What Size Crate Does My Puppy Need? Sizing Chart

Your puppy's crate should be big enough for them to stand up without ducking, turn around easily, and lie down fully stretched out, sized to their adult measurements. The simplest approach is to buy the crate they'll need as a grown dog and use a divider to shrink the space while they're small.

Get the size right and a crate becomes a safe den that helps with toilet training and settling. Get it wrong and you've either bought a crate they outgrow in weeks, or one so large that house-training stalls. Here's how to size it properly.

Size to the adult dog, not the puppy

It's tempting to buy small for a small puppy, but you'll be buying again within a month or two. Instead, buy for the size your puppy will reach as an adult, then divide it down.

Most dog crates come with, or can take, a moveable divider panel. You section off just enough room for the puppy now, then slide it back as they grow. This matters for toilet training: a puppy won't usually soil where they sleep, but give them a vast crate and they'll happily wee in one corner and snooze in another.

A rough sizing chart by adult weight

Measure your dog where you can, but as a starting point based on expected adult size:

• Toy / very small (up to ~5kg, e.g. Chihuahua): around 24 inches
• Small (5-10kg, e.g. Miniature breeds, small terriers): around 24-30 inches
• Medium (10-20kg, e.g. Spaniels, Beagles): around 30-36 inches
• Large (20-30kg, e.g. Labradors, Goldens): around 36-42 inches
• Giant (30kg+, e.g. German Shepherds, larger): around 42-48 inches

These are guides, not gospel. A leggy or long-backed breed may need to size up.

Measure your dog properly

If you can, measure rather than guess, especially for a mixed breed where adult size is uncertain:

• Length: from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. Add roughly 5-10cm.
• Height: from the floor to the top of the head when sitting (or ears for upright-eared breeds). Add roughly 5-10cm.

The crate should comfortably exceed both. For a puppy whose adult size is a mystery, ask your vet or breeder for a sensible estimate, then choose the crate to match that projection.

Using a divider as your puppy grows

The divider is what makes a single crate last:

• Start with just enough space to stand, turn and lie down, no more.
• Move the divider back gradually as your puppy grows.
• If toilet training regresses, the space may have grown too fast, so tighten it up again.

Done well, one correctly sized crate sees most dogs from puppyhood to adulthood. Our how to crate train a puppy: a step-by-step UK guide walks through the training side.

Crate, playpen, or both?

A crate is a small, den-like sleeping and settling space. A dog playpen is a larger open area for safe daytime pottering. Many owners use both: the crate for rest and night-time, the pen for supervised free time. If you're weighing them up, our crate vs playpen for a puppy: which do you need? guide compares them directly. Pair either with a comfy bed, and see our best puppy beds for settling and sleep (UK) and the puppy beds range.

One last thing: a crate should never feel like punishment, and puppies shouldn't be shut in for long stretches. If your puppy seems distressed, won't settle, or you're unsure how long is appropriate for their age, your vet or a qualified behaviourist can advise.

For the full dogs range and more, the new puppy hub pulls together everything for those first few months.