The Best Dog Crates in South Africa: An Honest Buying and Training Guide
A crate is one of those purchases people either swear by or feel vaguely guilty about, sometimes both at once. So let's clear that up first: used properly, a crate isn't a cage in the punishment sense. It's a den, a bed with walls, and for a lot of dogs it becomes their favourite spot in the house. Used badly, as a place to park a dog for ten hours, it absolutely is a cage. The difference is entirely in how you use it, and we'll cover that too.
What makes crate shopping confusing is that the right answer changes completely depending on the job: training a puppy, flying a dog to Joburg, or giving an anxious rescue somewhere to decompress all need different crates. So instead of listing every crate we sell, here's how to pick the right one for your actual situation.
Wire, Plastic or Soft: The Only Comparison That Matters
Wire crates are the default for home use and training, and for good reason. Full airflow, full visibility, most fold flat for storage, and the removable tray makes accidents a two-minute cleanup instead of a scrubbing session. Their one weakness is that some dogs find all that openness exposing rather than cosy, which is fixable with a cover, more on that below.
Plastic crates are enclosed, den-like and sturdy, which makes them the pick for travel and for dogs that prefer privacy. They're also the only option if your dog is ever flying: airlines require rigid, ventilated travel kennels, and a wire crate won't be accepted in the hold.
Soft crates are the lightweight compromise: quick to set up, easy to carry, perfect for calm dogs at a weekend away or a day at a show. They are not for chewers, diggers, or dogs still learning that the crate isn't optional. A determined dog exits a soft crate in about ninety seconds.
Our Picks by Situation
Petmate ProValu 1-Door Wire Crate
If you're crate training a puppy, start here. The included divider is the feature that matters: it lets you shrink the usable space while your puppy is small, then expand it as they grow, so you buy one adult-sized crate instead of two or three. Why the divider matters for house training: a puppy given too much room will sleep in one corner and wee in the other. Sized right, dogs naturally avoid soiling where they sleep, and the crate does half your potty training for you.
Petmate Training Retreat 2-Door Wire Crate
The two-door design sounds like a gimmick until you're trying to fit a crate into an actual room. A front and side door means the crate can go against a wall, in a corner, or under a counter and still be easy for the dog to get in and out. Same fold-flat convenience and removable tray as the ProValu.
Voyager Wire Dog Crate
For adolescent dogs in their destructive phase and for escape artists, a solidly built wire crate with secure latches is the difference between containment and a jailbreak. The Voyager is our straightforward, dependable option for dogs who test their infrastructure.
Petmate Sky Kennel and Vari Kennel
These are the airline-style plastic kennels, and if your dog is flying, this is the category you're shopping in. Check your specific airline's pet policy before buying, requirements differ on sizing and door type, and always confirm the kennel size against your dog's measurements rather than their breed. Beyond flying, these double as excellent car crates and as everyday dens for dogs that like an enclosed, private space. Add the Petmate No Spill Kennel Bowl for water on long trips.
M-Pets Flow Portable Crate
The lightweight, fold-in-seconds option for crate-trained, settled dogs. Perfect for guesthouses, camping and family visits. Not for puppies, not for chewers, and not for a dog's first month of crate training.
Getting the Size Right
Sizing is where most crate purchases go wrong, in both directions. The rule: your dog must be able to stand up without crouching, turn around fully, and lie flat on their side. To get there, measure your dog from nose to base of tail (not tip), and from floor to the top of the head while standing. Add roughly 5 to 10cm to each. That's your minimum internal crate size.
Resist the temptation to go much bigger "to be kind". For house training especially, a too-big crate undoes the den instinct that makes crates work. For puppies, solve the growth problem with a divider crate rather than an oversized one.
Crate Training, the Short Honest Version
Whole books exist on this, but the method fits in a few sentences. Make the crate the best place in the house: feed meals in it, toss treats in it, leave the door open for days before you ever close it. Reward calm, ignore theatrics, and build up closed-door time gradually, seconds before minutes, minutes before an outing. The routine for puppies is crate, toilet break, play, rest, repeat.
Two rules are non-negotiable. Never use the crate as punishment, because the whole system depends on the crate meaning safety. And respect time limits: adult dogs shouldn't be crated longer than about four hours in the day, and a puppy's bladder capacity in hours is roughly their age in months plus one. A crate is a bedroom, not daycare.
For dogs that settle better in enclosed spaces, a cover over a wire crate transforms it. The Petmate Modern Linen Kennel Cover does the den effect while keeping airflow, and honestly also makes the crate look like furniture instead of hardware, which matters when it lives in your lounge.
The Setup That Makes Dogs Actually Like Their Crate
A bare crate is a kennel. A crate with bedding is a bedroom. At minimum, add a properly sized mat: the Petmate Kennel Mat is the durable everyday option, the Plush Kennel Mat steps up the comfort, and the Cosy Reversible Plush Mat is the one for dogs who have opinions about bedding. For chewy puppies, start with the basic mat and upgrade once the shredding phase passes. Browse more options in Dog Beds, Blankets & Mats.
Position matters too. Put the crate where the household actually is, a lounge corner beats a laundry room, because dogs want to rest near their people, not in exile.
FAQs
What size crate does my dog need?
Measure nose to tail base and floor to head height, add 5 to 10cm to each, and make sure your dog can stand, turn and lie flat inside. For puppies, buy the adult size with a divider rather than upgrading crates as they grow.
Is crate training cruel?
Not when done properly. Dogs are den animals, and a well-introduced crate becomes a safe retreat they choose voluntarily. It becomes unkind when used as punishment or for excessive hours, so keep daytime crating to around four hours maximum for adults.
Which is better, a wire or plastic dog crate?
Wire for home use and training thanks to airflow, visibility and easy cleaning. Plastic for travel, flights and dogs that prefer an enclosed den. Many households end up with one of each for different jobs.
How long can a puppy stay in a crate?
Roughly their age in months plus one, in hours, during the day. A three-month-old puppy manages about four hours maximum, and overnight stretches lengthen as bladder control develops.
