Lintran Dog Cages

Lintran Dog Cages

After deciding on the right dog walking vehicle for my needs, the next decision was what sort of dog cages to use. I knew I wanted something professional with lots of features. The first basic decision was whether to buy something that would be permanently installed or a cage system that could be removed. I decided on the latter option which would allow me to return it to a 5 seater car if needed. Some research followed and I contacted some companies. I quickly narrowed my choice down between TransK9 and Lintran Dog Cages. Both produce a range of dog cages that are fully featured and built to last.

I would have been happy to use either company but perhaps two factors led me to buy from Lintran Dog Cages. The first factor is that Lintran use white fibreglass outers on their cages which make them cooler and lighter than all metal cages. My vehicle has air conditioning and there is a 12v connection in the rear if I wanted to add a cooling fan. It also has blinds on the side windows to reduce the glare from the sun. If needed I could also add tinting to the windows but interior temperatures and airflow seem good. The second factor that led me to decide on Lintran was simply that they were located closer to me than TransK9 who are based in Scotland.

Lintran Dog Cages – My initial visit to Lincolnshire to meet them

After my initial call to them I decided to pay them a visit, I wanted them to look at my vehicle, discuss my needs and recommend how to proceed. Once I had arrived a few of their new and used crates were fitted inside my vehicle to give me a better idea of what to expect. The Citroen Berlingo Multispace has a decent amount of space inside. If you completely remove the rear seats it’s essentially the same as the van version of the Berlingo. Many of their stock cages are made for regular cars. It was clear that none of their stock range would make the best use of the extra height and boxy, square shape of my vehicle.

As such the recommendation was to measure the interior of my vehicle and make me a custom cage to suit. It would contain three large cage areas, two accessed from the rear of the vehicle and one accessed from the side. The two accessed from the rear contained a removable divider which would allow it to become one huge cage. The cages would be high enough to allow even large breeds to stand up inside. Indeed I get enquiries for my pet transport service which have included the transit of Great Danes and Newfoundlands. With the measurements taken, I paid for my new cage which would take a few weeks to manufacture. In the meantime they kindly let me use one of their larger models whilst my new one was being made.

Lintran Dog Cages – My cage features and my thoughts

Once my Lintran Dog Cage was finished I headed back to Lincolnshire to have it fitted. Like all Lintran Dog Cages the doors come with latches and locks. If you ever need spare keys for the locks Lintran can supply them.

Lintran Dog Cage close up
Lintran Cage close up

The bottom of the cages contain removable, washable black mats. These are like a hard plastic material. Lintran have discovered that these are resistant to dogs who like to chew. For short journeys to the park the mats seem fine. For longer journeys I sometimes add soft bedding for extra comfort. The rear two cages also come with a rubber mat that protects the rear bumper as dogs enter and exit the cages. The cages are crash tested and come with escape hatches. The cage itself is strapped into the vehicle using the car’s provided anchor points. For the metal parts of the cage I opted for a galvanised finish. Some might say that powder coat finish looks better. Galvanised was more expensive but is longer lasting and rust resistant. This could be important if you regularly remove the cage to clean it with a water hose.

Lintran Dog Cages - Side Entrance
Lintran Side Entrance cage

So following over a month of use what do I think of Lintran Dog Cages? Generally I am very happy with my choice. Custom made dog cages are never cheap but I believe you need to invest in your business. Transporting clients’ dogs safely and in comfort is a priority. This Lintran Dog Cage gives me lots of options. For dogs that do not travel well together I have a total of three large separate cages. I already walk some large breeds of dog like Rottweilers and the cages offer plenty of space. There are some rattles from the cage when driving but less than you would expect from cheap cages. During transit I don’t typically use the additional top and bottom latch bolts. If I did I think the the noises I experience currently would be reduced.

If at some point in the future I want to replace my vehicle I am able to remove the Lintran Dog Cage. Thankfully Citroen still make and sell the Berlingo Multispace. I could replace my existing model for a newer model when the time comes and still use my Lintran Dog Cage. The cage is after all likely to outlast the vehicle it’s fitted to! If you would like to know more why not visit the Lintran Dog Cages website.

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11 Comments

  1. Hi, thanks for the post. I’m also looking at buying a berlingo multispace for dog walking and have been considering whether to have cages fitted or just have standard cages and secure them. Just wondering if you can share what sort of price you paid for the custom built cage? Please feel free to email me at info@mcmurraysdogwalking.co.uk thank you!

    1. Hi Chris,

      I’ll email you direct with the price paid. Based on what others seem to pay for fitted cages that are attached to the vehicle I think the custom Lintran cage that can be removed worked out cheaper. To me the advantage was that if I ever sold the vehicle I could remove the cage and refit the seats and return it to a regular Berlingo Multispace. With the other types of cages you are really looking at either running the vehicle until it’s a write off or selling it to another dog walker / owner.

      The size of the cage I had made could possibly also fit in another similar sized vans. Would depend on internal dimensions and securing points. I’m happy with the Berlingo Multispace and my thinking was I would probably buy another when the time came. The cage will probably outlast my next 3 or 4 vehicles. The Berlingo is still being made so I can see an upgrade path for some time to come. There are large numbers on the roads and they sell for reasonable money second hand. It’s also the same as the Peugeot Partner so it shouldn’t be difficult to find something suitable when the time comes to replace.

      Feel free to ask me any other questions. There are lots of cage options for dog walkers but I’m happy that the system I went with suits my personal needs. It also makes you look professional to your clients which is important. I’ve had a number of people comment on the cages when I’m at the local parks.

      All the best
      Gary
      Northampton Dog Walker

  2. Hello , I too am looking at the Berlingo multispace with a similar set up of cages to you . Or maybe even just the rear entry one , ( how many dogs can it hold and is it separable?) what were the rough prices for yours ? Also looking at trans k9.
    Thanks
    Karen

    1. Hi Karen,

      Lintran make some cages for specific car models that you are able to buy as a stock item. My cage however was custom made by them to make the most of the space once the rear seats are completely removed. From memory the cost was about £1100.00-£1200.00 but this included a few extras like rear bumper protector and anodizing rather than powder coat finish.

      The cage I had designed basically has a total of 3 separate cages. The rear two are split by a removable divider. The total number of dogs it can hold depends on the breeds. Essentially I can fit 3 very large breed dogs but it could hold 6 or more smaller breeds. With a total of 3 separate cages, if you walked 4 dogs at once then at least 2 of those dogs would need to share a cage and be happy to do so. I often remove the divider at the back as I walk 2 large dogs from same household who prefer to travel in same cage.

      The cage is secured with a strap system using the vehicle anchor point rings on the floor. The entire cage can be removed (2 person job due to size of cage) which allows you to jet wash it clean if you want. This is why I went for anodized finish as the cage will not rust. Powder coating looks a nicer finish apparently but is less hard wearing.

      I also considered TransK9 and from what I hear they make excellent cages. The main reasons I went for Lintran were:

      The white fibreglass finish of Lintran helps deflect heat and keep cages cool. It also makes the cages slightly less heavy than the competition.

      The company were are based closer to me which was important when ordering a custom cage.

      Hope this helps.

      Gary

  3. Hi Gary,

    Thank you for the really useful and helpful posts.

    Do you secure the dogs (again) inside the cages, via harness and strapline? Thinking more for if you were transporting 4 dogs and had the back two cages opened into one, or is the cage / crate sufficient for safety, legality and comfort of the dogs?

    KR
    Dean

    1. Hi Dean,

      No I don’t secure the dogs once in the cage. Generally each dog has its own cage. There are times when I will have two dogs in same cage, either because I know they travel well together or when they are from same house and prefer to travel together. Having the centre divider between the rear two cages does give me flexibility. Lintran do make custom cages to suit your vehicle. It’s possible to spec something that has smaller cages above but I wanted full height for comfort of the largest breeds.

      Hope this answers your question.

      Gary

  4. Hi Gary,

    Thank you so much for all of the blog posts you have written about van/car, crates, ramp etc.

    It is extremely helpful and kind of you to share this knowledge.

    Best wishes,

    Jess

    1. Hi Jess,

      You’re welcome. Are you reading them because you are a dog owner or because you are thinking of becoming a dog walker? If the latter feel free to get in touch. I’m planning to start a dog walking franchise model under a different name for various parts of the UK. It would appeal to dog walkers who would rather leave the online marketing to someone else.

      All the best
      Gary

  5. Hi, Gary

    I’m currently looking at getting a 2010
    renault kangoo. Did your cages fit in the kangoo as well as your berlingo? As renault are no longer making the car kangoo I’m concerned about the longevity of the cage. It’d be useful to know if I can get a berlingo later down the line and still use the same cage.

    Also I just want to say that I really appreciate your blog posts as I’ve found a lot of the information invaluable when decision making.

    1. Hi Daniel,

      OK a few comments I would make. The Lintran cage I have will fit in a Kangoo. My partner has a 2010 petrol automatic Kangoo and I’ve used the Lintran in that. The rear seats in the car Kangoo fold flat. When the cage is on top of them it’s slightly higher towards the front than the rear (not perfectly level) but no issue for dogs and access from side loading doors. We have a TransK9 cage B04 in the Kangoo now just for our own dog. I like the TransK9 cages but they don’t really have something as big as my Lintran cage. The Lintran does rattle more than TransK9 in my experience. We recently changed the sticky rubber pads for thicker ones and this has solved the rattles. The Lintran has paid for itself since I had it but I don’t think they are easy to sell used. Most dog walkers don’t seem to want to invest in the expensive cages. Most just use seat belt harnesses etc.

      On another topic of the vehicle itself I feel I need to update my post about dog walking vehicles. I used to be a huge fan of diesel but would not buy another. Things like DPF filters and AdBlue injectors have ruined diesels. They go wrong and are expensive to fix. The fuel efficiency of some petrol cars has improved and it’s cheaper at the pumps.

      I guess each dog walker needs to decide how many dogs they intend to walk and what size those dogs will be. I don’t walk large groups. When it comes time to replace my 2016 Diesel Peugeot Partner I will have a choice to make. The post 2018 Berlingo and Partners rear seats don’t clip out. I’m not sure how I feel about the Turbo life on the 1.2 petrol puretech. The 1.4 petrol Doblo seems a fairly reliable option but again rear seats bolted in so insurance consider it a modification when you take them out. I’ll probably consider something like the Honda Jazz. It looks tiny on the outside but rear seats fold flat and the rear area is larger than you would expect. The Jazz is very reliable, good on fuel and will last a long time with regular servicing. My last 8 or so vehicles have all been diesel. It’s a great technology but sadly the added emission features are very unreliable and I can’t really recommend a modern diesel.

      All the best
      Gary

      1. Thank you for giving me such a detailed reply. I really appreciate it. You’ve now got me researching alternative options. The Jazz does seem to come highly recommended by previous owners. How many dogs do you usually walk and would you be getting a custom cage built for the Jazz? Do you think that they’d be enough space for 4 separate cages?

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