Personally I can't imagine loving an animal and putting it in a cage at the same time.
Reddit isn't a reliable source for deciding what "Americans" do
Not a cage in the sense you are portraying it.
So, a kennel? Forgive me, I am not a dog person, though I quite like my cleaning ladys little doggie.
Some dogs love them for their feeling of security, some dogs hate them because they feel confined.
My dog loves his for security; we always leave it open and whenever he feels stressed out he'll go in there for a bit to recharge. We have a blanket over the top and sides with the crate under the stairs so it feels like a cave to him!