Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsPerfect Carrier!
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2018
I struggled with choosing the Sherpa or Mr. Peanuts. I'm glad I chose the Medium Sherpa in gray. I purchased this for a Yorkie puppy we will be getting soon, but tried this out on my Shih Tzus. The greatest challenge was trying to figure out size. My two Shih Tzus are 12 & 13 lbs. Our Yorkie will likely be between 5-6 lbs. I wasn't sure if I should get a small or medium. Be sure to measure the length and height of your dog before you purchase.
This carrier barely worked for my 12lbs. girl as she is 18" long and 10" high from head to foot. This might work for her if I were to use this going from the car to the vet or short outings. If I were going to travel or actually use this for her, the Large would be more appropriate so she would have room to turn and move around. She didn't mind going into it, but she's pretty laid back. I carried it on my shoulder with her in it and the carrier held its shape.
For my 13 lbs. boy, this was way too small. He is 20" long and 15" high from head to foot. This would not work even for a short outing. He did not want to go in and when I put him in, he jumped out, however, he's a bit more anxious. So even though my two are almost the same weight, their length and height were what made it work or not.
Pros: Decent price compared to other brands, big zippered pocket on one side, top and side entry, three ventilated sides, good quality hardware (zippers are smooth, clips are heavy duty, but easily attachable/detachable, padded handles, rubber shoulder grip, machine washable fleece liner, waterproof covered board, flexible shape to fit under airline seats, flight approval guarantee, holds its shape even when unzipped, most light weight of carriers I compared, has a short D ring to attach a strap, can fold up for storage.
Cons: Top does not have an optional covered mesh (only the zippered opening), few colors to choose from (patterns would be nice), no lockable zippers (for those that have escape artists).
I struggled with choosing an expandable carrier or one that did have the coverable mesh top, but in the end I decided on the Sherpa because of the long history of great reviews, the price, weight, and pocket. I felt the pros outweighed the cons. Mr. Peanuts was comparably priced, but didn't have a zippered pocket and was slightly heavier. It probably would've worked fine, but I'm very happy with this carrier.