Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate — Indepth Review

The Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate is a solid crate from the well-known brand, Carlson Pet Products.

Without further ado, let’s get on with this review.

Who Is The Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate For?

Every dog can use this crate, but because it’s a metal wire dog crates, you might not want to use this for aggressive, untrained pets. It’s a steel construction quite alright, but it’s not made with the aggressive breeds in mind.

So, get this straight, this is great for most breeds as long as they have undergone the fine art of crate training. Then and only then will this crate be suitable for your pooch.

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Features Of The Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate

1. Steel Construction

Just like many other dog crate models, this crate is made with steel. So, this is supposed to be pretty strong but it isn’t, to be honest. Don’t get carried away by the “steel” tag, we have met much stronger wire dog crates.

So, steel or no steel, you’ve got to remember that this is still a metal wire dog crate. Don’t expect this to withstand serious antics from aggressive dogs. If you want something that’s great for an aggressive breed with destructive tendencies, then get something that’s heavy-duty.

2. Foldable With A Handle

Of course, this crate is foldable. So, it is a great idea if you want to carry it around while traveling. Plus, it also makes storage very easy and convenient. It will hardly take up any space, and it folds down and sets up pretty easily too.

3. Single Door

This crate comes with just one door. And that means you’ll need a lot of scheming if you’re going to place in a way that the door is conveniently positioned. There’s also the issue of access to your dog and to the crate in general.

For instance, when you have to clean out the crate or maybe add some accessories into the crate. With a single door, it’s very tricky to manage simple processes like that.

But there’s a small advantage and that’s the fact that single door dog crates are less expensive than double door dog crates. But then again the margin is really small we wonder if it’s worth the inconvenience.

Still, the crate comes with a pretty large door. So, it might not be so difficult to workaround.

4. Removable Pan

Carlson chose to go for a removable pan that’s plastic and we are unimpressed. Plastic pans are just not worth the trouble. They damage too easily and will make fantastic chew toys for chewers.

What pet brands should be aiming for are metal trays.

Well, the plastic pan included removes and washes easily. Just be super careful if you have a pup that tends to get excited from time to time, you might need to keep making replacements.

Now, if you want our advice, take out the plastic pan altogether and replace with a metal tray instead.

5. All Sizes Available

This crate comes in only five sizes. There’s the small, medium, intermediate, large, and extra-large. Each of these sizes are quite spacious but here’s one thing that really gets us bothered.

Why on earth did Carlson think that it was okay not to put dividing panels in this unit?

Like, no one makes wire dog crates these days without adding dividing panels. So, this means that pet parents hoping to use this crate from puppyhood to adulthood for their pooches have hit a brick wall here.

All is not lost though, there are brands that sell dividing panels separately. Midwest is one of such brands. It’s a bit expensive though. Thought you should know that.

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Pros Of The Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate

1. Quite spacious and roomy enough for dogs to be comfy in.

2. Foldable and portable.

3. There are all sizes available for this crate. So, all dog breeds will find a home in one of these crates.

4. Sets up super easily in record time and without the need for tools.

5. Very affordable.

6. The pan locks into the crate so that pee does not spill onto your carpet. Some customers have complained that the pan moves but the problem is probably that they didn’t lock it in properly.

7. This crate is spacious and roomy.

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Cons Of The Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate

1. This does not come with dividing panels so it’s not a great idea for crate training puppies. This is quite strange especially since metal crates these days come with dividing panels as the norm.

2. This crate isn’t as strong as advertised. It is supposed to be made of steel and therefore stronger than most. But it isn’t and dogs have made this bed in several cases.

3. The removable pan is plastic and this bothers us as we explained initially. Metal dog trays are just a much more durable option.

4. The latch system on this crate could be a whole lot more improved.

5. This only comes with a single door which makes the crate very inconvenient to work with.

 

More Affordable Option — The Petco Classic 1-Door Dog Crates

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The Petco Classic 1-Door Dog Crate is a more affordable option if you don’t have the means to get our featured crate just yet. It’s actually also a single door crate just like our featured product except that it’s more affordable.

This crate is pretty great and probably a bit stronger than our featured product. Plus, it comes with dividing panels. So it makes a great alternative if dividing panels are a big deal for you.

Of course there are various sizes available as well. So, on that score, you’re covered.

 

High-End Option — Pet Life 360 Vista View Soft Folding Metal Frame Dog Crate

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The Pet Life 360 Vista View Soft Folding Metal Frame Dog Crate is a soft sided crate obviously. It’s slightly more high end than our featured product but it comes with a number of features to justify the price difference.

Furthermore, it’s a really roomy unit in all the sizes it comes in (extra small to extra large). And the metal frames in the crate are also quite sturdy.

A bonus feature you’ll find on the Pet Life 360 Vista View Soft Folding Metal Frame Dog Crate that you don’t always find is the leash securer. This unit comes with a built-in leash securer which adds to the safety and protection your pooch will be getting from this unit.

At the end of the day, this is a really comfy unit. But being a soft sided dog crate, it goes without saying – this is best for crate trained dogs only.

 

Something For Rambunctious Dogs — SUNCOO Double Door Heavy Duty Metal Dog Crate

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The Suncoo Double Door Heavy Duty Metal Dog Crate is made from reinforced steel so it is a rock-solid crate. If you have a really aggressive pet that needs a crate, this is a good place to start looking. Although more expensive than our featured product, for its purpose, this crate is moderately priced.

It is a mobile unit too. There are wheels at the bottom of the crate which you can use to move this crate around.

Now, we know that a lot of dogs have a few tricks up their sleeves, some of which they use to open the latches on their crates. But that’s not going to happen on this crate. The latch is positioned in such a way that your dog’s paws won’t be able to reach it, let alone unhook it.

We’re convinced this will match your strong, energetic dog strength for strength. Try it.

 

Plastic Dog Crate Option — Petmate Ruff Maxx Kennel

 

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If a hard-sided dog crate is more preferable for you than a metal crate, this is a fine choice. We’ve looked through it and the Favorite Portable Two Door Top Load Plastic Pet Carrier does well in our books.

It’s very competitively priced and it comes with steel bars at the doors, top and sides to ensure maximum ventilation.

Also, the doors are located on the top and in front of the crate. And the crate is pretty sturdy too. So, don’t fret, your pet will be safe here.

Lastly, this crate assembles quickly too. And the handle on the top of the crate makes it super easy to carry around.

 

Quick Comparison Table

	Featured	More Affordable	More High End	Heavy Duty Crate	Plastic Dog Crate
Product	Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate Click here to get it.	The Petco Classic 1-Door Dog Crates Click here to get it.	Pet Life 360 Vista View Soft Folding Metal Frame Dog Crate Click here to get it.	SUNCOO Double Door Heavy Duty Metal Dog Crate Click here to get it.	Petmate Ruff Maxx Kennel Click here to get it.
Material	Metal wire	Metal wire	Heavy-duty fabric	Heavy-duty steel	Plastic
Sizes Available	All	All	Extra small, small, medium, large, extra large	Large: 36 and 43 inches	19 inches, 24 inches, 26 inches, 28 inches, 36 inches, and 40 inches
Door	One	One	Not specified	Two	One
Colors Available	Black	Black	Khaki and Orange	Hammer-tone finish	Brown and black
Assembly Required?	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Best For	All kinds of dogs except aggressive chewers and escape artists	All kinds of dogs except aggressive chewers and escape artists	Crate trained dogs	All kinds of dog breeds. Also great for aggressive dogs	Crate trained dogs that love solitude

 

 

What Customers Are Saying About The Carlson Secure And Foldable Dog Crate?

Most customers who got this crate were happy campers. They love it! The general report is that this crate is that it is easy to assemble and set down. Plus, it is also really convenient to carry as well.

And the dogs? Well, no dog is going to take to crating right away. They only get to love it with time. It’s roomy, spacious and quite comfy especially after their pet parents had added some conveniences like a bed or a blankie.

Well, this does not mean that there were no issues at all, though. Even though customers loved this crate, they had to admit that it wasn’t as sturdy as they thought it would be. It still wasn’t such a big deal for many that they decided to return it, though.

And yeah, some customers also found this a fine unit for cats too. One actually bought the extra large and they were able to fit in two cats with their blankie, pillow, litter pan, food, and water bowls

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Our Verdict

We share the same sentiments as the general populace. This is a great crate overall, but it seems like the smaller things were overlooked.

For one, the crate isn’t as strong as we would have preferred. And there are no dividing panels, which just blows our minds (not in a good way). Plus, it’s a plastic pan included and we haven’t even talked about the inconvenience of the single door.

These are small details actually, but they do matter. But if these are things you can live with or find your way around, then this crate is not bad at all. It’s definitely not a 5-star product for us, but it’s pretty decent, nonetheless.

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