Pet Travel Crates : If you have a dog or a cat, they’re one of the family and it’s only natural to want to take them with you wherever you go. Now, more than ever before, airlines and travel companies will assist you in transporting your pets overseas so it’s much easier to take them travelling with you.

However, before you go, there are some major things that you’ll need to consider. Some of the most important things are your pet’s vaccinations, pet travel documents and their travel crates. If you don’t get the crate right, your pet will be uncomfortable during travel, and this could even be unhealthy or dangerous for your pet. We asked the experts, Ferndale to tell us what’s the latest advice for pet travel crates.

How Big Should Your Pet’s Crate Be?

The trick is to get a crate big enough for your pet to easily be able to turn around, but not so big that they can walk up and down inside.

Your pet needs to be comfortable and be able to stretch their legs out if they need to, especially if they’re going to be in the crate for a long time.

However, having a large crate that allows too much movement could also be problematic for a few reasons:

1. If you’re travelling by plane or boat, there’s a chance that, during rough seas, or turbulence, your pet will be moved around a lot and having a large crate that allows too much movement could mean that your pet becomes injured in transit.
2. Some pets, especially dogs, are natural protectors. They will work to protect the space that they’re in to prevent any strangers or threats coming in. This means that a larger space gives them more area to protect. If they’re in an environment that they’re not used to, then having the responsibility to protect a large area could cause them some anxiety. This could mean that your pet’s journey is scary, and they won’t enjoy travelling in the future.

Crate Training & Crate Travel for Dogs

Crate training is an excellent idea when you get your puppy. This is because they feel safe in their crate and if the world outside gets a little too much, your puppy can retreat to their safe space. It’s just like a child’s bedroom. The crate should have all of their favourite toys to keep them occupied while they’re in there.

Crate training also means that your dog can feel safe at night, or when you’re out of the house and not feel anxious about the area they have to watch over and protect.

Treating your dog when they go into the crate will also solidify the positive association, meaning the crate is a great place to be.

If you’ve been through the crate training process with your puppy at a young age, then travelling will be a much more positive experience for you dog.

You should use the same size crate for travel as you do at home for bedtime. This way, your dog will associate the travel crate with the one at home and not feel scared or anxious about being in there for a few hours.

How to Measure Your Pet for the Perfect Crate

First things first, you’ll need to measure your pet. You need to look at the length from nose to base of the tail and height from feet to tips of the ears when you pet is sitting down.

This isn’t an easy task, so it’s a good idea to put your pet against a wall and have treats on hand so they stay in place.

You shouldn’t need to measure your pet’s width (unless they’re particularly overweight, as crates are made to be proportional to the height and length.

Once you have the measurements, add 2 inches for smaller dogs or cats and 4 inches for larger dogs. These measurements will give your pet enough space to move, but not so much that it’ll become dangerous or uncomfortable.

Travel Crates for Puppies

Buying a crate for a puppy can be a tricky task, as it’s obvious that they’re going to grow. There are a couple of options. You could opt to buy various crates throughout their lifetime, meaning that you’d just use the same method as above and resize as they age.

As it’s not advisable to travel with your pet until they’re at least 6 months old and fully trained, you should only realistically need to buy a different sized crate once in their lifetime.

However, if you’re wanting to save a little money, a crate for the adult sized version of your dog should work just fine. They will grow into it.

Alternatively, there are resizable crates which incorporate a divider. These crates are the correct size for your adult dog but have an adjustable wall within them which allows you to give your puppy the right amount of space, changing it as they grow.

Standard Travel Crate Sizes

Once you’ve measured your dog, you’ll need to look for the crate that’s closest to the size you need. Obviously, it’s unlikely that you’ll get one exact, as pets come in all shapes and sizes. If there are two sizes close to your pet’s measurements, then always select the larger of the two.

18” – 22”

These crates are for cats or for miniature dog breeds such as Pugs, Yorkshire Terriers or Jack Russell Terriers.

24”

These crates are for large cat breeds such as Savannah Cats or Maine Coon cats and small dogs such as Miniature Poodles, Dachshunds or Italian Greyhounds.

30”

The 30-inch crate is for medium sized dogs such as Cocker Spaniels, Bedlington Terriers or Shetland Sheepdogs.

36”

These crates accommodate slightly larger dogs, being the perfect fit for a Beagle, English Setter or Basset Hound.

42”

42” crates are fit for Dalmatians, Salukis, Border Collies, or any dog that is considered ‘large.’

48”

Extra large breeds will require a 48” travel crate. These include Bloodhounds, Greyhound or Pointers.

The XXL Giant Crate – 54”

These are the largest crates and are required for giant breeds such as Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds and Great Danes.

Summary

No matter where you’re taking your pet, always make sure they’re completely comfortable by measuring the crate size first. The more enjoyable the journey is for your pet, the happier you’ll be and the easier it will be to take them with you next time. Use a pet relocation company like Ferndale Kennels, a company that has been around for over 20 years is highly experienced and knows how to deal with any problems that may arise during or around pet travel.