Measure your dog standing up, from nose to the base of the tail and from the floor to the top of its head or ear tips, then add a few inches to each for the crate’s inside size. Petmate adds 3 to 4 inches, and Diggs adds 2 inches to the height and 2 to 4 to the length.
How to measure your dog
- Height: with your dog standing, measure from the floor to the top of its head, or to the tip of the tallest ear if its ears stand up (Diggs).
- Length: measure from the tip of the nose to where the tail meets the spine, leaving out the tail (Diggs).
- Add room: add each maker’s allowance from the table below, and compare the result with the crate’s inside size.
How much room to add
| Source | Height | Length | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petmate (Vari Kennel) | 3–4 in taller than your dog | 3–4 in longer | Room to fully stand up, turn around and lie all the way down |
| Diggs (Revol) | At least 2 in more, inside | 2–4 in more, inside | Size up if your dog often stands, turns or moves around in the crate |
| IATA (air travel) | Standing height plus bedding | Nose to tail base plus half the height to the elbow | Width: twice the shoulder width; all inside sizes |
Humane World for Animals asks that a crate be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around in. For a crate that rides in the hold of a plane, see airline cargo crate size.
With a divider
MidWest’s manual for its folding crates says to place the divider panel so your dog’s living area is still large enough for it to sit, turn around and lie down comfortably. Those crates (models CA1524DD to CA1548DD) come in 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 in sizes, and the manual gives no dog weight for any of them.
The same manual says to take off your dog’s collar, tags and lead before it goes in, to prevent possible entanglement.
Inside size vs outside size
Diggs says to use the inside measurements to fit your dog and the outside ones to fit your space. Petmate names its kennels by roughly their outside length, so the 36 in Sky Kennel is 32.5 in long inside.
| Size | Inside length | Inside width | Inside height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 in | 18.75 in | 13.5 in | 14.5 in |
| 28 in | 24.25 in | 18.25 in | 19.5 in |
| 32 in | 29.5 in | 19.75 in | 23.5 in |
| 36 in | 32.5 in | 22 in | 26 in |
| 40 in | 36.25 in | 24.75 in | 28.8 in |
| 48 in | 44 in | 29 in | 32.5 in |
Petmate lists the 21 in Sky Kennel for dogs up to 15 lb and the 48 in for 90 to 125 lb.
| Size | Inside (L x W x H) | Outside (L x W x H) | Dog weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 in | 16.2 x 12 x 9 | Listing error (see below) | Up to 10 lb |
| 24 in | 21.5 x 15 x 13.5 | 24.1 x 16.7 x 14.5 | 10–20 lb |
| 28 in | 24.25 x 18.25 x 19.5 | 28 x 20.5 x 21.5 | 25–30 lb |
| 32 in | 29.5 x 19.75 x 23.5 | 32 x 22.5 x 24 | 30–50 lb |
| 36 in | 32.5 x 22.25 x 26 | 36 x 25 x 27 | 50–70 lb |
| 40 in | 36.25 x 24.75 x 28.8 | 40 x 27 x 30 | 70–90 lb |
| Size | Recommended for | Inside (L x W x H) | Outside (L x W x H) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Up to 17 in tall or 30 lb | 25.3 x 17.4 x 18.5 | 28.5 x 19.8 x 20.6 |
| Medium | 17–20 in tall or 30–50 lb | 31.4 x 20.6 x 21.5 | 34.6 x 22.9 x 23.8 |
| Intermediate | 20–26 in tall or 50–70 lb | 38.8 x 25 x 28 | 41.2 x 27.7 x 30.6 |
| Large | 26–28 in tall or 70–90 lb | 42.5 x 28 x 30 | 45.3 x 30.8 x 32.7 |
Where Petmate’s listings disagree
- The Vari Kennel’s 19 in listing gives an outside height of 5.75 in, lower than its own 9 in inside height.
- The Vari Kennel’s weight ranges skip 20 to 25 lb, with the 24 in listed for 10–20 lb and the 28 in for 25–30 lb.
- The 36 in Ultra Vari Kennel is listed at 26 in wide inside, while the 36 in Sky Kennel is 22 in wide.
Measure the inside of the kennel yourself, or ask Petmate, before you rely on one of these figures.
Puppies and time in the crate
If your dog is still growing, Humane World for Animals says to choose a crate that will fit its adult size. It also says adult dogs shouldn’t be left in a crate for more than 4 to 5 hours during the day.
For the bed that goes inside, see dog bed size.