Dog crate comparison guide. What’s the best dog crate?
Which dog crate is right for your dog? Dog crate comparison. Is Diggs worth the price?
So you’re ready to crate-train your dog (or puppy)! First off, you’ll need a crate, and that in itself can be a daunting task with prices and sizes varying widely.
Below I’ll go over and compare the benefits and disadvantages to multiple types of dog crates to help you choose the right one for your dog, household, and lifestyle.
To be noted, all the below crates are for home or hotel use but not for your dog to ride in while in the car; none of these pass crash testing. Learn more about dog crash tested crates on our blog here. With that said let’s dig into the dog crate comparison…
Crate training shopping list
Diggs crate
Plastic crate
Groov Training aid
Brindle washable crate bed
Washable crate pad
Snuggle puppy
Dog crate comparison guide:
Diggs Evolv Dog Crate
The Diggs Evolv crate is similar in many ways to the revolv and is what I use in my training room/guest room. Let's go over the differences and what makes it great.
- You can change which direction both doors opens (ie towards your wall)
- I think it’s actually really nice looking, I personally have a white one.
- Dog tags and collars don’t get stuck in this crate due to it's diamond design, which is a HUGE safety plus!
- It’s easy for your dog to grow up in, as setting it smaller is super easy.
- The Diggs Groov accessory is a favorite to help with crate training.
- Tray lifts out easily for cleaning
- Did I mention it looks really nice?
- This crate feels like a quality product. You know that feeling of closing a nice car door, that's how I feel when I close my Diggs crate.
- It’s not the cheapest crate option out there (but is cheaper than the Revolv above). The good news is with this link you’ll get 10% off any items from Diggs, if you're looking for a Diggs coupon code just use that link - no code needed. In my opinion you often get what you pay for and for this it’s quality that stands out, is safe and will last.
- It doesn't collapse, but most people don't move their crates so this may not matter to you.
- Top doesn't open. I really only use this feature for puppies so again not a huge loss.
- No wheels, really not move to transport.
- Some people found it difficult to set up - pro tip watch the video they suggest watching when you set it up - drastically helps.
Diggs Revol Dog Crate
Diggs Revol crate (and the Evolv) are the crates I use with my own dogs, I use it in our home, for guest's dogs that are over for training and it’s the crate I always bring to set with me.
- I think it’s actually really nice looking, I personally have a white and a black one.
- Dog tags and collars don’t get stuck in this crate due to it's diamond design, which is a HUGE safety plus!
- By far the easiest crate to set up
- It’s easy for your dog to grow up in, as setting it smaller is super easy.
- Can open the side door completely
- The Diggs Groov accessory is a favorite to help with crate training.
- Had wheels to move it about and a handle for easy lifting when collapsed (YESS!)
- Tray slides out easily for cleaning
- Did I mention it looks really nice?
- Top opens for easy pets and giving a toy.
- This crate feels like a quality product. You know that feeling of closing a nice car door, that's how I feel when I close my Diggs crate.
- It’s not the cheapest crate option out there. In my opinion you often get what you pay for and for this it’s quality that stands out, is safe and will last.
- You can not change which direction the doors open, ie if you want the front door to open to the right instead you can not change this (if this is important look at the Diggs Evolv).
2-Door Soft-Sided Folding Dog Travel Crate
Portable soft crates are a great option if you dog is very gentle in their crate.
- They are really nice crates
- Lightweight
- Has a top door that unzips
- Don’t look awful IMO
- Are collapsable, and hence easy to travel with!
- If you have a dog that knows how to undo zippers or push their noses to undo them, this isn’t for you
- If you have a dog that digs in their crate or bed this isn’t for you
- If you have a dog that pushes boundaries this isn’t for you.
- If a dog pukes in it, probably not the easiest to clean - maybe use a waterproof dog bed to help prevent this.
Pet Gear The Other Door
This before Diggs was my on set crate, I didn’t love it for in house but due to folding flat I used it for travel. After getting the Diggs evolv and using it a few times I ended up giving this one away as I never reached for it to pick to use.
- It folds down somewhat flat pretty easily
- Has wheels to move it around
- One side door fully opens up, similar to Diggs
- Has a top that opens (with an awful clasp, but it opens)
- The clasps are not easy to use, I’ve hurt my fingers many times opening and locking these crates
- Does not feel as sturdy as the Diggs one at all.
- Not as easy as Diggs to set up. With two free hands though you could do it (demo in my video above)
- After a year+ of use on set I’ve had a few pieces break off mine and the elastic has stretched.
Plastic Petmate Dog Kennel
Plastic dog crates aren’t an awful option. Before Diggs these are what I used inside my home.
- I do like that the bottom is covered, and there is a much smaller chance of a tag on a collar getting stuck
- They aren’t too impossible to take apart to clean if someone has an accident.
- If you are traveling they are not convenient at all.
- Some dogs chew through them, I wouldn't kennel a dog with major separation anxiety in these.
- They don’t look great IMO, but with a crate cover on they aren’t awful.
- Not a ton of air flow
Wire Dog Crate
- Cheaper
- Can collapse for storage
- For the most part they aren’t too hard to set up for one time use.
- They usually keep your dog contained, unless you have a highly anxious dog (in which case you may be considering a more expensive and specialty crate than any of these).
- Have great air flow
- Paws, collars and jaws can get stuck in the square metal sides can
- They are a pain to set up and take down again and again as the wire starts to warp after constant use - we ran into this on The Pack with our constant traveling.
- They are incredibly noisy to move, good luck driving with this rattling around while collapsed (not crash tested to use while driving)
- If you are going for aesthetics these surely don’t win.
FABLE Wood Dog Crate
I have had a few clients that have purchased the Fable Pets crate and honestly I would never recommend it (sorry). It does look pretty, I would say the only use case is if you plan to never close the door and just leave this crate open. This crate has a garage door style door, which means it slides out from the top of the crate, above the dog and downward the motion of it sliding above the dog frightens many dogs.
I haven’t seen one dog enjoy being in there when this is done and training and crate time should be a positive experience. For me the Fable Pets crate is a nope.
- The Fable pets crate aesthetically looks really lovely
- My issues with this is it is quite terrifying for this door to be moving above you,
- Door is either open or closed, no partially open
We hope this helped you choose the right crate for your dog. Need crate training tips? We are ready to help!
