Best Crate for Jack Russell Terrier [2024 Review]

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Whether you want to carry your Jack Russell Terrier when traveling or prevent destructive behaviors when you leave your dog alone at home, the best crate for Jack Russell Terrier will provide the confinement, security, and safety your dog needs.

My Top Crate for Jack Russell Terrier Recommendations

Since Jack Russell Terriers are aggressive and can develop destructive behaviors, the best crate for a Jack Russell Terrier comes with a reliable locking mechanism that a JRT can’t open. The following dog crates feature sturdy construction materials that can withstand chewing.

Best Overall Crate for Jrt: Elitefield 3-Door Folding Dog Crate

The Elitefield 3-Door Folding Dog Crate comes with three zippered doors: front, side, and top ensuring convenience when placing paddings and beddings. Unlike the Petmate Two Door Pet Kennel, it features a removable mat and cover, ensuring ease of cleaning in case of a potty accident.

The crate comes in varying sizes that range from 20 inches to 42 inches, enhancing versatility while ensuring your JRT will not feel claustrophobic or congested. Thanks to the lightweight, high-quality 600D fabric and hex mesh fabric material, the crate is comfortable and durable.

The material ensures reliability during travel as it is strong enough to withstand the pressure of bumps on the road and the weight of your JRT. With steel frame reinforcements, this crate does not break or bend even when housing aggressive JRTs.

Unlike the Midwest Homes for Pets, it comes with a free carrying case and fleece bed, enhancing convenience when traveling. However, this soft-sided crate is unsuitable for JRTs with destructive chewing behavior.

Pros

  • The doors have a mesh wiring, ensuring your JRT enjoys fresh air
  • It uses 600D fabric and hex mesh fabric material in its construction, making it safe and durable

Cons

  • The crate is unsuitable for JRTs with destructive chewing behaviors
  • Unlike the New Age Pet Ecoflex Dog Crate, its color might not blend well with the aesthetic of your house

Best Versatile Crate for Jrt: Midwest Homes for Pets

If you are a new dog owner and want an easy-to-assemble crate for a Jack Russell Terrier, you can’t go wrong with the Midwest Homes for Pets. This metal dog crate comes with a free divider panel allowing you to adjust the size of the dog crate as your dog grows.

With a durable and leak-proof plastic pan, this dog crate eliminates the chances of the dog’s urine and feces getting to the floor in case of potty accidents.

Unlike the Carlson Pet Products Dog Crate, it features a patented rounded side clip which helps reinforce the crate and minimize the possibility of sharp points that can injure a jumping JRT, ensuring safety.

Also, the crate features rubber roller feet at the bottom, offering protection to your floor against scrapes and any form of damage.

Like the Petmate Two Door Pet Kennel, it comes with a sturdy plastic handle and easily folds down to a portable size, enhancing portability when traveling. However, the crate is fully open, offering no soundproofing in case your JRT barks or whines.

Pros

  • The divider panel allows you to increase the crate room as the puppy grows
  • The patented rounded side clip reduces the chances of your JRT getting hurt while in the crate

Cons

  • The crate is completely open, providing no soundproofing if the JRT barks
  • Unlike the Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier, some airlines might not allow its locking mechanism

Best Ventilated Crate for Jrt: Petmate Two Door Pet Kennel

The Petmate Two Door Pet Kennel is a high-quality crate that features securely-latched steel top and front doors, ensuring the dog can’t open the door even if it paws it. It features a heavy-duty plastic and steel construction, ensuring durability that can serve the dog’s entire lifespan.

Although its ventilation holes are less than those of Midwest Homes for Pets, the crate is still ventilated enough to allow your JRT to enjoy breathing fresh air. This crate is well suited for outdoor and indoor use with a heavy-duty, ergonomic foldable handle.

Like the Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier, the crate meets most airline cargo specifications, making it suitable for use when boarding a plane with your JRT.

It comes in two varying sizes that can carry dogs from 5 to 20 pounds, making it ideal for 3-month-old puppies to adult JRTs as they weigh from 6 to 17 pounds. However, the vent holes in this crate have sharp edges and may hurt your JRT.

Pros

  • The foldable handle ensures convenience when moving the crate from one room to another
  • It meets most airline requirements, making it ideal for use when boarding a plane with your JRT

Cons

  • The sharp edges on the vent holes might injure your dog, especially when jumping
  • Unlike the Carlson Pet Products Dog Crate, it doesn’t have a removable pan, which makes cleaning a challenge

Best Durable Crate for Jrt: New Age Pet Ecoflex Dog Crate

The New Age Pet Ecoflex Dog Crate is a premium crate resistant to stains and odors, helping keep insects away. It uses eco-friendly plastic-wood polymer composite material, making it more durable than completely wooden crates.

The front doors are secured with stainless double latches, ensuring the dog’s security. Considering that JRTs suffer from separation anxiety, they may engage in destructive chewing behaviors, which lead to health issues. This crate is 100% non-toxic, making it safe confinement for destructive JRTs.

Unlike the others on my list, you can paint this crate to blend with your other furnishings, allowing you to maintain the general aesthetic of your house. Unlike the EliteField 3-Door Folding Dog Crate, you can use this crate as an end table in the living room or bedroom, enhancing versatility.

It features a removable tabletop, enhancing the ease of cleaning in the event of a potty accident. However, the dog might not see what is happening on the outside and might start barking due to curiosity.

Pros

  • The removable tabletop enhances ease of cleaning in case of a potty accident
  • The crate is 100% non-toxic, making it safe for confining JRTs with destructive chewing behaviors

Cons

  • It is not fully open and might make your JRT start barking due to the feeling of confinement
  • Unlike the Midwest Homes for Pets, the design of the crate makes it unsuitable for carrying in a car when traveling.

Best Jrt Crate for Air Travel: Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier

If you are looking for a durable dog crate, you can’t go wrong with Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier. It is a heavy-duty dog crate that features a high-quality plastic construction.

Unlike the New Age Pet Ecoflex Dog Crate, it features 360- degree wire ventilation windows that allow sufficient airflow and room for visibility, ensuring your dog enjoys the crate experience.

Like the Petmate Two Door Pet Kennel, it meets most air travel specifications, making it an ideal option if you want to board a plane with your dog.

Additionally, this crate comes with one dual food and water bowl that attaches to the crate’s door, two live animal stickers, ID stickers, and one absorbent paper pad, making air travel even more convenient. However, some airlines do not recommend this latch type as it may not remain securely latched during travel.

This crate features non-corrosive plastic wing-nuts, making it ideal for use even with the most aggressive JRT. Besides, the plastic wing nuts ensure ease of assembly as you can tighten them by hand.

Pros

  • The 360-degree wire ventilation ensures sufficient airflow and visibility
  • It has two live animal stickers and ID stickers, enhancing convenience when boarding a plane with your JRT

Cons

  • Some airlines do not recommend the interlocking latch as the dog is not securely latched during travel
  • It is 7.5 pounds heavier than the Carlson Pet Products Dog Crate, limiting its portability

Best Lightweight Crate for Jrt: Carlson Pet Products Dog Crate

The Carlson Pet Products Dog Crate features a collapsible design that enhances ease of storage during travel. Like the Midwest Homes for Pets, it comes with a removable and washable pan, enhancing the ease of cleaning in the event of potty messes.

It features all-metal construction, making it sturdy and durable. With dimensions of 24 x 18 x 19 inches, this compact crate might be an ideal choice if you live in an apartment where space might be an issue.

Unlike the New Age Pet Ecoflex Dog Crate, the crate features a multi-locking system, ensuring your JRT remains safe even when left alone in the house. However, the latch does not securely hold in place and might pop open if the dog is aggressive.

Keeping in mind that JRTs are affectionate dogs and might start barking at night if they can’t see or hear you, the wiry design of this crate allows the dog to see you throughout the night, eliminating the anxiety and nervousness that might lead to destructive behaviors.

Pros

  • It is the most lightweight on my list, enhancing its portability
  • The multi-locking system ensures the security of your JRT even when left alone in the house

Cons

  • The latch does not securely hold in place and may pop open if the JRT is aggressive
  • It is less durable than the EliteField 3-Door Folding Dog Crate and might not serve the entire lifespan of your JRT

Features to Consider in the Best Crate for Jack Russell Terrier

Different dog crates come in different sizes, shapes, designs, and construction materials. Considering that JRTs are small-sized and energetic dogs, you should consider the following size and design features when choosing a crate for a JRT.

Graphic image of a dog crate that explains that the best crates for Jack Russell should be spacious and easy to carry

The following table also provides a quick breakdown of the key features.

CrateMaterialDimensions (Inches)Weight (Pounds)
EliteField 3-Door Folding Dog CrateAlloy Steel, 600D fabric and hex mesh fabric36 x 24 x 2814.5
Midwest Homes for PetsMetal30 x 19 x 2117
Petmate Two Door Pet KennelPlastic24.05 x 16.76 x 14.55.8
New Age Pet Ecoflex Dog CrateEcoflex23.8 x 18.1 x 2224
Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier.Plastic28 x 20.5 x 21.512.5
Carlson Pet Products Dog CrateMetal24 x 18 x 195

Size

In most cases, the right size for a dog crate depends on the age of the JRT and the available space to keep the crate. Although you might be tempted to go for a smaller crate if you have just adopted an 8-week-old puppy, it is advisable to go for a bigger one to avoid replacing it as the dog grows.

Keeping in mind that JRTs are energetic and hyperactive dogs, they need a spacious crate where they can shake their bodies and jump without movement restrictions. In most cases, your dog will be unwilling to enter a crate that feels cramped and uncomfortable.

However, a very large crate can make the dog develop unwanted behaviors, such as going for potty breaks in the crate since there is enough space to sit away from the mess. Generally, go for a crate with external dimensions of around 20 x 20 x 20 inches, such as the Ecoflex Dog Crate.

Jack russell terrier enjoying the sun

Portability

The portability and ease of storage of a dog’s crate are important features to consider, especially if you will not be using it all the time. For instance, you might be using the crate only when you’re leaving your JRT at home alone and storing it when you are at home.

Keeping in mind that JRTs are curious dogs with strong hunting instincts, you might want a portable and foldable crate that you can carry in your car when going for camping trips to prevent the dog from wandering around.

It is therefore advisable to go for a portable crate with a foldable design, such as the EliteField 3-door Folding Dog Crate.

Material

Dog crates can be constructed using materials such as nylon mesh, stainless steel wires, plastic, heavy-duty steel, and water-resistant fabrics. However, the construction materials determine the weight of the crate and its overall portability.

For instance, the EliteField 3-door Folding Dog Crate is constructed of alloy steel frames and 600D fabric, making it lightweight and portable. Additionally, JRTs are affectionate dogs and tend to develop separation anxiety and destructive behaviors such as eating furniture when left alone.

That means your dog might start chewing the crate if you leave it alone for long. It’s therefore advisable to go for JRT crates constructed of food-grade materials such as the New Age Pet Ecoflex Dog Crate. The Ecoflex material poses no health risks to your dog and is still sturdy enough to withstand chewing.

Ease of Cleaning

The ease of cleaning a JRT crate varies from crate to crate, depending on the construction materials, size, and overall design. Considering that JRTs have sensitive stomachs, you’ll want a dog crate that you can keep clean.

In most cases, JRT crates constructed of materials such as plastic or metal are easier to clean than those constructed of fabric or wood. Also, JRT crates with several doors are easier to clean as you can easily reach all the corners.

However, considering that you’ll mostly need to clean out feces and urine from the crate’s floor resulting from potty accidents, especially when the dog is stressed during crate training, it is advisable to go for a crate with a removable pan or tray such as the Midwest Homes for Pets Dog Crate.

Comfort

Although you might overlook the comfortability of the crate, it’s an important aspect to consider, especially if the dog will be spending many hours in the crate. Considering that Jack Russell Terriers are intelligent dogs, they can easily compare the comfortability of the crate and other places and be unwilling to enter the crate.

Keeping in mind that many dog crates don’t come with paddings, it is advisable to go for a crate that can allow you to put paddings. The crate should also be able to protect the dog from adverse weather such as an excess cold.

Jack russell terrier being comfortable on couch

Generally, the crate should look cozy and homely with the beddings, such that the dog can spend the night in the crate without feeling nervous or being exposed to cold. For instance, the physical design of the Petmate Two Door Pet Kennel makes it look cozy and homely with the dog’s beddings.

Safety

The personality traits of JRTs make safety one of the essential features to consider when choosing the crate. For instance, JRTs are energetic and hyperactive dogs with high energy and exercise requirements.

If you don’t engage JRT in rigorous exercise to help it expend energy, it might start shaking and jumping inside the crate. It’s therefore advisable to go for a crate such as the New Age Pets Ecoflex Dog Crate as it has no sharp edges that can hurt your dog when it jumps.

Considering that JRTs are prone to patellar luxation, especially if they slip after a jump, the crate floor should be slip-resistant to prevent slippage when the dog is jumping. However, you should note that the dog’s feces and urine can also increase the chances of slippage.

Lock Mechanism

JRTs are intelligent dogs and can detect when you’re about to leave them in the crate. Due to their loyal and affectionate nature, they might want to come out of the crate and follow you wherever you’re going.

JRTs are also brave and aggressive dogs, and when they spot or hear a stranger or intruder, they might want to come out of the crate and attack. They are also curious dogs and might want to come out of the crate and wander around.

Regardless of the cause, it is not uncommon to find a JRT pawing the crate door trying to open it. Therefore, it is advisable to go for a crate with a good locking mechanism, such as the vault locking mechanism in the Petmate Two Door Pet Kennel.

Ventilation

Although larger crates can have better breathability and airflow than smaller and cramped crates, all crates need to have ventilation holes and spaces to allow good airflow. The high energy levels in JRTs mean a higher metabolism rate, translating to high oxygen requirements.

That means JRTs in crates with good ventilation and airflow will be healthier and more active. Additionally, JRTs are affectionate dogs and might develop separation anxiety and destructive behaviors such as excessive barking if they can hear or see their owners.

Apart from breathability, the ventilation holes allow the dog to see whether their owners are still there, eliminating the nervousness and anxiety associated with being left alone. A well-ventilated crate such as the Carlson Pet Products Dog Crate also allows odors to escape, making the crate comfortable and homely.

Jack russell terrier sitting on the corner

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Crate Train My Jrt Puppy?

Yes, it is advisable to crate train a JRT puppy. Since JRTs have strong possessive and territorial instincts, they can love a crate that they can possess and call their space. Usually, this helps in potty training as the dog will be unwilling to soil the place.

What Is the Best Height for a Jrt Crate?

The best height for a JRT crate should be at least 20 inches tall. Keeping in mind that adult JRTs have a standing height of around 10 to 15 inches, a crate that is at least 20 inches will allow the dog to stand comfortably and make some jumps.

Where Should I Place a Jrt Crate at Night?

It is advisable to keep a JRT crate in your bedroom at night. Typically, JRTs are loyal and affectionate dogs that want to spend time with their owners and might develop destructive behaviors or even start barking at night if you keep them in a separate room.

Final Thoughts

A crate can help you potty train your JRT as it will be unwilling to soil its place. The best crate for Jack Russell Terrier comes with several doors to ease the cleaning process. Although the right crate depends on your preference, the above crates are safe and spacious.