Dog Crate Size Chart: Measure Your Dog, Pick the Right Crate

Last updated October 28, 2026 · By Dog Ramp Guide Editorial Team

To size a crate, measure your dog standing up, nose to tail and floor to the top of the head, and add about 3 to 4 inches to each, as the American Kennel Club recommends. Then pick the crate whose interior beats both numbers, using weight charts only as a cross-check. A crate that is too small is cramped; one that is too big can slow house training. The chart and steps below come from AKC and MidWest Homes for Pets guidance, read on 2026-10-28, plus manufacturer listings.

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Step 1: measure your dog

You need two measurements, taken with the dog standing on all fours on a level floor. A treat in your other hand helps keep a wriggly dog still.

1. Length. From the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. AKC’s crate guide measures to the tip of the tail; MidWest Homes for Pets measures to the base. MidWest and many retailer charts use the base, since a dog lying in a crate usually curls or tucks its tail; if your dog has a long, straight tail and likes to stretch out, measuring to the tip adds safety.
2. Height. From the floor to the top of the head (not the ear tips, unless your dog’s ears stand tall and it holds its head high). Some sources measure a sitting dog, because many dogs sit taller than they stand; if your dog sits upright in a crate, measure both and use the larger.

Write both numbers down. If the dog is a puppy, see the puppy section below before buying anything.

Step 2: add room

AKC’s guide to choosing a crate says to add 3 to 4 inches to each measurement to get the crate length and height you need. MidWest says to add “a few inches.” In practice:

• Small dogs: add about 3 in.
• Large dogs, or dogs that sprawl: add 4 in, or a little more.
• A thick bed or mat inside: add its thickness to the height.

The goal, in AKC’s words, is a crate where the dog can sit, stand and lie down comfortably but that is not much bigger. Extra space can let a dog soil one corner and sleep in the other.

Step 3: match to a crate size

Wire crates are sold by nominal length. MidWest’s weight guide, as reproduced on retailer listings, runs like this:

Weight ranges are MidWest’s published guide as shown on retailer listings (we could not fetch MidWest’s own breed chart PDF); the length column is our arithmetic, using a 4 in allowance and assuming the interior is close to the nominal size. Treat both as starting points.

When weight and measurements disagree, trust the tape. A 45 lb Basset Hound is long and low; a 45 lb Whippet-type is tall and narrow. MidWest’s own listing copy for its 42 in iCrate advises buying the next size up if your dog’s weight or measurements sit at the high end of a range.

Check interior, not just the label

Size names are labels. Impact Dog Crates states that model names such as 30-inch or 40-inch are classifications rather than exact lengths, and asks buyers to confirm interior space for the dog and exterior size for the room or vehicle. Its Collapsible line, for example, is listed by a retailer at 40.5 x 23 x 29 in for the “40” and 48 x 27 x 33 in for the “48”. Wire crates usually list exterior dimensions; the interior is smaller by the thickness of the frame, and a pan or bed raises the floor.

Worked examples

These are illustrations, not breed standards; individual dogs vary a lot. Notice the Labrador row: weight says 36 in, but height may push it to 42 in, because MidWest’s 36 in size is listed at about 36 x 23 x 25 in on the outside. Height is the measurement most often missed.

A widely sold example of a standard wire crate is the MidWest 42 in Single Door iCrate on Amazon, which the listing pitches at large breeds of 71 to 90 lb and which comes with a divider panel. Check the current price and the exact dimensions on the listing.

Signs the size is right, or wrong

Once the crate is set up, watch your dog for a few days. A crate that fits well usually looks like this:

• The dog can stand with its head level without the top of the head or upright ears touching the roof.
• It can turn around in one easy movement, without backing up or folding itself in half.
• It can lie on its side with legs out, not only curled in a ball.
• There is not a spare half that stays empty and clean while the dog sleeps in the other half. If there is, and you are house training, add a divider.

Signs it is too small: the dog lies diagonally, ducks its head when standing, pushes the door with its nose or tail, or refuses to lie flat. Signs it is too big, for a puppy or a dog still learning: accidents in one corner, or a dog that paces rather than settling.

Between two sizes?

This is common, especially around 36 and 42 in. A few tie-breakers:

• Still growing: go up and use the divider.
• Long, deep-chested or tall breed: go up; height is the usual pinch.
• Crate lives in a small car or a tight room: measure the space first, and consider a crate with a better interior-to-exterior ratio rather than a bigger nominal size.
• House training an adult rescue: go up and add a divider, then remove it once training is solid.
• Very anxious dog: size for comfort, but a bigger crate will not fix crate distress. If your dog pants, drools heavily or tries frantically to escape, the ASPCA says crate confinement may not be the right option and suggests professional help.

Puppies: buy for the adult, use a divider

Both AKC and MidWest suggest buying a crate sized for your puppy’s expected adult size and using a divider panel to block off the extra space while the puppy is small. MidWest notes the divider should fit snugly across the width of the crate, and suggests looking up the breed’s adult size (AKC breed pages list typical heights and weights) and allowing for differences between males and females. For a mixed-breed puppy, the parents’ sizes help if you know them; otherwise ask your vet or rescue for a best guess.

Move the divider back every week or two as the puppy grows, keeping the space just big enough to stand, turn and lie down. Training steps are in crate training basics.

Crate type changes the sizing a little

• Wire crates are sized by nominal length and usually list exterior dimensions. AKC calls metal crates the sturdiest and best for chewers.
• Plastic travel kennels have thicker walls and curved interiors, so compare interior dimensions carefully. AKC notes that if you plan to fly, you need a model your airline accepts.
• Soft crates suit small dogs that don’t chew; their frames flex, so a snug fit matters less but security is lower.
• Heavy-duty steel or aluminum crates often run larger outside for the same inside space because of thicker tubing and frames. See heavy-duty dog crates.
• Car crates have to fit the cargo area too. Measure the cargo opening and floor before choosing; dog crates for car travel covers securing them.

Mistakes to avoid

• Buying by weight alone. Long, tall or deep-chested dogs often need the next size up.
• Forgetting height. Ears brushing the roof is a sign the crate is too short.
• Oversizing for a puppy without a divider. It invites accidents.
• Ignoring the room or car. A 48 in crate is about 4 ft long and over 2.5 ft tall on the outside; measure where it will go.
• Trusting the size name. Read the listed dimensions, and assume the interior is a bit smaller than the exterior.

Quick checklist

1. Measure nose to base of tail, and floor to top of head, standing.
2. Add 3 to 4 in to each (more for big dogs or a thick bed).
3. Find the crate size whose interior beats both numbers.
4. Cross-check against the maker’s weight guide.
5. For a puppy, size for the adult and use a divider.
6. Confirm exterior size against the space you have.

If your dog has trouble getting into a vehicle once the crate is in it, a ramp helps; see dog ramp for SUVs and trucks.