Impact High Anxiety Dog Crate Review

Separation anxiety is an unfortunately common canine ailment, and it’s essentially contagious – how can you relax when you know your dog is going to completely freak out the next time you leave?

She may tear your couch apart one thread at a time or destroy the front door in a desperate attempt to track you down.

She may even hurt herself in the process.

Dog crates can help keep your dog safe and home intact, but they don’t always work. Pups with severe separation anxiety often escape from conventional wire crates with relative ease.

Fortunately, some pet parents have found a solution: the Impact High Anxiety Dog Crate.

Specifically designed for dogs with separation anxiety, this crate has owners saying things like “an answer to our prayers,” and “can’t live without this crate!”

So, we tested one out for nearly two years to see if it lived up to the hype.

Check out our experiences below.

Impact High Anxiety Dog Crate Review: The Basics

All crates are designed to do two basic things: keep your dog safe and keep her securely contained.

But that last bit can be tough to accomplish when the dog placed inside suffers from separation anxiety. Relatively few crates are capable of keeping a pawing, gnawing, panicking dog safely inside – particularly when the dog in question is big or strong.

Owners with these kinds of doggos routinely come home to find that their four-footers have busted out of the crate (while occasionally hurting themselves).  

Enter the Impact High Anxiety Dog Crate.  

Designed to keep even the biggest, strongest, most Houdini-like hounds safely inside, Impact’s High Anxiety Dog Crate has a number of features that allow it to succeed where so many other crates (particularly plastic and wire crates) fail.

A few of the most noteworthy features include:

Strong & Solid Wall Construction

Most crates are either made of wire or plastic panels. And as you may already know, escape-minded dogs often see these as little more than speed bumps in their quest for freedom.

Wire crate panels can be bent by strong dogs, while plastic panels are easy for canines to chew through. Impact avoids these problems by making all of their crates from sheets of aluminum rather than wire or plastic.

But they take things even further with the Impact High Anxiety Dog Crate: It features thick aluminum panels. Specifically, they’re 62% thicker than the aluminum panels used in Impact’s other crates.

The result is crate walls that will have no trouble standing up to your dog’s teeth or muscles.  

Five Door Latches

This crate’s latches are somethin’ else.

In addition to the primary zinc steel paddle latch, Impact’s High Anxiety Dog Crate features four butterfly latches around the perimeter of the door.

Not only does the number of latches help ensure that door isn’t budging, but the latches themselves are also superior to the kind of flimsy latches present in wire and plastic crates. But the cool thing is that they’re still easy for humans to operate with one hand.

Small Ventilation Holes

Aside from keeping your dog from escaping, a crate should help prevent your pet from being injured while trying to escape.

The High Anxiety Dog Crate does this in several ways, including the way it provides airflow. Instead of the wide wire gaps or large ports many other crates feature, this crate uses tons of very small (about 1/2-inch) round ventilation holes.

This helps to keep the crate walls strong (they contain more solid material), while also helping to prevent your dog from getting her teeth stuck in the holes.

An Unbeatable Guarantee: 10-Year Dog-Damage Warranty

This isn’t really a feature, per se, but one other thing that distinguishes the Impact High Anxiety Dog Crate from other canine containment systems is the warranty backing it.

All Impact Crates are backed by a lifetime warrant against defects and similar issues, but their High Anxiety model is also backed by an unparalleled 10-year-long warranty against dog damage.

This helps give pet owners with destructive doggos peace of mind. But it means that Impact is certainly confident that your pup isn’t going to damage this crate.

Impact High Anxiety Dog Crate Specifications & Features

With the basics out of the way, we can now move on to some of the important specs and features for this crate.

Panel Material: 100% Aluminum

Sizes:

• 30” Model (30.5″L x 20.5″W x 26″H)
• 34” Model (34.5″L x 23″W x 29″H)
• 40” Model (40.5″L x 23″W x 29″H)
• 40”+ Model (40.5″L x 27.5”W x 34″H)
• 48” Model (48″L x 27″W x 33″H)

Colors:

• Gray
• Black
• White

Hardware:

• Military-Grade Carrying Handle
• 4 Butterfly Latches
• Plastic Nesting Corner Bumpers
• Metal Paddle Latch

Shipping:

• All models are shipped by UPS or FedEx ground
• Large orders may be shipped by LTL Freight

Getting to know the manufacturer: Impact is a family-owned, US-based company operating out of Hayden, Idaho, where they’ve been doing business for 14 years.

The Canine Testing Crew

I’ve been testing this crate out with my dogs over the last two years. And because I can, I will now tell you about them and show off some pics.

That’s Willow on the left.

She’s a 90-pound, 8-year-old Great Pyrenees who enjoys borking, soliciting scritches, and begging for pizza crusts. She suffers from moderate separation anxiety, which generally manifests as garbage-can-toppling, but she also tries to escape crates or rooms when left alone.

She even managed to climb up on the kitchen counter to escape from the living room one time.

The pupperino on the right is J.B., who’s also 8 years old and weighs about 90 pounds.

She enjoys antagonizing her sister, aggressively snuggling with mom and dad, and playing tug of war with any of the myriad toys strewn about every room of the house. She suffers from mild separation anxiety, but doesn’t really exhibit any problematic behaviors – she just gets sad and anxious when we leave her.  

Our Experiences

Now that you know the basics of the crate and my canines, it’s time to discuss our actual experiences with it.

Receiving the Crate

I received this crate about two years ago.

Actually receiving the crate was a little more complicated for me than it will be for you, should you order one of these now.

That’s because Impact used to send this crate in fully assembled fashion.

And that means that the larger sizes had to be shipped via motor freight.

When fully assembled, they’re simply too big for the guy or gal in a blue or brown truck to haul around.

But now, Impact has changed their practices, and they now ship the crates in unassembled fashion.

That means you’ll have to put it together, but it also means that it’ll be shipped via FedEx or UPS.

At any rate, mine arrived fully assembled and ready to go.

I just had to take the box containing it apart. And that was pretty easy. Especially when you have four-footed assistance (well, moral support, anyway).

Using the Crate

From the moment I first laid eyes on it, it was immediately apparent that this is a durable crate that is built like a tank.

• The walls are super solid feeling, and the door closes with an audible “clunk-clunk.”
• The butterfly latches are strong and secure (while still being easy for humans to operate).
• The ventilation holes do appear to be to be small enough that they aren’t likely to snag a tooth.
• The plastic corner bumpers are rugged and offer additional protection.

Both of my girls were willing to climb right inside the crate without hesitation, and they seem to find it easy to get comfy.

This is actually a good time to point out that these crates are quite spacious – the 40”+ model worked marvelously for both of these big pooches.

We primarily use these crates when leaving the house for long periods of time or as a temporary measure when managing them. Though they’re both sweet with every two-footer in the house, they do not get along with each other.

So, we keep them separated and sometimes use the crates toward that end.

This crate has worked flawlessly each and every time we’ve used it. Neither of them has come close to escaping, and this includes a few times in which one gal was inside the crate, the other was right outside, sparking bedlam and toothy chaos.

I honestly think these are strong and secure enough to contain any creature small enough to fit inside. I don’t personally own a velociraptor (yet), but once that changes, I’d undoubtedly feel comfortable housing the clever girl inside.

Moving the crate around is a bit of a chore, but there’s not much that can be done about that – it’s strong, big, and heavy. I typically use a hand truck to move it around the house when I need to.

Maintaining the Crate

Overall, I’ve found that this crate is very easy to maintain.

All I really ever do is wipe it down with a damp rag or spritz it with some dog-safe cleaning products when necessary. There are a ton of little nooks and crannies that collect dust, but that’s not a gigantic problem.

I will caution owners to be careful while cleaning the inside of this crate. It would be very easy to accidentally lock oneself inside. I can promise that you’re not going to get out without help.

Learn more about the Impact High Anxiety Crate now!

The Impact High Anxiety Crate: Pros and the Cons

Look, it’s obvious that we like this crate.

It’s difficult to overstate exactly how rigid and strong it is, and everything about it just exudes quality. Most importantly, it does what it explicitly sets out to do: It prevents dogs – even super anxious dogs – from escaping.

But it’s not perfect, either, and it does have a few shortcomings.

So, we’ll try to share both the good and the not-so-good things about it below, so that you can make the best choice for you and your pooch.  

PROS:

• This crate is made from even stronger materials than Impact’s other – already strong – crates are. We mentioned it before, but it bears repeating: The aluminum used to construct the High Anxiety Crate is 62% thicker than the aluminum used to construct Impact’s other crates.   
• Like all Impact Crates, the High Anxiety Crate is built with care in the U.S. In terms of craftsmanship and overall quality, there’s just no comparison between this crate and most other options on the market – even some advertised as being “premium” options. 
• It’s backed by a lifetime guarantee against defects and a 10-year guarantee against dog damage. That provides the kind of peace of mind most owners want in a high-dollar crate.
• It has a perfect track record. According to Impact, no pet has ever managed to escape from this crate. And honestly, I don’t see any reason that this would ever change. It’s Fort Knox for four footers.  
• Shipping is now simpler than ever. As stated before, I received my High Anxiety Crate via FTL Freight, but Impact now ships these crates via FedEx or UPS.
• Impact offers a variety of discounts and financing. We’ll delve into this more below but be sure that you check out their bundles, as well as the discounts they offer. And if money is tight, check out their straightforward and easy financing programs.  
• You can stack these crates if you have multiple dogs. If you note the photo above showing the corner protectors, they’re designed to nest perfectly.

CONS:

• This crate is expensive. It costs significantly more than most other crates on the market, but that’s largely because it’s better than most other crates – especially as relates to keeping canines contained.
• You’ll have to put it together yourself. I can’t speak to the assembly process, as my crate arrived fully assembled. But it is something to consider if you’re thinking about picking up one of these crates.
• It’s somewhat difficult to move around. Although the model I have only weighs 60 pounds, it’s really bulky, which makes it hard to move through the house.
• It’s not easy to store. This isn’t a crate that you can just cram in a closet (unless you have a big closet). That’s not a problem for owners who intend on leaving it out all the time, but if you want to be able to stuff your dog’s crate in a closet when company comes over, consider Impact’s Collapsible Dog Crate instead.
• It only comes in three colors. This is not a huge problem – most other crates only come in one color. But it would be nice to see this model available in the same colors as some of Impact’s other crates.    

Paying for Your Impact Crate: Deals, Discounts, & Financing

Glancing back up at our list of “cons,” there’s really only one that may send owners looking for another crate option: The Impact High Anxiety Crate is quite pricey. They start at about a grand and go up with increasing crate size.

That simply puts these crates beyond the reach of some owners. But Impact Dog Crates offers a few deals and opportunities, which may help you afford one of these for your doggo.

For starters, Impact provides a 20% discount for military personnel and veterans, first responders, and those who work for or own a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. That represents $200 to $340 worth of savings for owners who fall into one of these categories.

Additionally, Impact offers a number of product bundles at significant savings. Some of their bundles total 35% off the retail price.

And perhaps most importantly, Impact offers financing through a company called Affirm. If approved, you’d be able to get your crate now and pay it off over time. In some cases, payments are as low as $62 per month.

The Bottom Line: Is The Impact High Anxiety Crate Worth It?

If you have a pup who suffers from anxiety and you must leave her alone regularly, the Impact High Anxiety Crate may be the wisest purchase you ever make.

There just aren’t any other crates we’ve seen or tested that are so effective at keeping anxious dogs safe and secure.

The peace of mind it will give you will make it worth forking out some pretty serious bucks. It may even save your pet’s life or prevent her from suffering the kinds of injuries dogs often sustain while trying to bust out of a wire or plastic crate.

But what about owners who have calm pups, who aren’t hellbent on escaping?

Well, in these situations, you’d likely be better served by opting for one of Impact’s other models. For example, Impact’s Collapsible Dog Crate — which is more affordable, easier to transport, and easier to store — would probably be a wiser purchase.

You may even want to consider Impact’s Stationary Crate, which doesn’t collapse, but is more affordable than their High Anxiety model.

But we’re guessing that if you’re still reading this article, your dog almost certainly experiences some separation anxiety. And that means you should give this crate serious consideration.

Buy the Impact High Anxiety Crate now!

We obviously love this crate and think it’s pretty close to a magic bullet for dogs who escape from their crates. But we’d love to hear from you.

Have you used Impact’s High Anxiety Crate? What did you think of it? Have you tried any other Impact Dog Crates? What about crates made by other manufacturers that were particularly escape-proof? Have you found one that can compete with Impact’s High Anxiety Dog Crate?

Let us know in the comments below!