Okay, so I’ve been meaning to share this for a while, and I finally got around to putting it all down. It’s about figuring out the right crate size for my Labrador Retriever. You know, those lovable goofballs that can be a handful sometimes? Yeah, one of those. I recently got a new pup, and crate training was on the top of my to-do list. But the big question was, what size crate should I get?
First, I measured my Lab. He’s still a puppy, so I knew he’d grow, but I needed a starting point. I grabbed a measuring tape and got his length from nose to tail and his height from the ground to the top of his head. He was around 20 inches long and 18 inches high at the time. Of course, he wiggled around a lot, so it was a bit of a challenge!
Then I did some digging online. It seemed like most folks recommended getting a crate that would fit your dog as an adult. Apparently, adult Labs can get pretty big—around 36 to 42 inches long and 28 to 33 inches tall. I even saw some that were 21.5 to 24.5 inches at the withers, and they said these dogs usually weigh in between 55 and 80 pounds. Whoa! That’s a big dog!
Armed with this info, I started looking at different crates. There were so many options! I learned that for a dog of this size, a 42-inch crate is generally recommended. These crates are usually about 42 inches long, 28 inches wide, and 30-31 inches high. That sounded about right for a full-grown Lab.
But since my pup was still small, I decided to get a crate with a divider. This way, I could adjust the space as he grew. I ended up getting a 42-inch crate with a movable divider. At first, I only gave him a small space, just enough to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably. It felt a bit like giving him his own little den.
- Measured my Lab puppy.
- Researched adult Lab sizes.
- Compared different crate sizes.
- Chose a 42-inch crate with a divider.
- Adjusted the crate space as he grew.
It worked out great! As he grew, I just moved the divider back to give him more room. Now he’s almost fully grown, and the 42-inch crate is perfect. He’s got plenty of space to stretch out, and he seems to really like his crate. It’s his safe space, you know?
So, if you’re wondering what size crate to get for a Labrador Retriever, I’d say go for a 42-inch one, especially if you have a puppy. Just make sure it has a divider so you can adjust it as your dog grows. Trust me, it makes the whole crate training process so much easier!
