Crate training your dog doesn’t necessarily mean you have to compromise your bedroom decor, the bedside table dog crate is the perfect combination to keep your canine friend safe and maintain a stylish decor.
Furniture dog crates are great alternatives for people who want to crate train their dogs and have a crate that compliments the furniture in the rest of their house.
When choosing a furniture dog crate, there are some things you should take into consideration, a stylish design is not enough since the main idea is crate training your dog.
Why do owners choose furniture dog crates?
There are many reasons why one would choose to have a bedside crate but the two main ones are, keeping stylish bedroom decor and saving space.
When it comes to crate training, the regular wire and plastic crate sure do a great job, but the design isn’t why we choose them.
Unique Style
Most dog owners who choose the bedside table dog crate are interested in the design and not messing the bedroom decor.
When thinking about it, why would one have to choose between design and functionality?
Furniture dog crates give your dog a private space to relax that can also double as a piece of home decor!
Saves on space
When crate training a dog at night you need to have his crate set up in your bedroom at night to keep an eye on him.
But, having a bedside table and a crate could take too much space and you have to get rid of it every morning so why not have both in one and save on space.
Most of these crates can barely be noticed if the dog is not in it, so it’s certainly a good idea.
Is a bedside table dog crate good for crate training?
Before answering this question you need to know what makes a crate good for crate training.
The crate is supposed to be a safe place for your pet a private spot where he can chill when he needs to.
The most used crates are the wire and plastic crates, but the one we always recommend at Crate Training Center is wire crate and why, is also the answer to our question.
The most important thing about the crate is the size of the crate, it needs to be perfect, not too big for the dog -or else he’ll sleep in a corner and make the other a potty corner- and not too small that he can’t feel comfortable in it and rejects it.
The wire crate comes with a separation panel, which allows you to adapt the size of the crate according to your dog’s size while he’s growing, in other words, you don’t have to change the crate every couple of months which you can’t do with a bedside table dog crate.
The wire crate is available with two doors( the one we always recommend anyway) which makes it really helpful at the early stages of the crate training when the dog is still exploring the crate.
These features are what make a wooden crate not perfect for crate training. However, it does not mean you can’t use it for your dogs.
Do you need another crate with the nightstand crate?
If your dog is already crate trained and has no issues with being in a crate then you don’t really need another crate with bedside one unless you want to crate your dog during the day which makes it more convenient to have one in the living area.
However, if you are just staring the crate training program I would strongly recommend getting another crate and it would be best to have a wire crate.
The one we use for all our dogs and recommend to our clients is the Midwest double door wire crate (check the price on Amazon).
You can use the wire crate as a transition phase until your dog is used to sleeping in the crate and perfectly potty trained.
When you buy a decorative crate it needs to be the size of a grown dog since you can’t change it every couple of months, and like we explained earlier the crate you should use for crate training needs to be just a few inches larger than your dog.
Wire crates are very cheap, easy to fold, and it doesn’t take much space, so having one to crate train your dog then switching to a wooden dog crate seems reasonable.
What to look for when choosing a crate
When choosing a furniture dog crate there a few things you should take into account, not all dogs are alike and not every crate is going to work for your dog.
Dog size
Furniture dog crates are focused on the design more than the crate training aspect, and mostly they are not available in super large sizes.
So, measure your dog before you make a choice and make sure he can actually fit in perfectly with the perfect size being a few inches larger than your dog.
Use the full-grown size of your dog if it’s still a puppy, you can’t change a furniture designer table every couple of months.
Dog behavior
Some dogs are aggressive and need chew-proof crates, so you have to make sure the crate is going to hold if your dog is a strong aggressive one.
Not all furniture crates are made of hardwood and some are easy for a strong dog to chew through and perhaps get hurt in the process.
Ventilation
This is an important aspect some dog owners forget about, some designer crates don’t have enough ventilation space.
The dog needs to actually have some open space to see what’s going on outside of his crate and have enough air going into it.
The best bedside table dog crate
In the following list, we went over the best bedside table dog crates and we’ve gathered all the information you need to make an informed decision.
1. Pinnacle Woodcraft Dog Crate End Table
This is by far our top recommendation for you, it has all of what you can ask for in a decorative furniture crate.
The craftsmanship is excellent, this is a recurrent statement in the reviews of this crate.
It comes with many options and will really impress your visitors.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Sturdy, made with maple/oak hardwood & steel wires. | This crate does not come with a floor, it’s available as an extra. |
| Large enough for a medium to medium-large dog it measures 30″ L x 20″ W x 23″ H Inside. | |
| Choice of wood maple/oak and six colored stains. | |
| Design is great and it can double as designer end/side table. | |
| Storage, optional lift-up top provides convenient storage for dog treats, leashes and collars | |
| The finish is excellent, and the stain is expertly applied | |
| Easy assembly |
This piece is really amazingly built, its a product I can recommend to readers and be sure they’ll love it.
What I like about this product is not only the craftsmanship but the excellent and professional customer service.
This is most certainly not the cheapest option, but it is the best for sure and you’ll get what you pay for, So if you’re considering another crate just for a 100$ -150$ less I strongly advise you to take this one.
This item is not always available at Amazon so I’ve included a link to the manufacture’s website where you probably get a better deal.
2. Casual Home wooden pet crate
This crate is our best on budget recommendation, it is a great option for pet owners who would like a nice looking furniture crate without investing too much.
This crate is not the strongest for sure, but it works perfectly for a dog that is already crate trained.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Design is great and it can double as designer end/side table. | The manufacturer says it’s hardwood but buyers’ reviews prove otherwise. |
| Size choices, there are many options even for large dogs. | Does not work well for aggressive dogs or not yet crate trained ones. |
| Color choices with five nice colors. | |
| Assembly is very easy and quick. | |
| Price is great, this crate is literally the price of a regular plastic crate. |
I would recommend this crate to any pet parent that would like a nice looking crate that blends in fine with the rest of his bedroom or house furniture.
However, this is not as solid as the pinnacle woodcraft crate and an aggressive dog would chew through it.
If you have a well trained or small dog and want a cheap option this the best deal you can get especially that it costs less than some hideous plastic crates.
3. Zoovilla Dog Crate
This crate is the best when it comes to functionality, with its three doors and the easily removable pan.
This nightstand dog crate is made of MDF so it’s not for chewers but the three doors option would make it great for crate training.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Multiple doors which are great for crate training and especially the introduction to the crate. | This furniture crate is made of MDF and not solid wood so it is not chew-proof. |
| Design is great and neat, it looks amazing and doubles as a nightstand dog crate or an end table. | Color choices are limited only black and white. |
| Assembly is very easy and quick no tools needed. | |
| Large enough for a medium dog and has options for size. | |
| Easy to clean with the removable pan. | |
| price is great and affordable for a furniture crate. |
This furniture dog crate looks great and it is the best when it comes to crate training with its three doors option.
This item can barley be noticed as a dog crate, it has a great looking design and it’s reasonably priced, it’s way cheaper than other crates that do not have the same quality in design and functionality.
4. EcoFlex Pet Crate/End Table
The first thing to point before anything else is that this crate is not for an aggressive or a non trained dog, even a small dog would tear this crate apart.
This crate is not made of solid wood, and will not hold if your dog is not crate trained before.
It does look great and has a great design that would very stylish in your bedroom or living room, there are multiple color options and it’s easy to assemble.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Design is great and could be used as a nightstand dog crate or an end table. | Not chew-proof and can easily be chewed through. |
| Color choices with four available options. | Works only for already crate trained dogs. |
| Size options with four available options that would fit large dogs. | For the price better options are available. |
| Assembly is easy and no tools are needed. | |
| Easy to clean with the removable top. |
This bedside crate sure looks great and that’s the only reason I would recommend it.
It is overpriced, there are much better and much sturdier options available for a lower price.
Multiple reviews and complaints were made about this crate, all pointing that it is cheaply-made, but to be fair the manufacturer clearly states that it is not chew-proof and only for well-trained dogs.
Pet parents with well-trained dogs were more than satisfied with this crate’s design and options.
So, unless this crate matches your home decor I personally would not recommend it.
5. BarkWood Pet Crate End Table
This crate has a simple design but it still looks great and much better than regular plastic or wire crates.
It’s made of solid wood so it is really sturdy and can hold a strong dog.
The inner floor protected by rubberized coating to minimize liquid absorption and allow easy cleanup.
It’s fairly easy to set up and easy to clean so it’s a great option.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Sturdy, made with solid wood. | The design is simple and basic. |
| Assembly is easy. | Size choices are not available. |
| Easy to clean and the floor is protected for minimum liquid absorption. | Color choices are not available. |
| Fair price for solid wood furniture crate. |
If you are looking for a sturdy nightstand dog crate with a good price that will last, this is the best option for you.
This crate does not have the best design of the crates we reviewed but it is well-built and can last for years.
Comparative table
| Design | Sturdiness | Price | Usability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacle Woodcraft Dog Crate | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Casual Home wooden pet crate | Good | Ok | Excellent | Ok |
| Zoovilla Dog Crate | Excellent | Bad | Ok | Excellent |
| EcoFlex Pet Crate/End Table | Good | Very bad | Bad | Ok |
| BarkWood Pet Crate End Table | Ok | Good | Good | Ok |
How to choose the best nightstand dog crate?
When choosing the best crate you need to take into consideration a few factors:
Is your dog aggressive or a heavy chewer
Some nightstand dog crates are made with robust solid wood but most ones are made of MDF and particle board which an aggressive chewer dog would destroy in minutes.
Furniture dog crates are generally expensive compared to regular plastic or wire crates, so investing in a crate that would not last 10 minutes is not a great experience.
You need to know your dog before you make a choice, and having your dog crate trained before you actually buy a wooden bedside dog crate would be the best option.
A properly crate trained dog would not chew on his crate and will feel safe and relax in it, so it opens up options for you and even MDF crates would be a valid choice.
Can you afford it
When buying on a budget the first thing we as customers look for is the price of the item and we ignore an important factor which is depreciation.
You could buy a cheap item every three months or you can invest in a well-built crate for double the price that will last for years and years.
A good sturdy wooden crate could cost you up to 600$ but would be a much cheaper option in the long run.
If you can afford to buy a good and well-built crate, don’t hesitate and go for a sturdy solid-wood one.
Design
Some furniture crates have amazing stylish designs but do they match your own furniture.
Even the best looking piece of furniture would look out of place if it does not complete the room decor.
Choose carefully the crate that completes your entire bedroom decor and don’t hesitate to check for other options.
We sometimes fall in love with some products that could turn up to be of no use to us, keep in mind that you can’t change the whole room decor for one piece.
If you are planning on remodeling your bedroom it would be best to wait for the room to be ready and then you can invest in a nice looking furniture crate that goes with it.
Is the crate any good for crate training
Before you could determine the crate you want is any good for crate training, you should know what makes a good one first.
A good crate should first be a perfect size, meaning larger than your dog but not too large, your dog should be able to lay down in it, turn around and stand comfortably.
The crate should have enough open space for the dog to be able to see around and feel he is part of the action.
The crate should not be dark or too compact it gives the dog the sensation of being trapped, this would make it hard to lure the dog into the crate.
Final verdict and recommendation
After going through all the crates we reviewed in this article we can be confident to recommend the Pinnacle Woodcraft Dog Crate End Table as the best bedside table dog crate.
This furniture crate is surely not the cheapest but you get much more than you pay for.
All reviews for this article are positive and customers are all surprised by the excellent craftsmanship.
This crate has multiple options you can add to it for extra usability and it is available in different colors and options.
