Alright, let’s talk about figuring out the kennel size for my Golden Retriever, Max. When I first brought that little furball home, chaos kinda ruled for a bit. Adorable chaos, but still chaos. Potty training was… an adventure. And I realized pretty quick I needed a den for him, a safe spot that was just his.
So, the hunt for a kennel began. Seemed simple, right? Wrong. Walked into the pet store, looked online, and man, the options. Tiny ones, massive ones, plastic ones, wire ones. The big question was the size. Goldens aren’t small dogs, not even close. They start cute and small, but boom, they grow, and they grow fast.
My First Thought Process – Aim Big?
I saw all these guides saying “get one for their adult size.” Okay, makes sense, don’t wanna buy twice. But then you look at this huge cage and your tiny puppy rattling around in it. Some folks said that gives them too much room, and they might just use one end as a toilet and sleep in the other. Defeats the purpose of potty training help, right?
Then I saw the kennels with dividers. That seemed like a smart idea. Buy the big one now, block off part of it while the pup is small, and then give him the full space later. Less hassle, maybe?
What I Actually Did
I spent a good while just staring at kennels in the store. Measured my pup (which was kinda pointless, he was growing daily). Talked to another Golden owner I bumped into. She basically said, go big or go home, especially with Goldens needing room to stretch.
So, I landed on a 42-inch wire kennel. It looked enormous compared to puppy Max at the time. It did come with a divider panel, which honestly was a lifesaver.
- Got the kennel home, set it up. Took maybe 15 minutes, pretty straightforward.
- Put the divider in, giving Max just enough space to lie down, stand up, and turn around comfortably. Not enough space for a potty zone.
- Threw in a comfy bed and a safe chew toy.
- Started the crate training process slowly. Lots of treats involved.
How It Worked Out
That divider was key in the beginning. Kept his space small and cozy, helped massively with the house training. As Max grew, I just moved the divider back, bit by bit. It was way easier than buying a whole new kennel.
Now he’s fully grown, and that 42-inch size is perfect. He’s got plenty of room to stand up without hitting his head, turn around easily, and sprawl out a bit. He actually loves his kennel now; it’s his chill zone. Sometimes I wonder if a 48-inch would have been even better, giving him extra room, but the 42-inch honestly seems just right. He’s comfortable, safe, and doesn’t seem cramped at all.
So yeah, that was my journey. Started confusing, ended up getting a large size with a divider, and it worked out great for Max from puppyhood to his current goofy adult self. Definitely saved me some money and headache in the long run.
