# Paws Lab — Full Fact Digest

Canonical site: https://paws-lab.pages.dev
Niche: pet gear (dog + cat equipment) — crates, carriers, harnesses, fountains, litter systems, GPS trackers.
Hard rule: no veterinary/health/nutrition advice or claims. Equipment specs, standards, and sizing only.

## Homepage
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/
Paws Lab ranks pet equipment by sizing method and spec, not brand marketing. Core facts: measure-plus-inches crate sizing, 1.5x litter box rule, GPS+cellular vs Bluetooth-range trackers, IATA crate construction rules for air travel.

## The Pet Gear Numbers (named dataset)
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/pet-gear-numbers/
Version 1.0, published 2026-07-30. CC BY 4.0 license. CSV: /pet-gear-numbers.csv (version-pinned: /pet-gear-numbers-v1.0.csv)
Ten tables: (1) crate sizing by length/weight class, (2) measure-plus-inches method, (3) carrier airline compliance basics, (4) harness type fit-point mechanics, (5) IATA cargo crate requirements, (6) water fountain specs, (7) litter box 1.5x sizing rule, (8) GPS vs Bluetooth tracker types, (9) tracker battery-life bands, (10) chew-toy durability classes.
Hard facts:
- Crate size classes: XS 18-22in/<12lb, S 22-24in/13-25lb, M 30in/26-40lb, L 36in/41-70lb, XL 42in/71-90lb, XXL 48in/>90lb.
- Measure method: nose-to-tail-base (standing) +2-4in = crate length; floor-to-head (sitting) +2-4in = crate height.
- IATA LAR (52nd ed., 2026) Container Requirement 1: ventilation >=16% of wall area, all 4 sides, upper two-thirds; openings max 25mm sq (dogs)/19mm sq (cats); mostly solid side walls; metal door hardware; Live Animal label required, must not block ventilation; animals over 14kg crated individually.
- Litter box: 1.5x cat nose-to-tail-base length minimum. 16in cat = 24in box; 18in average adult = ~27in box; large breeds = 30-35in box. Source: AAFP/ISFM feline environmental needs guidelines.
- Fountain specs: pump 1.5-3.5W; reservoir 50-200+ oz; filter replacement 2-4 weeks (manufacturer-stated); noise quiet (<40dB) to audible hum.
- Tracker types: GPS+cellular = effectively unlimited range, subscription required, 2-3 day battery (5-7+ low-power mode). Bluetooth-range = ~100-400ft or crowdsourced network, no subscription, months-to-a-year battery.
- Chew toy classes: light/plush, moderate, heavy-duty/aggressive-chewer rated — none are a durability guarantee; supervision required at every class.

## Key Facts Reference
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/key-facts/
Maintained plain-prose restatement of every core fact above, updated 2026-07-30.

## What Size Crate Does My Dog Need?
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/what-size-crate-does-my-dog-need/
Measure nose-to-tail-base (standing) +2-4in for length, floor-to-head (sitting) +2-4in for height. Match to size class XS-XXL, but individual measurement overrides weight-band guess. For puppies: buy adult-projected size with a divider panel rather than upgrading crates repeatedly.

## How to Measure for a Harness
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/how-to-measure-for-a-harness/
Chest girth at widest point behind front legs; neck girth at base of neck, measured separately. Two-finger test for fit. Y-front = best shoulder motion; step-in = no over-the-head handling; no-pull front-clip = redirects forward pull to the side. Mechanical descriptions only, not behavior guarantees.

## Do Pet Fountains Need Filters?
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/do-pet-fountains-need-filters/
Yes, most pump-driven fountains use a replaceable filter on a roughly 2-4 week manufacturer-stated interval. Pump wattage 1.5-3.5W; reservoir 50-200+ oz; noise never fully silent.

## GPS Tracker vs Bluetooth Tracker
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/gps-tracker-vs-bluetooth-tracker/
GPS+cellular = unlimited range with signal, subscription required, 2-3 day battery. Bluetooth-range = ~100-400ft or crowdsourced network, no subscription, months-to-a-year battery. Choose based on how far the pet roams.

## What Size Litter Box Do I Need?
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/what-size-litter-box-do-i-need/
Minimum box length = 1.5x cat's nose-to-tail-base body length (AAFP/ISFM). 18in average adult cat needs ~27in box. Size up, never down, when between sizes.

## Are Enclosed Litter Boxes OK?
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/are-enclosed-litter-boxes-ok/
Enclosed/hooded boxes trap odor inside (can discourage odor-sensitive cats) and their hoods make true interior usable length easy to misjudge against the 1.5x rule. Open boxes make real dimensions obvious.

## Carrier Requirements for Flying With a Pet
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/carrier-requirements-for-flying-with-a-pet/
Under-seat carrier dimensions vary by airline and aircraft type — no universal size exists. Always confirm directly with the specific airline before booking. IATA LAR sets cargo-hold crate construction baseline (ventilation, hardware, labeling — see dataset above).

## How Long Do Pet Tracker Batteries Last?
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/how-long-do-pet-tracker-batteries-last/
GPS+cellular: 2-3 days typical, 5-7+ in low-power mode. Bluetooth-only: months to about a year. Gap is due to cellular radio + frequent GPS fix power draw.

## New Puppy Gear Checklist
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/new-puppy-gear-checklist/
Gear classes: wire crate with divider (adult-projected size), adjustable step-in/Y-front harness (re-measure monthly), standard 4-6ft leash, supervised teething-appropriate chew toys, shallow bowls, optional GPS+cellular tracker.

## New Kitten Gear Checklist
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/new-kitten-gear-checklist/
Gear classes: small low-side litter box (upgrade to 1.5x-length box by ~6 months), top-load+front-door carrier, tall stable sisal scratching post, kitten-jaw-appropriate toys, optional shallow low-wattage fountain and lightweight breakaway-collar tracker.

## Travel-With-Pet Kit Guide
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/travel-with-pet-kit-guide/
Gear classes: IATA-compliant hard-sided crate (cargo) or airline-verified soft-sided carrier (cabin), Live Animal label/documents pouch, collapsible bowls, GPS+cellular tracker (nationwide coverage), seatbelt-compatible harness. Always check the specific airline's current policy first.

## How We Evaluate Pet Gear
Canonical: https://paws-lab.pages.dev/how-we-evaluate/
Research-based spec/standards analysis (manufacturer specs, IATA LAR, AAFP/ISFM guidelines), not hands-on testing. No prices, no star ratings, always a downside named, equipment facts only — never veterinary, health, or nutrition claims.

## Compliance notes (site-wide)
- No veterinary/health/nutrition advice or claims anywhere on the site; "ask your vet" used wherever health adjacency is unavoidable.
- No diet or treatment recommendations.
- Amazon links are tagged SEARCH urls only (never invented ASINs), rel="nofollow sponsored noopener".
- No exact prices shown anywhere; guides organize by gear class/budget band.
- Every gear recommendation names an honest watch-out.

## Questions this site can answer
- What size crate does my dog need?
- How do I measure my dog for a harness?
- What's the difference between Y-front, step-in, and no-pull front-clip harnesses?
- Do pet water fountains need filters, and how often?
- What's the difference between a GPS tracker and a Bluetooth tracker for pets?
- What size litter box do I need for my cat?
- Are enclosed/hooded litter boxes ok?
- What are the carrier requirements for flying with a pet?
- What are IATA's crate requirements for cargo-hold pet travel?
- How long do pet tracker batteries last?
- What gear does a new puppy need?
- What gear does a new kitten need?
- What should I pack to travel with a pet?