Iris Wire Dog Crate

The Iris Wire Dog Crate is a beautiful wire dog crate created by North American brand – Iris USA Inc.

But just before we get to the review in full, let’s talk about the brand.

Iris USA Inc. came on the scene in North America in the year 1994. At first, Iris started with plastic storage products. But now the brand carries all kinds of products which help to bring a level of convenience, beauty, and comfort to daily living.

Now its organization solutions are not just limited to home and office use. The brand also provides solutions for hobbies, crafts, and pets too just as you have in the Iris Wire Dog Crate.

What that said, let’s answer the most important question:

Table of Contents

Who Is The Iris Wire Dog Crate For?

The Iris Wire Dog Crate comes in two sizes only: small and large, catering to small and medium breed dogs only. Small breeds include Toy Poodles, Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, etc. Large breeds include Bulldog, Dachsund, Beagle, and Corgi. This dog is not for giant breeds as the largest size is 31 inches. It’s a good choice for fashion forward pet parents but a bad choice for dog owners who want to crate-train their pets.

This crate comes in two sizes only- small and large. Iris clearly states in its instruction book that the small size of this crate is only for dogs less than 10 pounds. So, it will only work for breeds like the Toy Poodle, Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, and so on.

The large size, on the other hand, can hold larger dogs but we won’t exactly call them large breeds. More like medium breeds. It measures at 31-inches. Iris recommends the large size for breeds like the Bulldog, Dachshund, Beagle, and Corgi. So, if your dog is a larger breed, you might want to look at a different crate.

This crate isn’t the best option if you’re looking for a crate to house train your pet. Use this with crate-trained pets only else the whole thing could come crumbling in a short time.

Fashion-forward pet parents would definitely love this, though. There are several color options to pick from.

What Are The Features Of The Iris Wire Dog Crate?

Here are the features of the Iris Wire Dog Crate:

Wire construction.

Removable mesh top.

Single door.

Molded bottom tray.

Different colors available: black, blue, gray, green, pink, white, and yellow.

1. Wire Construction

You’ve already seen from the name that this is a wire crate. So, this means that the crate comes with wire bars made of metal. Now to ensure that the wire remains in mint condition for as long as, the wire bars come coated in heavy-duty epoxy coating. This will prevent any kind of rust and ensure the crate is sturdy and durable.

We did discover, though, that some pups chewed on the crate and were able to chew off chips of the coating. So, you’ve got to be super careful, especially if you have a teething puppy or a dog that likes to chew.

The wire bars here have a spacing of 1.5 inches each between them. So, it might not exactly be easy to fit a water bottle in here.

2. Removable Mesh Top

This would be a good time to bring up the mesh cover. Well, for one thing, you can be sure that the mesh wire will serve to ensure that your dog gets all the ventilation that they need. However, it is pretty flimsy.

But then again, this is one of the ways this acts like a puppy playpen. All playpens usually come with mesh tops which help to protect the pet from the sun while still letting in air. However, being that this crate also works as a house crate, we would call the cover flimsy.

Also, if you’re not actively supervising your dog, they could easily crawl out of this crate somehow. After all, the cover only joins with the rest of the crate by Velcro straps only.

If your dog is the well-behaved pet, though, you might not need to worry. There are some dogs that have used the crate even without the cover and never thought of escaping. So, if you have such a dog, great. But if your dog is the exact opposite, prepare for the chance that they might crawl out of here when you’re watching.

3. Door

There’s just one door on this crate. It is a sliding door. And that’s actually good on several counts. For one, it means that the crate will require less space to work with. It’s just like we had it on the Midwest Ovation Dog Crate.

Well, in that crate, the door opened like a garage door, on the other hand, this one slides. But it’s pretty much the same thing. Since it’s not a swinging door, you don’t need to factor in door-space when fitting your crate. So, this crate works for people living in tight spaces.

Finally, the lock… Iris calls this a “positive-lock latching system”.

From our research, we can say that this crate will work for Houdini pets, except, of course for the mesh top. When we checked, we didn’t find any report of any pet jimmying the locks and busting their way out of this crate.

So, it’s safe to say that the locks here are somewhat bust-proof.

4. Molded Bottom Tray

This crate comes with a molded bottom tray which makes the crate easier to clean. From our findings, the tray is actually quite easy to use, even though it took some getting used to for some dogs.

What we also especially like about this bottom tray is that it also comes with rubber feet that help to keep the crate firm on the floor.

5. Different Colors Available

There are loads of color options for you to pick from and it all depends on your tastes. You can pick something that matches you and your dog’s tastes. Or you can match your crate to your home décor.

The color options here include: black, blue, brown, gray, green, pink, white, and yellow.

6. Available Sizes

This crate comes in only 2 sizes-small, large. The small size measures about 25 inches which would work for a Yorkshire Terrier or a Chi.

The large size, on the other hand, is better for a Dachshund or a Bulldog.

One thing is sure, though. Whatever size you eventually get, your dog is going to have enough space to go about his activities in comfort.

What Are The Pros Of The Iris Wire Dog Crate?

The following are reasons the Iris Wire Dog Crate is a good buy:

Looks attractive and comes in several color options.

Sliding door makes the crate usable by pet parents managing a small living space.

The bottom tray comes with non-skid rubber feet to keep the crate from sliding across the floor.

Can work both as a playpen and a house crate.

Really spacious unit and can even accommodate two pets at a time, depending.

What Are The Cons Of Iris Wire Dog Crate?

The mesh top on this crate is flimsy and some dogs will be able to climb out of this crate through the roof.

This isn’t super sturdy so you want to use this to crate well-trained dogs only.

There are only two available sizes here – small and large. And even the large seems to be more medium than large.

A lot of people found this difficult to put together.

This doesn’t come easily foldable for travel or storage.

Some customers found this crate a tad too pricey.

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What Are The Alternatives To The Iris Wire Dog Crate?

Other options besides the Iris Wire Dog Crate if you want something different include:

Midwest Ovation Dog Crate: more size options especially if you have a giant breed.

AmazonBasics Folding Metal Dog Crate: more user-friendly.

Parkland Pet Portable Playpen: more travel-friendly.

Paws and Pals Dog Playpen with Blanket: more affordable.

For A Similar Crate With More Sizes, See The Midwest Ovation Dog Crate

The Midwest Ovation Dog Crate is quite similar to our featured product in the aspect of the kind of door. In fact, we did mention this crate early on in the review when we were discussing “doors”.

They can both help you save space with doors since they come with garage doors and sliding doors.

However, with this crate, you have two options. You can get the single door option which comes as a garage door. Or you could get the double door option where you get the garage door and a swinging door. The latter costs more.

Another good thing about the Midwest Ovation is that it’s available in different sizes. As usual with Midwest products, there are all 6 sizes to cater to all sizes of dogs from small to extra large dogs.

More User-Friendly Alternative: AmazonBasics Folding Metal Dog Crate

If ease of assembly is a big must for you, then you won’t get it with our featured product. It requires the use of screws to assemble which we understand might not be everybody’s cup of tea.

If you’re one of such, you’re probably looking for an easier option. And that’s why we suggest the AmazonBasics Folding Metal Dog Crate. It sets up in a snap and you won’t need to use any tool at all.

Of course, you’ve got to be careful here too. Most wire dog crates cannot contain rambunctious dogs effectively. And escape artists also find crates like these quite easy to scale.

More Travel-Friendly Crate: Parkland Pet Portable Playpen

Our featured product does not come foldable, so it might not be your best choice for traveling. If you need something like a playpen you can take with you on your road trips, camping and all, check the Parkland Pet Portable Playpen.

This does not need assembly. It pops up and folds back flat which makes the unit easy to store, as well as, move around. It comes in three sizes, which is one size more than our featured product – small, medium and large. However, it does not feature the many color options our featured product has.

More Affordable Option: Paws and Pals Dog Playpen with Blanket

A couple of customers found our featured product a bit pricey. If you’re one of them, then this playpen is for you.

Now, unlike our featured product that is made of wire bars, this playpen is made of poly-nylon which makes it a lot less expensive.

It comes in different color options and is also foldable which makes it great for travel. In the package, you’ll find your playpen with its removable mesh roof, a storage bag, plus 4 anchoring stakes to keep the playpen stable on the ground.

Quick Comparison Table

	Featured	More Available Sizes	More User-Friendly	Travel-Friendly Option	Plastic Dog Crate
Product	Iris Wire Dog Crate Click here for details	Midwest Ovation Dog Crate Click here for details	AmaonBasics Folding Metal Dog Crate Click here for details	Parkland Pet Portable Playpen Click here for details	Paws & Pals Dog Playpen with Blanket Click here for details
Material	Metal wire	Metal wire	Metal wire	Polyester/nylon	Lightweight poly-nylon
Sizes Available	2 sizes: Small and Large	6	6	3 sizes: Small, Medium, and Large	1: 48 inches
Doors	1	Single and Double Door options	Single and double door options	1, with removable mesh roof	1 with removable top
Colors Available	Black, Blue, Brown, Gray, Green, Pink, White, and Yellow	Black	Black	Brown	Black, Dark Blue, Pink, and Red
Assembly Required?	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Best For	Playpen for small and medium dogs. Can also work as a house crate for small and medium crate-trained dogs.	All kinds of dogs except aggressive chewers. Should work for escape artists.	All dogs except aggressive chewers, rambunctious dogs, and escape artists	Travel playpen for small to large dogs. Suitable both for indoors and outdoors.	Playpen for dogs of all sizes, especially large dogs. Can also be used as a travel crate.

What Are Customers Saying About The Iris Wire Dog Crate?

One thing is for sure. Loads of customers would kill for the looks of the Iris Wire Dog Crate. It’s a beautiful item and Iris USA obviously did a good job making this a decorative piece. The crate also appeared to live up to its expectations for most pet parents who left their expectations realistic. That is, they didn’t expect this to house energetic, rambunctious dogs.

That said, many pet parents were disappointed in the removable mesh roof. There were so many accounts of this cover’s flimsiness. On a couple of occasions, pets would climb out of the crate through the roof even while it was still attached.

Well, we should also give you the other story which is that the crate also worked without the cover for some dogs. Yeah, it was hard for us to believe it too but some dogs actually stay put in their crate without the cover. So much so that their parents don’t even use the cover with them anymore.

As for setting this up, the reaction was a mixed bag. However, for most, this was a bit difficult to put together. Others though, the handy ones we will assume, did not find this difficult to set up at all. But in all, just set your timer for about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on your skill level.

One thing is sure though. When you finally assemble this, the looks will cause you to smile. At least, that’s what happened for most customers.

Should I Get The Iris Wire Dog Crate?

You’re going to love the Iris Wire Dog Crate, especially for its beauty, which is its biggest attraction for most buyers. But besides looks, you’d also like how this crate can work as both a playpen and a house crate. We would have loved it, though, if this crate folded easily to make it easy to store and transport. But coming with screws, we guess that is already busted. Now, if you’re getting this, we’d use it more for a playpen than for a crate. For that purpose, we can confidently tell you that this crate works excellently. In the end, this is a good product, no doubt. Maybe not a 5-star product, but it definitely deserves a 4-star rating at the least.

But hey, it’s just our opinion, you’re the ultimate judge.

Iris Wire Dog Crate — FAQs

Is The Iris Wire Dog Crate Any Good?

The Iris Wire Dog Crate is a fantastic, not to mention attractive, crate choice best for small to medium, well-behaved dog breeds. It also makes a great choice for dog parents with a small living space as it comes with a sliding door. It’s spacious enough for your dog and it comes in several color options.

Should I Put A Dog Bed In My Puppy’s Crate?

A bed in your puppy’s crate is a nice touch. It makes the crate more comfortable for your pet which, in turn, helps to prevent “crate hate.” However, it might be best to hold off putting that soft, plushy bed in your dog’s crate until they have been properly house-trained. Once you can trust your dog not to pee, poop, or chew on his bed, you can proceed to put one in his crate. Till then, a high-quality crate mat is best.

What Kind Of Crates Do Dogs Prefer?

Dogs are individuals with unique behavioral patterns and preferences. In other words, on the issue of crates that dogs prefer, generalization will not help. Shy, reserved dogs might prefer the solace that hard-sided, plastic kennels give. Boisterous as well as anxious dogs might prefer wire dog crates. For boisterous dogs, seeing the outside world keeps them excited and for anxious dogs, being able to see you would keep them calm.

Should I Leave Water In My Dog’s Crate At Night?

You don’t have to leave water in your dog’s crate at night. Healthy adult dogs don’t need it, and for young puppies still in the process of housetraining, leaving water for them at night just undermines the training. Remember that puppies have tiny bladders. In summary, you want your dog to associate going into his crate with sleeping and security not drinking water.

Should You Put Toys In Your Dog’s Crate At Night?

Generally, when it comes to putting toys in your dog’s crate, you must make that choice carefully. Only go for large chew toys without small parts that can easily be ingested. You can stuff such toys with frozen treats to give your dog something to occupy her till she falls asleep. Plus, it would divert her attention from the bedding by providing a safer chewing alternative.

When Can I Stop Crating My Dog?

If you’re asking when about when to stop crating your dog, it’s probably because you’re crating your dog for the purpose of housetraining. If this is your goal, then a reasonable time frame to work with would be 8 weeks from the last time your dog had an accident. That is, 8 weeks from the last time your dog peed or pooped in the house, you can begin considering the idea of quitting crating.