Man, traveling with dogs is tough! I can tell you that not only have my wife and I gone on several road trips with our three dogs, we also moved across country with two! And it’s hard! We definitely needed our collapsible dog crates.
So, with all of that experience, we have to recommend the Grain Valley collapsible and portable dog crate for traveling with dogs.
Grain Valley Collapsible Dog Crate
Contents
Quality
Grain Valley’s collapsible dog crate is American made with the highest quality standards. This crate is strong and sturdy and made from heavy-duty aluminum that is also light enough to carry. The walls are powder coated and rust proof; the corners are crush proof. Also, the welding is top notch. It is engineered and manufactured to be the last crate you buy and it certainly will be.
The design is also a genuine selling feature of the Grain Valley crate. It collapses in minutes to less than 8 inches in height while weighing less than 45 pounds. These are tremendous dimensions and make traveling with this crate a cinch. The crate is ideal for moving about an airport or in and out of a car.
5 things you need to know
- Grain Valley provides a lifetime limited warranty on this crate.
- I touched on quality earlier, and there’s something else that’s important to note. While this crate is good for dogs with separation anxiety, it’s not for escape artists or small percentage of dogs that are highly destructive when anxious. For these dogs we recommend the Zinger Winger PR4500.
- Features a “slam latch”, which essentially means that you don’t need to lock the crate’s door behind your dog. This is ideal for quickly loading your dog, especially an anxious dog, into the crate.
- The collapsible dog crate can be IATA and CR82 compliant with the purchase of the conversion kit. It includes storage slots for the airline rails (conversion kit must be purchased separately).
- Ventilation is an important consideration, especially for anxious dogs. The Grain Valley collapsible crate has some of the best ventilation we’ve found.
Dimensions
The extra large crate (suitable for dogs up to 29 inches and 100 pounds) assembles to 40.5″L x 25″W x 28.5″H.
This crate is also available in large, medium and small sizes.
All sizes collapse to 7.5″ in height. All sizes weigh less than 45 pounds (not including dog).
What About Other Crates?
There is really no other crate quite like this one. Nothing provides the durability and strength while also being collapsible and light. If you are looking for heavy duty crates, check out our post on heavy duty crates. On the other hand, if you need a very light and easily transportable crate, check out our post on the best portable crates.
Assembly
This collapsible dog crate, once assembled, will fold up and down in minutes. It is very convenient to store. Assembly out of the box can take time, customers have reported up to 30 minutes.
What are reviewers saying?
“Not ONE escape in 4 or so months now. ! I cannot say enough praises about this crate!!!!! It’s not cheap, but the money saved in ruined furniture etcetera and probable vet bills ( although he was not cut seriously when he jumped through a CLOSED window ) is worth every penny.“
“I have a 55lbs German shepherd/ Siberian husky mix who is an escape artist. He also has very bad separation anxiety, he has destroyed the past 4 steel cages I have had and even dug a hole through the plastic liner, my carpet and padding to the plywood beneath, and almost dog a hole through that as well. He was no match for this cage though! The bars in the door are spaced close enough and the hole around the cage are small enough so he can’t get ahold of it with his teeth or paws. It as the perfect size for a dog his size. The cage is also easy to collapse and assemble and it’s also light weight for how durable it is. It fits under my bed or in the truck of my Honda.“
“Excellent quality, and surprisingly lighter than expected. Easily carried with one hand while collapsed. I am a petite gal and have no problems picking it up and moving it even when fully assembled.“
Verdict
The Grain Valley collapsible dog crate is truly the best portable crate. It’s perfect for dogs with travel anxiety or even some degree of separation anxiety. Additionally, it’s engineered for airplane travel as it is IATA and CR82 compliant. That said, it is expensive- but it will last a lifetime.