Dog crate or dog play pen? What should I get?
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We have seen many new pet owners coming into our store, wanting to buy a dog crate, but after having a short chat with them, we quickly realise that many of them should really be considering a play pen instead of a crate. I guess there are still many people out there who don’t really know the key differences of a crate vs play pen, and what they are for, so let’s have a look at their differences.
(1) Size – The area inside a play pen is generally MUCH bigger than a crate, so people who are looking for an enclosure where they can keep their pet inside for extended periods regularly (e.g. for a whole day when they are at work), you should really be considering a play pen, because it gives your pet room to exercise and it is expandable, i.e. you can add more panels in and make it bigger as your dog grow, or you can use fewer panels to make it smaller for toilet training for example.
(2) Portability – although play pens are very compact when pull-apart, some of them do take much longer to setup and put away than a collapsible crate. So if you need something really portable, especially for car traveling or trips, you may choose a crate over a play pen, as there is no way you can setup a play pen inside a car. Providing that you are not using it inside a car, what if you need the space of a play pen, but the convenience of a crate? There are play pen out there that are easy to setup, such as ones where all the panels are already joined together so you only need to connect the front and the end, or like the crate-like one shown below.
Easy-to-setup dog play pen with top
(3) Base or no base – most play pens do not come with a base, so unless you have easy-to-clean hard surface like tiles, be prepared to cover the base with paper or vinyl. Otherwise if you pet has a history of digging holes and you are using it on soft ground, you would really need a secure base underneath. Note that wire play pens that are joined together using pins can often be hammered into the ground for extra support, so the pen would move around.
Play pen with top
(4) Top or no top – This is actually not a huge issue, because a lot of play pens now have tops, so even if your dog is known to climb or jump, you can simply go for one with a top.
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It also depends on the size of the dog and how many dogs you have. I have 5 dogs and some of them cannot be left alone with each other. My dominant chow mix picks fights with some of the smaller dogs. My Rottie likes to eat the furniture and a variety of other items. I just cannot picture him in an exercise pen all day. Let alone picture all those ex-pens all over my house! I crate the rottie, the chow, and the doxie while I am at work. I do use an ex-pen in the kitchen for my two toy breed dogs and they keep each other company while I’m at work. So to say as an across the board statement that you should not use a crate when you are gone all day is not true or correct in all situations. Plus, my dogs like their crates, it is like a den.
Thanks Michelle for sharing your experiences. Yes, I totally agree with the fact that keeping a Chow Chow mix or Rottweiler in an exercise pen all day is not the right thing to do. And I believe you have actually reminded me of something I should have mentioned. For all the potential pet owners out there, keeping a dog is a long term (over 10 years) commitment and therefore should be a very well thought out decision, this means you need to think about the size of your home and your life style, think about whether you can offer a suitable living environment/life for your dog, then do some research on different dog breeds before you get a puppy. For example, if you want to get a large energetic breed, make sure you have enough space at home for exercising (e.g. a large and properly fenced backyard), as well as the time/energy to exercise the dog on a regular basis.
I have found that my smaller dog enjoys his time in the pen. However after a while he becomes quite agitated. Some times the kids love to provoke him so that is when he enjoys the Pen. The bigger dog can sometimes be difficult to keep quiet even in the pen. You just have to limit the amount of time you keep them in the pen. However there are times when you have no choice especially during the daytime when you are at work. The size and height of the pen is very important.
Hi! This is a great share. Yah the design of the cage is very important and in designing you should also consider a lot of things and we also have to take into consideration that dogs are cleverer than we think. I have bunnies who love to sneak out of their rabbit hutch most of the time.
I like the first image. The play pen provides a large room for puppy. But I don’t like the two images of dog crates. Because my friends tell me their dogs don’t like hard sided crate. It isn’t comfortable for them.
I love the first picture showing how comfortable and happy a dog can be in a dog play pen. I agree that dogs should not be crated for hours, and hours, and that a dog play pen is a better option.
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