# Dog Box owners.......



## ejriggs

Sold my old premier 2 hole over the weekend. It was not insulated at all and over 15 years old so it was time to go. Been looking at getting a replacement but man $$$$$$
Think I am going with a Diamond Deluxe but had a few questions maybe some of you could help me on. 
They all come stock with corrugated plastic insulation. Not sure how well that will hold up to a dog scratching / chewing etc and if that is enough to keep the box on the cool side. Texas can get pretty damn hot! The cold is not that much of a concern. If I wanted, they can add 1" of insulation and skin it with sheet metal. Adds 100.00 per side though. Not sure if it worth the added expense. Thoughts?????


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## EdA

dog boxes last a long time, good ones even longer, I recently sold my 27 year old 3 hole Bush slide in for more than I paid for it in 1983, replacing it with a Deerskin 3 hole slide in with exhaust fan and airing lights, initial price should not be your primary consideration, prorate it over 20 years and consider the comfort and safety for your dogs


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## FOM

I have a DD box and do not recommend it for Texas weather. My dogs ate the corrugated crap within a week. 

I agree with Dr. Ed buy the best you can and forget the cost, i replaced my DD with an ainley 4 hole topper, I wished I had just bought a nice slide in box from them long ago....the difference in quality and comfort for the dogs is amazing!

FOM


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## jhunter

I use to have a creative sports box, a deer skin, and a diamond deluxe. I went to northstarplastics about 2 years ago now and i love it especially for the heat mine is fully insulated, dual walled, louvers on the doors, and a 920 cfm fan system, with a gun drawer below it. If you want your dogs to stay cool i dont see how there is another way to go.


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## ejriggs

jhunter said:


> I use to have a creative sports box, a deer skin, and a diamond deluxe. I went to northstarplastics about 2 years ago now and i love it especially for the heat mine is fully insulated, dual walled, louvers on the doors, and a 920 cfm fan system, with a gun drawer below it. If you want your dogs to stay cool i dont see how there is another way to go.


What you pay for a box like this?


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## jhunter

I paid a little less than $2000


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## Tim West

Corrugated plastic is a farce. Dogs will eat it and it doesn't insulate worth a crap.

Shop around for a used Ainley, Deerskin or that type and spend the cash. You will not lose any money when you sell it and your dogs will be safe and protected.


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## huntinlabs

i have a deer creek uplander and i love it but i think im about to upgrade to a 3 hole..


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## jhunter

Tim,
First of all it isnt corrugated plastic. It is HDPE with a uv addative. Not even close to the same. Second there is no spot in any kennel for the dogs to chew on. Third lets say you buy and ainley like this for $4000 and you sell it for $2500. Lets say you buy a northstar kennel for $2000 and you sell it for $500. How much difference in price is there i will let you do the math. Fourth why wouldnt you buy a box with a lifetime warranty and something that actually has thermal properties, anyone ever touched metal in the winter when there wet, anyone ever touched metal in the summer when the sun is beating on it. And last you only have half the initial investment in a up and coming product that will more than likely increase value in the future. I guess thats my little information for some people that are ill advised on the new wave of the future and how far people have come with plastic products.


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## SCOTT C.

jhunter said:


> Tim,
> First of all it isnt corrugated plastic. It is HDPE with a uv addative. Not even close to the same. Second there is no spot in any kennel for the dogs to chew on. Third lets say you buy and ainley like this for $4000 and you sell it for $2500. Lets say you buy a northstar kennel for $2000 and you sell it for $500. How much difference in price is there i will let you do the math. Fourth why wouldnt you buy a box with a lifetime warranty and something that actually has thermal properties, anyone ever touched metal in the winter when there wet, anyone ever touched metal in the summer when the sun is beating on it. And last you only have half the initial investment in a up and coming product that will more than likely increase value in the future. I guess thats my little information for some people that are ill advised on the new wave of the future and how far people have come with plastic products.


I think Tim was talking about the original posters opinion on corrugated plastic insulation and weather it works or not.


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## ejriggs

Correct! The type of insulation makers like Owens, DD etc use. Guess I am going to skip those and try to find a good one local, used and not break the bank! If you know of one, holler at me! Located in Texas


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## ejriggs

jhunter said:


> I paid a little less than $2000


Ouch, not sure how that plastic will hold up to a few Texas summers! Glad you are happy with yours.


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## ejriggs

Tim West said:


> Corrugated plastic is a farce. Dogs will eat it and it doesn't insulate worth a crap.
> 
> Shop around for a used Ainley, Deerskin or that type and spend the cash. You will not lose any money when you sell it and your dogs will be safe and protected.


Roger that!


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## huntinlabs

ejriggs said:


> Correct! The type of insulation makers like Owens, DD etc use. Guess I am going to skip those and try to find a good one local, used and not break the bank! If you know of one, holler at me! Located in Texas


pm sent...


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## LESTER LANGLEY

How does that foot taste, jhunter?


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## savage25xtreme

I purchased a DD T style box about a month ago. It was 1300 bucks. I like the design of the box, but the workmanship is CRAP, IMHO. Its really annoying that the doors dont slam shut, the side storage doors are nice but the welding in the storage is junk and ugly and the walls in the dog box aren't straight and they used about 10 tubes of silicon to put the blue plastic in the dog box which also looks like CRAP. The entire box rattles like 2 midgets beating on metal trash cans. The box gets the job done, I will use it for a few years and look to upgrade. If its all you can afford, its all you can afford. I will likely take a close look at the plastic boxes, although I love the way a shiny metal box looks in my truck.

edit: oh one other thing that hacks me off is the roof is just riveted on, come on guys take the time to put a nice weld to hold the roof on.... also the roof rack is riveted ontop of diamond plate, so of course that looks like sh!t too!

just my :2c:


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## Jeffrey Bandel

savage25xtreme said:


> I purchased a DD T style box about a month ago. It was 1300 bucks. I like the design of the box, but the workmanship is CRAP, IMHO. Its really annoying that the doors dont slam shut, the side storage doors are nice but the welding in the storage is junk and ugly and the walls in the dog box aren't straight and they used about 10 tubes of silicon to put the blue plastic in the dog box which also looks like CRAP. The entire box rattles like 2 midgets beating on metal trash cans. The box gets the job done, I will use it for a few years and look to upgrade. If its all you can afford, its all you can afford. I will likely take a close look at the plastic boxes, although I love the way a shiny metal box looks in my truck.
> 
> edit: oh one other thing that hacks me off is the roof is just riveted on, come on guys take the time to put a nice weld to hold the roof on.... also the roof rack is riveted ontop of diamond plate, so of course that looks like sh!t too!
> 
> just my :2c:


You should have read my posts about this company. Wait till it starts falling apart and the owner of the company says it is your fault--at least that is what he told the judge...


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## Brett Krause

Buy an Ainley and be done with it.
Customer service is second to none and you WON'T be disappointed.
You will be able to have built a CUSTOM box that will last indefinitely.


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## savage25xtreme

Jeffrey Bandel said:


> You should have read my posts about this company. Wait till it starts falling apart and the owner of the company says it is your fault--at least that is what he told the judge...



agreed.

I learn lessons nearly every day!


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## Aaron Homburg

*I owned a Deer Creek two and three hole box and they are good boxes for the money, however I now own a 3 hole Ainley and there is no comparison! The workmanship and quality that goes into an Ainley box is unreal! The insulation they put in their boxes keeps the dogs cool even on these brutally hot days! The drawers under the boxes are top notch, I highly recommend the LED lights they put in the drawers the only thing I wish I would have put on mine was airing lights and an inverter. The dogs love being in the box and have plenty of room and are very comfortable.

Aaron

*


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## savage25xtreme

I looked at those, but its a pain in the butt to hook a boat or trailer up to the ball by yourself with that thing covering the back window and crawling up into the bed every time to access the storage and open the doors would be a pain.

like I said I LOVE the design of my box, just wish I had had someone else make it !

I will post some pictures if I can remember.


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## John Shoffner

I would suggest making the investment in either a Mountaintop (www.mtck.com) or an Ainley. Great quality and good resale on either.


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## John Kelder

Freedom of speech has come along way on this forum ,or I was targeted by whiners for saying pretty much the same thing about a dog box I bought !!
Ainley is great , Deerskin is too ,and I like those Mountaintop boxes .Good luck with the others . You get what you pay for.


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## Brad B

Spend the money up front for the quality. Love every minute of my Deerskin 3 hole and most likely will never sell it. You can find them used for a good price most of the time and they hold thier value. Same goes for any of the other brands named like MTCK and Ainley. 

And I'm not chemist but isn't HDPE just an acronym for High Density Polyethelyne which is PLASTIC!

The corrugated stuff is crap, don't waste your money. And serves zero as insualtion particularly in TX.


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## Jeff Huntington

By the way if anyone has an Ainley that cost them $4000 and want to sell for $2500 let me know please....

assuming it is in good shape

I love Ainley, DS and MTNTOP look at Bittercreek they have a pro series that is very nice.


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## 346ci

We don't have any that small, most are 12-18 holes. I can add that Deerskin, MTCK and Ainley are the top 3. If you are going to spend the money, might as well get the best.


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## savage25xtreme

here is a pic of mine... like I said I love everything about its design, but wish it was Ainkley/deerskin quality


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## ejriggs

Been looking at a 2 hole the folks over at Alum-Line make. Seems pretty good, they use a "rubber" type material for insulation but can add foam and skin in stainless if I want. Any one have anything to add about Alum-Line, they do good work?


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## Raymond Little

ejriggs said:


> Been looking at a 2 hole the folks over at Alum-Line make. Seems pretty good, they use a "rubber" type material for insulation but can add foam and skin in stainless if I want. Any one have anything to add about Alum-Line, they do good work?


Save your money until you have enough to buy a used Ainley, Mt, or Deerskin.


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## kaylak

I have a couple questions why is it that half the people on here say buy a used ainley cause they dont lose there value? If they dont lose there value then wouldnt it be just as cheap to buy a new one? If its not as cheap then doesnt that mean they do lose there value?


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## M&K's Retrievers

I guess a new box now cost more than an older box when it was new.


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## ejriggs

Not going to have the $2,000 + for a used DS etc. Don't play the dog games anymore but still hunt and train on occasion. So going to have to get the best box I can afford! Hunting season is a little over a month away so need to get on the ball.


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## [email protected]

I own a two hole hunter series dog box made by bittercreek mfg. these boxes are built strong, my wife drove off with it sitting on tailgate causing box to slide off but it came out with only a few scratches, the drawer and doors still worked great no adjusting was needed. the cost is less then most boxes. my two cents:


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## robertnla

I got a ainley box 3 years ago and it has been a great box. Has top storage and lots of extra dog space. Solid as a rock. Stainless steel lined plus 1 inch of insulation makes it cooler than you can imagine. The metal never gets hot even in 95+ weather.


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## JMc

No one has metioned Patriot Boxes...look them up. Best I have ever had and I'm in TX. Warm in winter, cool in summer.


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## kweller

Look into Bittercreek boxes...we are extremely happy with ours. We originally bought a DD box and ended up shipping it back. It was poorly made and we decided to eat the shipping cost to send it back.


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