Top 5 Best Dog Camping Crates

You need the best dog camping crate if you’re going to take your dog camping safely. One of the reasons I love camping is that I can take my dogs with me. They are well-behaved but not exactly five-star luxury hotel guests. They like to swim in a river more than hanging by a fancy hotel swimming pool. I like to explore new wilderness places, so I always bring along my best dog camping crates to give them a safe and secure place to stay, as needed, in a new environment. Read our dog camping crate reviews & ratings to find the best dog camping kennel today.

The 5 Top Dog Camping Crates

My dogs are a Black Labrador and a Golden Retriever, and I cherish them like they are my children. Because I want them to always to be safe and happy, I looked for quite a while before I found the dog crate that I liked. Here are my reviews of the ones I investigated to bring you five of the best dog camping crates.

* Ratings are determined using our specialized rating system.

EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Dog Crate, Indoor & Outdoor Pet Home

The EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Dog Crate is one of the most popular in the category of the best dog camping crates because it is so versatile. It comes in lots of sizes, which makes it easy to get one that is a perfect fit for your dog. The way to know if the cage is big enough is when it allows your pet to turn around easily. This crate is big, and the color choices are awesome. I found an evergreen color that is a shade very close to the color of my car, which I love because it reminds me of fresh, healthy things growing in the forest. Even my dogs’ collars are green!

This crate has three doors that zip up and has plastic clip locks. It helps to have these extra doors so the dog can enter from any direction. All the sides and the top have screens, so they can be opened for cross ventilation to keep your dog both safe and cooler. This dog crate is soft-sided with a strong steel-tube frame. It easily folds up when not in use.

On the rear and on the top of this crate are large zipper pockets to hold dog food, grooming tools, leashes, or other accessories. These pockets are very nice places to put all the extra things you may need on a trip. Do not forget to bring the dog treats!

Noz2Noz Soft-Krater Indoor and Outdoor Crate for Pets

The Noz2Noz Soft-Krater Soft-Sided Crate has a lightweight and durable powder-coated steel frame with rounded corners. It is easy to set up, and the fabric material is water-resistant and cleans easily. To wash it, just remove the cover from the steel frame and throw it into the washing machine. Wash it in cold or warm water, but not hot. Then, allow it to air dry so it stays the correct size to fit back on the frame. I like this feature because when I come back from camping everything is usually muddy.

This crate comes in five sizes from 21 inches to 42 inches to accommodate dogs up to 100 pounds. The price varies depending on the size of the crate, but all of them are of a high quality for your pooch. Get a little bigger size, than needed to have plenty of room for your dog to stand up and turn around.

Ruff ‘n Ruffus Portable Foldable Pet Playpen, Carrying Case & Collapsible Travel Bowl

Puppies, kittens, and baby rabbits love the Ruff ‘n Ruffus Portable Foldable Pet Playpen because there is so much room to roll around. It sets up and folds down easily and quickly, and comes in three sizes to suit any size dog. Though the different sizes have different price points, all of them are affordable without sacrificing quality or comfort. The extra-large size is 48 inches by 48 inches by 23 and 1/2 inches, so it can handle a fairly big dog.

It comes in a nice blue color and purple. The seams have protection and the corners have reinforcement. It has a nice floor mat that attaches to the frame to provide stability. The door has a zipper to provide easy access.

I like that it comes with a carrying case and is easy to fold up to take along when traveling or camping, because it is strong but lightweight at the same time. The large size of this crate is better for creating a play area at a camping site than using it while riding in a car.

Petnation Port-A-Crate Indoor and Outdoor Home for Pets

The Petnation Port-A-Crate Dog Crate comes in four sizes that range from small dog friendly to large dog friendly. The small size is 24 inches and the largest size is 36 inches, with the largest size accommodating dogs up to about 70 pounds.

The manufacturer recommends using this crate for dogs that have been trained to be calm in a crate already and not to leave them unsupervised. A dog left alone in a soft-sided crate, who has separation anxiety, can chew out of the crate in minutes. Depending on the dog’s behavior this crate may be suitable or you may need a metal crate instead.

For compact storage when not in use, it folds up easily in a few seconds It has an extra-strong, heavy-duty, steel frame and a tightly-woven fabric cover. The two doors on the top and front have zippers and plastic-clip locks.

JESPET 3 Door Soft Sided Folding Soft Dog Crates Kennel for Pets

The JESPET Soft Dog Crate & Kennel is a foldable and lightweight soft-sided crate. Each side folds down towards the center using retractable springs that make it easy to set up and put away for storage when not in use. There is a convenient carrying strap so you can take it along with you anywhere you want to go. There are two colors of blue and beige available.

It comes in one size that is 36 inches wide by 24 inches long by 27 inches high. This size is big enough to accommodate a medium-sized dog, but it doesn’t have room for a very large one.

It has three doors, one is on the top, the second one is in front, and the third one is on the side. The doors can be left open to expose hex mesh fabric that allows plenty of ventilation. This helps to keep your dogs cool. There are pockets on the side and the top to store toys, food, treats, a leash, and other things you may need to take along. The washable fleece bed that comes with this crate is very nice and soft, and the cover is also washable.

Features to Consider for the Best Dog Camping Crate

I want to summarize now all the features and benefits for the best dog camping crates to give you a general overview of what to look for when you are considering buying one. Consider the following features when using the best dog camping crates.

Size

Size is a very important consideration. The number one reason that customers return one of the best dog camping crates is that the size is too small for their dog. To get the right one for your dog, measure him or her from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail and then add six inches to decide on the length needed. Next, measure the dog’s height when standing up, from the top of the head to the floor and add three inches to decide on the height needed.

The idea is to allow the dog to be able to stand and easily turn around. You know that thing that dogs do when they go around three times before lying down to sleep. That is what you want them to be able to do inside one of these best dog camping crates.

Connections

Another feature to look for is the quality of the stitching and whether the seams and corners are protected. A large dog can break a weak seam just by pushing against it. The same goes for zippers. Almost everything comes with plastic zippers now. They are subject to easy failure. All these crates have this problem. The way I deal with this, is I replace any ones that break with much stronger metal zippers.

I like the material to be durable, water-resistant, and also washable in a regular washing machine, so I can clean it easily.

Benefits of Using Dog Camping Crates

In addition to dog hiking boots and portable dog fences for camping, dog camping crates bring a number of benefits to you and your dog while you’re camping. I like that these dog camping crates are all sturdy, yet set up and fold up quickly. It was nice to be able to pull one of these best dog camping crates out of the trunk and rapidly open it to have a place to put my dogs so we can relax after a big day of exploring. My dogs also appreciate having their own space when they’re in a huge new space they’ve never been before.

Dogs are den animals. When they are trained to be calm in a crate, they feel more secure and protected. Think of the best dog camping crates as more of a comfortable place to rest or sleep and not as a cage. They are helpful when camping because it gives my dog somewhere safe to be without having to put them on a rope in the campground.

Precautions When Using Dog Camping Crates

Even the best dog camping crates are not for secure containment. That is not their purpose. Do not leave a dog in them unsupervised.

There are lots of horror stories of people leaving a dog in one of these best dog camping crates and going away from their home, only to return a short while later to see there is a hole in the crate and the dog has made a mess of the house. The web mesh is very vulnerable to ripping or chewing. If a dog is aggressive or destructive you need to use a metal cage instead. Nobody wants to leave their campsite with their dog kenneled only for a bear to come through while you’re away.

Additionally, campers should make sure the dog crate they want fits the size of their dog comfortably. A dog crate that’s too small can cause stiffness in your dog’s joints or other forms of discomfort. Know how to measure your dog for a crate before you buy.

To further ensure that your dog is safe and happy while you’re camping with them, consider bringing a camping dog bed, a dog food travel container for safe food storage, a special dog hiking harness and dog hiking backpack or hiking dog leash, and a collapsible dog food bowl to save space while you’re packing. If you plan ahead and bring the necessary gear, you’re sure to have a good time with your dog while camping.

Conclusion

My choice for the winner in the category of best dog camping crates is the EliteField 3-Door Folding Soft Dog Crate. I have three of them, one for each dog, plus a third as a spare that I always keep in my car trunk. I got the largest size because it was the roomiest and both of my dogs are big.

I like the two big pockets that are on the back and top. The manufacturer paid careful attention to the important details and made a very high-quality product, which is why it is my choice for the winner in the category of best dog camping crates.

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