Best Heavy Duty Dog Crates

The best heavy duty dog crate is Haige Pet Your Pet Heavy Duty Dog Crate.

If your big dog is something of a Houdini, then you may need a heavy-duty dog crate. When you leave the home, placing your canine buddy in any dog crate should provide them with a space that will keep them out of trouble.

A heavy-duty dog crate is a dog crate strong enough to make sure that your dog cannot escape it. These crates are designed to provide an area where you can keep your dog safe and secure. Heavy-duty dog crates are stronger than traditional dog crates, and they also provide more space for your dog to move around.

In this post, weโ€™re going to take a look at the best heavy-duty dog crates available right now.

#1 Haige Pet Your Pet Heavy Duty Dog Crate

This heavy-duty dog crate fromย Haige Petย really does everything that you could want from a place to keep your dog. This is extremely heavy-duty, made from rust and corrosion-resistant steel, that won’t deteriorate over time. The thickness of the bars also ensures that the dog crate will be suitable for medium to large dogs โ€“ even those with the strongest teeth and jaws (practically indestructible)!

The single door has been designed smartly to be impossible for a dog to pick. Another great feature is the inclusion of wheels, which make it easy to move your dog around โ€“ this can also be used as a crate for transporting other pets. Similarly well thought-out is the slide-out plastic tray, which makes it very easy to clean and prevents your dog from being trapped with its own excrement.

The dog crate is easy to assemble and spacious for your dogs.

To summarize, this is a textbook heavy-duty dog crate. It is well-made and has a few thoughtful features that set it apart from the crowd. It comes highly recommended, and really there’s nothing else that you are likely to need from a crate. The only possible downside is that the design is not terribly welcoming for your pets.

Pros


  • The corrosion-resistant steel material used to produce this heavy-duty canine crate product is strong, durable and wonโ€™t rust or get damaged easily, thereby ensuring that it can continue to be used by a pooch for a significant period.
  • This heavy-duty dog crate product from Haige is easy to assemble, with the package containing everything that customers need to put the crate together for their canine buddies.
  • The Pet-Your-Pet doggy crate features a door that comes with two locks and safety buckles to prevent pooches from opening the crate on their own and escaping.
  • Haigeโ€™s canine crate comes with 360-degree rotating caster wheels that make it easier for customers to maneuver and transport the crate from one point to another; These wheels also lock in place to prevent the crate from needlessly rolling around.
  • The removable plastic tray contained under this heavy-duty Haige crate catches falling dog food, feces, or urine, thereby protecting the floor from being dirtied and making it easier for customers to carry out cleaning activities.

Cons


  • The hinge that keeps the door of this crate closed tends to weaken and fall off after some time, thereby making it easy for pooches to just push open the door and get out of the crate.
  • Several customers have claimed that this canine crate isnโ€™t chew-proof as advertised, with their dogs being able to damage parts of the crate by chewing persistently.

This product is our ultimate top pick because of its highly durable and corrosion-free steel frame that can accommodate medium to large sized dogs; plus it has a patented locking mechanism to keep your dogs safe while you are away.

#2 SMONTER Heavy Duty Dog Crate

For those that can’t shell out for a high-end expensive dog crate, theย SMONTER Heavy-Duty Dog Crateย is a wallet-friendly option that you can consider.ย 

The heavy-duty steel frame is just as strong as the top pick, while the three-door design means that you can open up from the top or the side or that you can feed through the smaller door in the front. Once again, you get wheels, and you’ll also find that assembly is very quick and easy here too. The only real omission, other than the slightly slimmer build quality, is the missing tray.

Considering the lower budget, this strong metal dog crate is a surprisingly capable offering that competes with the top-of-the-range options!

The SMONTER Heavy Duty Dog Crate comes partially assembled – you can get it up and running in less than 5 minutes. Comes with a 3-year aftersales warranty service too.

Pros


  • SMONTERโ€™s heavy-duty dog crate features a metal frame that is treated with a non-toxic multi-layer, hammer-tone coating to protect the crateโ€™s steel from rust and corrosion damage, as well as scratches from a poochโ€™s claws or teeth.
  • This heavy-duty dog crate product from SMONTER features a 2-door design with one door designed to serve as a point of entry and exit for pooches and the smaller door used as a means of feeding dogs while ensuring that they canโ€™t escape the crate in the process.
  • This dog crate product comes partially assembled, with pre-loaded locks, and all that customers need to do is fit the wheels and screw other components of the crate together, with all the required parts contained in the package.
  • Its rotating wheels make this SMONTER crate possible for customers to conveniently roll and move the crate from one point to another.
  • The removable plastic tray located under the SMONTER crate catches dog food and excrement before they can hit the ground and this tray also conveniently slides out for convenient cleaning.

Cons


  • Some customers have reported that their pooches were able to slide the locks of this canine crate open and get out rather easily.
  • There have also been multiple reports of pooches chewing and damaging the bars of the SMONTER crate.

#3 ProSelect Empire Dog Cage

Theย ProSelect Empire Dog Cageย is another of our favorite picks and has most of what any buyer will be looking for. The 20-gauge steel used here, for instance, is incredibly durable – which makes it an escape-proof dog crate. Likewise, the design that uses reinforced steel tubes is enough to hold even the unruliest of pets.

The floor grate and tray once again help to prevent your dog from having to be trapped with its own excrement and make it easy to clean later. There are wheels installed at its base, but they are fortunately removable. Perhaps the only downside is the size, which is only just large enough to fit medium-sized dogs comfortably.

This is a great heavy-duty dog crate that ticks a lot of important boxes. However, it might not be suitable for larger-sized dogs – so always check on the dimensions and measurements first.

Pros


  • ProSelectโ€™s dog cage product is manufactured with half-inch diameter steel tubing and 20-gauge steel material, with welds at stress points, to make it difficult for pooches to chew their way through and escape the crate.
  • The stylish hammer-tone finish of this ProSelect product enhances the crateโ€™s aesthetic appeal and also helps the crate resist rust and corrosive damage, as well as scratches from a pooch.
  • The Empire canine crate comes with four locking casters for conveniently moving the crate around in the house, and these casters can also be removed to prevent movements and provide stability for the cage.
  • Customers can conveniently carry out cleaning and maintenance activities with the ProSelect crate thanks to a grated floor and removable tray that prevents falling food and dog excrement from staining the floor.
  • The ProSelect Empire crate is available in two size options โ€“ Medium and Large โ€“ to provide convenient accommodation for pooches that fall within the specified weight categories.

Cons


  • Despite the hammer-tone finish of the ProSelect crate, multiple customers have reported that the steel bars of their crates are getting damaged by rust.
  • It is reported that some pooches have been successful in opening the latches of this ProSelect product and escaped from the crate.

#4 Homey Pet Open Top Heavy Duty Dog Cage

At this point, you’re probably starting to recognize the key features that set apart a top-quality dog crate. In this case, you’re getting most of those things from theย Homey Pet Open Top Heavy Duty Dog Cage.

Here we have lockable casters for moving your pet around, easy assembly, a plastic floor grid with holes to improve comfort, a grill and a tray, a handy feeding door, a double chain lock, and more than enough space for even larger dogs. It also uses a non-toxic finish for your peace of mind.

Among all the heavy-duty dog crates listed here, this is the biggest (49″ x 37″ x 44″) and could fit most large breed dogs comfortably.

Pros


  • Homey Petโ€™s heavy-duty dog crate features a special stacking design that makes it possible for the crate to be stacked up to twice its original height to provide adequate standing room for tall dogs.
  • The collapsible folding design of this Homey Pet product, with pre-assembled parts, makes it easy for customers to break down and store the crate when it isnโ€™t needed, and there is minimal space in the home.
  • The open-top design of this dog crate product provides an alternative, and sometimes, a more convenient means for customers to either place their canine buddies into or remove them from the crate.
  • The small feeding door located on the bottom part of this heavy-duty canine cage ensures that customers can conveniently feed their canine buddies without opening the main door to provide an opportunity for pooches to escape the crate.
  • This 49โ€ stackable canine crate from Homey Pet features a strong, pull-out tray that catches falling dog food and waste, and it is also removable for easy cleaning.

Cons


  • The Homey Pet crate doesnโ€™t come with specific assembly instructions, thereby making it difficult for customers without technical know-how to put together the crate for their canine buddies.
  • Some customers have reported that the wheels of this doggy crate product donโ€™t stay locked, thereby resulting in the crate occasionally rolling away from where it is originally placed.

#5 WALCUT Heavy Duty Dog Crate

This is a good-sized, virtually indestructibleย heavy-duty dog crate from WALCUTย that comes with a lot of well-thought-out features. It is easy to clean thanks to two removable bottom trays, and easy to move thanks to the caster wheels. The double door latch is able to keep even the canniest canine at bay, while the steel frame is also up to the task.

That steel isn’t reinforced or stainless like some of the others, however. This is why the price is a little lower, despite the large size. Still, it’s going to be a cut above the majority of dog crates and is of great value. For most pet owners, this is more than enough durability.

This is a somewhat mid-range offering then, but will still be strong enough for the vast majority of dogs. It once again comes with some of the best features, too, making this a great choice.

Pros


  • WALCUTโ€™s heavy-duty dog crate features an environmental-friendly and non-toxic coating to enable the productโ€™s steel bars to withstand oxidative action that usually results in rusting and corrosion.
  • This canine crate produced by the WALCUT brand comes with two removable bottom trays and a floor grate that ensure the floor of the home isnโ€™t stained with dog food, urine, or feces.
  • The dual-door design of the WALCUT crate, which features both top and side doors, provides multiple points of entry and exit, and this adds convenience when it comes to feeding dogs contained in the crate.
  • This heavy-duty dog crate features a foldable design which ensures that customers can collapse and store the product as needed, and the inclusion of four casters makes it possible to transport the crate for both indoor and outdoor use.
  • The WALCUT canine crate is available in multiple size options โ€“ 37โ€, 42โ€, and 48โ€ โ€“ to ensure that pooches of various sizes remain comfortable when housed in the crate.

Cons


  • Several customers have commented that it was difficult for them to open the top latch of this canine crate to gain access to their pooches in the crate.
  • Customers have also reported that some parts of this WALCUT product donโ€™t line up properly, thereby making it difficult to assemble the crate.

#6 SmithBuilt Heavy-Duty Dog Crate

Theย SmithBuilt Heavy-Duty Dog Crateย is large, sturdily constructed, and comes in two colors (black and grey).ย 

What’s more, is that we again see many of the great features that help some of the other cages to stand out. For instance, you have a two-door design once again that allows access through the top. It has rolling, locking wheels, rust and corrosion resistance, and a removable pan.

The only drawback is that some of the bars are a little thinner than others, and this might be a problem for the most extremely large dogs.

The slightly weak points on this cage mean that we can’t give it our highest recommendation. Nevertheless, it is still a great dog crate on the whole.

Pros


  • The SmithBuilt heavy-duty dog crate features a solid frame and expertly crafted construction with welded steel tubes to provide strength and ensure durability, thereby making it difficult for pooches to escape the crate.
  • The two-door design of this SmithBuilt product, with both top and side access, provides convenient ways for customers to either place or remove their pooches from the crate and feed their canine buddies when there is a need to do so.
  • This canine crate comes with four casters to ensure easy transportation from one place to another, and two of these caster feature locks to secure the crate in place and prevent accidental movements.
  • The multi-layer and protective hammer-tone coating on this dog crateโ€™s steel bars offers maximum protection against rust and fading, thereby ensuring its durability.
  • The removable bottom pan, with an integrated lip, that comes with this heavy-duty canine crate product keeps dog food from falling and making a mess on the floor, thereby helping to maintain a clean and healthy environment for the pooch in the crate.

Cons


  • The coating of this SmithBuilt crate tends to peel off easily, which results in the bars getting damaged by rust.
  • Dog paws tend to get caught in the wires of this heavy-duty crate product, and this often results in pooches injuring themselves.

Heavy-Duty Dog Crates Buyer’s Guide


Being told which heavy-duty dog crates are the best around is great, but being able to tell for yourself what makes them so, and how to tell a great one from a mediocre one, is even greater.

In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at some of the features of a proper heavy dog crate, what to be on the lookout for, and some commonly asked questions you should always consider to make sure you make the best decisions in this regard.

Heavy Duty Dog Crate – What To Look Out For?

Durability

One of the very purposes of getting a heavy-duty dog crate is to find something strong and sturdy to handle the extra demands that a regular, lightweight crate can’t. And it is for this reason that durability should be one of the key properties on your mind when making a decision of which heavy-duty dog crate to go with.

Also, as it happens, the best and strongest heavy-duty crates are also the ones that last longer, so finding a durable crate almost always ensures the quality of other properties, too.

Accessibility

By accessibility, we mean that a great heavy-duty dog crate should be secure enough to keep dogs in, and easy enough to access when there’s a need to bring them out or put them back in the crate.

For easy accessibility, various heavy-duty crates employ various features, such as multi-door design, wider space, and even smaller entries within a larger door. 

We talk more about this in the next section.

Mobility

Depending on your routine or even the purpose of employing a dog crate in the first place, there may be a need for the constant movement of your crate, and, thanks to their implied “heavy” nature, this may be a problem – if you don’t go for an optimized crate.

An optimized heavy-duty dog crate would have a moving mechanism installed that will make the constant movement as convenient and hassle-free as possible.

Space And Comfortability

Perhaps the most important property of heavy-duty crate, space, and comfortability are so important in a crate because, well, without them every other feature and property is pretty much useless.

There is no point in having a heavy-duty crate with fancy doors and efficient trays that cannot fulfill the basic function of a crate – which is to accommodate your doggie and make your furry companion feel as comfortable and at home as possible.

Maintenance And Cleaning

Lastly, another property you should place emphasis on when getting a heavy dog crate for your pooch is the ease of cleaning. To make this easier, state-of-the-art crates employ different tactics, the most common and most efficient of which is the use of a tray, which we discuss further in the section below.

Features Of Heavy-Duty Dog Crates

Now that weโ€™ve taken a look at some of the most important properties that a proper heavy dog crate must have to be considered high quality, the next thing to do is examine the individual features responsible for these properties, and how to tell which ones give the most desirable results.

Dimensions

One of the most important features of a heavy-duty crate that you should be on the lookout for is the dimension of the crate (and your dogโ€™s size) itself

A proper heavy-duty frame, and most of the entries on our list, should be no less than 36 inches long and 24 inches wide, with the most desirable size being in the range of 48 inches long and 33 inches wide, with a 37 inches height.

Floor Tray

To determine ease of maintenance and cleaning of a heavy-duty dog crate, it helps to be on the lookout for the presence of a floor tray. 

A floor tray makes it easier to collect wastes and keeps the upper part free from soiling. Also, an ideal floor tray doesnโ€™t retain pet odor and is rust-resistant.

Metal Type

To determine strength and durability, it is important to consider the material from which the heavy-duty crate in question is made.

A proper, sturdy heavy-duty crate generally makes use of heavy-duty steel frames of different dimensions, depending on your preference. 

An ideal metal for a proper heavy-duty crate is also corrosion-resistant and rust-resistant.

Door Design

For ease of accessibility, as mentioned earlier, the presence of multiple doors is important. Now, this isnโ€™t a deal-breaker by any means but is nonetheless a feature that should be very appreciated as it comes in handy in numerous scenarios.

Some heavy-duty crates offer as much as three doors, with two being the bare minimum you should settle for, and some offering as much as four.

Casters

For easy mobility, rolling casters are very important in a heavy-duty crate. Proper rolling casters should also have wheels that are capable of being locked in place to prevent accidental movement, or able to be completely detached and reattached when the need for mobility arises.

Floor Type

For comfortability, the floor of an ideal heavy-duty crate should be as smooth and accommodating as possible. Sometimes manufacturers take care of this by making use of porous plastic or other friendly materials, while sometimes they do it by making the metal as smooth and easy as possible.

Other times, though, it may fall on you to increase the comfort level for your doggie by fashioning a bed or a cushion at the base of the crate.

Related: Best Large Dog Beds

FAQ

Is it Possible to Get All of These Features in One?

Ideally, you should be on the lookout for a heavy-duty dog crate that offers as many of the most important features at a high level. Some features are obviously more important than some, and when you canโ€™t get all of them, you should always place emphasis on the most important ones.

Does Purpose Matter?

Yes, to determine which features are more important, you should always consider the purpose of the crate in the first place. For instance, to find a permanent place for your doggie to stay, comfort is important. If what you want is a crate for constant movement, wheels are important, and so on.

How Long Should a Heavy Duty Dog Crate Last Before Replacement?

A typical high-quality heavy-duty crate should last for at least three good years if properly used and maintained.


Final Thoughts


As you can see then, there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the right dog crate for your pooch. With that said, any of the top 6 dog crates on our list should be more than capable of providing you with the durability and convenience you need.

We believe in our top pick because it had all of the most important features, and a truly superior build quality. Whatever you choose, you’ll find that having a high-quality, heavy-duty dog crate can make your life significantly easier as a dog owner.

Avatar photo
Pete Decker