Here’s the scenario this crate exists for: it’s your first puppy’s first week home, you’re standing in the PetSmart aisle staring at a wall of identical-looking black wire crates, and the Top Paw one is the cheapest by twenty bucks. You grab it because it comes with a divider panel and it folds flat, and you wonder the whole drive home whether you just bought the bargain-bin lemon.
The honest note most reviews skip: Top Paw is PetSmart’s house brand. It’s not competing with premium crates — it’s competing with the other budget wire crate on the shelf. Wire crates are close to a commodity; what actually varies is wire gauge, latch quality, and the paint finish. So this review isn’t asking “is this the best crate on Earth” — it’s asking whether the crate 90% of first-time owners actually buy holds up for the job it’s hired to do: crate training a puppy and containing a calm adult dog.
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The Crate: Top Paw Single Door Folding Wire Dog Crate
This is the flagship Top Paw wire crate — the single-door folding model sold in six sizes from XX-Small (18″) to XX-Large (48″), exclusively at PetSmart. The formula is the classic budget wire crate: black e-coat wire, slide-bolt door latch, a removable plastic pan, and a divider panel so one crate can grow with your puppy. It folds flat like a suitcase and locks that way for transport.
Where it sits on price: around $32 for the XX-Small, ~$47 for the 36-inch, and ~$68 for the 42-inch at PetSmart, with sales frequent. That undercuts the big-name wire crates by a meaningful margin — which is the entire pitch.
Specs: XX-Small to XX-Large (18″–48″; e.g. 36″ for dogs up to 22″ tall/34″ long, 42″ for dogs up to 27″ tall/40″ long, 48″ for dogs up to 28.5″ tall/45″ long) · black e-coat wire · single slide-bolt latch door · includes divider panel, leak-proof plastic pan, detachable handle, 4 rubber feet · folds flat · crate mat sold separately · PetSmart exclusive.
Pros: cheapest crate on the PetSmart shelf by a wide margin; divider panel included (many budget crates charge extra or skip it); folds flat and sets up in seconds, no tools; in-store pickup and easy PetSmart returns; rubber feet protect floors; plenty of owners crate-train puppies in it with zero drama.
Cons: this is not a containment crate for determined dogs — one PetSmart reviewer reported their 46-lb border collie bent the door and escaped on the second use; the plastic pan is thin and multiple owners of Top Paw crates report dogs chewing through it; wire gauge is lighter than premium brands, so heavy chewers and escape artists will defeat it; single door only (the double-door version costs more); the paint finish can chip, and chipped wire rusts — this is an indoor crate, not an outdoor one; no crate mat included.
Verdict: A perfectly good first crate for puppies and calm adult dogs, and a bad crate for escape artists, heavy chewers, or anxious dogs left alone for hours. Buy it for the price and the divider panel; don’t buy it if your dog has ever bent a crate door. Check the price at PetSmart.
Who It’s For — and Who Should Skip It
Buy it if: you’re crate training a puppy (the divider panel is the killer feature here — buy the adult size and section it down); your dog is calm in a crate and just needs a den; you want a second crate for the car or grandma’s house; you want to see and touch the crate before buying, which PetSmart lets you do.
Skip it if: your dog has separation anxiety or a history of escaping — a 46-lb dog bending the door is a documented failure, not a hypothetical; your dog chews bedding and pans (the plastic tray won’t survive); you need a crate for outdoor or car-camping use where rain and chipped paint mean rust; you need airline-approved containment (wire crates aren’t).
How to Choose a Wire Dog Crate (and Where Top Paw Fits)
Wire gauge beats brand. All budget wire crates look the same from ten feet away. Thicker wire resists bending and chewing; thinner wire keeps the crate light and cheap. If your dog is strong, anxious, or an escape artist, you want a heavier-gauge crate (or a heavy-duty steel one), not a lighter one. Top Paw sits on the lighter side — fine for calm dogs, wrong for Houdinis.
Count the doors. A single front door is fine if the crate lives against a wall. Two doors (front + side) give you placement flexibility in cars and tight rooms. Top Paw’s flagship is single-door; PetSmart also sells a double-door Top Paw variant for more money.
The divider panel is the puppy feature. For house training, the crate should be just big enough for the dog to stand, turn, and lie down — too much room and the puppy potties in the corner. A divider lets you buy the adult size once and grow into it. Top Paw includes one, which is genuinely good value.
Inspect the pan and latches in the store. Slide the latches, pull the pan out, flex the door. The pan should slide smoothly and feel rigid; latches should move without grinding. These are the two parts that fail first on budget crates, and PetSmart’s return policy is your safety net.
Size up when in doubt. PetSmart’s own guidance: if your dog is near the top of a size’s dimensions, go larger. A 36-inch crate fits dogs up to about 22″ tall and 34″ long; a 42-inch fits dogs up to about 27″ tall and 40″ long. Measure your dog’s height and length before you shop.
Indoor, supervised use. Budget wire crates are indoor tools for trained dogs. They are not outdoor kennels (rain + chipped paint = rust), not airline cargo crates, and not a substitute for addressing separation anxiety. Use them for what they’re built for.
Bottom line: the Top Paw Single Door Folding Wire Dog Crate is the right call for crate training a puppy or housing a calm adult dog — the divider panel and the price are real advantages. It’s the wrong call for any dog that treats a crate as a puzzle to be solved. Know your dog, size up, and buy the crate mat separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Top Paw a good dog crate brand?
Top Paw is PetSmart’s house brand, and its wire crate is a solid budget option — not a premium one. Owners generally like it for puppies and calm dogs, especially with the included divider panel. It is not built for escape artists or heavy chewers, and honest reviews say so. Match the crate to your dog’s temperament and it does the job.
What size Top Paw crate does my dog need?
Measure your dog’s height (floor to top of head) and length (nose to tail base), then check PetSmart’s sizing: the 36-inch fits dogs up to 22″ tall and 34″ long; the 42-inch fits dogs up to 27″ tall and 40″ long; the 48-inch fits dogs up to 28.5″ tall and 45″ long. When in doubt, size up — and use the divider panel for puppies.
Does the Top Paw dog crate come with a divider?
Yes — the single-door folding wire crate includes a divider panel, which is one of its best features for the price. It lets you buy the adult size and shrink the space for a puppy during house training. The crate mat, however, is sold separately.
Is the Top Paw wire crate airline approved?
No. Wire crates are not accepted for airline cargo travel — airlines require rigid plastic or heavy-duty crates with specific ventilation and fastener standards. A wire crate works for car travel, but for flying you’ll need an airline-approved kennel.
Where is Top Paw sold?
Top Paw is exclusive to PetSmart — you won’t find it on Amazon or Chewy. The upside is in-store pickup, same-day availability in most areas, and PetSmart’s return policy if the crate doesn’t work out.
Can a dog escape from a Top Paw wire crate?
A calm, crate-trained dog: no. A determined dog: yes — one owner documented a 46-lb border collie bending the door and escaping. No budget wire crate will hold a dog with serious separation anxiety or escape drive; those dogs need a heavy-duty crate and, more importantly, a training plan. Never leave a distressed dog alone in a wire crate hoping the metal wins.
