Buying a dog crate for the car:
five decisions in a fixed order

The purchase does not start with the dog

You are standing next to your dog with a tape measure, he turns away, you measure for the third time — and you still do not know whether the crate will even fit between the rear seat and the front seat. This is exactly where the purchase usually goes wrong. If you want to buy a dog crate for the car, the first binding figure is not your dog's back length, but the space your vehicle provides.

A crate fulfills two tasks at the same time. It gives your dog a place where he can lie down and settle, instead of bracing himself against every bend on smooth upholstery. And it keeps him where he belongs when you have to brake unexpectedly. A dog sitting loose in the car becomes a risk to everyone on board during sudden braking — to himself first of all. Mass times acceleration is the only physics you need for this buying decision.

This results in an order you should not rearrange: first the vehicle, then your dog's measurements, then the type of connection, then material and workmanship, and finally everyday use. Each of these five questions narrows the selection further. Start with the last one, and you end up buying on looks and measuring afterward.

Five decisions, one order

The following five steps build on one another. Answer them in order, note down the figures, and at the end you will arrive at one or two models instead of twenty.

Your dog's measurements

Measure your dog standing up: back length from the base of the neck to the base of the tail, shoulder height from the floor to the withers. Then observe how he sleeps at home. A dog that stretches out needs length; a dog that curls up needs area rather than height. Both belong in your notes.

The crate should be large enough for your dog to lie down and turn around comfortably. Bigger is not better here: in a crate that is too spacious, he has room to gain speed when the vehicle moves abruptly. The frame should support him, not give him a run-up. If you are between two sizes, his sleeping position decides, not the wish for extra room.

The type of connection

This is where buying advice parts ways with looks. However sturdily a crate is built — if it just stands on the seat, it slides forward with every emergency stop. So for every model, first ask how it is connected to the vehicle, and whether this connection can be released again without tools in just a few steps.

Fixed anchoring via the attachment points already present in the vehicle is the most direct way to get there: the crate becomes part of the car instead of cargo inside it. How this works in detail and what to look out for on the rear seat is explained in the article Dog crate on the rear seat with ISOFIX. The principle of the DOXAFER® dog crate with ISOFIX follows exactly this idea.

Everyday practicality

The best crate is the one you also use on a rainy Tuesday. So ask yourself: how quickly is it installed, and how easily removed again when you need the trunk? Can the interior be cleaned without taking the whole model apart? Can you carry it on your own?

Everyday use also includes how your dog experiences the drive. An orthopedic floor takes movement out of lying down, a blanket makes the crate a familiar place, and the Safety-Leash secures the moment between opening and leashing. Which of these you need is shown in the overview of accessories. If your dog is restless on the road or drools heavily, read the article on dog travel sickness in the car before buying — some problems are solved by the crate, others by getting used to it.

What durability in the car really means

A dog crate stands in the sun in summer and in wet cold in winter, it is installed and removed, and it takes claws, hair and mud. Durability here does not mean that a material looks expensive, but that zipper, seam and floor still do the same after the third winter as on the first day.

A useful indication of this is how long a manufacturer stands behind its crate. A five-year warranty applies to the DOXAFER® models. That is not a test seal and does not replace your own look at the workmanship, but it tells you something about the service life the manufacturer itself expects.

Buying a dog crate for the car: the most common mistakes

• Measuring the dog first, then the car. The crate then fits the dog, but not between the rear seat and the front seat — and gets sent back.
• Ordering one size up so he has room. Extra space while driving is not comfort, but distance over which your dog is set in motion when braking.
• Overlooking the connection to the vehicle. Stability without anchoring achieves nothing: a crate that can slip will eventually slip.
• Deciding based on the door shown in the photo. Check whether it can actually be opened in your vehicle and at the curb.
• Thinking about getting used to it only after the purchase. A dog that has got to know the crate at home beforehand gets in on travel day without any discussion.

Which size fits your dog?

Once your four vehicle measurements and your dog's two measurements are noted down, the size question is answered in two minutes. The size finder guides you step by step through both pairs of figures. You will find more articles on safety, technology and everyday life in the DOXAFER® Magazine.