Crate training dogs is one of the single best things you can do for an apartment dog. But how big should a dog crate be?
There is a natural inclination to want to leave dogs free to roam around your apartment at night, or while you are gone. But this can lead to anxiety and unwanted behaviors like chewing or barking.
A dog that is properly crate trained will see their crate as a safe space. In there the dog is removed from the anxieties of the world around them, and often happily sleep away their time.
So how big should a dog crate be?
This is a great question, and varies between your dog’s breed and age.
Crate Size for Puppies
Puppies who are being crate trained need much less space that you might think. Most metal dog crates come with a partition to create a small space for your puppy to use. The main reason for this is that puppies tend not to go potty where they sleep.
While it might be tempting to create a large crate space, a puppy left in a large crate may find one corner for sleeping and one corner for potty. This will defeat the purpose of having a crate in the first place.
Most puppies, aside from the very small and very large can be comfortable in a crate space roughly 12″x18″.
Important note: Puppies should only be left in crates for relatively short periods of time, and should be properly crate trained before doing so.
Crate Size for Grown Dogs
The size of a crate varies between small dogs and big dogs. As a general rule of thumb, crates should be just big enough for a dog to sleep stretched out and stand to reposition themselves.
Crates of this size help reinforce that the crate is a space for calm and sleep. For this reason, good crate training also excludes toys or food.
How Big Should A Dog Crate Be?
Small Dogs: 22″x13″x16″
Medium Dogs: 30″x19″x21″
Large Dogs: 48″x30″x33″
These are rough suggestions, and may vary based on your dog’s specific size. Here are some good options for wire crates.