This is a specific conversation about Dog travel crates — safe and airline-approved — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
A retired racing Greyhound on long car journeys is a very specific crating challenge — these dogs are long-bodied, deep-chested, and need a genuinely flat base to lie stretched out comfortably, which rules out most standard crates. Standard XL sizes often aren't long enough, and older dogs especially need to be able to fully extend without wedging themselves awkwardly. To point you to the right thing: what's your dog's name, and can you tell me roughly how long they are from nose to tail base when lying down? Also, are you putting the crate in a car boot, or does it need to fit between seats?
His name is Bart. He's about 110cm nose to tail when he's flat out. He goes in the boot of a Volvo V60 estate. He's 11 now, retired racer, really calm but he gets stiff on long trips if he can't stretch properly.
inparticular.ai
110cm is at the longer end even for Greyhounds — you'll need something in the 120cm internal length range to give him real comfort, especially at 11 when joints are less forgiving. A V60 boot is generous but not unlimited, so the crate also needs to be proportionate. Does Bart have any issues getting himself down onto a hard floor, or does he manage fine? I'm asking because some older ex-racers need a slightly raised lip-free entry to step in without stumbling.
He's pretty good still, steps in fine. He just needs the room once he's in. We do trips of 3-4 hours so he needs to be able to lie flat the whole time.
inparticular.ai
For Bart, I'd go with the Midwest iCrate XXL — specifically the 54-inch (137cm) single-door model. That gives around 130cm of usable internal floor length, which is enough for him to lie fully extended. The base is completely flat with no raised centre bar, which matters enormously for a Greyhound's long spine. It folds flat when not in use, fits a V60 boot without modification, and the single-door configuration means it sits flush against the rear seats without a door swinging into the cabin. Line it with a flat orthopedic mat rather than a bolster bed — something like a Tuffies Nest Dog Bed cut to size — and Bart should be comfortable for those 3-4 hour runs without the stiffness you're seeing now. The Midwest 54-inch is available on Amazon UK and is well-reviewed specifically by sighthound owners.
That's really helpful. Is there anything to stop it sliding around in the boot on corners?
inparticular.ai
Good question — wire crates do shift unless you secure them. The simplest fix is a non-slip mat or a sheet of anti-slip matting cut to the boot floor underneath it. Some V60 owners use a boot liner with raised edges which naturally cradles the crate. For longer trips with an older dog it's also worth running a single luggage strap across the top of the crate and hooking it to the boot's tie-down points — keeps it completely still on roundabouts and sharp bends. Takes two minutes to set up and Bart won't feel any lateral movement.
Perfect, thank you. I'll look up the Midwest 54-inch now.
Your situation is probably different. Get a specific answer for yours.