Dog Kennels: Review of Pop Open Dog Kennels Manufactured by Sport Pet Designs

Have you noticed lately that portable dog kennels now come in a pop up design? It's amazing to open the package and discover that the dog kennel springs to life, almost on its own! There are several models of pop open kennels, but the ones being reviewed today are Sport Pet Designs Pop Open Dog Kennels. They're available at Wal-Mart, Vitacost, and DiscountedPetProducts.net-just to name a few places-and prices range from approximately $17-$29, depending on the store and size of kennel.

About six months ago, I purchased my first Sport Pet Designs Pop Open Dog Kennel. There are a number of points about the kennel that I liked and a few I felt the company could improve upon. For those who are considering buying one, I've listed the pros and cons.

Pros

Portability
The Sport Pet Designs Pop Open Dog Kennel is extremely portable, and that is its greatest asset. Made with a nylon shell that fits around a springbar-type metal frame, it's very lightweight. Even when opened, the kennel can be moved from room to room or from the house to the car using only one hand, regardless of kennel size. That is a definite plus compared to molded plastic dog kennels. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to move it because it's soft sided and can catch on angles and corners in the house, especially in tight spaces such as a narrow stairwell. On occasion, this makes moving it somewhat like wrestling a lightweight, airy alligator. Still, the portability is so much better than with a metal or molded plastic kennel.

Durability
The nylon shell is quite durable, and the metal frame also seems able to handle stress well. Obviously, if someone tries to intentionally bend the metal repeatedly, it will eventually either refuse to hold the needed shape, or break from metal fatigue. But under normal usage, the metal moves back into shape even if the kennel gets accidentally squashed a time or two. The nylon is tough and durable, and able to handle the scratches that come from a dog's nails. The windows and door flap of the dog kennel are an open mesh that allows for ample airflow, and yet are not easily snagged or ripped with normal usage.

Ease of Storage
Sport Pet Designs Pop Open Dog Kennel has a distinct advantage over a metal or molded plastic kennel when it comes to ease of storage. It folds up into a circular shape, much like the round, windshield shades for autos. It is compact and relatively flat, thus fitting easily into storage ... whether in the house or car.

Cons

Stability
Because of their light weight, the pop open dog kennel tends to lack stability if a dog runs in with a lot of vigor, and it's possible for a rambunctious dog to turn the kennel over. However, because of the light weight frame, the dog most likely would not be injured, but it would be hard to convince a nervous dog to enter the pop open kennel again after such an experience.

Warning: Dogs should be trained in a traditional kennel before trying a pop-open. In addition, the pop-opens are not intended for extended outdoor use, or for containing a dog for long periods at a time.

Winter Air Flow
With the nylon shell and mesh windows, there is ample airflow, which is great in the summer. In the cooler months, however, the Sport Pet Designs Pop Open Dog Kennel is more drafty than a molded plastic kennel and it's easier for the dog to end up chilled. In the winter, it might be advisable to drape a towel or pillow case over one or more of the windows to prevent too much airflow. It would be nice for Sport Pet Designs to make the windows with a zippered flap that could be closed in cold weather.

Warning: Dogs that typically try to escape a kennel may be able to chew through the nylon shell and mesh windows.

Storage Problem
As stated earlier, the pop open dog kennel is very convenient to store. However, one annoying design flaw is that when the kennel is folded into its circular shape, the band of elastic that slips over it (to hold it from popping open again) was not attached to the kennel. In the Sport Pet Design kennels I purchased, the elastic band was loose in the package, and could be easily misplaced or lost over time. In addition to that problem, it may take several tries before learning to fold the kennel correctly. Although written instructions are included, a YouTube video by the company would certainly help with this.
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I currently own two of Sport Pet Designs Pop Open Dog Kennels for my Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Because of his short legs and long body, it's been very difficult to find a metal or molded plastic kennel that he can walk into and then turn around. In order to buy one to fit his length-so that he's not bending in half in order to turn-I had to buy larger sizes that were much too tall, and subsequently cost more. The fact that the pop-opens' nylon sides have "give" and that he's able to turn around with ease makes the pop open kennel a fantastic choice for us. And I love the ease of portability and storage, which are so nice when taking a road trip.

Sources:
Embedded links as listed above
Personal Experience
Sport Pet Designs Information Pamphlet (included in the kennel packaging)