Buying a dog crate on invoice:
What really matters before you order
A crate you could not touch beforehand is first of all a question of trust. Here is how to settle it for yourself — before you order, not after.
Why the question of paying on invoice is really a question of certainty
The cart is full, you have checked the dimensions three times, and still your finger hovers over the button. That is how most people feel when they want to buy a dog crate on invoice. It is rarely the payment method itself that tips the balance, but the feeling behind it: you are spending a lot of money on something you have never held, never opened, never placed in your car and never tried out with your dog.
Buying on invoice reverses the order. First the crate arrives at your home, then you take your time to look at it, then you pay. That takes the leap into the unknown out of the order, and that is exactly its value for a larger purchase. The payment methods available at DOXAFER® are listed on the Payment methods page — that is where you will find the current status, and that is where it belongs.
This article takes care of the other end of the matter. The three questions that come up most often after unpacking: Does the crate suit my dog? Does it fit in my car? And what do I do if one of the two answers is no? If you clarify these points beforehand, you usually won't need to send anything back at all.
The best safeguard is not the return.
It is the order that fits from the start.
Does it suit your dog?
A dog crate is not a piece of clothing where one size up rarely hurts. Too large is just as unsuitable as too small. In a crate that is too large, the dog is pushed back and forth inside on every bend instead of lying still. One that is too small takes away the chance to lie down and change position, and you will notice that by the second hour of driving at the latest.
The yardstick is your dog lying down, not standing. Measure when it is lying relaxed on its side: from the chest to the base of the tail. Add the shoulder height while standing. Don't round up generously, and don't add anything for later when your dog is fully grown. These two numbers are the basis for everything else.
Three things to clarify before you order
This is the quarter of an hour that saves the most later on. Tape measure, a note, done.
01Measure the dog, don't estimate
Wait a moment until it lies down on its own, then measure. A dog that you stand up and hold still for measuring makes itself longer or shorter than it is. Note both values in centimeters and put the note next to your computer. With these numbers, the size finder guides you to the right size in a few steps, instead of you weighing up two variants.
02Measure the car, in the condition you actually drive it
Measure the space as it looks in everyday use: with the child seat that stays in anyway, with the parcel shelf you leave installed. On the rear seat, what counts is the width between the door panels and the depth of the seat cushion. In the trunk, add the height under the tailgate and whether the crate clears the loading sill. Both are good places — what matters is not the position in the car but the firm connection to the vehicle. How this connection works technically is described in detail in the article Dog crate on the rear seat with ISOFIX.
03Ask if two sizes are possible
If your dog is between two sizes or you are unsure about your vehicle model, ask before ordering instead of ordering both variants and sending one back. Give breed, measurements and vehicle in a short message. That is the shortest route to a reliable answer — and it costs you nothing but two sentences.
Does it fit in the car?
This question is decided by the external dimensions of the closed crate, not by the picture online. Compare your noted vehicle dimensions with the specifications for each size and leave yourself a few centimeters of room. A crate that only goes in by force also only comes out by force, and you will do that more often than you think.
A simple test in advance: place a cardboard box with the same dimensions in the intended spot. You will see immediately whether the door still opens, whether the passenger seat has to stay forward and whether you can still reach your dog comfortably. How the crate gets to you is explained in the shipping information.
What you cannot check on a screen
Size and fit can be calculated. Workmanship cannot. Whether an edge is cleanly finished, whether a latch closes firmly, whether the grille gives under load — you only find out when the crate is standing in front of you. That is exactly the point where buying on invoice is more than a convenient payment method: you judge the product at the moment when you can really judge it.
Then take the time for it, too. Put the crate on the floor, open and close it several times, shake it, look at the places where parts meet. Install it in the car and check that it sits firmly. Only then let your dog in — while parked, in the driveway, not on the way to an appointment. What to do if you notice something during this check is explained under Warranty and complaints.
Five points that prevent a wrong purchase
- Lying length, not standing length. Measure your dog lying relaxed on its side, from the chest to the base of the tail, plus the shoulder height.
- Measure the car the way you drive it. With the child seat, with the parcel shelf, with everything that stays in anyway.
- Cardboard test before ordering. A box with the external dimensions shows you in two minutes whether the door and tailgate are still clear.
- Ask if two sizes are possible. A short message with measurements and vehicle replaces the double order.
- Accessories only after installation. Orthopedic floor, blanket or Safety-Leash fit exactly once the size is settled — you will find all accessories in the shop.
Which size suits your dog?
Once you have the two measurements in front of you, the rest is done quickly. The size finder asks for exactly the details you have just noted and tells you the right size. If your dog has been restless in the car or has not coped well with driving, first read the article on travel sickness in dogs — often the crate is only part of the solution. You will find more articles in the DOXAFER® Magazine.
Start size finder →In brief
If you want to buy a dog crate on invoice, what you are really looking for is certainty with a larger purchase. You get most of it beforehand: through two measured numbers on the dog, two on the car and a question when something remains unclear. The rest is settled at the moment the crate stands in front of you and you check it at your leisure.
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