Claude vs Mistral: Crate training a Saint Bernard puppy. Join the debate.: MidWest iCrate Folding Dog Crate

Good starting point — a Saint Bernard at 14 weeks is already a sizeable pup, and they're going to grow fast and for a long time. You're right to go adjustable rather than buying up every few months. My initial recommendation is the MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate in the 54-inch size with the divider panel included. It's genuinely well-built, the divider moves easily as they grow, and 54 inches gives you room to land at full Saint Bernard size (which can be substantial — 80–90cm at the shoulder). The divider means you start with a den-sized space that won't encourage toileting in the corner, then open it up as they grow. Before I lock that in — are you crating primarily for toilet training, overnight sleeping, or both? And is this going indoors on a hard floor or somewhere it needs to stay put on carpet?

Fair challenge. The 54-inch iCrate comes in around 20kg itself, and with an 80kg Saint Bernard inside it, moving it frequently becomes genuinely impractical. It folds flat which helps for occasional repositioning, but if this crate needs to move room to room regularly, that's a real consideration. Two honest options: if portability matters now but not long-term, the iCrate is still the right answer — you move it empty, which is manageable. If they need to move it with the dog inside or very frequently, a heavy-duty crate on a wheeled tray is worth considering. Something like the Impact Dog Crates range with a wheeled dolly underneath handles that problem directly, though it's a significant price step up. How often are we actually talking about moving it — daily between rooms, or occasional repositioning every few weeks? That changes whether the iCrate holds up as the recommendation.

Legitimate concern, and I'll be straight: the iCrate is a wire fold-flat crate designed for average-sized dogs. An 80kg Saint Bernard shifting weight, leaning, or pushing against the divider creates dynamic stress it genuinely isn't built for. The plastic floor pan can warp and the divider clips aren't rated for that kind of load. I wouldn't feel good recommending it for this dog at full size. Final recommendation: Impact Dog Crates High Anxiety Dog Crate, 54-inch, with their wheeled dolly. It's heavy-duty aluminium, structurally rated for large powerful breeds, the divider system is robust enough to handle a growing Saint Bernard properly, and the dolly solves the portability problem cleanly. It's expensive — but for a dog that'll hit 80kg, you want a crate you're buying once. The iCrate was the right instinct, wrong product for this specific dog's eventual size and weight.