soft crate suggestions

[roscoe11]

I am looking for a soft crate for agility classes any suggestions. It looks like the Noz2Noz makes a good product, anything else I should look at. Good construction and ease of setup and tear down would be a high priority for me.

 

I have seen a nice review of several different soft crates but now I can't find it.

 

Also Dexter is a bout 40 Lb. a 30" crate would be fine right? He would not spend that much time in it, just during class. I have a big harded side crate for trials.

 

Thanks

[JohnLloydJones]

I have the Noz2Noz soft crate and I find it is a good compromise between light weight and robust construction. I've seen dogs roll some very light weight soft crates. I like the fact that the cover is easily replaceable. When not traveling, it stays up at home as Senneca uses it as a quiet refuge during the day. The 30 inch is what we have.

[Beach BCs]

I have a Noz2Noz and a couple Guardian Gear. I like the Noz2Noz because of the frame, and in general is pretty sturdy. The Guardian Gear crates fold flat and are pretty easy to pack. The N2N is probably my favorite. I won't speak to sizing, as I tend to buy oversized crates.

[diane allen]

I have "historical" Cabana Crates, and love them.

The company is making a new one with an outside frame (more like a tent than a crate), and I've seen them at several trials, though I haven't used one myself. They look very well made, and I think I'd get one the next time I needed one.

 

I personally don't like the Noz 2 Noz frames - they are just too hard to set up. But maybe my fingers aren't as strong as others' !!

 

diane

[Beach BCs]

I have alot more trouble closing my N2N than opening it. Always leaves me cursing a blue streak

[Kelleybean]

I love my N2N. Easy up, easy down--less than 30 seconds! I also got a large one so that my golden can use it if necessary.

[Gideon's girl]

One of my agility friends has 2 n2n crates. She hates dealing with the cheap one, but it's lighter for travel. She loves the more expensive one, but it's heavier.

[Kelleybean]

Roscoe,

About size, he may not spend much time in it now, but if you start trialling, he would be in the crate for longer periods of time. That's one of the reasons I went up in size--my girl can really stretch out in a larger crate. JMO.

[roscoe11]

Roscoe,

About size, he may not spend much time in it now, but if you start trialling, he would be in the crate for longer periods of time. That's one of the reasons I went up in size--my girl can really stretch out in a larger crate. JMO.

 

I have a larger hard sided crate for trials. I don't want to mess with it just for class. I am looking for something light and easy to set up and tear down.

[mum24dog]

Just curious - why do you all use crates at trials and/or training?

 

Where do you put them?

 

Is it a climate thing or what?

 

It just wouldn't be practical here in the UK with the numbers taking part.

[MrRipley]

Just curious - why do you all use crates at trials and/or training?

 

Where do you put them?

 

Is it a climate thing or what?

 

It just wouldn't be practical here in the UK with the numbers taking part.

 

 

Mum, what do you do with your dog(s) in the UK while you are walking the course, volunteering, using the bathroom, etc?

[mum24dog]

Mum, what do you do with your dog(s) in the UK while you are walking the course, volunteering, using the bathroom, etc?

 

They are usually in the vehicle at a 1 day show or if it's a weekend or week long show it depends on how people are camping. If a dog isn't going to want to escape it may be left in the makeshift garden most of us set up, could be in a crate in the awning, in the vehicle, in the caravan if it isn't too hot. Sensible people ask a camping neighbour to keep an eye on them while they are away. Lots of permutations that work.

 

Most people have friends with them or available to watch their dogs. If it's just a case of walking a course even a stranger will normally be happy to hold the dog. Mostly we'd plan not to have a dog with us at course walking time but sometimes we may be on our way to or from another ring and it makes sense not to have to go back to the car/van to put the dog away, or there may not be enough time to do that and walk it.

 

We're a trusting lot and the majority of dogs are fine being held by someone they don't know. If they aren't they aren't put in that position.

 

Not many people only have 1 dog and it's a major logistical exercise planning to be at the right ring (of many) with the right dog at the right time. We have to be prepared to help each other out to make it all work smoothly.

[MrRipley]

 

Not many people only have 1 dog and it's a major logistical exercise planning to be at the right ring (of many) with the right dog at the right time. We have to be prepared to help each other out to make it all work smoothly.

 

Interesting! We usually have either a separarate crating area at indoor shows and at outdoor shows, there are designated tenting/crating areas. Some people use X-pens under their tents. A LOT of people leave their dogs in their cars but most use crates if they leave them in their cars. My dog is comfortable either being crated in the car, in the crating area, or in my tent. So it sounds much the same, actually. At a normal weekend USDAA trial we could have as many as 200 dogs, maybe more because many people bring unentered dogs.

[mum24dog]

Interesting! We usually have either a separarate crating area at indoor shows and at outdoor shows, there are designated tenting/crating areas. Some people use X-pens under their tents. A LOT of people leave their dogs in their cars but most use crates if they leave them in their cars. My dog is comfortable either being crated in the car, in the crating area, or in my tent. So it sounds much the same, actually. At a normal weekend USDAA trial we could have as many as 200 dogs, maybe more because many people bring unentered dogs.

 

We don't leave dogs loose in the car. I have the back section sectioned off with a dog guard and a tailgate guard with a removable crate accessed from the side, for example. Some people use removable crates in the back but many have fixed crates either in the back of a car or either 1 or 2 tier in a van. You don't see people moving crates from place to place though (well the odd one maybe).

 

Last Saturday I was at an indoor show at a 2 arena equestrian centre - 6 rings with around 400 runs in each. Dogs could have up to 4 runs but not all would have entered that many. So at a conservative estimate that would have been at least 600 dogs competing without extra dogs brought along. There wouldn't be anywhere to have a crating area and that is the biggest place used for indoor shows in the country, I think.

 

At our own summer show we hire a showground - around 45 acres in total - but still wouldn't have room for a crating area partly because of the layout. Last year we had around 1500 competing dogs, plus passenger dogs. We can fit in around 350 camping units though plus 100+ extra vehicles a day with people who aren't staying overnight. And we have large and smaller exercise areas for the dogs to run around.

 

I wonder if the practice of having a crating area is a hangover from the breed showing world? The only places I've been where agility dogs are benched/crated are Crufts and a Scottish KC show run in conjunction with a breed show (where handlers weren't allowed to return to their vehicles or leave their dogs in them) but even the SKC don't do it any more, one reason being that the agility people hated having to cart all their paraphernalia around and manage multiple dogs at the same time.

 

Pam

[gcv-border]

...... one reason being that the agility people hated having to cart all their paraphernalia around and manage multiple dogs at the same time.

 

Pam

 

Again, interesting. IMO, here in the USA, people would rather be closer to the ring so they don't have to walk so far (and possibly miss their run if they aren't on the line on time)

with their dogs. They would rather set up at the beginning of the weekend, have their dogs in a crate somewhat close to the rings (depending on the venue), and then break down at the end of the weekend. There is one venue I go to where I crate my dog in a quiet corner vs. where many others crate their dogs - busier, but nearer the rings. Someone told me that they would never crate where I do because they are afraid that the extra distance (only about 100 feet) would make them late. Really?

 

OTOH, I was just at an outdoor trial where many people crated their dogs in their cars between runs.

 

Just depends.

 

Jovi

[mum24dog]

Again, interesting. IMO, here in the USA, people would rather be closer to the ring so they don't have to walk so far (and possibly miss their run if they aren't on the line on time)

with their dogs. They would rather set up at the beginning of the weekend, have their dogs in a crate somewhat close to the rings (depending on the venue), and then break down at the end of the weekend. There is one venue I go to where I crate my dog in a quiet corner vs. where many others crate their dogs - busier, but nearer the rings. Someone told me that they would never crate where I do because they are afraid that the extra distance (only about 100 feet) would make them late. Really?

 

Greg Derrett has the impression from his experiences on both sides of the pond that agility injuries are more frequent in the US than here. He doesn't claim that to be a proven fact but If that is the case, do you think the fact that people don't walk so far to the rings may be a factor?

 

Before a run many people here would collect the dog from the car, take it to the exercise area for a run around and then play with their dog on the way to the ring.

 

I do understand the problem of getting to the ring at the right time though. I believe you have to run in order, here we don't although we are supposed to keep as close to our running orders as possible. If your dogs have several classes clashing in different rings it is impossible to run in order. The only classes that have to run in order are Champ classes. As your class numbers are much smaller than ours it must be easy to miss a run if you aren't on the spot.

 

I have run a smaller dog in classes that don't get many entries and can empathise. I have sworn to myself that I will only run large dogs in future because it's less stressful being available for runs since classes are much bigger.

[alligande]

Pam since I became interested in agility in England I have noticed a few differences. I mostly trial indoors now, in a soccer/football complex and sometimes at dog training facilities. In the summer the climate is hot enough that you can't leave the dogs in the car and an airconditioned crating area is provided. At the outdoor trials I have done, people have pop up canopies (no sides) that they often put ringside, or by their car if it is close to the ring. At bigger out door trials it looks like a village around the edge of the rings, and from what friends tell me it can get a little competive to get the good spots.

 

There is some camping but usually restricted to motor homes/ caravans in parking lots and a lot of people use hotels. Even the big trials are smaller, the AKC trials which often fill up restrict run numbers, and USDAA which does not have entry limits makes it work with long days if needed.

[alligande]

There is never an official exercise area, I have been to trials where the dogs have no option but to be leashed the whole time, with a parking lot for exercise. There is always a small warm up area with a jump or maybe more.

 

Sometimes here I have competed in the big dog class with only 2 other dogs, but our classes are also structured differently, there is for example only one starters regular agility class, and you run in height order but everyone is entered in the same class. That's was why it took me awhile to figure out the KC entry forms. So you might have 20 dogs in the class, and they might tolerate the run order changing among heights but you better be there during your height!

[gcv-border]

I agree with both of allligande's posts.

 

And, to respond to:

Greg Derrett has the impression from his experiences on both sides of the pond that agility injuries are more frequent in the US than here. He doesn't claim that to be a proven fact but If that is the case, do you think the fact that people don't walk so far to the rings may be a factor?

 

Before a run many people here would collect the dog from the car, take it to the exercise area for a run around and then play with their dog on the way to the ring.

I think it would be a fabulous asset to have a 'dog exercise area' at an agility trial here, but as alligande says, most trial rules require dogs to be on leash at all times while on trial grounds.

 

One of my pet peeves is a lot of the incorrect warm-ups (and no cool-offs) of agility dogs that I see going on at trials. (Not that I am perfect, but I hope I do better than the average.) IMO, the single jump provided for 'warm-up' is a misconception. The dog should be warmed up for a minimum of 5 minutes (walking, jogging) before using the 'warm-up jump'. I see many people get their dogs out of the crate, bring them to the jump for several repititions, then wait their turn for their run. The dog's muscles should be warmed up, with good blood flow, before asking them to perform the explosive movement of jumping or sprinting/jumping during the run.

 

This common practice may contribute to some injuries, but another factor may be the fact that some dogs may not be correctly conditioned for agility - therefore, they are just at a higher risk of injuries when competing. I think that fewer people here (USA) may be taking the longer, free-range walks that it seems are common in your country. IMO, that is an important conditioning tool that is less common here - although I understand that many people live in urban/suburban environments that do not allow for off-leash running about.

 

Jovi

[Gideon's girl]

Where I live it is too hot to leave dogs in the car, even open, for more than 10 months of the year. Outdoor shows are rare and A/C is a must.

[alligande]

If you are only going to use the crate in class and don't want to spend a lot of money, I currently use this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pink-Blue-Beige-Light-Weight-Travel-Soft-Foldable-Dog-Cage-Crate-Kennel-Carrier-/230898758400?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item35c2a37300

 

It is very light, uses zips to put it together without much bother. It is not robust or particularly well built, but for the price it works well. I use it at trials as I wanted a crate with "window blinds" built in as I hate having to deal with covers and none of the quality crates had that feature.

[airbear]

If you are only going to use the crate in class and don't want to spend a lot of money, I currently use this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pink-Blue-Beige-Light-Weight-Travel-Soft-Foldable-Dog-Cage-Crate-Kennel-Carrier-/230898758400?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item35c2a37300

I have a couple of those too, and they work very well for us for the few times that I crate my dogs in a tent at trials (we normally crate out of the truck). They seem to work just as well as the one that cost more than 3 times what the eBay ones cost. :-)