Pet Gear Home ‘N Go Deluxe Soft-Sided Pet Crate, Small, Red Poppy

Comments

1. D. Griffin says:

   July 22, 2010 at 5:05 pm

   I’ve a six pound Papillon who is 12 inches long, 11 inches at his shoulder, and 13.5 inches from the floor to the top of his head. This crate is outstanding for him. It’s more a mansion than a crate, but then he’s 3.5 years and I didn’t purchase it to potty train him or the like. It’s for quiet time when out visiting or traveling. It lives in the dining room (12×14) when we’re home and is the perfect size so that it’s not in the way at all. The two pouches are excellent for bringing food, toys, harness, leashes, etc when we travel.

   I *love* how you can open the large side and roll it up. It secures itself with velcro tabs. It makes it perfect for setting against a wall and also makes it very appealing to your pet. Also great is that every side is vented with screen to keep skeeters out.

   You’ll need a pad for the bottom.
   
   I fit a small dog bed in there perfectly.

   It’s simple to put up and take down to stow when need be.
   
   Very smart design and very well made!
   Rating: 5 / 5
2. Joy J. says:

   July 22, 2010 at 5:30 pm

   I got this crate to transport my two cats during an 11-hour car ride/move. They seemed comfortable the whole time and had plenty of room to move around and lie down. It is very sturdy and I had no problem fitting it in the back seat of my (relatively small) coupe.

   There were a couple of things that I thought could be improved. The cats liked to chew on the velcro on the inside of the cage (used to fasten the sides up when unzipped) Given enough time I think the cats would tear it off, probably leaving a hole in the mesh. Second, some way to fasten the crate in the car (loops to put seat belts through or tie downs, etc.) since it did have a tendency to slide around on the seat.
   Rating: 4 / 5
3. msaggieamy says:

   July 22, 2010 at 8:02 pm

   This product is sturdy and has plenty of room for my 9.5 lb shih tzu. It’s easy to use, and Lucy loves it. The only thing I wish is that there was an option to purchase a well-made carrying case to put crate in when not in use and we need to tote it from one place to another. For example, I’d like to be able to check it at the airport and feel that it’s somewhat protected. (Lucy travels on-board w/ us in an airline approved pet carrier.)
   Rating: 4 / 5
4. mb says:

   July 22, 2010 at 10:59 pm

   1. I researched this purchase for quite a while and didn’t find anything terribly helpful about size (you should be reading this review under “small”). I bought this crate in this size (small), and I’d like to let you know that a miniature poodle fits inside nicely. (It’s way big for a doxie or a maltese or a Bishon. Or a big cat! You could fit 3 big cats in it – 4, if they are friends.)

   2. I was worried (arthritic thumbs) that opening and closing it might be a problem. Opening it is a breeze. Closing it is a little more complex. The button to push is located between the crate wall and the frame tubing and can’t be seen. It’s about the size of a dime and slightly dome-shaped, so feel about until you find it. You may have to turn the crate around several directions to get a good angle to squeeze on the button. It’s not easy, but at least now you know where the button IS! (This is not obvious from the instructions….) To press the button, I either use my fingers or use one thumb to push down the other thumb. Not ideal, but.. The crate folds up quite compactly and weighs very, very little.

   3. Found out from the company that the difference between the regular (older) style and Generation II (new) is that the new one folds up more compactly. No change in the folding mechanism, however.

   4. It wasn’t clear (to me, at least) in the product description here whether there was a handle built in. There is. I wouldn’t carry the crate by it, however. I use one of those fold-up carts with the bungee cords on it that you put your luggage on & pull behind you at the airport.

   5. Zippers are sturdy enough. Several people commented that this was a concern. I didn’t find this to be so.

   6. Corner reinforcements are the same material as the crate but stitched all around, so they really are no more than decoration. Would they had been leather! “Screens” are sturdy, too, and close enough mesh to keep out mosquitoes (tho I’d spray around the crate w/o the dog in it, first).

   7. Floor pad is pretty flimsy and thin. There is a separate piece of plastic that could be used as a liquid-repellant under the floor pad. Or it could be used as a ground cloth under the crate to keep it off damp grass. (I just a foam-type pad sold for going under a sleeping bag. It’s longer than the crate, but it leaves a “front door mat” for me to kneel on. Much better than something that fits just under the crate. Other doggie people use a tarp.)

   8. There is a distinct odor in the fabric/plastic. Open the crate and air it out (mine’s been airing out over a week and still has a noticeable odor) several weeks before you need it. (Hang out the pad; and also any sleeping bag ground cloth or tarp.)

   11. The little pouch with the shoulder strap (that doubles as a leash) is somewhat problematic. The clips that hold it in place are quite stiff plastic. I just knew I was going to break at least one, so I went to the hardware store and got double-ended clasps. The kind shaped sort of like a question mark; you open the “jaw” by pulling a slider down with your thumb; I hope this is an adequate enough explanation; I know they must have a name, but either I don’t know it or I can’t rememeber it. Anyway, I got 2 of these and hooked them to the crate D-rings. Took off the pouch carefully. When I want to re-attach, I use the other end of the question mark thingie.

   10. As you see, it’s open on all four sides. There is nothing that fits over the crate to keep the wind from whistling through. So use towels, a tarp, etc. I got some cottom fleece (the kind that doesn’t need hemming, so it’s like felt in this respect) and made a “designer wind cover” just by cutting the fabric. We like to look fashionable, you see.

   11. I don’t know where the “19 pounds” in the product description came from. This crate weighs 8 pounds (without stuff in the detachable tote bag and the sewn-in zip pocket, of course).

   12. You don’t need any kind of storage bag. Slip a bad from the dry-cleaners or a dress bag from the department store over it.

   ~~

   Teach your dog that this is a good place to be. Initially, this might provoke some disbelief in your dog if the odor is still strong!

   When everything is aired out sufficiently (remember your dog has a better smeller than you do, so don’t be in a hurry), teach him that “in and sit” results in a high-value treat (such as piece of cheese or hotdog). Unzip the top, reach your hand in with the treat and point your hand to the back wall to encourage your dog to come all the way in. As -soon- as he sits completely inside the crate, he gets the treat. Later, put some cheese in a Kong. Say, “Time for cheese!!!!!” and put the Kong in the back of the crate. When the dog goes in (“Good boy! Time for cheese!!!!!”), zip the front shut and have him stay in the crate for a while. Start with 3 minutes. Stay within sight and occupy yourself with a book. Don’t let him out if he whines; don’t say anything; don’t even look his way. Your dog knows how to get his way with you! If you give in, you’ve lost the war. Next time, if necessary, reduce time to 2 minutes, or even 1, so he has a chance to succeed. Work up to 30 minutes or so. Or even overnight. A Kong with some cheese is a miracle-worker! (Note: Overnight, as soon as my dog is inside, I cover the crate with a towel so it’s dark and he can’t see what’s going on. Everyone is going to bed, anyway, so he’s not missing anything! Having the towel over the crate sends another signal to quiet down and have a nice nap.)

   If, when in use, the dog gets agitated at someone walking by (such as at a dog show – see below), desensitize him in the same way. Have someone hand him a treat thru the back of the crate and give whatever command you’re using (“Hush” or “Shhh” or whatever). Therefore, people walking by = treat. Start with strangers, work up to family members, then to you, and then to people with dogs.

   ~~

   Definitely a good purchase. Sturdy. Not too heavy to transport. Little pockets are handy for fold-up water bowl, etc. Super-easy open; a little recalicitrant to close.

   I am using it for obedience trials. Unless he’s in the ring, he has to be “contained.” If I have to find the porta-potty, I can’t take him in (well, I wouldn’t want to take him in “barefooted”….).

   If he’s a happy camper in a crate, this one would be fine for leaving your dog in it in a hotel room while you go to dinner. If he’s not (but see above) or is a professional chewer when crated (the Kong might not work but you should try it), he might do some chewing damage while you’re gone. (Room service, anyone?)

   Really, really excellent purchase. Highly recommend. mb

   Rating: 5 / 5
5. K. Garmise says:

   July 23, 2010 at 1:58 am

   In the past I have used the old stand by wire crates for my dogs. I recently got a new puppy (a Maltipoo) who is smaller than the dogs I have had in the past, so I was looking for a smaller wire crate, when I found this. I love it! This crate is easy to take up and down. When visiting relatives, it is very easy to pack up and take with us. With soft sides, I frequently find the puppy leaning against the sides as he is sleeping. The “walls” on top and around the sides and front make it really easy to see what is going on inside the crate. I bought the small, which gives him plenty of room to move around. At night I have him sleeping in a small airline crate. He is getting too big for that, so I am thinking of getting the extra small for night time use.
   Rating: 5 / 5