While there are a number of different styles of dog crates on the market, I unequivocally recommend a high quality, large wire crate for your German Shepherd. There are a few reasons behind this.
A high-quality metal crate is desirable for the following reasons:
- Sliding tray: Accidents will happen, especially when your GSD is a puppy. A crate with a sliding tray allows you to remove the bottom for easy cleaning. This is beneficial not only for cleaning up accidents, but it allows for good maintenance and hygiene.
- Unobstructed visibility: Your GSD likes to be a part of, and does not like to feel isolated from you. A wire crate allows you and your dog to see each other at all times. And as all GSD owners know, your dog can communicate quite effectively using its eyes only.
- Heavy weight: The weight of a dog crate matters. Your dog will from time to time jump around or thrash in its crate because of the excitement of seeing you. This can shift the crate about and can cause damage to your flooring.
Lessons learned: even with a well-constructed heavy metal crate, it is still possible for a German Shepherd to shift it around a little bit. So just make sure that you don’t have an expensive lamp on a table right next to the crate. Give it a little bit of room!
- Divider panel: A divider panel is one of the most important aspects when you’re looking for a dog crate. As you know your GSD puppy will grow into quite a large dog. The last thing that you want is to be upsizing crates every time your dog outgrows one. This is not only impractical, it’s actually quite uncomfortable for your dog. So important to get a crate that will grow with your dog.
Keep in mind that not all wire crates are created equal. Some are poorly constructed with thin wire and lightweight metal. These things can pose a hazard to your dog.
Forceful chewing can cause thin wire to break loose, which can poke your dog, and you. Not to mention that it can also easily, and usually does, snag your clothes.
The money you will save purchasing a less expensive crate versus the quality you sacrifice is not worth it in my opinion.
Although there are a number of high-quality metal crates on the market, I can personally attest to the quality of the iCrate single or double door folding metal crates. I own 2 of the double door crates myself.
The iCrate has all of the important features that I listed above and is a durable product that will never need to be replaced.
I prefer the double door simply because of the accessibility. It’s just easier to take things out and put things in. I also like that it allows for options in terms of where you choose to position the crate. Entry/exit can be on the wide or narrow side or both.
Double door crates are also useful if you travel with your dog in a crate in the back of an SUV. A side door allows your dog easy entrance and exit, instead of having to turn the crate 90 degrees to let your dog in or out.
The iCrate really is very simple and easy to set up. By far the easiest setup of any crate that I’ve assembled. Gone are the days of receiving a crate consisting of 6 large metal pieces that all need to be hooked together.
And also gone are the pinched fingers – the iCrate is basically a pop-up tent disguised as a crate. Watch the short assembly video below and you will understand more clearly what I mean.