Dog crates provide a safe enclosure for dogs when they're too young to be alone loose in the house, when they're traveling or during an emergency. Wire crates are available as self-contained folding crates, suitable for travel, or as drop-pin crates, which are more permanent but also generally more durable.
Step 1
Unpack the dog crate box. If possible, assemble the crate in the area where you will be crating the dog. Drop-pin crates, especially for larger breeds, are heavy and unwieldy to move.
Step 2
Place the bottom crate panel on the floor. The hooks should be facing up.
Step 3
Lay the side panels on the floor, loops facing up. Overlap the side panels on the bottom panel so that the second row of wire is directly underneath the hooks. The two bottom rows of wire on the side panels are closer together than the two top rows.
Step 4
Raise the side panels to a vertical position. Pull them up starting on an angle, so that the second wire row is caught in and secured by the hooks of the bottom panel.
Step 5
Lay the top panel across the two raised side panels. Hook the top wire rows of the side panels in the hooks on the top panel.
Step 6
Add the door panel so that the latches are on the right side of the crate. Hang the hooks of the door panel over the end wire of the top panel and swing the door panel down. Line the loops of the door panel up with the loops of the side panels.
Step 7
Attach the back panel in the same manner as the door panel. Keep the two wire rows that are close together at the bottom.
Step 8
Insert one drop pin in each corner of the crate. Be sure the pin goes through all of the loops in both panels.
Step 9
Open the door and insert the crate pan in the bottom of the crate. If the crate bottom panel has a latch to hold the pan in place, secure the latch over the bottom wire of the door panel.
