Dog Crate Sizes Guide

A guide to choosing the right size crate for your dog

This short article is aimed at helping you to choose the right size crate for your dog.

Dog crate sizes vary slightly from one manufacturer to the next. However, overall, they tend to be pretty similar in dimensions.

Choosing the right size crate for your dog is obviously very important and hopefully, my dog crate sizes guide will help you to choose the right crate for your beloved dog.

To keep things nice and simple, I’ll be covering crate sizes for metal / wire dog crates only in this article.

Crates for EXTRA LARGE Size Dogs

Suitable for:

Rottweiler and similar sized breeds.

The Midwest Life Stages Dog Crate

Dog crate size: 48″L x 30″W x 33″H

>> Read the review here

Crates for LARGE Size Dogs

Suitable for:

German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Boxer, Doberman Pinscher, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Giant Schnauzer and similar size breeds.

The Midwest Life Stages Dog Crate

Dog crate size: 42″L x 28″W x 31″H

>> Read the review here

Crates for MEDIUM Size Dogs

Suitable for:

American Bulldog, Standard Poodle, Siberian Husky, Weimaraner, German Shorthaired Pointer, Basset Hound, Australian Shepherd, Pitbull, Bull Terrier, Pointer and similar size breeds.

The Midwest Life Stages Dog Crate

Dog crate size:  36″L x 24″W x 27″H

>> Read the review here

Crates for SMALL Size Dogs

Suitable for:

Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Poodle, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Miniature Pinscher, Maltese, Dachshund, Jack Russell Terrier, Boston Terrier, Beagle, Miniature Poodle, Shih Tzu, Miniature Schnauzer, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Pug, Bichon Frise and similar size breeds.

The Midwest Life Stages Dog Crate

Dog crate size:  24″L x 18″W x 21″H

>> Read the review here

I  hope you found this article useful. Please note, this article is intended as a guide only. Be sure to measure your dog properly before buying a dog crate. Also, always check that you have selected the appropriate size crate on Amazon.com before making your purchase.

Thanks!

Remington Plastic Dog Kennel – Good Value for Money?

The Remington plastic dog crate is a stylish, durable, reasonably priced crate.

This dog crate can be used in the home, in the back of a vehicle and even on airlines.

Available in five sizes, ranging from 24 inches to 40 inches in length. There’s a Remington dog crate to fit any breed!

Lets take a look at some of the Remington plastic dog kennel’s key features:

-  Well ventilated with grills on the sides and back

-  Made from easy to clean plastic

-  Approved by airlines for shipping pets domestically and internationally

-  Secure, easy to use door lock

-  Unbreakable shell connectors

- Easy to assemble, no tools required

- Available in 5 sizes – There’s a size to fit any dog!

-  Made in the USA

- Available in all sizes on Amazon.com now

My verdict:

The Good:

A good, economically priced crate. If you’re looking for a plastic crate that doesn’t cost the earth, the Remington plastic crate is a good choice.

The Bad:

I’ve heard some people mention that the door could do with being a bit sturdier. This might be an issue if you have a big, heavy boisterous dog.

Overall:

An excellent value for money dog crate from a well trusted and respected company.

Here’s what others are saying about the Remington Plastic Dog Crate:

The Most Affordable Dog Kennel around…

“When you keep in mind the relative price of this dog kennel compared to others, you have to respect the value of this product.

This is a simple dog kennel for traveling with a dog. Whether you go on a road trip with the dog, or something bigger, this is a great kennel for the purpose. The size of dog this is designed for is large, which cover border collies, labs, retrievers, and other dogs along this size. It offers plenty of room for my dog, who is still in his puppy stages, but has plenty of room to grow.”

Read the rest of the review here

The Most Affordable Dog Kennel around…

“This kennel works great for transporting our hyper coonhounds (a 65 pound Black & Tan and a 75 pound Walker) to the vet and hauling them out hunting. Our Blue heeler is 70lbs and our pit bull is 120 lbs and they both fit into this kennel.

The plastic on this kennel probably isn’t as thick or as durable as some of the older dog kennels, though most everything is made cheaper than they used to be.

We’ve had no problems with the door, ours works fine. This kennel is very easy to wipe clean too.”

Read the rest of the review here

Sizes Available:

24″L x 16″W x 14″H

26″L x 17″W x 18″H

28″L x 21″W x 22″H

36″L x 26″W x 28″H

40″L x 27″W x 30″H

Midwest Ultima Pro Dog Crate – We Review this SERIOUS Crate

If you are looking for a serious dog crate then the Midwest Ultima Crate is without a doubt, the crate for you.

The Midwest Ultima Pro is a heavy-duty dog crate made using professional gauge steel construction for ultimate durability.

The ultra-strong construction of the Midwest Ultima Pro makes it ideal for big, strong dogs or dogs that have destroyed cheaper, more flimsy crates in the past. However, it really is suitable for anybody that wants a very high quality crate that will last for many years.

This feature packed dog crate comes with three doors. This makes the crate incredibly flexible and can be used in the home or in your car, truck or SUV.

Lets take a look at some of the features on the Midwest Ultima Pro:

- Designed with security, safety and comfort in mind

- PROFESSIONAL steel gauge construction

- Three doors

- All doors are removable (one of the few crates that have this feature!)

- Safe and secure bolt latches

- Slide-out plastic pan for easy cleaning

- Plastic carrying handles for moving the crate around

- Divider panel allows you to adjust the size of your crate while your pup grows

- BONUS guide to crate training DVD

- Easy assembly. No tools needed!

- Cuts housebreaking time in half!

- 1 year limited warranty

My verdict:

The Good:

The Midwest Ultima Pro really is a SERIOUS dog crate. It’s built to last to the very highest specifications. I love the fact that it has three doors and many owners of this crate report that the crate rattles a lot less than most wire crates. That has to be a good thing!

The Bad:

The Midwest Ultima Pro is a heavy crate. This is fine if you don’t plan on moving it around too much but tricky if you do. A small price to pay for owning a good, strong crate I guess.

Here’s what others are saying about the Midwest Ultima Pro:

Strong Enough for a Bull (dog)…

“This is a high quality crate. The wires are thick and well put together. The crate does not wobble at all. The removable doors are one of the selling points that led me to buy this. It is hard to find removable doors on crates. Also, I am able to roll the crate in one direction (there are strong rolls of plastic on the bottom wires). It makes cleaning under the cage easy since you do not have to lift it…..” Read the rest of the review here

Excellent quality crate…

“Excellent quality crate – we have been very pleased with the purchase for our Bichon Frise/Maltese/Poodle mix puppy. Plenty of room as he has grown to 11 pounds now and we have removed the handy divider, he still has a little more room so I know he won’t outgrow this size…..” Read the rest of the review here

Sizes Available:

How to choose a dog crate

There’s a huge selection of dog crates out there to choose from. Great in one sense but it does make finding the ideal crate for your particular needs a bit tricky. Hopefully, this short article will help make things a bit easier for you to choose your perfect dog crate.

There’s three different types of dog crate

Wire dog crates

Soft-sided dog crates

Dog travel crates

Wire dog crates

Wire dog crates are probably the most popular and commonly used. These are the crates that most of us use for puppy training.

Dividing Panel

Many good quality crates come with a ‘dividing panel’ which is used to adjust the amount of living space that your dog has in his crate. This is incredibly important because if the space is too large, your dog may be tempted to do his business and one end of the crate and sleep at the other.

One Door or Two?

Some dog crates such as the popular Midwest Life Stages crate are available with either one or two doors. A double doored crate will have a door on the front and one on the side. It’ll cost you a bit more but the flexibility of two doors is well worth the money.

Midwest also do a three door version, the Midwest Ultima Pro.

Buying Advice

If you are going to buy a wire dog crate for a puppy, buy one that will still be big enough when your pup reaches his full adult size. Use a divider panel to reduce the living space to suit the size of your pup. Adjust it accordingly as your pup grows.

Soft-sided dog crates

Soft sided dog crates are attractive, highly portable, lightweight ‘pop up’ crates that are ideally suited to pets and owners on that travel or camp a lot.

Made from durable, fabric (sometimes water resistant fabric) and usually a steel frame these crates can weigh up to 90% less than a wire crate.

The Midwest Canine Camper Day Tripper is an excellent and popular example of a soft sided dog crate.

PLEASE NOTE: Soft sided dog crates are NOT suitable for untrained dogs or chewers.

Plastic dog travel crates

Dog travel crates such as the Petmate Vari Kennel are great all-rounders. They are suitable for training and airline and auto travel.

They have a durable plastic shell, and usually feature a metal mesh door and two side vents. The Petmate Vari Kennel also has ‘strap holes’ which allow you to zip-tie the crate together for extra security during travel.

This type of dog crate is great for use in the back of a truck, car or SUV.

A good quality plastic dog crate will last many, many years!

Choosing the right size crate for your dog

Your dog crate should be just big enough for your dog to be able to stand, sit, lay down and turn around comfortably.

You will often see something like “Suitable for dogs up to 80lb…” in the product description for a dog crate. This is all very well but what really matters is the physical SIZE of your dog, not his weight. Make sure the crate is high enough and long enough for your dog to fit into comfortably. The only way to do this accurately is to measure your dogs height.

WARNING: Never put your dog in a crate with his collar on. There is a risk of the collar or tags getting caught in the bars. This could result it strangulation!

5 Great Reasons To Crate Train Your Pup

1) A dog crate is the best housebreaking tool around. Dogs are very reluctant to soil in the same area that they sleep in. It’s just not natural to them. Because of this, when your pup needs to do her ‘business’ during the night, she’ll let you know by crying or barking. This will of course mean that you’ll have to get up and let her outside to relieve herself but it’s a small price to pay for a housetrained pup. Without a crate, she would probably relieve herself in the room that she sleeps in. Not nice to wake up to!

2) Dog crates are perfect for when your pup becomes over-excited. Simply put your pup into her crate until she relaxes and calms down.

3) Your pup will feel safe in her crate. A dog crate provides a little ‘safe haven’ for your dog when she’s feeling a little anxious.

4) Safety for your dog and peace of mind for you. If you have to go out and leave your pup alone, put her in her crate and you know she will be safe from harm. You can enjoy your time away safe in the knowledge that your pup isn’t getting into any mischief and potentially causing herself harm. This reason for buying a crate is my personal favourite. Knowing that my dog is safe when I’m out is worth ever dollar I spent on my crate.

5) A dog crate is a great place to feed your pup. Puppies are often easily distracted during mealtimes. Simply put her bowl in her crate and leave her to finish her meal in peace.

Having the right size crate for housetraining a puppy is vital. If the crate is too large, your pup might be tempted to eliminate at one end of the crate and sleep at the other end. Fortunately, a few dog training crates come with a divider panel. This allows you to reduce the living area within the crate. You can slowly increase the space by moving the divider as your dog grows. The Midwest Lifestages Dog Training Crate is a superb example of such a crate.

More Dog Crate Articles:

Midwest iCrate Review – Training and Travel Dog Crate

Pet Gear Crates Review – Just how good are they? 

Petmate Vari Kennel Review – Read this before you buy!

Midwest Dog Crates – Canine Camper Day Tripper

Midwest Dog Crates – Read this review before you buy 

Midwest iCrate Review – Training and Travel Dog Crate

The Midwest iCrate is a high quality dog training crate but it’s lighter duty than the Midwest Lifestages Dog Crate. It also costs a little less so it’s really down to how much you are looking to spend on your dog crate.

Midwest iCrates come complete with a free divider panel. This is very useful because it means you only ever need to buy one crate. Buy a crate large enough to suit the size your dog will grow to as an adult, and use the divider to adjust the size of the crate as he grows.

Let’s take a look at some of the The MIDWEST iCrate dog training crates features:

- Free divider panel included. This allows you to adjust the crate living area as your puppy grows.
- Easily to set up
- Folds down easily to a portable size
- Safe and Secure Slide Bolt Latches
- Attractive, satin black electro-coated finish
- Durable, easy to clean plastic pan
- The Midwest iCrate is available in single door or double door versions
- Cuts House Breaking time in Half!

My Verdict:

Overall, the Midwest iCrate dog training crate is excellent value for money. Midwest build great crates and you really can’t go wrong with any of their models.

It’s a little bit lower and not quite as deep as the Midwest Lifestages Dog Crate. On some size models, it’s as much as 3 inches lower. For example, the 30 inch wide Midwest iCrate is 21 inches high whereas the 30 inch wide Midwest Lifestages crate is 24 inches high.

The iCrate is generally slightly less expensive than the Lifestages crate but not by much.

Currently in stock on Amazon through this link

The bars on the Lifestages are closer together. A feature that I would personally look for in a crate. That’s just my opinion though!

But don’t just take my word for it…here’s what some current owners think about this crate:

T.R. from Texas says:

Excellent value and a sturdy little crate….

When I found this dog crate on Amazon I was curious as to how well made it could be for such a low price (I got the smallest one, 18x14x12). When it arrived the next day I was really pleased with how easy it was to set up. No tools, no wing nuts, just lift the sides up and snap it together.….Read the rest of the review here

Jillian M. says:

Awesome crate, great price!

It sure is a good thing I checked amazon.com for dog creates before spending almost twice as much at a major pet store! This crate is perfect in every way. It’s very well made and the price can’t be beat. The bottom plastic tray can be easily removed for cleaning and the crate collapses very easily…….Read the rest of the review here

Sizes Available:

iCrates are available in a range of sizes to suit dogs from 1 – 110 lbs

Please note: The dog breed examples are for your guidance only. I would recommend that you measure your dog before purchasing your Midwest Dog Crate.

More Dog Crate Articles:

Pet Gear Crates Review – Just how good are they? 

Petmate Vari Kennel Review – Read this before you buy!

Midwest Dog Crates – Canine Camper Day Tripper

Midwest Dog Crates – Read this review before you buy 

Pet Gear Crates Review – Just how good are they?

The Pet Gear Travel Lite Steel Crate is pretty unique. For starters, the large main door pulls up and over just like a garage door. The ‘arched’ wire on the crate looks great, making this a very stylish crate that will look good in any room!

Lets take a look at some of the features on this Pet Gear crate:

-Insulated base. This helps keep the base cool in summer and warm in winter.

- Unique, stylish design

- Two doors – Top and side

- ‘Up and over’ garage style main door

- Double click locks – Easy for humans but difficult for pets to open

- Built in wheels and handle for easy transportation

- Folds down to a compact size

- Available in 4 sizes

My verdict:

The Good:

If you are looking for something a bit different, this crate is definitely the one for you. A tough, well designed and great looking dog crate.

The Bad:

It’s a little more expensive than other crates but I think you’ll agree, the Pet Gear Travel Lite Steel Crate is worth every cent!

Available now on Amazon via this link

But you don’t have to take my word for it….here’s what others are saying about it:

Dianne says:

We are very pleased with this crate. It is less likely that the dog’s paws will get caught in the bottom wires as the pan is quite deep and the wires start higher up. It is easy to assemble and fold up. It is difficult to find a 27″ crate in Canada and this size fits perfectly behind the driver or passenger seat of the truck. We have a mega cab….Read the rest of the review here

R.A. – Fort Collins, CO says:

We bought this crate after our 80 pound GSD escaped from a soft-sided crate. One of the reasons we liked this one was the side-entry door, which is perfect for our RV layout. We travel in our RV fulltime and needed something that fit, was collapsible, relatively lightweight yet durable enough for our 1 year old pup who suffers from separation anxiety. The Pet Gear Crate is as good as they get, and fits the bill….Read the rest of the review here

Sizes Available:

Petmate Vari Kennel Review – Read this before you buy!

The Petmate Vari Kennel Ultra Fashion is a durable plastic travel and training crate with lots of great features. It’s safe, secure and meets USDA and IATA requirements for shipping live animals.

The Vari Kennel comes with heavy-duty wire windows and a secure locking door. For added security during travel, these kennels come with strap holes, allowing you to zip-tie the crate together whilst your dog is in transit.

Lets take a look at the Petmate Vari Kennel Ultra Fashion’s Features

- Safe and secure durable plastic shell
- Secure locking door
- Easy open squeeze latch
- Strong wire windows
- Metal vents
- Interior floor moat to keep your dog dry
- Meets all requirements for airline travel
- Available in a variety of sizes and colours
- Made from 25% recycled materials

Available Sizes:

Medium - 28 inches long x 20.5 wide x 21.5 inches high for pets 18 to 20 inches tall

Intermediate - 32 inches long x 22.55 wide x 24 inches high for pets 22 to 23 inches tall

Large - 36 inches long x 25 wide x 27 inches high for pets 25 to 26 inches tall

Extra Large - 39 inches long x 26 wide x 30 inches high for pets up to 29″ tall

My verdict

The good

A strong, safe, secure, great looking crate. In my opinion, the Petmate Vari Kennel should be the first choice for anybody buying a dog crate for airline travel.

The bad

The latch system on the door is secure but a bit noisy.

Lets see what people that own this crate are saying about it….

I was looking for the perfect Den for my Border Collie, that will last forever, will work as a training place for housebreaking, also for sleeping, plus that will work as a safe traveling kennel, it has to meet the breeder specification of size, and durability.

When received, it was a big Kennel, but when I have my Border Collie, I have understand why the breeder asks for this size, the dog can relax inside, can curl, sleep, chew a toy, and stay calm when I have to leave she alone for 2 or 3 hours on reunion days, and sleeps all night without trouble inside his Vari kennel Ultra……Read the rest of the review here

I bought this for a Sheltie, and they’re not an aggressive breed. They pretty much do what you tell them to do. “Go in your house,” means go in your house and no trying to chew your way out. Shelties are also considered medium size dogs, but I wanted a little bigger crate for my dog.

I’ve gone to the pet store before and purchased a crate this size, had to take it apart, and wedge it in the back seat because it didn’t fit in the trunk. You’re out of luck if the poor dog is with you. He gets relegated to the front seat and he doesn’t travel all that well. It’s hard to drive when the dog is trying to get under your seat.

Delivery was great, as per Amazon…..Read the rest of the review here

More Dog Crate Articles:

Midwest iCrate Review – Training and Travel Dog Crate

Pet Gear Crates Review – Just how good are they? 

Midwest Dog Crates – Canine Camper Day Tripper

Midwest Dog Crates – Read this review before you buy 

Midwest Dog Crates – Canine Camper Day Tripper

The Midwest Canine Camper soft dog crate is a portable, collapsible, soft sided crate for all pets. This great looking crate features a neat ‘pop-up’ design that makes this one of the coolest dog crates around!

The Midwest Canine Camper is made from water resistant, 600 denier Polyester with durable PVC backing. Mesh windows on all four sides provide good ventilation and visibility.

Lets take a look at the Canine Camper’s features:

-  Easy to assemble – Pop-Up design

-  Easy to clean

-  Suitable for indoor and outdoor use

-  Varnished wood floor

-  Comes with a synthetic sheepskin, machine washable pad

-  Loops for ground stakes (stakes not included)

-  Zippered mesh door

-  Windows on all sides

-  Carrying handle

-  1-year limited warranty

- In stock on Amazon now via this link

My Verdict:

The Good:

A nice, attractive alternative to a traditional wire crate. This crate is easy to assemble and highly portable. Overall, a great crate at a sensible price.

The Bad:

This crate is not suitable for dogs/puppies that are prone to chewing. Also not suitable for aggressive dogs.

Lets see what people that own this crate are saying about it….

The soft crate is wonderful for my 7 year old Golden Retriever. I can see that it would not be ideal as a training crate for a puppy, but that should be pretty obvious as it is a soft crate. Set up is very simple, size is perfect and it is very attractive to have open in our home. Well worth the price. - N.J. St. Louis.

I am so pleased with the Day Tripper. It is light weight to carry in and out of my dog training facility. The crate sets up and down quickly and easily. Best of all, my dog is comfortable and safe in the Day Tripper. - L.H. Minnesota

Read the full, original review here

More Dog Crate Articles:

Midwest iCrate Review – Training and Travel Dog Crate

Pet Gear Crates Review – Just how good are they? 

Petmate Vari Kennel Review – Read this before you buy!

Midwest Dog Crates – Read this review before you buy 

Midwest Dog Crates – Read this review before you buy.

The MIDWEST Life Stages Dog Crate is a robust folding dog crate that cuts housebreaking time in half. It also reduces behavioral problems. Perfect for training puppies or for starting again with an adult dog.

These feature packed dog crates are designed with your dogs comfort and safety in mind.

One great bonus with the Midwest Dog crate is it comes with a free divider panel. Allowing you to adjust the size of your dogs’ living space. This is essential for housebreaking puppies because it stops your dog eliminating at one end of the cage and sleeping at the other end.

Let’s take a look at some of the The MIDWEST Life Stages Dog Crates features:

- Attractive Satin Black Electro-Coated Finish
- Two doors – Side and front
- Slide bolt latches for the safety and security
- Easy-to-clean ABS plastic pan
- Two ABS plastic carrying handles
- Easy setup, no tools required. Folds down to portable size for transportation.
- Free divider panel included. This allows you to adjust the crate living area as your puppy grows.
- Can be used in the home or in the back of an automobile
- Cuts House Breaking time in Half!

Overall, the Midwest dog crate is excellent value for money. There’s cheaper crates out there but a lower price tag almost always means a compromise in quality. Currently IN STOCK on Amazon through this link.

Here’s what some current owners think about this crate:

Denise, Reston, VA. says:

I bought this crate for my 30lb beagle mix and and it’s great. It folds up easily so it’s really easy to transport. It has two doors so I have options of how I can place the crate in a room.  Great crate!….Read the rest of the review here

L.P. Colchester, CT. says:

We purchased this crate for our new 10-lb Labrador pup (who will eventually be 80+ lbs), and I couldn’t be happpier with it. I only wish I had known about it 10 years ago when we got our German Shepherd pup……Read the rest of the review here

Sizes Available:

Please note: The dog breed examples are for your guidance only. I would recommend that you measure your dog before purchasing your Midwest Dog Crate.

More Dog Crate Articles:

Midwest iCrate Review – Training and Travel Dog Crate

Pet Gear Crates Review – Just how good are they? 

Petmate Vari Kennel Review – Read this before you buy!

Midwest Dog Crates – Canine Camper Day Tripper