Our dogs have the metal crates which can be transportable but is  it good to get a fabric dog crate for the dogs as well...we will be camping with the dogs and going to some long day outs at different type of shows so it could be good for them to have an easy to use  time out area.  Do these have any addvantages over the metal wired crates such as being sun/heat  protective and rain proof because it would be good for the dogs to have a comfortable place to nap.  Also any idea about ease of storage and setting up and durability and so on? 

We have to spend a long day at helping out at an agility show  this weekend so I could do with some speedy ideas on how best to manage my dogs time there  and how to manage them if it is extra hot ( dream on ) or extra wet.   I'm not sure what the normal way to keep dogs is at these shows...ideally we would keep the dogs with us but I think we won't be permitted to do that which is against my nature but nesessary so I really need advice how to do this with the least upset to the dogs. I could do with compromiseationtips.... on what is a reasonable level of dedication to  helping the club to keep them happy and what is reasonable to give our dogs so as not to feel we are neglecting them?  This is all so new to us.

Thanks.

they are great for dogs that are crate trained and hapy to be left, adn are not chewers diggers or likely to getr aggresive or over excited by anything passing them.

Their main advantage is that they weigh very little, thoug some of the sturdier models sacrifice this.

I use these now at shows as it is easy for me to carry one in one hand, dog in other and dog show gear in the pack on my back.

Great to use in hotels, no having to lug heavy metal ones about.

If you ahve any doubts about how happy yoru dog will be in a crate then I would still go with metal.

I used to use one at the shows as they are so much lighter, but after Henry travelled next to a bitch and ripped a hole in it I had to replace it, and having found he could get through it, he promptly ripped a hole in the replacement, so I had to go back to a metal crate. Oddly enough he hasn't worked out that he could do the same for the big fabric crate we use for long car journeys!

Another minor disadvantage is that you can't clip a water bowl on the side, so the dog might tip the bowl over or stand in it.

lol! naughty Henry! lol!

thanks...

....any idea about the different  makes.... does PAH stock any decent ones ( just wondering if it's worth rushing into buying ones to try before this weekend ) and I have a little spare cash this week...

( ...and it might be possible to stitch a fabric water bowl to a corner?  )

ooooh...how they might behave...?  ....anything from calm and collected to horrifyingly loopy!

lol... oh dear.... I can see images of a fabric dogcrate coming bouncing trough the agility ring! 

...I guess for camping the metal crates might be a safer bet.... but I might not be able to fit them in the car....

They are really handy and I use one for my dogs, but I wouldn't leave it unattended - last year we were at an outdoor fun show, and my dog pawed/scratched at the 'door', the zip came apart and he was out! 

yep... one of mine can escape out of anything if she puts her mind to it...or break into anything if it contains food!  I never let them out of my sight because I'm totally paranoid about them getting stolen or something.  My last dog got stolen...we got him back very quickly but it was enough to give me a mighty scare!

He's a little monster sometimes Tenaj - good thing he's pretty!! :-D

If your dog's used to a crate he shouldn't find a fabric one any different. If he's never been in a crate before you'll need to coax him in and gradually build up the time he's left in it. Make sure you don't catch his ears in the zip if he's trying to come out while you're zipping / unzipping!

Having  pretty dogs is a nightmare! helps them get away with murder! I'm sure mine wold be much better trained if they weren't so cute!

Thanks for the tip about ears...it'd be just like me to catch their ears in the zip!

As for makes I have found the best ones by far are the noztonoz ones, they have the poles inside which make them much sturdier if someone happens to lean on it whilst at a show (which happened to me with my old fabric crates ) you can get the noztonoz ones from shows, they do have them on ebay but I wouldnt EVER go near that particular company selling them again, they were nothing but grief took my money and didnt send all the parts I ended up having to get the rest posted over from the USA (rant over :rolleyes: )