We may purchase our dog’s a kennel for permanent residence, traveling or outside comfort. Whether these are the stereotypical dog houses or metal crates, as owners we want to make sure they fulfill our dog’s needs. Sometimes our pups require cover in their kennels to have their own space or need extra warmth. These are just two of the uses of dog kennel covers.
For a high anxiety dog or one who has recently had a litter of puppies, they require their own space and a method to ease their worries. Kennel covers for dogs are the ideal solution. In this article, we have compared the top five best dog kennel covers and summarized their key features for you.
Why Use a Kennel Cover?
Any provision we give to our dogs is to benefit their lives. In this case, a dog kennel cover can benefit them physically and mentally. Both crate covers and kennel covers for dogs hold the benefits of being a perfect fit, chew-resistant and easy to attach. Let’s delve into the reasons why kennel covers for dogs are useful.
Peace & Quiet
You may provide a kennel to allow your dog to isolate themselves from a noisy situation. Perhaps you want to provide them their own refuge. However, if they can still hear all the noise and see chaos clearly, it is not very beneficial. This is where a kennel cover comes in. Connecting a kennel cover over the top of your dog’s kennel allows them sound protection. This is because it will minimize the direct noise from the outer stimulus.
Furthermore, if the noise affecting your dog is from social interaction, such as another dog seeing them, the kennel cover will stop that reaction. Once the dog is out of sight, they will begin to calm down and quieten itself. The kennel cover allows a complete method for your dog to remove themselves from the loud stimulus. A kennel alone would still allow for a viewpoint of your dog to the possible loud stimulus.
Weather & Elements
A dog kennel cover also possesses physical qualities such as preventing the negative effects of bad weather. It may also have chewing resistant materials and prevent insects from entering. In a state with high temperatures, a kennel cover can provide an area of shade for your pup to shelter from the hot sun. On the other hand, kennel covers can be especially weather resistant to the cold and rain. These covers can be water-proof and therefore protect your dog from rain. Furthermore, they are good insulators with their thermal layers placed on the internal side. These can help keep your dog warm when the weather is cold or if you live in a cold state.
Furthermore, some of the kennel covers can be built with chew-resistant materials to protect the covers from being chewed up. This means you will not have to quickly buy another cover. Finally, they can prevent insects from coming into your dog’s kennel. This does depend on the layout of the kennel and kennel cover though.
Soothing Anxiety
Anxiety in dogs can be a breed-specific concern or may arise in your individual due to circumstance or personality. Regardless, a kennel cover for your dog’s kennel can give the isolation and quiet they need to calm down. If a dog is becoming stressed by a situation, they will often try to find refuge from it. A kennel is a great place to do so. However, a kennel cover will offer extra support, calming darkness, and a warmer environment to feel comfortable.
A darker area with reduced noise is the perfect place for your dog to calm down. Minimized stimuli that will decrease your dog’s tension will aid them in relaxing. A kennel cover will isolate them from these. Not only do they prevent loud noises or at least reduce them, but the area will feel more cozy, darker, and warmer to give a safe environment for your pup.
5 Best Kennel Covers for Dog Crates
We have composed a list of the five best kennel covers for your dog, these consider reviews, value, and use. Therefore you can find the kennel cover most suitable for you and your dog’s needs!
1. MidWest Polyester Kennel Cover
– Best Value Cover
Midwest Homes for Pets created their kennel cover with price and practicality in mind. On this list, they have been rated the best value crate cover. Four different sizes of kennel covers are offered from 76 centimeters to 121 centimeters to account for the different dog kennel and crate styles. They claim that the front, back, and side doors have easy access and the kennel cover will not reduce the practicality of the kennel. There is also the provided convenience of the easily washable material, in case a dog urinates or defecates on the side of the kennel cover or even to just wash off excess fur.
This kennel coat has an overall rating of 4.2 stars out of 5 from 31 ratings. 60% of these ratings were five stars with numerous comments. One positive comment titled “fits perfectly” elaborates on how the cover is easily attached with velcro to each side, and with their five removable flaps, can have one or more openings for your dog to leave. They go on to see that even with the flaps up, drafts are still kept out of the kennel. However, a one-star review says that the product was cheap and ripped straight away. Therefore, the accessories are valued but the material strength is debated.
2. Precision Pet Kennel Cover for Dogs
– Best Roll-Up Kennel Cover
This kennel cover created by Precision Pet is on our list as one of the best roll-up kennel covers. Available in five sizes from small to jumbo, Precision Pet has planned for every breed and size of dog. This kennel cover is built from strong, chew-resistant material that will also protect your dog from bad weather. It is waterproof and durable to keep the wind and rain out. Multiple flaps have been added with zippers for easy ventilation as well as strong connections to make this product weather resistant. Furthermore, a well constructed back panels allow for easy removal for when you need to machine wash this product.
From 473 ratings, this kennel coat had 4.3 stars out of 5 overall. Furthermore, 76% of these ratings were five stars and therefore this product has clearly been well received. One comment praises the durability and snug fit of this kennel cover. Their dog chewed this cover often and it has no tears or rips and proved its durability. Furthermore, their dog could not pull the cover off their kennel due to its perfect fit. The one-star reviews seem to mainly target the fit of the kennel cover and often it was criticized for being too snug.
3. Petsfit Durable Polyester Dog Crate Cover
– Best Cover for Metal Wire Crates
The popular brand Petsfit created the best cover for metal wire crates. This kennel crate cover has a front and back door for dual opening crates and comes in three different sizes for different sized dogs. The sides of the kennel cover have easily rollable flaps to allow your dog to have aeration and a window view, or have the crate be completely sealed up and weather protected. The windows, when rolled down, have a mesh cover to make sure that ventilation is a priority. This kennel cover can also be washed by wipes or by hands and the material is easy to clean.
4.6 stars out of five have been awarded to this product through 322 ratings. With an 80% five star rating, this kennel cover is one of the bests. A thorough review titled “perfect” details all the pros of this crate cover. These include the durable and weather-resistant design alongside the warmth implemented from the thick material and easy to roll up windows. You can also consider purchasing a dog house heater or dog heating pad alongside this for colder states. However, a reoccurring negative feature from low rated reviews is the inaccurate design of dimensions. This often meant customers were frustrated with the overall fit or the zippers and materials allowed light, rain, or wind through.
4. Molly Mutt Crate Cover
– Best Premium Kennel Cover
This fashionable kennel and crate cover comes in a wide variety of color schemes to match any home. This combined with their well thought out design leads us to label it the best premium kennel cover. This large crate cover by Molly Mutt has two roll-down side covers for ease of access alongside the durable material. The material is thermal and Molly Mutt states that this cover reduces your dog’s stress and anxiety alongside providing them a warm and safe area to take shelter. Furthermore, all of these crates are advertised as 100% machine washable and easy to attach to your crate.
This crate has a rating of 4.4-star rating out of 5 from 338 ratings with 71% of these reviews being 5 stars. One review talks not only about how well-fitting this product is but how much dark it brings to the crate which effectively calms their dog. Furthermore, the material is easily washable and looks very appealing inside the home with multiple users bragging about its aesthetic appeal. The contrast in the one-star reviews criticizes the material predominantly. One user states how even after following the instructions, the cover shrunk in the wash, another was displeased with the lack of durability in the materials.
5. Pet Dreams Dog Crate Bedding Set
– Best Bedding-Set for Kennels
The dog crate bedding set created by Pet Dreams has six different sizes from 18 – 48 inches to accompany all crate sizes. From the reviews that are published and the multiple uses of this set, we have labeled this product the best bedding set for small kennels. This crate cover has front and side panels that can open for single or double doors. They mention the breathable fabric and how this aids the ventilation of the crate cover. Ties and clips can be used to connect the cover to the crate and make sure that it remains in place.
176 ratings gave this product 3.9 stars out of 5 with an overall rating of 55% of 5 stars. One review calls the product perfect and goes on to talk about the quality and how it helps manage their dog’s anxiety. The kennel cover does not have any fraying, is durable, and the stitches are well done. Furthermore, this product creates a snug corner with an effective amount of darkness to ease their nerves. A different user argues with their one-star review that the quality is very low and the cover did not even withstand the first wash. Other users expand on this to say that the product is not very durable and tore very easily.
Dog Kennel Covers – FAQs
Here are the four most searched questions concerning dog kennel covers with answers so you feel fully informed on the topic.
Should kennel covers be fully opaque?
Kennel covers should be fully opaque as this is one of their main purposes. However, you should not leave your dog in this environment for hours. The darkness exists as a form of comfort and isolation for when your dog is overwhelmed or stressed. If you were to keep your dog in this dark and enclosed environment for hours with no escape, then this can in fact induce stress and cause your dog a heavy reluctance to even enter the cage again. Make sure that their kennel is their safe place and the cover adds to that level of required comfort.
Is my dog going to be scared in a pitch-black crate?
Dogs find comfort being able to be in darker areas, they often feel safer. However, for your added comfort or theirs, you can purchase a kennel cover with a window in. This will create a darker environment for your dog to reduce stress, whilst the window will prevent it from being pitch-black.
How should I introduce a dog to a new covered crate?
Introducing your dog into a covered crate should be a slow and gradual process. Never force your dog into the crate and never make it so they cannot escape in this new and scary circumstance. Allow your dog to get used to the smell of the crate cover by attaching it to the crate. Allow them to walk inside and outside willingly. Once they have become comfortable with this, progress onto encouraging your dog into the crate for a short period of time and then letting them out. Increase the time spans until they can happily enter their crate for the usual time period with the kennel cover on.
Do dog kennel covers last when used outdoors?
This is all dependant on how often the kennel covers are used on outside kennels. It also matters what materials they are made from and the weather conditions of your state. If you want to use a kennel cover outside constantly, there are a few elements you need to consider:
- Ensure the material of the kennel cover is durable from any weather that may occur
- Make sure the kennel cover will firmly clip to the kennel and has no chance of coming away
- If your state is typically windy or rainy, check the stitching quality and that bad weather conditions could not enter and affect your dog
- If your state is cold, make sure the kennel cover is warm and well insulated