Best Puppy Crate UK: Top Training Crates for House Training, Travel & Safe Settling
The best puppy crate in the UK is a folding metal wire crate with two doors, a removable plastic tray and enough height for your pup to stand and turn, sized to their predicted adult dimensions. Our t
Best Puppy Crate UK: Top Training Crates for House Training, Travel & Safe Settling
The best puppy crate in the UK is a folding metal wire crate with two doors, a removable plastic tray and enough height for your pup to stand and turn, sized to their predicted adult dimensions. Our top overall pick is the FoxHunter 24-inch dual-door folding crate at £24.44, which hits the sweet spot of price, easy cleaning and a footprint suited to small and medium breeds. For larger puppies that will grow fast, the 42-inch XL two-door crate at £46.82 offers room to spare.
Key Takeaways
- Buy a crate sized to your puppy's adult measurements and use a divider panel so they are not overwhelmed by too much space early on.
- Folding metal crates with a front and side door give the most flexibility for UK homes, cars and awkward corners.
- A removable slide-out tray is essential during the house-training phase when accidents are inevitable.
- Puppy crates range from around £24 for small breeds up to £70+ for premium travel models with dividers.
- Soft-sided fabric crates are best reserved for calm pups and travel, not for chewers or unsupervised use.
Comparison Table: Best Puppy Crates UK
| Product | Type | Price | Best For | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 FoxHunter 24" Metal Folding Puppy Crate with 2 Doors & Tray |
Small metal folding | £24.44 | Small breeds & value | Check Price |
 Dog Crate Extra Large with 2 Doors & Removable Tray (XL 42") |
XL metal folding | £46.82 | Large breed puppies | Check Price |
 HugglePets Foldable Fabric Pet Crate Carrier — Pink (Medium 60 × 42cm) |
Soft-sided fabric | £34.99 | Travel & calm pups | Check Price |
 HugglePets Pink Dog Puppy Cage Foldable Medium 76cm, Dual Door |
Medium metal folding | £34.95 | Medium breeds & home | Check Price |
 Dog Health Dog Travel Car Crate with Divider, 4 Doors & Removable Tray |
Travel crate with divider | £69.95 | Car travel & growing pups | Check Price |
Detailed Product Reviews
FoxHunter 24" Pet Dog Puppy Cat Training Cage Crate Carrier Metal Folding With TWO Doors and Tray
The FoxHunter 24-inch folding crate is our top overall pick for first-time puppy owners because it nails the fundamentals at a genuinely sensible price. The compact footprint suits toy and small terrier breeds — Yorkshire Terriers, Dachshunds, Pomeranians, Jack Russells and small crossbreeds — and works equally well as a starter crate for a very young puppy of almost any breed before they graduate to a larger size. Two doors (front and side) mean you can tuck it into a utility room, beside a sofa or in the footwell of a larger car without losing access to your pup.
Setup is tool-free; the wire panels unfold and lock into a rigid frame in under a minute, and the whole thing folds flat again for storage or travel. The black powder-coated finish is more resistant to chewing and scratching than thin painted cages, and the slide-out plastic tray pulls out smoothly for cleaning after the inevitable early house-training accidents. At this price point it is hard to argue with the value.
Price: £24.44 | Size: 24" (Small) | Doors: Front & side | Tray: Removable plastic
👉 Check the latest price on Amazon UK
Dog Crate Extra Large Dog Puppy Pet Cage with 2 Doors (Front & Side), Folding Metal Training Cage Crate for Large Dogs (XL 42")
If you have brought home a large or giant breed puppy — a Labrador, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Rottweiler or Mastiff type — buying small and upgrading twice gets expensive quickly. The smarter move is to invest in a 42-inch crate from the outset and partition it down with a divider or a sturdy cardboard panel while your pup is still small. This XL folding crate provides the standing room an adult large breed needs (around 107 cm long), so it will see your dog through from eight weeks to full size without replacement.
The front and side door configuration is genuinely useful rather than a marketing afterthought, because it lets you position the crate against a wall or in the back of an estate car while still being able to reach your puppy easily. The removable tray slides out for hosing down, the wire gauge is sturdy enough to contain a strong adult dog, and the folding design packs flat between uses. For owners of large breeds, the one-off outlay saves money over time.
Price: £46.82 | Size: XL 42" | Doors: Front & side | Tray: Removable
👉 Check the latest price on Amazon UK
HugglePets Foldable Fabric Pet Crate Carrier — Pink (Medium 60 × 42cm)
Not every puppy needs a metal cage. For calm-natured pups, travel-heavy households or anyone who wants a crate that doubles as a cosy den rather than a containment tool, the HugglePets foldable fabric crate is a genuinely appealing alternative. The medium size (60 × 42cm) suits small to medium breeds, and the soft pink fabric with mesh ventilation panels feels far less institutional than a wire box — many puppies settle more readily inside it as a result.
The double-door design gives flexibility, the lightweight frame means it is easy to carry between rooms or pack into a car boot for trips, and it comes with a soft sheepskin-style mat that makes the interior inviting from day one. Ventilation is good on all sides, and the whole unit folds flat when not in use. The obvious caveat: fabric crates are not suitable for determined chewers, scratchers or unsupervised use, so they work best as a second crate for travel or for pups already past the destructive chewing phase.
Price: £34.99 | Size: Medium 60 × 42cm | Doors: Double door | Includes: Sheepskin mat
👉 Check the latest price on Amazon UK
HugglePets Pink Dog Puppy Cage Foldable Medium 76cm Dual Door with Locks
The HugglePets 76cm folding metal cage sits in the medium size bracket that suits the widest range of UK breeds — Cocker Spaniels, Border Collies, small Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Beagles and many popular crossbreeds. The dual-door layout with proper locking catches gives you the placement flexibility of more expensive crates, and the pink finish is a pleasant change from the standard black if the crate will live in a visible part of the home.
It folds flat for storage or transport, sets up without tools, and the wire construction means good airflow and clear visibility for both you and your puppy. The included locks are a useful detail for clever pups that learn to nose standard latches open, and the base is designed to take a removable tray for straightforward cleaning. As a primary home-training crate for a medium breed puppy, it represents solid value.
Price: £34.95 | Size: Medium 76cm | Doors: Dual door with locks | Type: Folding metal
👉 Check the latest price on Amazon UK
Dog Health Dog Travel Car Crate with Divider, Double Sloped, 4 Doors, Removable Tray & Fold-Flat Design
The Dog Health travel crate is the most feature-rich option on this list, and it earns its higher price tag for owners who want one crate that handles home training, car travel and a growing puppy. The standout is the included divider panel — the single most useful feature for puppy owners, because it lets you buy for your dog's adult size and shrink the interior down while they are small, preventing the classic mistake of giving a pup too much room (and ending up with a toilet corner).
Four doors — front, side and rear access — mean there is genuinely no awkward placement, whether the crate sits in a hallway, an alcove or the boot of an estate car. The double-sloped design is intended to fit more vehicle shapes cleanly, the removable tray pulls out for cleaning, and the whole unit folds flat for storage. For small and medium breeds in particular, this is the most future-proof option here.
Price: £69.95 | Size: Small & medium dogs | Doors: 4-door access | Divider: Included
👉 Check the latest price on Amazon UK
How to Choose the Best Puppy Crate
A puppy crate is one of the most useful purchases you will make — for house training, for safe travel, and for giving your pup a calm den of their own. The trick is matching the crate to your puppy's predicted adult size and your own lifestyle.
Size for the adult dog, not the puppy
This is the single most important decision. A crate should be just large enough for your dog to stand at full height, turn around comfortably and lie down stretched out — no bigger. If the crate is too large, a puppy will often use one end as a bedroom and the other as a toilet, which actively undermines house training. The standard solution is to buy a crate sized to your puppy's adult dimensions and use a divider panel (or a sturdy piece of cardboard) to shrink the space down while they are small, removing it as they grow.
Metal wire vs soft-sided
Folding metal wire crates are the most practical choice for the majority of UK puppy owners. They are well-ventilated, easy to see into, fold flat for storage and travel, and stand up to the chewing and scratching that comes with teething puppies. Soft-sided fabric crates are lighter and more portable and feel cosier, but they are not suitable for chewers or for unsupervised use — reserve them for travel with calm, settled pups.
Doors and placement
Two-door crates (front plus side) give you far more flexibility over where the crate sits in your home or car. If you think you may ever place the crate against a wall, in an alcove or in a vehicle boot, the side door is worth the small extra cost. Four-door designs offer even more options but cost more.
Removable trays and cleaning
A slide-out plastic tray is non-negotiable during the house-training phase. It lets you clean up accidents quickly, sanitise the base and keep the metal frame dry and rust-free. Look for trays that are deep enough to contain spills rather than shallow lip-only designs.
Locks for clever puppies
Some breeds — particularly the working and terrier types — learn to defeat standard lift-and-rotate latches within weeks. Sliding locks, double-locking mechanisms or carabiner clips add a layer of security that prevents the classic scenario of arriving home to find the crate open and the dog on the sofa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size crate does a puppy need?
Buy a crate sized to your puppy's predicted adult measurements — enough room to stand, turn and lie down stretched out — and use a divider panel to shrink the space while they are small. As a rough guide: 24" suits toy and small terrier breeds, 30" suits medium dogs like Spaniels, 36" suits large breeds like Labradors, and 42"+ suits giant breeds. Without a divider, a crate that is too big encourages toilet accidents in one corner.
Should I buy a crate my puppy will grow into?
Yes, ideally. Buying for the adult size saves money over time and avoids two or three crate purchases. The key is to use a divider panel so the puppy only has access to a smaller area initially; remove or move the divider as the puppy grows until they have the full space.
When should I start crate training a puppy?
You can begin crate training from the day your puppy comes home, usually around eight weeks. Start slowly: leave the door open, place treats, toys and meals inside, and let the puppy enter voluntarily. Gradually increase the time the door is closed. Most puppies settle into a routine within a week or two with consistent, positive reinforcement.
How long can a puppy stay in a crate?
A useful rule of thumb is one hour of crate time per month of age, plus one — so a two-month-old puppy can manage around three hours at most during the day. Puppies should never be crated for long stretches without toilet breaks, exercise and company. Overnight, expect to take a very young puppy out at least once.
Are soft-sided crates safe for puppies?
Soft-sided fabric crates are fine for calm, settled puppies and for supervised travel, but they are not suitable for chewers, scratchers or unsupervised use. A determined puppy can chew through mesh within minutes, and ingested fabric can cause dangerous blockages. For teething pups and unsupervised time, a metal wire crate is the safer choice.
Should I put a bed inside a puppy crate?
Yes, a washable crate mat or blanket makes the space comfortable and encourages voluntary use. However, many puppies chew and shred bedding during teething — if yours does, remove it, as swallowed fabric can cause intestinal blockages. A vet bed or tightly woven mat is often a safer starting point than a thick padded bed.