SUNDAY, OCT. 26, 2008

Product Changes

It's all go here at MidwestPetProducts.com with some great new products arriving in February. The Canine Camper products are being revamped, along with the Vehicle Barriers.

Two Door Canine Campers

First the bad news: we no longer sell the Canine Camper. Now the good news - it has been replaced with the Two Door Canine Camper and the price is exactly the same. Now you get two door versatility for the same great price as the single door Canine Camper.

Canine Camper Day Tripper

We couldn't leave you without a single door Canine Camper, so we are proud to announce the Canine Camper Day Tripper. This pop-up tent crate has all the features you love in the Canine Camper and comes with an attractive tan finish. Even better news is that they are little less expensive than the old Canine Camper model.

13N Vehicle Barrier

We know how much fun it is driving around with your dog. We have a couple of dogs that like nothing more than to go for a truck ride. Up the street, around the corner or on a road trip - they don't care as long they're on board. We know that safety for you and your pets is your top priority, so we offer Vehicle Barriers to keep your pets in place in your vehicle while you travel.

We used to offer two type of Vehicle Barriers - the Midwest Vehicle Barrier 14N or 15N. With these models, you needed to select the correct barrier for your vehicle. Now we have one model that replaces the both the 14N and 15N

Annnouncing the Midwest Vehicle Barrier 13N. The 13N has all the fetures of the 14N and 15N, but can be as small as the 14N or as big as the 15N meaning it truly is a one size fits all barrier. So, whether you have a Chevrolet Tahoe, or a Subaru Forrester, you'll find the Midwest 13N a great solution for you.

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SUNDAY, OCT. 19, 2008

Life Stages, DD & UL - What's The Difference?

We get plenty of questions about the difference between the three types of Midwest Life Stages dog crates. Let's start by listing the three different models.

• Midwest Life Stages
• Midwest Life Stages DD
• Midwest Life Stages Ultima

Now we'll look at the similarities. They are all folding wire dog crates that fold "suitcase style" for easy carrying and include a carrying handle. Each Life Stages crate comes with a divider panel and an ABS plastic pan and are available in sizes 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 inches for dogs 11 - 110 lbs. The series number is is Midwest Life Stages LS16XX and the last two digits represent the size of the crate. For example, a 36 inch Life Stages crate has three variations:

• Life Stages LS1636
• Life Stages LS1636DD
• Life Stages Ultima LS1636UL

Life Stages and Life Stages DD

The Life Stages and Life Stages DD are very similar in that they are both medium duty folding crates with a black, electro-coat finish. The primary difference is that the Life Stages crate has a door on one end and the Life Stages DD crate has an additional door on the side. The extra door provides a great deal of flexibility in crate placement. The crate can be place sideways between two pieces of furniture and the side door can be used as the primary door to the crate, or the crate can be placed in the back of your SUV to keep your dog safe while traveling.

Life Stages Ultima

The Life Stages Ultima is a heavy duty three door dog crate and it comes in a handsome silver galvanized finish. It offers you the ultimate in flexibility and safety for your dog.

So - it's quite simple really, and now you know you can check out more details and photographs here:

Midwest Life Stages
Midwest Life Stages DD
Midwest Life Stages UL Ultima

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SUNDAY, OCT. 12, 2008

Midwest Dog Crate Pans

There is no doubt that both owners and dogs love their Midwest Dog Crates. These crates are well made, well designed and last a for very long time. Among all the positive feedback we get, we do get one complaint; the pans. Midwest Replacement Pans are made from ABS plastic. They are tough, durable, and under most circumstances they will last a lifetime. However, some owners report persistent problems with the pans breaking while others state that they last forever. We decided to do some research and find out what is happening.

The Midwest Dog Crate Pan sits on top of the wire bottom of the crate. If your dog is active in the crate, is heavy, or just stands up a lot it, causes flexing between the ABS plastic and the wire bars of the crate bottom. Over time (and with some dogs that is not long) the constant flexing can cause the pan to break. We recommend putting some cushioning between the pan and the crate to reduce this flexing. Suitable materials may include plywood or cardboard, but in our experience the best material for this purpose is carpet.

If you have some left over carpet, you can use this, but even if you do not, you can purchase remnant material from a home improvement store very inexpensively. Home improvement stores cut sections of carpet to length for customers, and often what is left of the roll is not big enough for regular resale. These pieces become remnants and are sold at a discount. We recommend a thicker piece of carpet for this purpose. Simply measure the size of the pan and ask for your local store to cut you a piece the same size. To install, simply remove your Midwest Dog Crate Pan and place the cut piece of carpet on the base of the crate. Next, replace your pan and use your crate as normal.

We hope you have found these tips useful and they lead to extended pan life for your Midwest Dog Crate. If you are in need of a replacement pan, please visit the Midwest Replacement Pans page.

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SUNDAY, OCT. 05, 2008

What's so special about three door dog crates?

Three door dog crates are incredibly versatile. At MidwestPetProducts.com we sell two different types of three door crates and they both have a number of features in common:

• Heavy duty construction
• Included divider panels
• Fold and carry design
• Door on each end and one on the side

The two models available are the Select 1300TD, and the Life Stages Ultima. The Select 1300TD is available in 24 - 48 inch size for dogs 25 - 110 lbs, and the Life Stages Ultima is available in 30 - 40 inch size for dogs 40 - 110 lbs.

These crates offer the dog owner the ultimate in flexibility. Because each crate has a door on each end and one on the side, they allow versatility in crate placement. These crates are equally useful in the home or in the vehicle (please check dimensions). Because of the extra doors, a divider panel can be fitted in the middle and the crate can be used for two dogs - remember to size the crate appropriately for this application.

The primary difference between the two crates is in the finish and how the doors are constructed. The Life Stages Ultima offers a bright zinc finish, and the Select 1300TD offers a pewter fleck finish. In addition, the doors of the Select 1300TD can be removed without tools. This is particularly useful where space is limited, or if the crate is used as a sleeping place for your dog, but you want the animal to be free to move about otherwise.

We think you'll agree that a Midwest Three Door Folding Dog Crate offers the ultimate in convenience, durability and flexibility. In addition, our three door crates are on sale when you purchase the crate along with a Quiet Time Bed. Don't tell anyone - that offer is just for readers of this blog! The discount is applied at chekout time. Hurry, because this offer is combined with free shipping and is available for a limited time only.

Links

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