Dog owners know that a trip isn’t complete unless you have your pet alongside you. But safety is always an issue, and the best soft dog crates will offer your furry companion a comfy and safe place to rest whilst you’re driving.
You can also use a soft crate as a playpen in the house, or leave them contained when you cannot be around. Easy to carry, soft dog crates can also be folded up and stowed away.
Dog crates should also replicate a dog’s natural environment, a fashionable respite from the clang of steel metal cages. Securing of dogs in soft dog crates is recommended for private or public transport travelling, or when taking your pup to the vet.
Our top picks
We have pulled out the highest rated soft dog crates from this guide. You can read our full reviews of each further down this page.
Overall Best Soft Dog Crate: AmazonBasics Premium Folding Soft Dog Crate, Black 5/5
Best Budget Soft Dog Crate: AmazonBasics Folding Soft Dog Crate 5/5
Lightweight Soft Dog Crate: Fauna Dog Puppy Lightweight Grey Travel Crate 4.5/5
What to consider when buying a soft dog crate
Giving your dog a soft place to play and relax whilst travelling is imperative. Whether you’re heading on vacation, visiting relatives, camping, or travelling as part of your job, your small to medium-sized dog will have a lightweight hang out.
Fortunately, picking out the best soft dog crate just got easier. Here are a few points to consider before committing to any of the reviewed soft dog crates.
- Size: A sizing reference should enable you to get the appropriately sized soft dog crate for your pet. Going too small will have your furry friend confined, while a small dog may feel intimidated in a huge space.
- What is it made of? The best soft dog crates will have three materials to consider. You have the frame, overall covering, and the window mesh panels. Sturdy materials mean the soft dog crate is resistant to scratches, chews, and other damage along the way. The frame should be tough to maintain the soft crate’s integrity and facilitate fold overs for storage.
- Is it washable? Although you don’t advertise it, your canine friend is a messy and can get dirty. The best soft dog crates are machine washable or easy to clean.
- How easy is it to move? Most soft dog crates are easy to transport since they are designed to collapse quickly and are very lightweight. It’s ideal when you can get the whole thing flat and ready to go in a flash. Look out for handles on the side of the crate, which makes it convenient to carry if taking your dog to the vet or similar.
- Flaps and Securing: To close a soft dog crate, flaps should go over the windows to secure your dog and encourage them to lay down and rest. Locking or securing flaps on the soft crate is of utmost importance. Consider zips that have an anti-smart dog design; otherwise, they’ll figure out how to break out sooner rather than later.
The Best Soft Dog Crates: The Products
With a great soft dog crate, your dog will have a comfortable spot when travelling and an enclosed pad in the house for dozing away. We have picked out our top 5 choices to help you make your decision.
Best Overall Soft Dog Crate: AmazonBasics Premium Folding Soft Dog Crate
We love this dog crate for its quick and easy setup, and the added premium touch that has been applied vs its sister crate (which is our top budget pick below). This crate is available in 5 different colours – black, blue, grey, kahaki and red (we prefer black as it creates a dark space for our dogs to settle in, and covers up most dirt) and five different sizes to suit dogs up to 97cm long and 67cm high. The crate comes with a soft and comforting fleece covered bed, and has additional pockets on the top and sides to hold accessories if needed on a journey (ideal for poo bags, treats, lead etc.).
We use this crate for our dogs overnight crate (as an alternative to a traditional metal crate) as it provides more cover for anxious dogs (he’s quite placid so doesn’t chew or scratch at it). It is super easy to travel with in vehicles or public transport, and comes with a top handle and shoulder strap. Although this crate has premium touches, we still consider it to be exceptional value for money and is very well built vs a lot of the competition.
What we like
- Easy and quick to setup
- Comes in 5 different sizes (53cm, 66cm, 76cm, 91cm, 107cm)
- Suitable for dog sizes up to 97cm long & 67cm high
- Comes in 5 different colours (black, blue, grey, khaki and red)
- Comes with a fleece covered pet bed for comfort
- Folds flat for easier carriage or storage
Best Budget Soft Dog Crate: AmazonBasics Folding Soft Dog Crate
This is a quick set up and folding soft dog crate that’s perfect for visiting family or going on holiday. The AmazonBasics Folding Soft Dog Crate can be folded flat in seconds without extra tools, which made it so easy for us to use and test! We love the simplicity and ease of use of this dog crate, but we love the price even more (Price not available from Amazon) making it one of the cheapest that we tested.
Roll up the meshed fabric side flap to create a doggie gazebo of sorts, or you can zip it shut for creating an enclosure. Three sides have half windows of meshed fabric, offering ventilation for your confined pet whatever the weather. The soft crate comes in 4 different sizes making it perfect for all sized dogs, and the durability was excellent even after our dog had tried his hardest to scratch the base!
What we like
- Setup for this soft dog crate takes mere seconds
- Features three sides and top, bottom flaps with mesh windows for ventilation
- Four sizes that weight between 1.9 and 4.7 kilograms
- Size heights include; 53cm, 66cm, 76cm, 91cm, and 107cm
- Polyester fabric and PVC frame construction
- Folds flat for easier carriage or storage
A Great Alernative Soft Dog Crate: Fauna Dog Puppy Lightweight Grey Travel Crate
This is the perfect travel companion for your dog, seeing as it’s made with a lightweight frame that’s stable and offers extra shape-holding support.
The Fauna Dog Puppy soft-sided crate has ventilation mesh windows on two sides, alongside two side openings and a top entrance. Accessory pockets make ample space for storing anything needed on the go.
This Fauna Dog Puppy Lightweight soft crate comes in a small, medium, and large size. It’s equipped with long strap handles that make carrying your dog easier within the strong grey polyester fabric.
A removable and washable soft fleece pad augments the comfort of this soft dog crate. Despite the sturdiness of its frame, the Fauna Dog Puppy Lightweight locks in place and folds away in seconds.
What we like
- Side and top entries with ventilation mesh fabric windows
- Zips for secure locking
- Faux lambskin internal fleece pad that’s removable and washable
- Sets and up and folds flat fast for easier carriage or storage
- Long straps that facilitate portability
- Three sizes of height 42cm, 52cm and 63.5cm
- Two pockets for toys, treats, and collars
Cons
- Zips don’t have an anti-smart dog opening set up, so your pup may learn to escape
Best Branded Soft Dog Crate: Crufts Soft Dog Crate
It doesn’t get classier for your canine than this soft dog crate. Measuring 76cm long, 55cm wide, and 62cm high, the Crufts Soft Dog Crate comes complete with a free carry bag and woven logo.
The frame is strong and tubular, easy to set up or break down for storage. A top storage pocket gives you room for dog accessories, while the roll down mesh comes with another weather-proof flap cover.
This soft-sided crate is a cut above its competition, proving the Cruft’s brand reputation.
A functional yet stylish travel crate, the Crufts Soft Dog Crate offers secure strapping that makes sure there’s no movement during car rides. Two free fabric bowls for food and water accompany each of the three soft-sided crate sizes.
Nickel-plated D-rings add to the attachment capacity of this crate, which is recommended by the kennel club.
What we like
- Easy folding tubular frame design
- Attractive mesh patterning and woven Crufts logo
- Security straps ensure dogs can’t escape
- Fabric sides that cover the meshed windows for weather-proofing
- Free fabric bowls
- Removable and washable fabric with interior pad
Cons
- Pricey in comparison to reviewed counterparts
Best Heavyweight-Material Soft Dog Crate: Veehoo Folding Soft Dog Crate
This soft dog crate won’t succumb to scratches, bites, or clawing that can be part of a playful dog’s behaviour. The Veehoo Folding Soft Dog Crate is made from 600D catatonic oxford fabric that can be relied on for sturdiness.
Featuring three doors, this soft dog crate offers quick access as well as five-sided ventilation with strong fabric mesh. The steel frame has spring action joints and will collapse for stowing away in an instant.
When it’s appropriately propped up, the Veehoo Folding Soft Dog Crate creates pleasant confines for small and medium-sized dogs.
Pet parents who love taking road trips with their furry children will love the versatility offered by this heavyweight material dog crate. For trendy-minded pet owners, your canine will look fabulous in any of the six available colours.
What we like
- Five-sided ventilation windows alongside three roll-up doorways
- Tear-resistant heavyweight fabric that’s removable and washable
- Can carry dogs of weights between 6.8 and 38.5 kg
- Solid steel collapsible frame
- Washable soft fleece removable sleeping pad
- Special locking mechanism
Cons
- Smallish straps for carrying heavy dogs
Premium Soft Dog Crate: Petsfit Indoor Dog House Soft Fabric Dog Crate
This luxury indoor and travel accommodation for medium to large dogs is our top pick and its easy to see why. The Petsfit Indoor Dog House Soft Fabric Dog Crate comes in small, medium, and large sizes that give a travel bag vibe.
Whether indoors or outdoors, this lush oxford clothed four-poster dog crib is the perfect addition to your home’s pet-friendliness. Included is a soft fleece mat that’s removable and washable, creating a comfortable hang out for your dog that’s fully portable.
Two entrances to the side and another on top will either act as windows or doors for your travel-loving pet. These three flaps can be secured with zips, and the mesh on the window panels will ensure ventilation or a view for your dog.
The Petsfit Soft Fabric Dog Crate has a sturdy, patented steel frame and provides easy setup or fold down.
What we like
- Sturdy patented steel frame
- Zips have clips to secure against self-opening dogs
- Fabric with soft, lush pad removable and washable
- Weighs between 3 and 4.5 kg for the small to large sizes
- Measures 43cm high for the small, 48cm for medium and 58cm for the large sizes
Benefits Of Soft Dog Crates
Despite not being as rugged and durable as traditional dog crates, soft crates do offer some advantages. Not only are they easier to deal with and safer for travelling, but the best soft dog crates will also fold to a manageable size for portability and storage.
One of the main highlights of soft dog crates is that they are lighter. Your soft-sided dog crate can act as the primary travelling environment for your dog since it’s safer inside than in a traditional steel and plastic crate.
High-end crates also offer multiple window covers that allow you to customize the openings according to the weather or your dog’s liking.
Once your lovable mutt has been trained to use the soft dog crate, they will prefer it as a kind of den with an open picture window. Once they get used to it, they’ll never want to travel in anything less!
Another advantage is the noise level, and if you’ve had a steel cage in your living room, you’ll note the difference. Wired dog cages are also more of a tool, possessing all the aesthetics of a prison cell.
In retrospect, soft-sided dog cages spell luxury and 5-star comfort for your furry friend.
When Would A Soft-Sided Crate Not Be Your Dog’s Best Choice?
There are instances where soft dog crates won’t cut it for your particular pet. Depending on the temperament, behaviour, and size of your dog, a soft-sided crate may not do the trick.
One element where the traditional steel crates have an advantage over their soft counterparts is durability. This is due, obviously, to the toughness of materials, where your framed, meshed fabric can’t be compared to steel and hard plastic.
A determined dog will easily rip and escape the confines of a soft crate, but high-quality soft dog crates will still resist bangs, scratches, and chews.
Although far better for creating a hangout for your pet, soft dog crates may not be suited to long, bumpy car journeys since they offer little protection.
If your pup hasn’t been house trained, leaving them secured within a soft-sided crate may result in messy accidents. A crate with fabric that’s not easy to clean will result in a stench that’s hard to put up with.
Conclusion
It shouldn’t be challenging to whisk your dog away on an adventure or a road trip. A comforting environment can be achieved with the best soft dog crate, and we hope you find what you need from this list!
Give your mutt the ability to stay clean, dry, and comfortably ventilated, whether indoors or on the move.
Soft-sided crates are taking the pet-owning world by storm, and your puppy will enjoy travelling in one just as much as you enjoy their ease of use, quick setup, and great aesthetics.
