16- at 5.5 months old now our dane puppy is still growing. There is plenty of room in this kennel for her, her jumbo round Costco bed, and a stack of toys. She loves her crate! Our Aussie and the cats also love going inside to relax. Giant puppies can make giant messes, this crate is the perfect size for her and we are so happy that there is plenty of room inside for her to grow. No worries about her eating the couch while we are gone!

We’ve used Midwest kennels for years, and believe they are the absolute best out there. They are incredibly easy to set up, the result of some very impressive engineering. Also, if you need to break them down, it literally takes 30 seconds. The quality is fantastic, the doors secure very well, our dog cannot escape through the door, which is common in some other models we’ve heard. They offer a number of sizes and it is well worth the money in my opinion.

Ordered the Black 36x23x25 crate.This was so easy-to-put together and my small dog has so much space. Due to my pets medical issue I ordered because of the double door access. Very sturdy. Fits in my living room perfectly.Came well packaged. I recommend this product. Very pleased.

Fantastic dog bed. I’ve raised Anatolian shepherds for 15 years, both on and off-grid. I use these cages in the house, covered with a blanket, for each dog to have its own bed. I use these tops as you would table tops, as the cages are very strong and can hold a lot of weight. The dogs each have their private space where they can relax at will or where I can close them in if need be. Of course I line the floor with comfy stuff , depending on if I’m using it indoor or out. For the cages I keep outside I cover them with water and wind proof materials and stuff them with hay on top of layered cardboard for comfort and warmth. These cages are super durable and convenient.

Crate sounds too close to "cage," and these should never be treated as such. A crate should be considered a den, which you train you puppy to feel safe in and trust you to leave her there and come back. A crate is not to contain a bad animal or get her out of our sight when you tire of her. It is meant as a safe, comforting place for them to sleep, take "time-outs," and to hang out when you need to leave the house. That said, a puppy will only consider a crate a safe happy place if you make it so. Do NOT purchase a crate and simply throw your dog in it, expecting her to take to it; doing so will create a nervous dog with major separation anxiety. It takes patience, encouragement, and most importantly PROPER TRAINING from a young age. That said, let me get to the product.This is our second Midwest folding crate. Our first was a large one for my German Shepherd Mix, bought years ago, when as an adult he decided he loved my roommate's dog's crate, so I bought him one. It lasted the rest of his life, and he was a big, oafish dog, who flopped in and out of it every time. The cat even took to hanging out on top of the crate to be close to him. It held up well, traveled well, assembled and disassembled quickly.Our new Midwest iCrate Double-Door Folding Crate is equal in quality to our last Midwest crate with a few added features: the life stages divider panel, the double door (not available, I don't believe, when we bought our first), the detachable handle (great for carrying the crate when folded up), and the plastic tray in the bottom slides out the bottom for easy cleaning (rather than having to be turned sideways and pulled out through the door). The divider panel is fantastic so that a crate intended for your full sized dog can be purchased and then the panel added to adjust the size smaller for your young dog; the crate should be comfortable but not too big to provide the greatest sense of security for your dog. My favorite improvement is the double door, so that the crate could be easily moved from one room to another or to the back of your car for transport, allowing easy access in different configurations. This will be invaluable in our small New York City apartment. I took away one star because though the tray is easily removable for cleaning, it also slips out a few inches from our puppy's normal movement (bounding in and out with excitement), needing to be pushed back in at least once a day.Overall, a great value that I'm sure will last for years to come.