Picking the right size crate

[Christy&Riley]

When we first got our GD she was 9 weeks and probably 10 pounds. The crate was 30 inches long so it was too big but we found the divider wasn't necessary as she never went potty in the crate. She is now 4.5 months old and around 20 pounds.

We both work so she is crated during the day but I come home at lunch for potty break and a quick stretch. At night we have let her stay out in a pen area but she chooses the crate to sleep. When she stands she has to keep her head down as she is starting to outgrow the crate. I feel bad that she looks so crunched so we thought we would buy a big crate for goldens that she could grow into. Thought it could be a bit of a pen and not just room for sleeping. Even with the divider the new crate is HUGE. Really don't want to buy multiple crates as she grows but this is a monster. 49 x 30 x 32. I attached pics of current crate. I know crates are supposed to be a den so cozy is good but do you think it's time to get her a bigger one? Please help! Thanks!!!

[Christy&Riley]

Pics didn't appear to attach so uploading separately.

[F, Calla & Luca]

That crate is too small by now. As long as she is not soiling the crate I would get the biggest you think she'll ever need now. I'd keep the old one too. I have a smaller one upstairs that Calla likes to snuggle in but she comes and noes at will. I have two huge crates in my dining room I use when I am not home. I think it's important for them to have room, yet they feel safe.

[Seamus & Haidee]

I too feel the crate is too small for her now but would not get rid of it.  I purchased by crates on Amazon and I felt they had the best prices!  I line it with old towels and blankets and Seamus loves it!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

The crate you currently have appears to be a good size for now, but it won't be for long. You don't need to think of a crate as a 'pen'. It's a sleeping den, and bigger isn't necessarily better. Both our standard-sized doodles (55# each) find the 42" long crates a perfect size. They can stand or lie all stretched out without feeling restricted. I don't know how big your puppy will get (my Oscar weighed more at 4.5 months), but a 42" long crate should be more than sufficient (and you could buy it now).

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I took another look at the pic and see now she's standing at an angle (appearing smaller), so i agree with everyone else that that crate is too small for her.

[Christy&Riley]

We were just discussing the 42 so your comments help to confirm our guesstimate. Thanks!

It's funny. I initially had a pad in the crate but she chewed two of them up. Switched to towels but she would drag them out of the crate so I finally gave up. I'm thinking she may like the coolness of the plastic. Guess we'll see if that changes in the winter.

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Oscar did the same, with anything we put in his crate. He now gets nothing and I think he prefers it that way (he rarely slept on the mat/blankets).

[Camilla and Darwin]

I do think the crate may be too small or will be soon. What we did is as soon as Darwin outgrew his first crate, we purchased a HUGE crate. I mean, the giant breed size, the largest you can get. Then we just divided it up until he was full grown. Now that he's full grown, he loves spending time in his crate, and he can stretch out, stand up, etc in it. 

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

We have a huge "hand me down" crate from a 90 pound+lab.  It is very roomy, but he is just fine.  I use an old blanket that he scrunches up and usually lies on the cool metal.  I would actually love to get rid of it because it takes so much room, but our experiments are well known to result in pillow monsters invading our house if we leave him alone and they then chew up couch throw pillows (Quincy would never chew up a pillow....yeah right) I was thinking of buying an ex-pen that I could at least fold up when company comes.  

So bottom line, I think it's time for you to get a new crate and I would buy a roomy one.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I don't know how I manage to get this tiny font size all the time....

[Christy&Riley]

We set up the 49 inch crate to see exactly how big it would be. Well, I'll let the attached picture speak for itself! Eeekkkk:-)

[Camilla and Darwin]

Yep, that is our house. LOL. No matter where we put it it's an eyesore. That is okay though. :-)