Before the dog moves in

What size does my dog need?

Measure the dog from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail, then add two to four inches. That figure has to fit the interior length on the listing, not the outside width in the product name. Inside, the dog should stand without ducking, turn a full circle and lie flat on one side.

Between two sizes, take the larger. A roomy crate holds a dog fine; a tight one does not hold the dog at all, and it is the tight ones that come back.

Can a strong chewer live in a furniture crate?

We would rather lose the sale than dress this up. A furniture crate is wood panels around a wire door, and a determined jaw finds the one edge it can reach. For a dog that has already opened or flattened a wire crate, the heavy kennels are the answer that lasts: steel tube frames, welded corners, latches that need a thumb.

If you are unsure which side of that line your dog is on, write to the mailroom with the story so far. Trading a furniture crate for a kennel while the return window is open beats reinforcing panels after it closes.

How hard is the assembly?

Every flat-pack piece goes together with the hex key from the hardware bag, cam locks and pre-drilled holes. Plan on a quiet stretch of an afternoon for the smaller pieces, and a second pair of hands for the doubles, mostly to hold panels square while the first bolts go in.

A few pieces in the catalog arrive put together and simply unfold; their pages say so. The heavy kennels sit in between: frame sections that bolt up rather than panels that build a box.

What can go on top?

The top is a real shelf. A lamp, a television, a row of plants, the things that lived on the end table this piece is replacing. The weight figure differs by model and is printed on each listing, so read it there rather than assuming one number covers the whole catalog.

Keep cords off the door side. A bored dog treats a dangling cable as a project.

Can two dogs share one crate?

The double crates are one long box with a wire divider in the middle and a door on each side, so each dog keeps its own room. Dogs that already share a couch usually settle in fast; dogs that argue over food should keep eating apart no matter what the box looks like.

On several models the divider lifts out, which turns the piece into one wide room for a single large dog. Each listing says whether its divider is fixed or removable.

Do the wheels lock?

Yes. Pieces that roll carry at least two locking casters, and the crate should be parked with the locks pressed whenever the dog is inside. On a bare floor, a big dog leaning into a turn can walk an unlocked crate slowly across the room.

How do I clean it?

The floor is a tray that slides out from under the door. Warm water and dish soap cover a normal week; take it to a sink, not a hose aimed at the whole crate.

Wood panels want a wrung-out cloth, nothing wetter. Standing water finds seams, and a swollen seam is the one thing a hex key cannot fix.

What fits under a printer stand?

The office stands are drawn around a desktop printer on top with paper, toner and cables below, and shelf spacing is listed in inches on each page. Measure the printer with its trays open, not shut; an open tray is what actually sets the height.

A handful of models carry a power strip built into the frame. Treat it like any power strip: printers and chargers yes, space heaters no.