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Brilliant!

That table, cloth and glass are available at Ballard Designs...

it might even look "better" if the table cloth wasn't such a wrinkled mess

I always love creative storage. I could never implement this with my doxies though- they only get crated when we need to leave them at the house alone. Ella would pull the tablecloth trim through the door of her crate and chew it up, and Paige would complain that it was too hot in there under that heavy cloth!

I have mine tucked into the closet, the curtian can hide it if i have company in my bedroom.

so, right, the dog get in there how?
I mean, unless you're only using it when you leave or overnight, the crate plus pushed up cloth looks even worse than a crate alone. And you'd still need an open pet bed somewhere for it to have a spot the rest of the time.

Huh? Does the dog really want to go into a crate where they can't see anything? Seems a bit mean to me.

This would never have worked with my dog - he wiggled in the crate and that vase/whatever on top would have toppled over in record time, along with the glass plate on top. Second on the dog who would pull the cloth through the crate and chew it, and also the dog who who liked to be able to look out from his crate. I think you have to just own the fact that you have a dog and a crate -- sort of like people who have kids and just accept that there will be child gates etc. in the home.

I made a cloth covering for my dog Lola's kennel. I left the door uncovered to she could get in and out easily and have some visibility.

Trooper would have managed to chew that cloth to shreds in no time.

I like it and wish I could do something similar. Unfortunately, we got the biggest crate we could find (48in) for our two dogs to share and I haven't figured out any good way to deal with it.

Thanks everyone for your comments.

The table and the cloth and glass is from Ballard- yes.
Don't worry- the dogs just go in there for naps and I never put the cloth over them- ever! They are 16 year old Westies and they snuggle up and love it.

Hey- does anyone have a suggestion on how to make it not so wrinkled at all? It is burlap and I have steamed it and ironed it and nothing works at all!

www.grantkgibson.com

hi grant. i think this is very creative - and attractive, too. question. is this a dining area? i'd be concerned about doggie smells in my eating area.

Or invest in a collapsible crate and store it under the bed.

great idea!
especially after you explained how it works for your household. i love it.

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dogs love having their create covered. it creates a "den" feel more akin to their natural environment.

create != crate

Me thinks it would be more stable and safe to put a table over the crate vs. placing glass and objects directly on the crate.

These crates aren't engineered to support weight placed on top. Doing so may be weaken the structure. Not a risk I would want to take with my dog although he would probably be unscathed because he is a giant lummox.

The crate is under a table you guys, that's what the glass is resting on. Plenty of stability, and room for air to circulate.

My dogs won't go into their crates unless they have a blanket covering the sides so this is a fantastic idea! It makes it like a den and they feel safer, I guess.

Personally, I love that it's wrinkled. Looks lived in and more natural.

As Lily says, it's a nice natural look. Esp. with burlap; I doubt there's a way to make it perfect, unless you spray starch it and stretch it on stretcher bars. And who wants to deal with that.

I think it's a nice way to deal with the visual ickiness of most crates out there.

And "doggie smells" in the eating area? Doggie smells are usually all over a dog-owner's house, so it's not as if they're going to make you hurl. And if the doggie smells are really bad, usually we good dog owners just give the dog a bath and wash its blankets. (I know some people who smell worse than my dog, and I still let those people in my eating areas! LOL!)

Yikes. Not a fan. I don't mind my cute dog being in an ugly crate - I just deal with it. :) If they made better looking crates, that weren't $500 like the ZenHaus, I'd be all over it. As it is, I'll take the ugly crate.

Re: wrinkles. Bouncing off this idea, I thought of a very tailored version. Imagine a rectangular table with a tablecloth with crisp pleated sides in a heacy cotton twill. And the end with the crate opening could roll up like a roller blind.

I dont quite get it either - how is the dog supposed to get in there and I wouldnt like it that he cant see me. I recently found a much better alternative, called DenHaus (http://www.denhaus.com), they make a cool wooden dog crate that functions as furniture. More expensive than the table plus cloth, but it actually serves a purpose and I can see my dog and he can see me. Good luck everyone I finding a better solution!