If your dog is among those who chews his way out of plastic cages and bend wires like Uri Geller on steroids, then you’re probably looking towards a more sturdy solution.
With a heavy duty dog crate, you have less reason to worry. (See further down if your dog is a true escape artist with severe separation anxiety.)
Even when you’re away at work, your dog will have safe frames surrounding him. This will help your dog also in the case that he suffers from separation anxiety.
You can go to work with a peaceful mind, knowing that your dog will still be in his crate when you get back home.
Contents inside this post
What Is a Heavy Duty Dog Crate?
A heavy duty dog crate is a crate made out of strong metal bar with a good lock that your dog can’t break through.
The smaller ones, the ones you can have inside your house, often have wheels so you can move it around.
The strong metal bars mean that a dog cannot chew its way through them and escape.
The crates have bars on all four sides plus at the top and bottom. And there is often a tray below to catch eventual droppings.
Some of these kinds of crates can be stacked, which is handy if you want to use it for traveling on a ferry or airplane.
What Should You Look For?
Things to look for before deciding on a crate:
1. Size. You can’t go too big for your dog, but you can go too small, and you also need to consider whether or not it fits into your home.
2. Assemblance. How easy is it to put together?
3. Escape proof. Some dogs are true Houdinies and will escape from almost anything. Make sure you choose a crate that can keep even the smartest one inside.
4. Price. Even though you probably don’t have this as your first priority, it’s always interesting to know.
And if two crates offer similar benefits, you can just as well choose the lower priced version.
5. Needs. If you plan to use your crate for travelling, you might look at things like weight, stackability, and how easy it is to move.
6. Material. Some cages are made out of steel bars, while others are made out of aluminium.
7. Security. The space between the bars should be narrow enough so your dog won’t be able to stick his head through them.
Highest Rated Heavy Duty Dog Crates
My criteria for picking the following three heavy duty dog crates were:
- They should be available
- They should have mostly 5-star reviews
- There should be a lot of reviews
- The crates must be easy to assemble
- They should be escape proof
- The crates should be made out of steel
- And the security should be high
Guardian Gear ProSelect Empire Dog Cage
The dog crate from Guardian Gear is the most expensive of the three I found. But as I write this, it has 700 reviews, almost all 5-star reviews. If you want a sturdy and lasting crate, this is the one you should get.
With its 20-gauge steel bars reinforced by steel tubes, it’s completely chew safe, and your dog will not be able to bend the bars and force its way out.
| Guardian Gear ProSelect Empire | |
|---|---|
| Escape safe | Yes |
| Fit for dogs with separation anxiety | Yes |
| Can it be stacked? | No |
| Is there a tray for droppings? | Yes |
| Material | Reinforced gauge steel |
| Sizes | M (35.75×23.5×24.5″) & L (40.75×28.125×31.75″) |
LUCKUP Heavy Duty Dog Cage
If your dog doesn’t suffer from severe anxiety and cannot force its way out of cages easily, then the LUCKUP heavy duty dog cage is a cheaper alternative to the Guardian Gear.
It comes in two nice colors, black and silver, and in a traditional version with strong bars and one with wire.
Like all of the cages I’ve chosen, these have wheels, which makes them easy to move around.
| LUCKUP Heavy Duty Dog Crate | |
|---|---|
| Escape safe | No |
| Fit for dogs with separation anxiety | Not if it’s a big dog with severe anxiety |
| Can it be stacked? | No |
| Is there a tray for droppings? | Yes |
| Material | Rust and corrosion-resistant steel |
| Sizes | 3 sizes: 38 inches, 42 inches and 48 inches |
QAQA Heavy Duty Dog Cage
The QAQA dog crate is the cheapest of the three. It’s also fairly new right now and doesn’t have as many reviews as the other two.
No one has reported of dogs that were able to escape the cage, but there was a mention of a weak lock. For medium sized dog and even big dogs, it should be safe.
| QAQA Heavy Duty Dog Crate | |
|---|---|
| Escape safe | Yes, for medium sized dogs. Locks might need reinforcement. |
| Fit for dogs with separation anxiety | Yes |
| Can it be stacked? | No |
| Is there a tray for droppings? | Yes |
| Material | Reinforced steel tube |
| Sizes | 3 sizes: 36 inches, 42 inches and 48 inches |
Which One Is Best for You?
The sturdiest and most escape safe of the three is no doubt the Guardian Gear Heavy Duty crate.
But if your dog is medium sized or smaller, you’ll be fine with the LUCKUP create.
For a smaller budget, and a medium sized dog, the QAQA will do well.
