When you search for a dog crate with sliding door you are really looking for a balance of style, safety, and practicality. Traditional metal crates can do the job however they don’t always do it beautifully, or safely. That’s where sliding doors come in.
At The Pet Carpenter, we specialise in bespoke pet furniture that doesn’t just replace the crate, it transforms it into a statement piece in your home. Sliding doors are a popular choice among clients and in this article we share why.
Why Choose a Sliding Door on Your Dog Crate?
1. Safety First: No More Bruised Shins
Traditional hinged crate doors can swing out awkwardly into walkways, just waiting for you to walk into them. Whether you’re dodging furniture or juggling the kids’ breakfast, a swinging door is an inconvenience (and a hazard) you don’t need.
Sliding doors, on the other hand, glide effortlessly back into the structure of the furniture, no unexpected obstructions, no bruises.
2. Designed for Real Homes
Our bespoke dog bedrooms are built to fit your space and your lifestyle. Whether you’re placing your furniture in a kitchen island, hallway nook, or integrated into living room storage, a sliding door helps maximise functionality without sacrificing flow.
3. Looks Like Furniture, Works Like a Crate
Our sliding doors are designed to open halfway across the bedroom, creating a wide, inviting entrance for your pet while keeping everything tidy and elegant. It’s the perfect way to give your dog autonomy and security without the eyesore of a standard crate.
4. One Size Doesn’t Fit All, But We Do
We offer three types of doors:
- Sliding Doors – Functional, sleek, and ideal for busy homes.
- Hinged Doors – Designed to fold back flush against the furniture.
- Up-and-Over Doors – Perfect for those looking to create an open bedroom space but still have the use of door when needed.
👉 Note: We generally advise against a sliding door if your design requires a door on a side less than 50cm wide. In this case the up-and-over door is a better fit.
Explore Beautiful Sliding Door Designs in Action
Our YouTube channel showcases real client projects with sliding doors that show off their beauty and practicality. Here are just a few of the stunning designs our clients are loving:
🐾 Compact Sliding Door Crate with Storage Drawers
Perfect design for smaller spaces, sliding door, cosy enclosed panels and two large drawers make this both practical and elegant.
🐾 Sliding Door Dog Crate TV Unit with Feeding Drawer
Dual-purpose elegance. This piece acts as both a TV unit and dog bedroom, complete with sliding door, feeding drawer, media cable management and Chalk White finish with an oak waxed pine top.
🐾 Bespoke Dog Bedroom for 3 XL Breeds
Half panel/bar ends and bar divides create breathable bedroom zones for three extra large dogs, with sliding doors keeping the space neat and functional.
🐾 Dog & Cat Combo Bedroom with Sliding Door
Separate but equal! Includes a sliding dog door, secure cat feeding area, built-in bowls and comfy furnishings, an ideal design for multi-pet homes.
🐾 Dual Dog Crates with Storage in Solid Oak
Crafted from solid oak, this piece combines sliding doors and enclosed ends, offering cosy dual occupancy with a tidy sideboard layout.
🐾 XL Dog Crate with Sliding Door & Storage
A statement 3m-long custom piece with clever access design, generous storage, and a large bedroom space for multiple dogs, enhanced by the sleek sliding door.
🐾 Double Dog Crate with Drawers, Cupboards & Sliding Door
A living room-ready piece designed for two medium-large dogs with a removable divide, three drawers, a cupboard, and space for your media setup. Finished in Armstead Brilliant White with a white waxed worktop and sliding doors for ease and flow.
🐾 Bespoke Breakfast Bar with Dog Bedroom for Small Breeds
Stylish and space-efficient, this sliding-door crate is built into a breakfast bar kitchen island with room for four small dogs. Painted in Farrow & Ball’s Oval Room Blue with silver ironmongery and a hardwearing oak top.
A New Kind of Crate: Gift Crate Confidence
Our sliding door designs are part of our broader movement: Gift Crate Confidence.
Inspired by studies like Generation Pup Longitudinal Study, we promote crates not for confinement but as a positive, calm, safe space for dogs at every stage of life. Sliding doors help reinforce that, keeping the space open, airy, and accessible without disrupting your home layout.
Bespoke. Beautiful. Better.
At The Pet Carpenter, every piece we make is a reflection of your style and your dog’s needs. From the finish to the ironmongery to the function of the door, everything is crafted just for you.
Want to create your own sliding door dog crate? Start your design today.
You dream it, we create it.
FAQs: Dog Crates with Sliding Doors
A dog crate with a sliding door offers a practical solution for tight spaces. Unlike hinged doors that swing out and can block walkways or bruise shins, sliding doors stay flush within the crate structure and make them ideal for busy homes, hallways, and open-plan spaces.
Sliding doors are often better in high-traffic areas or smaller homes where space is at a premium. Hinged doors can be more traditional, but they require clearance to open outward. Our hinged door is designed to fold back flush, but a sliding door eliminates the swing entirely.
Yes! At The Pet Carpenter, we make every dog crate to order. You can choose a sliding door, hinged door, or up-and-over door, depending on the layout of your home. We also offer custom sizing, finishes, ironmongery, storage drawers, and matching worktops to complement your interior.
We recommend only using sliding doors on crate sides that are 50cm or wider. For narrower spaces, we typically suggest our up-and-over door style for functionality and ease of use.
Absolutely. Our crates are designed to be both functional and beautiful furniture. Whether you are after a kitchen island, sideboard, TV unit, or breakfast bar, our dog bedroom furniture can integrate into your home decor seamlessly, with the sliding door built discreetly into the design.
Yes! Dogs love the airy, open feeling a sliding door provides. Because the door doesn’t swing back into the room or shut suddenly, it makes entering and exiting calm and easy. Many dogs begin using their new sliding-door crate as a safe retreat almost immediately.