Dog kennels

[Kleos]

I am debating between the Large Gunner G1 or the Ruffland Kennel. I have the option to get the Gunner kennel for $500 or Ruffland for 350. Just seeing what everyone's opinions are if the Gunners are worth the extra money or not.

My dog will sleep in the kennel at night and it will be used partially for travel if he gets muddy. I have heard the Gunner kennel is nice due to the plastic regulating temperature in the way it was made.

Whats your thoughts folks

 

[ceejay]

I don't have any wisdom on comparing the Gunner to Ruffland as I only have used a Ruffland and think it's a well made. Those Gunner kennels certainly look bomb proof. The empty weight of the large Gunner kennel is listed as 72lb ..... that's a heavy SOB if you'll be moving it in and out of your truck much.

I am curious as to which size Ruffland you are looking at? Is $350 for an XL Ruffland?

 

[Buzby]

The Gunner comes insulated (double wall), also comes with a lock, handles, and tie down points. All of those have to be purchased separately on the Ruffland. That closes the price gap a good bit. The Gunner will also hold up better in a crash. The trade off is, it’s bigger on the outside for similar interior dimensions, and it’s heavier.

I’m very impressed with my Gunner, and how well it has worked in hot and cold temperature. However it stays in my truck. If I was moving it much or primarily using it in the house, I’d probably look at a Ruffland

 

[Buzby]

Also if you’re using it in a vehicle a lot, you don’t want a bunch of extra room, a somewhat snug fit is better. As long as they can stand, turn around, and lay down, they’re good.

 

[30338]

I have both. The large Gunner is so heavy that it has blown through 2 of the wheels that are on the back for transporting it. It is very strong and the door is great on it. I leave it in my truck the entire bird season. I'd downsize to a medium for my 72 pound dog on that one.

I have two Rufflands that get used a lot. They are way the heck lighter and can be carried into a motel room easy. These are large ones also. Can't go wrong with either but if it needs to go in and out of trucks or motel rooms make mine a Ruffland.

 

[Kleos]

I don't have any wisdom on comparing the Gunner to Ruffland as I only have used a Ruffland and think it's a well made. Those Gunner kennels certainly look bomb proof. The empty weight of the large Gunner kennel is listed as 72lb ..... that's a heavy SOB if you'll be moving it in and out of your truck much.

I am curious as to which size Ruffland you are looking at? Is $350 for an XL Ruffland?

I was looking at the Large Ruff land. I have a Wire Haired Pointing Griffon and trying to get a size that would be comfortable for sleeping in overnight.

The Gunner comes insulated (double wall), also comes with a lock, handles, and tie down points. All of those have to be purchased separately on the Ruffland. That closes the price gap a good bit. The Gunner will also hold up better in a crash. The trade off is, it’s bigger on the outside for similar interior dimensions, and it’s heavier.

I’m very impressed with my Gunner, and how well it has worked in hot and cold temperature. However it stays in my truck. If I was moving it much or primarily using it in the house, I’d probably look at a Ruffland

Great points.

Also if you’re using it in a vehicle a lot, you don’t want a bunch of extra room, a somewhat snug fit is better. As long as they can stand, turn around, and lay down, they’re good.

I did read this, my only concern is I would lug it back and forth between my truck, however not frequently. But I do want something he would be comfortable in over night for when in the house.

I have both. The large Gunner is so heavy that it has blown through 2 of the wheels that are on the back for transporting it. It is very strong and the door is great on it. I leave it in my truck the entire bird season. I'd downsize to a medium for my 72 pound dog on that one.

I have two Rufflands that get used a lot. They are way the heck lighter and can be carried into a motel room easy. These are large ones also. Can't go wrong with either but if it needs to go in and out of trucks or motel rooms make mine a Ruffland.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Superdoo]

I have always wanted to get a high end kennel, but my el cheapos work and keep working. Most of the time the dogs are just loose in the back seat of the truck. When I need kennels I bring the collapsible wire ones.

 

[Mosby]

I have Ruff land and a Lucky Duck kennel. The Ruff land's are great. They fit on my second seat when it is really hot or freezing cold and I don't want the dog in the back of the truck. Also easier to haul into a hotel room. The Lucky Duck is larger and heavier. I leave it in the house until the season rolls around and I strap it in the back of the truck to use during the season. The Lucky Duck would be a lot better in an accident. A lot of dogs get killed in car accidents. I don't like having dogs loose inside the vehicles if I can avoid it.

 

[Adam Gibbs]

I have a Ruffland XL for my fat lab. She's 95lbs. It's actually a bit too big. I probably should have gone with the Large. The kennel is great. Though I'd probably go Gunner if you can get a deal on them.

 

[KurtR]

I have a large ruffians it fits in the back seat of my Toyota just right. I move it a lot that’s why I went with that. The gunner is a dang nice kennel also and would be best in a crash. He sleeps in it all the time with plenty of room he’s right at 65 pounds.

 

[arock]

My monster rides in a Gunner in the car and then he has a big ass wire frame crate with an memory foam bed inside for the house.

I would recommend going with a tighter fit on the Gunner and having a separate box for the house.

My GWP fits nice and tight in an intermediate.

 

[Govinator3]

I use a large wire crate in the house and a ruffland intermediate in the truck for my griffon who weighs 50lb. I can't justify the price and weight of a gunner.

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

I went with the Ruffland because of the weight difference and I'm very happy with it. (Intermediate size for 65# Drahthaar). I can't imagine lugging the Gunner in and out of a hotel room. If I planned on leaving it in my truck all the time the Gunner would have been my choice.

You have to add an extra $50 to the Ruffland for handles and tie down brackets to get it apples to apples with the Gunner so then you're only looking at a $100 difference. If you add a kennel cover to make up for insulation you're pretty much at the same price point. At that point it really just comes down to weight vs more structural integrity.

 

[twall13]

I started a poll comparing kennels a year or two ago. Here's the link for some additional reading.

The Ruffland Kennels were pretty popular on Rokslide. I ended up going with a Lucky Duck and I've been very pleased with it. Many of the same features as the Gunner, but weighs less and costs a bit less. It's still heavier than my wife wants to lug around, but it's quite a bit lighter than the Gunner.

 

[Antares]

I have two of the big Dakota 283s for my little savages. I like em.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

man's best friend deserves a gunner if you're at all concerned about their safety when in transport.

@Kleos god forbid your ever in a accident with your dog but personally for $150 extra it's a no brainer

Car Running From Police Hit Me At 130MPH

Bullet & I were hit head-on by a vehicle going over 100 MPH. Here's what happened.

gunner.com

 

[SODO]

I started a poll comparing kennels a year or two ago. Here's the link for some additional reading.

The Ruffland Kennels were pretty popular on Rokslide. I ended up going with a Lucky Duck and I've been very pleased with it. Many of the same features as the Gunner, but weighs less and costs a bit less. It's still heavier than my wife wants to lug around, but it's quite a bit lighter than the Gunner.

I started with a Gunner and transitioned to a Lucky Duck as well.

The Gunner is more expensive, heavier, and takes up more room in a truck bed than an equivalent sized Lucky Duck while having less interior space. However, the Gunner is subjectively better looking and double wall roto-molded so the inside stays cooler in the sun. They both have the same crash star safety rating.

The dealbreaker for me was the winter warmth when my dog grew to the large size kennels. Gunner claims that with the all-weather cover and double walls, the kennel will stay warm even with their front plastic door fully vented. It absolutely does not. After temperature testing with a dog in the kennel, the inside was only 5° warmer than the outside air temp. Too cold for Montana.

Lucky Duck makes no such claims and just sells a nice kennel cover (kennel covers work). Also the Mud River quilted kennel cover fits the Lucky Duck large. A large extended size Mud River will fit the Gunner Intermediate, but as far as I can tell there is not a kennel cover on the market that will fit a Gunner G1 Large. So if you have a 75+ lb dog and need a Gunner Large or Lucky Duck Large, the Gunner will only be a 3-season kennel.

 

[twall13]

I started with a Gunner and transitioned to a Lucky Duck as well.

The Gunner is more expensive, heavier, and takes up more room in a truck bed than an equivalent sized Lucky Duck while having less interior space. However, the Gunner is subjectively better looking and double wall roto-molded so the inside stays cooler in the sun. They both have the same crash star safety rating.

The dealbreaker for me was the winter warmth when my dog grew to the large size kennels. Gunner claims that with the all-weather cover and double walls, the kennel will stay warm even with their front plastic door fully vented. It absolutely does not. After temperature testing with a dog in the kennel, the inside was only 5° warmer than the outside air temp. Too cold for Montana.

Lucky Duck makes no such claims and just sells a nice kennel cover (kennel covers work). Also the Mud River quilted kennel cover fits the Lucky Duck large. A large extended size Mud River will fit the Gunner Intermediate, but as far as I can tell there is not a kennel cover on the market that will fit a Gunner G1 Large. So if you have a 75+ lb dog and need a Gunner Large or Lucky Duck Large, the Gunner will only be a 3-season kennel.

I have the Lucky Duck kennel cover as well, and it does add some insulation and weather protection value for sure. I also like that it integrates so nicely with the kennel so you can still use the handles attached to the kennel (not just handles sewn into the cover) as well as the tie down points on the kennel.

I'm glad someone did some real world testing on the warmth/insulation claims for the Gunner as I was always a bit skeptical of how warm it would actually be with the vents everywhere, even with their all weather cover. I know the Gunner Kennels are really nice, but to me they had a few drawbacks when compared to the Lucky Duck's. Gunner has the marketing down as well as Yeti does in the cooler market. They have the brand name recognition for the top end of the market.

 

[BravoNovember]

My wirehair got very destructive when left home alone, after our daughter was born (first kid and dog is 3yo). She broke out of wire kennels, and destroyed an orvis “furniture grade” kennel. We got a ruffland and have zero regrets.

 

[Buzby]

I’ve had the opposite experience with gunners double wall insulation. Mine stays in the back of my truck under a fiberglass topper. That may be the difference. In the 5 years I’ve had it, once I had to add some extra warmth via a banker under the dog, and a large towel covering the top, side openings, and the top of the door. According to a Garmin Tempe I had in the crate, it was 20° warmer than outside (20 some degrees).