As Spring rolls in, go ahead and take the opportunity to clean out your dog's kennel setup and get it prepped for the warm days ahead. We've got you covered with our favorite tips and answers to some commonly asked questions.

What's the best way to clean my GUNNER kennel?

If the G1™ Kennel needs a light cleaning – aka there isn’t a lot of hair, dirt or sand in the kennel’s bottom – just pull the crate’s removable drain plug out of the back and hose down the interior. Don’t worry it can take it. When you’re done, tip the kennel and let the water run out the back if there’s any excess. Done.

We asked West Coast Heeler Pack to show us how she gets her GUNNER dodg crate squeaky clean after a long season.

But if you want to really give your kennel (or Performance Pad) a good scrub, below is a how-to video that gets the job done. Here’s what you’ll need to truly give your kennel that deep clean:
• Bucket
• Soap
• Mop
• Hose

– Ali Erksine, West Coast Heeler Pack

What about lighter kennel colors, like white?

We've got you covered. We'd recommend cleaning the kennel with a power washer, either at home or at a manual car wash. We actually covered our white kennel with mud and put it to the test– check out the crazy good results.

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Do I really need to wash my Food Crate between bags of dog food?

Short answer: yes. Washing out your dog’s GUNNER Food Crate may seem daunting, but we’ve got you. It’s easier than you think – the seamless lip and interior means you can hose it off (inside and out) to ensure there’s no debris, grit or grime. We recommend making it a habit to wash it regularly with dish soap and hot water, or distilled white vinegar if it needs a longer soak.

While you're at it, go ahead and wash the Dog Bowl alongside it. We've made it simple for you – it's dishwasher safe, and that goes for the lid too. We’re not your mom, but we recommend washing on the top rack of the dishwasher.

Do I need to remove the All-Weather Kit when the weather gets hot?

If your dog’s kennel is exposed to the elements (i.e. Truck Bed) as you travel, you’ll want to take some extra precautions to make sure your dog is comfortable and dry during your trip. A cover like the All-Weather Kit is a great tool for this. However, we’re often asked if the AWK needs to be removed to ensure proper airflow for the dog during hot weather — and it does not need to be removed. When the sun is shining, you can securely roll the windows up and allow your dog’s kennel maximum ventilation.

Tip from the Pack: Install a Thermometer in your dog’s kennel

Do I need to worry about my Fan Kit in the rain?

We designed our Fan Kit to be weather and water-resistant, so you can have confidence your gear will perform when and where you need it to — regardless of what mother nature throws at you. To remove any doubt, take a look at this video from Pack member, Bryan Mallett.

Tip from the Pack: Installing your fan on the kennel door allows the use of the AWK at the same time

How should I clean my dog's bed?

If your dog rides with the Performance Pad, you're in luck. It's completely waterproof, so you can rinse off whatever delightful mess your dog has brought into the kennel.

For the Orthopedic Bed, just pull the pad out and toss the ballistic nylon cover in the wash — hang it to dry. For extra dirty jobs, we like to hit the cover with a hose or power washer prior to putting it in the wash.