Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We decided to reintroduce the crate system to our almost 4-year-old cocker spaniel after not using a crate for 3 years. He has become quite a bed hog. When we originally used his crate, he never liked it and never found it as a place of retreat or of comfort. The original crate we had was the next size up from the one I ordered (30x19x21"). I ordered this one to start anew. I did a lot of comparison shopping, and Amazon definitely had the best price coupled with Prime shipping and no tax! The Midwest 1530 iCrate had everything I wanted in construction and features. It has a single door with a latch that is very easy to open and close. The crate is also completely collapsible, making it easy to store or to transport. The tray also slides out for simple cleaning. I wanted a coated steel crate because our previous one had rusted in some areas, especially around the latch. The coating should prevent any rusting and it also makes the crate easier to clean--I use disinfecting wipes. I also like that I can attach a water bottle to the side so that my dog has access to water without using a bowl which he would inevitably spill. The 30x19x21" crate is perfect for my dog. He is an average-sized male cocker spaniel and full-grown. He weighs about 28lbs and is about 15" tall at his shoulder. He is 18" tall when he sits up straight (to the top of his head). This size crate allows him ample room to turn around. It would have been nice to have a couple more inches of height so he could sit if he wanted, but he usually goes in, gets comfy, and lays down. We use the crate for bedtime and at times when we know there might be a UPS delivery (of all our Amazon goods!) or a maintenance person coming in to our apartment. I also ordered this crate pad: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D7LCRM/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. It fits well (a bit small) and we add blankets for warmth and for comfort. Be sure to measure your dog's current size or estimated full-grown size. This crate came with a divider which is perfect for training puppies. It allows you to shrink the size of the crate when your dog is smaller and then you can adjust it as he or she grows. Puppies are known to have accidents or shred beds or toys in crates that are too big for them. A crate should not be used as a punishment tool; otherwise your dog will associate it as a bad or scary place. We formerly used the crate for bedtime but we also crated our dog when we were gone. He started to associate the crate as "mom and dad are leaving me again" and hated it. Our dog is reactive and can become highly stressed and anxious easily. We now use gates to confine him to a portion of our apartment when we are gone and it is much better for him. But we did want our bed back and wanted to crate him so we could possibly take him on vacation with us. When we received the new crate, I set it at the foot of our bed for a couple days and let our dog explore it at his leisure. Then I covered it with a fleece blanket and added the crate pad plus one of his blankets, so it seemed like an inviting, cozy den. He was a little suspicious but still curious and unafraid. We would drop a couple treats into the crate to coax him in but we did not force him. Once he happily went in to get his treats, we started to put him in the crate at bedtime. The first night he whined and cried and howled (yes, howled!). It was quite a sleepless night for everyone but we stuck with it. The next night, he went in, ate his treat, and snuggled right into the pad and blankets and went to sleep. He hasn't had any problems with the crate and will even wander in on his own to nap there occasionally (he still prefers the bed or couch). This crate has met all our needs and desires and we are so pleased with it. I'm making a fitted fleece cover that will both retain heat on colder nights and keep our dog feeling cozy. I'm also happy to report that our dog will be joining us on our beach vacation this summer since he is so good in his crate!