Short answer
There is no official UK crate size by weight, but one US retailer, Pet Crates Direct, suggests bands from a 22 or 24 inch crate for dogs up to 25 lbs (11 kg) to a 54 inch crate for dogs over 110 lbs (50 kg)1. Use weight only to shortlist a size: the test that decides is whether your own dog can stand, sit, turn around, lie down and stretch out in it2,3.
Crate size by weight: one retailer's bands
This article answers one question from our complete guide to what size crate your dog needs.
These are Pet Crates Direct's weight bands, published on its crate size page1. Pet Crates Direct is a US retailer. They are its suggestions, not a UK standard, and we show them exactly as it gives them.
| Crate size | Dog weight (lbs) | Dog weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 in or 24 in | up to 25 lbs | up to 11 kg |
| 30 in | 26–40 lbs | 12–18 kg |
| 36 in | 41–70 lbs | 18–32 kg |
| 42 in | 71–90 lbs | 32–41 kg |
| 48 in | 91–110 lbs | 41–50 kg |
| 54 in | over 110 lbs | 50+ kg |
Source
Weight bands from Pet Crates Direct, a US retailer1. They are one company's guide, not an official or UK-wide standard.
Why the kg bands overlap
The bands are set in pounds, and the pound bands follow on from each other. The kilogram figures are rounded, so the edges touch: 18 kg appears in both the 30 inch and 36 inch bands, and the same happens at 32, 41 and 50 kg1.
If your dog sits on one of those edges, weight can't tell you which crate to choose. Measure its length and sitting height and compare them with the actual crate dimensions.
Why weight is only a rough guide
A crate has to fit your dog's length and height. Weight doesn't measure either. Two dogs of the same weight can be very different shapes: a long, low dog needs more length; a tall, leggy dog needs more height.
That's why UK charities describe crate size by what your dog can do in it, not by weight. The RSPCA says the crate should be big enough for your dog "to stand, turn around, lie down and stretch in"2, and the PDSA adds that it should be tall enough to "stand and sit without touching the top" and long enough to "wag their tail and stretch out fully"3.
How to use weight, then check
- Weigh your dog, or use its last weight from the vet.
- Use the table to shortlist a size. If your dog is near a band edge, shortlist both sizes.
- Measure your dog's length (nose to base of tail) and sitting height (floor to top of head or ear tips). See our measuring guide.
- Add room. We suggest about 10 cm to each, as our own rule of thumb.
- Check the crate's actual inside dimensions against your numbers, and pick the size that clears both. Or put the numbers into our size finder.
Converting kg and lbs
One kilogram is about 2.2 pounds. To turn kg into lbs, multiply by 2.2; to turn lbs into kg, divide by 2.2. So a 20 kg dog is about 44 lbs, and a 50 lb dog is about 23 kg. Our measuring guide has a converter.
Weight and puppies
A puppy's weight today won't tell you the crate it needs as an adult. The RSPCA says to get a crate "big enough for your pup to grow into"2, and the PDSA says to choose "based on their adult size or increase crate size as they grow"3. Use your breed's expected adult size, and see how crate dividers work for a growing puppy.
Breed crate guides
Every breed needs a slightly different crate. These guides cover UK size guidance for the breed, sizes in each brand in inches and cm, and how to measure.
- Chihuahua crate sizeSizes by brand, measuring and fit
- Border Collie crate sizeSizes by brand, measuring and fit
- Labrador Retriever crate sizeSizes by brand, measuring and fit
- Rottweiler crate sizeSizes by brand, measuring and fit
Find your dog's crate size All breeds
Questions
What size crate for a 10 kg dog?
Pet Crates Direct's bands put dogs up to 11 kg (25 lbs) in a 22 or 24 inch crate1. Measure your dog's length and sitting height to check, because shape matters more than weight.
What size crate for a 20 kg dog?
What size crate for a 30 kg dog?
Pet Crates Direct suggests 36 inches for dogs up to 32 kg (70 lbs)1. A tall or long 30 kg dog may need the next size up, so measure.
Is there an official UK crate size chart by weight?
My dog is right on the edge of two weight bands. Which do I choose?
Measure its length and sitting height and compare them with each crate's inside dimensions. If both fit, the PDSA's tip for puppies is that too big is better than too small3.