This is a specific conversation about Dog crates — the right size and type — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Crate size is the single most important factor — too small causes distress, but too large removes the den-like feeling that makes a crate feel safe rather than exposed. Material matters too: wire crates maximise airflow, plastic shells trap heat, and fabric options are really only suited to very calm, non-destructive dogs. To point you in the right direction — what breed and size is your dog, is the crate for home, travel, or both, and are you starting crate training from scratch?
It's a 6-year-old Chow Chow, male, around 30kg. Mainly for home use — he has a spot in the living room. He's not being crate trained from scratch, he's used one before, but I'm replacing an old plastic one. He overheats really easily because of his coat.
inparticular.ai
That's really useful — and replacing a plastic crate is exactly the right instinct for a Chow Chow. Plastic shells have very limited ventilation, which is fine for travel but genuinely problematic for a thick-coated, heat-sensitive dog spending any real time inside. For a 30kg male Chow you'll want an XL size — roughly 107cm long. Can I ask: does he tend to lean or push against the sides, or is he generally settled once he's in?
He's pretty settled once he's in, not a chewer or a pusher. He just lies down and sleeps.
inparticular.ai
Perfect — that means you don't need the heaviest-gauge steel, which keeps your options open. My clear recommendation is the MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate in XL (107cm). It's a double-door wire crate, so four open mesh panels on all sides give excellent all-round airflow — exactly what you need. The door at the front and one on the side also means you can position it in a corner without blocking his only exit. It folds flat, has a removable plastic tray for easy cleaning, and it's consistently well-reviewed for medium to large breeds. For a calm, settled dog like yours it'll be more than sturdy enough, and the open wire construction is genuinely worlds apart from that plastic shell in terms of temperature.
That sounds good. Should I put a mat or blanket inside, or will that just make him hotter?
inparticular.ai
Good question, and worth thinking about carefully. A thick padded bed will trap heat underneath him, which is the last thing you want. Instead, look for a self-cooling gel mat or a raised mesh cot-style bed — the Vet Bed flat fleece is fine in winter but skip it in warmer months. A raised cot keeps air circulating under him as well as around him. Also worth checking where the crate sits in the room — away from radiators and direct sunlight through a window, ideally with some background airflow from a fan if your home gets warm.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll go for the MidWest XL.
inparticular.ai
Good choice — it's a solid, practical buy for exactly his situation. The difference in airflow compared to plastic will be noticeable immediately. If you want to add the cooling mat later, search for the Green Pet Shop Self-Cooling Pet Pad — it works without water or electricity and sits flat on the crate floor. Good luck with the swap.
