What Size Crate Should I Get for My Dog?

Your dog’s crate should allow for 4 inches of space between your dog and the sides, back, and top of the crate. This ensures the crate is big enough for your dog to comfortably rest and turn around in, but not too big, as a crate that’s too large can interfere with housebreaking training. Most dog crates are sized by the dog’s weight, so you’ll need to know your own dog’s weight before deciding on a crate size. In general, small or toy dogs should use a small crate, while the largest dogs like Newfoundlands should use an extra-large crate. However, most dogs will fall in between these extreme sizes, so it’s best to use the following chart to choose your dog crate sizing:

Dog Crate Size Chart

Dog Weight	Crate Size
Small Dogs: Up to 40 pounds	24″ x 18″ x 19″
Medium Dogs: 40-70 pounds	30″ x 19″ x 21″
Large Dogs: 70-90 pounds	36″ x 23″ x 25″
X-Large Dogs: 90+ pounds	42″ x 28″ x 30″

Crates come in various sizes ranging from extra small to extra extra large (though mostly you’ll find small through extra-large) to suit a wide variety of dog breeds. If you are seeking a crate for an adult dog and want to be sure it will fit, measure your dog and make the weigh suggestions below, but since all dogs are different shapes, some quick length and width measurements can help ensure your dog is perfectly comfortable in their crate. 

How To Measure Your Dog for a Crate

First, measure your dog’s height (from the top of the head or ears to the ground) and then length (nose to tail), and then match those measurements to the height and length of the crate. 

How Much Room Should a Dog Have in a Crate?

We recommend adding 2 to 4 inches (2 inches for smaller dogs, 4 inches for larger ones) to these dimensions to determine the crate size. The width will be commensurate with the other dimensions.

To make sure your dog is as comfortable as they can be in their new crate, your dog’s crate should be big enough for them to lie down comfortably, turn around inside of the crate and allow for a dog bed, water, or other comfort items to be kept inside. Additionally, when sizing your dog’s crate you should consider:

• A crate that is too big can interfere with housebreaking. Too much space may liberate your dog to soil the far reaches of the crate, in an area not immediately adjacent to where she sleeps. Close quarters will inhibit this impulse.
• Your dog will feel more secure in a crate that’s not too spacious.

If you’re adopting a puppy, in order to avoid buying multiple crates to fit her as she grows, consider a metal crate sized large enough for when she’s an adult, that includes a movable partition to adjust the interior living area as your puppy grows.

A Crate-Trained Dog – Safe and Secure

Before buying a crate, it’s important to learn about how to use a crate properly to help you train your dog. Its most critical function is to provide your new dog—whether she’s a puppy or an adult—with a safe, dedicated space she knows is hers. As lovely as your home environment may be, it will be unfamiliar and therefore overwhelming for your new dog initially. Having her own cozy space will help her adjust. It will also assist with housebreaking and keep her out of trouble.

Dog crates are made of various materials and come in different sizes. Whichever type and size you choose, lining the bottom with a fleece pad, blanket, or towel will make it snug and comfortable.

Special Consideration: Dog Travel Crates

Generally, the hard-plastic crates required by airlines have the same sizing guidelines as the metal crate described above. However, the few commercial carriers that allow brachycephalic breeds (short-nosed breeds with flat faces such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and others) to fly as cargo, require that their travel crates be one size larger than normal.

There’s no good reason not to train your new puppy or dog to accept a crate as a safe place to hang out. If you are careful to use the crate appropriately, it benefits your dog as well as the humans in your household. The secret to success is figuring out the right-sized crate: not too big and not too small.