What size crate your dog needs, from tape measure to model number
Measure your dog's length from nose to the base of the tail and add 2–4 inches; buy the standard crate size above that number. A 22-inch Beagle takes a 30" crate, a 34-inch Golden Retriever takes a 42", and a 40-inch Great Dane takes a 48". Your dog should stand upright without ears brushing the roof. For puppies, buy the adult size and use a divider panel. Enter measurements or pick a breed below.
| Breed | Adult weight | Body length | Standing height | Crate size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chihuahua | 5 lb | 10" | 9" | 22" |
| Yorkshire Terrier | 7 lb | 12" | 9" | 22" |
| Maltese | 8 lb | 13" | 10" | 22" |
| Dachshund (standard) | 16 lb | 21" | 9" | 30" |
| Shih Tzu | 14 lb | 19" | 11" | 24" |
| Pug | 18 lb | 19" | 12" | 24" |
| Jack Russell Terrier | 16 lb | 19" | 13" | 24" |
| French Bulldog | 25 lb | 19" | 16" | 24" (30" for broad chests) |
| Bichon Frise | 16 lb | 19" | 12" | 24" |
| Beagle | 25 lb | 22" | 15" | 30" |
| Cocker Spaniel | 28 lb | 23" | 16" | 30" |
| Corgi (Pembroke) | 30 lb | 27" | 13" | 36" |
| Border Collie | 42 lb | 28" | 21" | 36" |
| Australian Shepherd | 50 lb | 29" | 21" | 36" |
| Pit Bull Terrier | 50 lb | 27" | 19" | 36" |
| Siberian Husky | 50 lb | 31" | 22" | 36" |
| Labrador Retriever | 75 lb | 32" | 24" | 36" (42" for big males) |
| German Shepherd | 75 lb | 33" | 25" | 42" |
| Golden Retriever | 70 lb | 34" | 24" | 42" |
| Rottweiler | 110 lb | 35" | 26" | 42" |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 100 lb | 36" | 27" | 42" |
| Great Dane | 140 lb | 40" | 33" | 48" (54" for tall males) |
| English Mastiff | 160 lb | 42" | 32" | 48" (54" for the biggest) |
Measurements are typical adult nose-to-tail-base lengths and floor-to-top-of-head heights; individual dogs vary by an inch or two either way. Crate size applies the length + 4" rule to the standard size ladder (22, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54). Stocky, broad-chested breeds like English Bulldogs and broad French Bulldogs often need one size up for width.
| Kennel series | Typical dog weight | Interior length (approx.) | Example breeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | Up to 10 lb | 19" | Chihuahua, Yorkie, Maltese |
| 200 | 11–20 lb | 24" | Shih Tzu, Pug, Jack Russell |
| 300 | 21–40 lb | 30" | Beagle, Cocker Spaniel, Frenchie |
| 400 | 41–70 lb | 35" | Border Collie, Husky, Golden female |
| 500 | 71–90 lb | 40" | Lab male, German Shepherd |
| 700 | 91–125+ lb | 48" | Great Dane, Mastiff, Newfoundland |
Cargo kennels must let the dog stand fully erect without touching the roof and turn around, per IATA rules — so verify interior height against your dog's ears-up height before flying. Interior lengths vary by an inch or two between manufacturers.
Crate sizing is one measurement and one rule. The measurement is body length, taken from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail — not the tail tip, which is the most common mistake and adds a foot of useless crate. The rule: the dog needs 2 to 4 inches of clearance beyond that length, plus a few inches of headroom, so it can stand, turn around, and lie stretched out without cramping.
Minimum interior length = body length + 2". Comfortable = body length + 4". The calculator recommends the smallest standard wire-crate size (from the 22, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54 ladder) that meets the comfortable length. It also checks standing height + 3" against each size's typical interior height (about 20" on a 24" crate up to 37" on a 54") and suggests sizing up if your dog is taller than average for its length. The airline line maps weight to the standard kennel series (100 through 700).
Measure your dog standing: length nose to tail base, height floor to the top of the head with ears up. If you'd rather start from breed averages, pick a breed and the typical adult measurements fill in — then nudge the numbers if your dog runs big or small for the breed. For a puppy, enter the adult breed measurements and buy a crate with a divider panel, which turns the oversized crate into a right-sized one you can expand instead of replacing.
An adult Golden Retriever measures 34 inches nose to tail base and stands 24 inches tall. Minimum interior length is 36", comfortable is 38", and the smallest standard size at or above 38" is a 42-inch crate. Height check: 24 + 3 = 27", which fits a 42-inch crate's typical 29" interior. At 70 pounds, the airline equivalent is a 400-series kennel. A Beagle makes the sizing logic visible from the other side: 22 inches of body length means a minimum of 24" and a comfortable 26", so the calculator steps past the 24" crate to a 30-inch — buying a 24" because the dog "is only 25 pounds" is how crates get returned.
Once the crate is right, the rest of the setup is routine: the puppy feeding calculator sets meals and calories for a growing dog, and the dog food calculator takes over when your puppy reaches adult size.
Measure your dog's body length from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail, then add 2 to 4 inches. That total is the minimum interior crate length you need, and you buy the standard size above it. A dog measuring 22 inches long needs at least 24 inches of crate, which means a 30-inch crate in the standard size ladder. Also check height: your dog should stand upright without ears or head touching the roof.
A 42-inch crate. An adult Golden Retriever measures about 34 inches nose-to-tail-base and 24 inches tall; 34 plus 4 is 38 inches, which rounds up to the 42-inch size. A 36-inch crate fits smaller adult females at about 30 inches of length, but most adults are more comfortable in the 42.
For adult dogs, extra room is mostly wasted money, not harm. For puppies it's a real problem: a crate with room for a bedroom and a bathroom undermines house training, because puppies will soil one end and sleep in the other. Use a crate with a divider panel and move it back as the puppy grows, or size for the adult dog and block off the extra space.
Only carriers that fit under the seat fly in the cabin, generally soft carriers up to about 18 inches long, which rules out crates. Dogs flying cargo travel in IATA-compliant hard kennels sized by weight: a 100 series (about 19 inches long) for dogs up to 10 pounds, a 200 for up to 20, a 300 for up to 40, a 400 for up to 70, a 500 for up to 90, and a 700 (48 inches long) for larger dogs. Airlines require the dog to stand and turn around, so measure before you buy.
Length, with weight as a cross-check. Weight charts break down for lanky breeds like Greyhounds, whose 26 to 30 inches of body length puts them in a 36-inch crate at just 65 pounds, and for stocky breeds like English Bulldogs, whose width means a 50-pound dog usually needs the 36-inch crate a length measurement alone might not suggest. Measure length first, then size up for width if your dog is broad-chested.
Yes, buy for the adult size, but use a divider. A Labrador puppy will need a 36 or 42-inch crate eventually, and a divider panel turns the adult crate into a right-sized puppy crate that grows with him. That gets you one crate purchase instead of two or three, and keeps house training on track by limiting the floor space to what the puppy can hold.