Best Dog Crate

Challenge: Build the Best Dog Crate

For those of us that travel with our dogs, especially dog show enthusiasts, there's more to canine safety than the sturdiness of the travel carrier itself. Temperatures are always a concern. When the mercury drops, our dogs can wind up shivering in the back of the van. When temperatures soar, the situation can turn deadly in a matter of minutes. So, what can you do to make sure your furry friend is safe and comfortable?

One company believes they have the answer. The Komfort Pets' climate-controlled pet carrier is unlike any other travel crate you'll find on the market. It actually has a heating and cooling unit built in beneath the bottom of the crate floor.

How the Komfort Pet Carrier Works

According to Komfort Pets CEO Bob Inello, the unit employs a dual technology system that augments a dog's natural method for cooling himself off. "We use a convection air flow system and a conductive heating and cooling plate in the floor of each carrier. Once an owner engages the power switch, the temperature sensor automatically turns the unit on whenever the ambient temperature inside the crate goes above or below the ideal range of 60 to 72 degrees F".

Inello went on to explain that these crates have been thoroughly vet tested and the internal temperature settings are actually vet recommended. The cooling system has three increment cycles and automatically moves up to the next level as temperatures rise. The warming mode automatically turns on at 60 degrees and ramps up in similar three level increment cycles; as the outside ambient temperature drops, the system automatically raises to the next level of warming.

Power Source

When asked how the carrier is powered, Inello said " Each Komfort Pets' climate-controlled pet carrier comes with a 12 volt DC converter and cord that plugs into any 110 volt AC power source. We also provide a six foot, 12 volt DC cord that can be plugged into the 12 volt DC power outlet in any car, SUV, RV, boat or private plane. We are currently developing a three hour rechargeable back up battery with carry case and shoulder strap as an accessory item".

Safety Measures

When asked what kind of safety measures are in place to protect pets from the electric power source, Inello replied "We've made considerable effort to seal the flooring system and provide a drain out of the pet carrier in case of spills. Each carrier includes additional internal overload safety devices to ensure a dog's protection. We've also conducted drop testing to ensure durability".

Outdoor Use

Naturally, dog show enthusiasts are bound to be especially interested in these carriers. We asked Inello if the carriers were safe for outdoor use as well, and if the temperature sensor would be unduly affected by direct sun or damp ground. According to Inello, the carriers were built with this type of use in mind, but owners should still rely on common sense and monitor their dogs while the carriers are in use. The company also warns owners against leaving their pets unattended in any vehicle, even when the heating/cooling unit is in use.

Air Travel

Obviously, a climate-controlled pet carrier seems like an ideal solution to the problems encountered during air travel. A number of pets have either died from heat exhaustion or hypothermia while being transported in plane cargo holds. When asked if Komfort Pet carriers met the standards for airline approval, Inello stated that their medium-sized carrier has been produced to meet airline safety criteria, and he believed they would soon be airline approved.

Size and Price

The best dog crate doesn't come cheap. The carriers come in a small size that is already available on the market for $299.00. It's expected that the medium sized carrier will hit the market in February 2008, and that the large carriers will be rolled out sometime the following summer.

Visit Komfort Pets

LoveToKnow Dogs would like to thank Bob Inello for taking time out of his busy day to speak with us. If you would like to see these climate-controlled carriers and learn even more about them, visit Komfort Pets' website and take the tour.

The carriers can also be found at:

• PetCo.com
• Amazon.com
• Select pet retail stores