Wire crates

PoetikDragon

Can wire crates be stacked safely? How big a crate - how heavy a dog?

I found these stackable wire crates that seem identical to the ones I own except for the "interlocking legs." They don't look any stronger or made out of any special material.

http://www.forhappydogs.com/p-108-36-stackable-dog-crate-solution-series.aspx

lindsayt

I stack my crates. I bought the midwest icrates intermediate size (big enough for a 35 lb Kai). I stack them two by two against an unused wall in the living room for added stability. I will admit they are more flimsy than I recalled but I had already bought them. I did go to Ikea and bought 2 of the simple table tops without legs for like 5$ a piece, and placed those on top of the bottom crate to better distribute the weight of the crate on top. I would strongly recomend that as the tops of wire crates will bend inward and that can be a risk for crate collapse.

I put the puppies and small bitch on the top tier, and the Kai and heavier Shiba tend to go on the bottom. If I could redo it, I would buy two crates for the bottom tier that are the super indestructo metal bar style (not welded wire, but actual bars) that petedge offers instead of cheaping out on the icrate. I will NOT put anything heavier than 27-28 lbs in the top tier at this point, and usually only have Farrah (18lbs) or a Shiba puppy (10 lbs) on top, sometimes Koji, Maluko or Beebe but usually just for an hour or so at a time.

I would invest in a really sturdy heavy crate for heavier dogs like Akita, if only on the bottom. There are also cage banks like in Vet offices and grooming parlours that are solid walls and made for stacking, so no risk of collapse. Also, dogs that turn around and wiggle a lot in crates make them more unsteady. In fact, I think I will zip tie the panels together for some added stability. Hopefully no smooshed doggies!