The Swiss Army Knife of Dog Carriers by Celltei
Dog Carriers - A Merryvaluation
Confession: Merry is the first dog I've ever had in my life. So how was I to know that buying the standard grey plastic carrier with wire door was the height of tacky, not to mention awkwardness? Obviously, such a carrier is not trendy enough for the princess pug, so we were both really impressed with the Celltei Pak-O-Pet carrier.
It really is like the swiss army knife of dog carriers. It's a backpack, over-the-shoulder carrier, hand carrier, and wheeled carrier all in one (wheels only available in the largest size). It has twenty separate features, including:
- hand strap with cushion
- detachable backpack-style shoulder straps
- adjustable waist strap
- car seat webbing for all three windows
- cell phone pouch
- large inside pocket for storage
- washable bottom panel and cushion
- water bottle holder
- adjustable inside leash
It took me a whole to figure out all the gizmos that come with this carrier, but once I did I was impressed. The makers of this carrier have put a great deal of time and thought into this, and come up with nearly every feature you could want. I particularly liked the top window, which is handy for carrying Merry around on my back (using the carrier like a backpack).
It took Merry very little time to figure it out, by comparison. Normally she's a skittish little pug when I bring around something new that's bigger than she is. But she jumped right in to the carrier, snuggled her butt into the cushion, and popped her head back out from under the carrier as if to say “So, where are we going, Mom?”. That's a good sign. She's difficult to please, and it was a relief to know she liked it.
 |
The ability to switch from traditional hand or wheeled carrier to backpack is invaluable to me, particularly when Merry and I go to visit her grandparents. Even better, the carrier is ASPCA approved.
For all its features, the Pak-o-Pet is attractively priced, well beneath the prices you see for far more “couture” shoulder-bag type carriers. Prices range from $89 to $179, depending on the size and style you want.
The only downside to the carrier was its weight, particularly since Merry's size (while still a petite 15 lbs.) required the largest carrier Celltei makes. With all the gizmos attached, it's not a light carrier (the documentation states it's 6 lbs.), and definitely heavier than your standard grey plastic carriers. But the good news is that the heaviest parts—the inside support frame, and the wheels—are detachable.
Celltei Pak-o-Pet carriers can be purchased direct from the
manufacturer at www.celltei.com. Tell them Merry sent you!
