Forget the crates... i want the schnauzer puppy!

If your dog is new to crate training or doesn't particularly enjoy it, be careful with the BowHaus crate. We got one for our puppy and in his struggles to escape he tore his paws up in the holes in the sides. He did much better with a more traditional crate where the rounded bars didn't pose as much of a risk of injury. That said if your dog isn't a spaz and likes the crate, it was very nice and aesthetically pleasing.

@BEM10001, those "fashion" non-crates are not meant to hold a dog unattended!! how could you let your dog be in there long enough to mutilate his paws? If your dog is uncomfortable being confined, you should not confine him -- end of story. It's cruel and harmful, and I do mean LONG-TERM harmful, to subject your dog to that.

Please, please, anyone who wants to use a crate, do some reading on how to use them humanely and safely. They are not meant to hold your dog for the nine or more hours you are away at work. If you need to confine your dog for that amount of time, block off a room or rooms in your home. Hire a dog walker. Or don't have a dog.

AT, you do more harm than you realize promoting rubbish crates. Numbers 1, 2, 5 and 6 are not appropriate for dogs!

Clearly the coffee hasn't yet kicked in, because I've only just realized that I can probably make a really cool fabric cover (like #3&4) for our hideous plastic dog crate. New project coming up!

@rural and rueful - He was in there for all of 5 minutes when we took him out and noticed he had a cut on his paw from the few times he scratched the side of the crate. We immediately returned the crate for a full refund. Once we realized he was not happy in the crate he has never been placed in one since then, and we dog-proofed the entire home so he can have full run of the place when we are not home. I resent the implication that I am somehow a cruel or neglectful dog owner. My dog is very happy, healthy, and volunteers at local hospitals to visit sick children. I posted for the express purpose to help other owners care for their dogs. Get off your soap box.

We found an eiCrate on ebay...it looks great, it's very sturdy and the pup LOVES it. We call it 'the thunderdome'! :)

I too find a lot of these crates disturbing. Ours use a well ventilated standard wire crate with two cushions in the bottom. And our dogs are never in there more than 4 hours. Some of these are scary!

I agree with BEM1001. I find the crate issue to be really divisive in the dog owning community. People need to assess the particular needs of their dog and figure out what's appropriate, pleasurable, and secure for their dog. Many dogs do not want to have the run of the house, or even be in a room, alone. My dog is actually quite happy and relaxed in his crate for several hours when I'm not home. He feels very insecure and anxious when left in a room.

@Rural and Rueful, you need to back off.

me-OW, we got some cats in this comment post! In lighter news, Molly Mutt is a really awesome company. My doberman loves the duvets that I stuff with my older pillows and I love the patterns that I can change out when I do my weekly laundry (hello chevron!)

I understand that some people don't love the idea of crates, but sometimes crating is appropriate. And done properly, the dog is fine. No, you shouldn't crate your dog all day and all night, people who do that are idiots and shouldn't have a dog in the first place. Don't get me started. But we foster rescue dogs and part of that involves crate training them. The new dog has to be able to be safe and comfortable in a crate when no one is home. Crating helps with potty training and getting the new arrival settled into the house and integrated into our "pack" at a slower pace. I think it's better than shutting them away in a room by themselves. Especially when housebreaking.

Having said ALL THAT I don't really see what's so hideous about a regular crate. If your dog is a chewer you DEFINITELY do not want all this excess material hanging around them. Trust this.

It's worrying to me that to make a crate 'attractive' amounts to covering it up or giving the dog less air flow.

The Wood Crate Frame looks great though. Just a clever way to make it a little easier on the eyes.

Rural and Rueful, you seem content.

I have to use an ugly metal crate. My husky is HUGE. And yes, he loves that stupid thing. He goes in and chills all day when I leave the door open. I've always loved how some crates can serve as a side table or a coffee table, but gosh darn it, it's not doable with my behemoth of a dog. That'd be one huge bulky coffee table!

Thank you for the post AT and for all the positive comments.

One thing to always remember is that dogs are in fact a separate species with their own wants and needs. One of these is an instinctual need for a secure den-like space. From their roots as wild animals, they want a secure and private space that they don't need to worry about some larger predator sneaking up on them and that they can "turn off" their senses and truly rest. In today's busy and sometimes-cramped lifestyle, it's especially important to provide your dog his own space where he can "get away." Our dens have been specially designed to fulfill this need.

The practice of crate training has been used by all dog owners for many years, both as a way to give the dog his den, and as a way for the dog parent to keep him safe in their human home. Our dens are designed to be functioning dog crates and are used as such by thousands of dog parents every day.

@bem10001 Wow! we sincerely apologize that you had such a bad experience! If you would like to contact us at the email below, we would love to hear more of your story so that we can learn and improve. We don't have your case on file so it's possible that you got a BowHaus from the former owner; it has since been much improved.

Please feel free to contact us at support at denhaus dot com or 877.211.7438 and we'll be happy to answer questions or provide additional information.

Both my cat and dog have round pads with a raised edge that are a very soft material that is washable. They sleep in these during the day and have the run of the house. The dog uses her crate at night because (I assume) she feels safe in it. We only close the crate when we have workman or delivery people in the house, or when our company does not appreciate the dogs rather insistent demands for attention. We also crate the animals when traveling in the car for safety reasons. Crate training a dog makes everyone's life a little easier.

Rural and Rueful, my dog stays in a crate while I am work. That being said, leaving him even in just one room was tried for a few days and promptly stopped as he proceeded to mark every surface area he could find. If you want to send me a check for the dog walking, great. Let me know and I will send you my address. I'm not quitting my job and I'm not getting rid of my dog. When we get home, that dog is treated like literal royalty so I don't feel bad about leaving him in his crate. I have always crated any dogs that I have had throughout my life and have had no trouble with it at all. Oh, and he sleeps on my bed at night.

My sister has three large dogs (all rescues)....they are in the crates when she is at work and I believe sleep in them at night as well. I agree with @tequila red.....Dogs like to feel safe...I have two 15 lb dogs now...crating did not work for one who came from a puppy mill rescue...he really hates any sort of confinement....the other one is fine but both of them are pretty well behaved when I am out of the house....except I am forever finding my socks in the living room.

I agree with Rural and Rueful. I am not saying that crates should not be used at all but I find most too confining. We did have 2 crates when my exBF and I had 5 greyhounds (one was the Terminator who had really bad separation anxiety and a crate was the only option, at least temporarily. Fortunately, after about a year she could overcame the SA and could be left roaming the house with the rest). Anyway, the crates for large breeds - they will accomodate the dog but the dog can barely turn around.
My dogs are much happier napping on the living room couches and I would bet they feel pretty safe even with no crate.

Big dog lover here. At one point we had three biggies who were wild as can be. I'm disabled and so spend much of my time at home. My dogs each had crates and loved them. They opted to snooze in them when given a chance to do otherwise.

That being said, crates should be chosen for the dog's comfort, not your aesthetic, and each dog has their own particular needs. My bulldog needed open wiring as she was prone to allergies and yeast infections. I tried to change my boxer to an open wire cage when she outgrew her standard carrier and she absolutely freaked out. My old bulldog loved the freedom of going cage-free when we weren't home, but my newer bullie would freak out if she didn't have the safety of her crate.

Number 6 above looks horrible to me. It reminds me of an old-west jail. Some of the others looks claustrophobic for even a small dog. And $600 for a dog crate???

I've never seen a dog cage in an apartment until I came to the USA. I was shocked and called ASPCA.
In Poland dogs are treated as family members. Who puts a family member in a cage? They have their own pet beds/houses,
In case od fire - dog in a cage has no chance to survive!

I am with mejane on this! I have 2 medium size mix dogs, a brother & sister, who were rescued. My animal companions live IN the house with us, when they are not outside in their awesome play yard with trees, a wading pool, digging area that we established for them, a dog house that they lay on top of (I think they are channeling Snoopy!), lots of toys, etc. In the house they have their own love seat to sleep on in the living room- they learned the difference between their love seat & our couch. In the bedroom they have their own bed (but on super cool nights they stealthily find their way up onto our bed & onto our feet- it's win-win as far as I'm concerned!) The reality is that we have to go to work. So I work days, hubby works evenings, so that someone is usually home. We are lucky that we have a house with a big enough yard to support their needs. Not everyone has a house with a big fenced in yard. I understand that. However, if we bring animals into our homes we can not expect them to live like humans. They are animals, with animal personalities, needs, temperament. We bring animals into our homes then expect them to adapt to us, never thinking that they have needs that are different from ours. I always hated the Curious George children's books because the Man with the Yellow Hat takes George the Monkey from his natural habitat to live in an apartment in the city. Then he calls George "naughty" for behaving like a monkey! This is where we go wrong as a species- always expecting the Earth to accommodate us! So, in my opinion, these crates are just large versions of the "Designer Carry Totes" for "Designer Tea Cup Dogs". Someone mentioned that dogs like a "den like space". True. But dens have an open end that the wild dog/wolf can exit at will. Crates are for confining them in an enclosed space for OUR convenience. If one does not have the space or the time for properly showing the dog what is expected within your family Pack", then one should not have a dog in the first place. Want a "cage pet"? Get a hamster. And I never buy the theory that it's a "watch dog", but kept on a chain or in a crate. Yeah, he'll be great "watching" the burglar make off with your TV from the "safety" of his crate!

A dog crate for $599? Are we for real? I think my first car cost that much.

It is really interesting to read the evolution of this conversation. In my opinion, the crates are charming, unique and playful. They might not be the best choice for training, but once a dog is crate trained, they love their own real estate and certainly would love any of these crates.

As I write this post, my labrador, is curled up in his crate with the door wide open. He naps in there, then gets on his bed, then back to the crate, then looks out the window, does it again. To avoid jealousy, I am not going to show him the cool crates.