Dog travel crate for Neapolitan Mastiff

Travel crates have very specific requirements depending on whether your dog is going by car, in a plane cabin, or in the hold — and airline regulations vary significantly between carriers, so getting it wrong can mean your dog simply can't board. To point you in the right direction: what breed and size is your dog, how are you travelling (car, cabin, or hold), and if flying, which airline?

That's a very common problem with heavy-jowled breeds like Neos — and it's worth solving properly because sitting in pooled saliva for a long journey is genuinely uncomfortable and can cause skin irritation on the chest and belly. For a dog at 70kg you're looking at an XXL crate, and the two things you need that most standard crates skip on are a raised waterproof tray base (not just a thin plastic liner that warps) and large ventilation panels on at least two sides so air moves through and moisture doesn't just sit. How long are your typical journeys, and does he travel in the boot of an estate or SUV, or do you have a van or a fixed cage setup?

Got it — for a 70kg Neo in an SUV boot on longer journeys with heavy drooling, I'd go with the Ruff & Barker XXL Heavy Duty Dog Crate. It has a solid, deep-lipped waterproof base tray that actually contains pooled liquid rather than letting it run under the dog, double-door ventilation panels on the front and sides, and a robust welded steel frame that won't flex when a 70kg dog leans on it. It folds flat for when you need the boot back, and the locking mechanism is simple but solid. The tray lifts out and can be wiped or hosed down in under a minute, which matters a lot with this breed. It sits at around 120cm long which gives a Neo room to stand and turn without being excessive. Add a rubber-backed fleece mat inside — nothing absorbent that holds moisture — and you've got a setup that keeps him dry and comfortable. One practical note: put a small folded microfibre cloth at the front of the crate so you can quickly wipe his jowls at rest stops. It makes a real difference over a 4-hour drive.

The tray on the Ruff & Barker XXL is high-density polyethylene rather than the thin ABS plastic you get on cheaper crates — it's designed to take the weight of a large dog shifting around without warping or cracking. That said, if you want extra longevity, placing a rubber mat over the tray distributes the load more evenly and stops claws from scoring the surface over time. Owners of giant breeds tend to get several years of hard use from this crate without the tray giving out, which is what you need.

Good choice — it's a genuinely practical setup for a dog like yours. Safe travels to both of you.