Best Dog Crates (2026): Wire, Plastic and Soft-Sided, and How to Size One

A wire crate with a divider panel is the right first crate for most dogs: the MidWest iCrate if you want the most size choices, or the Amazon Basics 48 in for a large dog. Pick a plastic Petmate Vari Kennel if the crate will also fly as cargo or your dog settles better with walls around it. This page compares seven wire, plastic, soft-sided and heavy-duty crates, shows how to measure your dog, and sets out what Humane World for Animals and the ASPCA say about using a crate kindly.

How we chose: we did not test these crates; we worked from the makers' size guides and listings, and kept only crates sold by Amazon.com that were in stock on September 28, 2026.

Seven dog crates side by side

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

MidWest sells the iCrate in 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 in sizes, and Amazon Basics sells its wire crate from 24 to 48 in; the rows above are one size of each. Pick your size with the measurements below, not by the size named here.

How to measure your dog for a crate

MidWest's crate sizing guide is the clearest set of instructions we found. Measure your dog "from the tip of their nose to the base of their tail, then add a few inches to allow for comfortable movement." For height, measure "from the top of their head to the ground while they're standing upright, and again, add a few inches for clearance." The goal, MidWest says, is room for the dog "to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably without being too restrictive or excessively spacious."

Amazon Basics puts a number on "a few": its listing says to add 4 inches to both measurements. Humane World for Animals (the new name of the Humane Society of the United States) gives the same test in its crate training guide: the crate "should be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around in."

Two practical notes. Weight ranges on the box are a shortcut, and MidWest itself says a dog near the top of a range should go up a size.

Buying for a puppy: the divider panel

Buy the crate for the dog your puppy will be. MidWest's advice is to "get a crate according to their expected size" and "use a divider panel to make the crate the perfect size as your puppy grows." For a mixed breed, it suggests going by the parents' size, or asking your rescue or vet for a best guess.

The divider matters for house training. MidWest says moving it back gradually "helps prevent accidents" by giving the puppy just enough room to stand, turn and lie down, "without having excess space that might lead to accidents inside the crate." It adds that the divider should fit snugly across the width of the crate, not the length.

The MidWest and Amazon Basics wire crates here come with a divider. The Petmate Vari and the soft crate do not, which is one reason a wire crate is the usual puppy crate. For the rest of the first-week shopping list, see our new puppy checklist.

Wire, plastic, soft-sided or heavy-duty?

Wire crates (MidWest iCrate, LifeStages, Amazon Basics) fold flat, let air through on every side, and let the dog see the room. Most come with a divider and a slide-out tray. The LifeStages adds locking tips to its slide-bolt latch, and its 42 in model weighs 41 lb, per the listing.

Plastic kennels (Petmate Vari) are enclosed on three sides, with ventilation holes and a wire door. They are also the kind airlines take in the cargo hold. The International Air Transport Association's pet container page says airlines require the animal to have room to "turn about normally while standing, to stand and sit erect, and to lie in a natural position," and it points to the container rules in IATA's Live Animals Regulations. It also says snub-nosed breeds need a 10% larger container. Petmate says the Vari "meets most airline cargo specifications" and tells you to check with your airline before flying, which is the right order of operations. For a pet that flies in the cabin, see our guide to airline pet carriers.

Soft-sided crates (Amazon Basics Soft Crate) are light and fold into a bag, which is why people take them to hotels and trials. They are held shut by zippers. A dog that chews or panics can get through fabric, so keep a soft crate for a calm dog that already treats a crate as its bed.

Heavy-duty crates (Feandrea) use thicker steel, double door locks and wheels. Words like "escape-proof," "indestructible" and "chew-resistant" appear all over this category, and they are the maker's claims; nobody publishes a standard test for them. If your dog is breaking out of a crate, the ASPCA's point below is worth reading before you buy a stronger one.

Crate training without making the crate a punishment

Humane World for Animals is direct about this: "while crates can be used to manage a behavior, they should never be used for punishment." A crate works when the dog goes in on its own because good things happen there.

Its guide also sets time limits. "Puppies under 6 months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time," and "adult dogs shouldn't be left in a crate for more than 4-5 hours during the day." It adds that "just as you would not spend your entire life in one room of your home, your dog shouldn't spend most of their time in a crate." If your workday is longer than that, plan for a walker or a midday visit.

Key point: a crate is not right for every dog. On its separation anxiety page, the ASPCA says crate training "can be helpful for some dogs if they learn that the crate is their safe place," but "for other dogs, the crate can cause added stress and anxiety." If your dog shows "heavy panting, excessive salivation, frantic escape attempts, persistent howling or barking" in the crate while you are home, the ASPCA says crate confinement "isn't the best option," and suggests a room behind a baby gate instead. A "calming" donut bed does not change that; our calming dog bed guide covers what a bed can and can't do for an anxious dog.

That is also why a heavy-duty crate is the wrong first fix for a dog that is hurting itself trying to get out. Ask your vet or a qualified behavior professional before you buy a stronger crate for a panicking dog (more on our health content).

A few other things that make the crate easier to live with: a washable pad or folded blanket (an orthopedic bed cut to crate size for an older dog), a safe chew toy the dog can have unsupervised, and washable pee pads under the tray during house training. When the crate door opens for a walk, our front-clip harness guide covers dogs that pull.

A house crate is not a car restraint

A wire crate on the back seat keeps a dog contained, not protected in a crash. The Center for Pet Safety's certified list includes crates from Gunner, Lucky Duck and Cabela's, each certified in specific sizes and with its anchor straps. None of the seven crates on this page is on that list, including the heavy-duty Feandrea. Our guide to crash-tested dog car restraints covers what the certification means and which certified crates we could find from trusted sellers.

What we left out, and recalls

We looked for a Frisco crate but did not find one sold by Amazon.com or a Frisco store on Amazon. The Diggs Evolv was sold by a storefront named DiggsPet, and its listing mixed two sizes' measurements, so we left it out rather than print numbers we couldn't match. Several heavy-duty crates with "escape-proof" in the title were sold by third-party storefronts.

Petmate appears on our pet product recall page for a 2025 CPSC recall of Pet Zone laser pointer and LED ball toys sold at Menards, not kennels. We found no CPSC recall of these crates in the CPSC recall database as of September 28, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size crate does my dog need?

One your dog can stand, turn around and lie down in. MidWest says to measure nose to base of tail and top of head to floor and add a few inches; Amazon Basics says 4 inches.

Should a puppy crate be big or small?

Buy the adult size and make it small with the divider panel. MidWest says a crate with too much room can lead to accidents inside it, so move the divider back as the puppy grows.

How long can a dog stay in a crate?

Humane World for Animals says no more than three or four hours at a time for puppies under 6 months, and no more than 4 to 5 hours during the day for adult dogs.

Is a wire or plastic crate better?

A wire crate for home and puppies, because it folds, ventilates and comes with a divider. A plastic kennel if the dog will fly as cargo, since airlines follow IATA's container rules for that.

Can I use a dog crate in the car?

As containment only. None of these crates is certified by the Center for Pet Safety; for crash protection, use a certified crate with its straps.

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PetProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We did not test these crates; sizes and features are the makers' own, from their sites and listings. This guide is general information and is not veterinary or behavior advice.