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Quick answer
UK crate guides put an adult Labrador Retriever in a 36–42 in crate1,2. Many owners buy that adult size from the start and use a divider panel to make it smaller while the puppy grows. Whatever the setting, your puppy should always be able to stand, turn around, lie down and stretch3.
Sizing everything else too? Read sizing your puppy through the first year: collar, harness and crate, and how often to check.
Why buy the adult size with a divider?
- Buying the adult size once is usually cheaper than buying two or three crates as your puppy grows.
- Your puppy gets used to one crate in one spot, and doesn't have to settle into a new one every few months.
- A divider lets you keep the space cosy for a small puppy, then give it more room as it grows6,5.
How to set the divider for your puppy
- Measure your puppy's length from nose to the base of the tail, standing, and its height sitting, to the top of the head or ear tips8.
- Add space. We suggest about 10 cm on each, and treat 5 cm as the snug minimum. UK guides suggest 5–10 cm8.
- Set the divider so the space inside is at least your puppy's length plus that margin. The height is fixed by the crate, and an adult-size crate will have plenty.
- Check your puppy can stand, turn around, lie down flat and stretch out3. If not, move the divider back, whatever the tape measure says.
- Re-check every week or two, and move the divider back a notch whenever it starts to look snug.
New to dividers? Read how crate dividers work for a growing puppy. Starting out? See crate training, step by step.
How a Labrador Retriever puppy grows
Labradors are a large breed. Research on millions of pet dogs shows larger dogs take longer to reach their adult weight than small ones, and large breeds can keep growing into their second year9.
An adult Labrador weighs about 25–36 kg10, so a puppy has a long way to grow.
Labrador Retriever puppy crate tips
Stage by stage: 8 weeks to 12 months
These are our suggested checkpoints, not a growth chart. How your own puppy fits the crate always wins.
8 weeks
Set up the adult-size crate with the divider close in. Measure your puppy and set the space to its length plus the margin. Follow the RSPCA's or Dogs Trust's steps to introduce the crate gently3,11.
3 months
We suggest checking the divider every week or two. If your puppy has to curl up tight to fit, move it back.
4 months
Measure the length again. Growth is often quick now, so expect to move the divider more than once this month.
6 months
Many puppies need most of the crate by now. Check your puppy can stretch out flat on its side with room to spare3.
9 months
If your puppy fills the divided space, take the divider out. Check the sitting height against the crate roof too.
12 months
Measure once more. Large breeds can keep growing into their second year9, so confirm the adult crate still clears length and sitting height by at least the snug minimum.
Adult Labrador Retriever crates and their dividers
The sizes that match UK guidance for an adult Labrador Retriever, and whether each crate can be divided for a puppy.
Ellie-Bo
Standard Dog Cage
Divider sold separately to fit each size5.
L × W × H: L (36 in): 91.5 × 61 × 66 cm; XL (42 in): 107 × 71 × 79 cm
Check price on AmazonMidWest
iCrate Folding Dog Crate
Divider included with every size6.
L × W × H: 36 in: 91.4 × 58.4 × 63.5 cm; 42 in: 106.7 × 71.1 × 76.2 cm
Check price on AmazonAmazon Basics
Folding Soft Dog Crate
No divider offered, so it can't be made smaller for a puppy.
L × W × H: 36 in: 91.4 × 61 × 61 cm; 42 in: 106.7 × 78.7 × 78.7 cm
Full size tables in inches and cm are in our Labrador Retriever crate size guide.
Signs your puppy needs more room
- Your puppy can't lie flat on its side and stretch out3.
- Your puppy has to duck its head when sitting up, or can't turn round easily12.
- Its tail hits the sides every time it wags11.
- It always lies curled up tight or pressed against the divider.
Crate training and the car
A crate should be a safe, comfy place, never a punishment. The RSPCA and Dogs Trust both have step-by-step guides to introducing a crate and how long a puppy can be left in one3,11. Blue Cross has advice on indoor kennels too12.
For car travel, the Highway Code says dogs must be suitably restrained so they can't distract you or be hurt if you stop quickly. It lists a seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard13.
Common mistakes
- Buying a small puppy crate and replacing it every few months, when an adult-size crate with a divider would last.
- Buying the adult size with no divider, so a young puppy has far more room than it needs at first.
- Setting the divider once and forgetting it while your puppy grows.
- Choosing a crate with no divider option for a puppy. Check before you buy.
- Measuring height standing. Measure sitting, to the top of the head or ear tips8.
Labrador Retriever puppy crate questions
What size crate for a Labrador Retriever puppy?
What is a crate divider?
How do I know where to put the divider?
Measure your puppy's length from nose to the base of the tail and add about 10 cm. Then check it can stand, turn, lie down and stretch3. If not, give it more room.
How often should I move the divider?
We suggest checking every week or two while your puppy grows fast, and moving it back as soon as the space looks snug.
How long can my puppy stay in its crate?
When should I take the divider out for my Labrador Retriever?
When your puppy fills the divided space. Large breeds can keep growing into their second year9, so keep checking even once the divider is out.