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Dog crates are not one size fits all. The dog crate size you choose has an impact on how well your dog does.

Often, thinking of dog crates just goes as far as thinking of the dog crate type to get – metal dog crate, wood dog crate, plastic dog crate, wire dog crate, and the many other available types. That’s important, for sure. But equally important is getting the right dog crate size for your little canine.

Why is size important? Because it will have a big impact on how effectively you can use the dog crate for housebreaking or even travelling.

Reasons For Using a Dog Crate

There are several reasons for getting a dog crate for your pet:

• Housebreaking – Crates are the quickest and most effective ways to encourage good potty habits in both a young puppy and an adult dog.
• Containment – Your dog needs a place to stay in when there’s no one there to supervise or protect him and the house from his puppy teeth.
• Travel – Air travel with your dog entails the use of an airline-approved crate. Land travel is also safer if the dog isn’t loose in the car.

What Size Fits Best?

How do you figure out what dog crate size you need for your dog?

First, identify your reason for getting the crate. As stated above, it can be for housebreaking, containment or travel.

So…

Housebreaking Dog Crate Size Guide

Crate training is effective mainly because dogs, natural den animals that they are, do not want to mess up the place where they sleep. That means that as long as the puppy learns to like and feels that his crate is his den, he’ll be able to control his bladder and bowel better. That is, hold it in until he’s let out.

A crate that’s too big will make your dog think that he has plenty of room. Ergo, he can sleep on one side and eliminate waste on the other. Therefore, he won’t be waiting around for you to let him out to do his business. That’s a potty training fail.

Sitting down, the puppy should have enough “clearance room” above his head. His tail shouldn’t be completely bunched up at the back.

It’s best if you can take him with you when you buy the crate so you can test the fit of the crate. If you can’t do that, though, then just bear in mind the following:

• Puppies grow fast! The right size now may be a tight fit in a few months.
• Don’t make the first crate a designer or expensive model because, again, puppies grow up fast.

Here’s how to measure for the right size dog crate for housebreaking:

• Measure the dog’s height (floor to top of head) and length (nose to halfway down the tail).
• Add 4-6 inches to each measurement to get ideal crate size.
• Measure the dog’s weight to ensure the crate you get can hold him.

Air Travel Dog Crate Size Guide

The important thing to remember about dog crates for air travel, it should be:

• Big enough to be comfortable.
• Small enough not to be thrown around while in motion.

Air travel crates must be:

• Tall enough to allow pets to stand up straight, no ducking of heads to stand or to go in and out the door or ears touching the door.
• Long and wide enough for dog to turn around, sit and lie down.

For air travel, crates are referred to by number rather than size:

• XS – 100 size kennel.
• S – 200 size kennel.
• M – 300 size kennel.
• L – 400 size kennel.
• XL – 500 size kennel.
• Giant – 700 size kennel.

Adult Dog Crate Size Guide

If your adult dog has been potty trained, then pick a crate size for comfort rather than for the process of discouraging elimination. That means getting one that’s big enough for the dog to stretch and move around in. Otherwise, refer to the housebreaking dog crate size guide.