10 Best Dog Crates For Separation Anxiety [Reviews+ Guide]
- What is Separation Anxiety in Dogs?
- What Causes Separation Anxiety in Dogs?
- What are the Symptoms of Separation Anxiety?
- Breeds Prone to Separation Anxiety
- Ways to Ease Your Dog’s Anxiety
- A buyer's Guide
- How to choose the best dog crate for separation anxiety?
- Types of Crates for Separation Anxiety
- F.A.Qs
Top 10 Dog Crates For Separation Anxiety Reviews
This is a super versatile dog crate combined with a gate. Fold it up into a crate – which also doubles as a side table – and it’s a stylish piece of functional furniture instead of just a cage. Then unfold it in the hallway or between rooms and your little furball will stay put where you want him. So, you could pretty much say it’s a 3-in-1 dog crate!
The MerryPet crate consists of 4 panels and has a removable plastic tray that protects floors and is easy to clean. The crate in its entirety in easy to assemble and disassemble as needed. All we had to do was pop the top off the crate and the sides lifted out of the bottom to become a gate.
MerryPet makes this crate in 5 different sizes. 19” x 21” x 30”, 28” x 42” x 30”, 40” x 28” x 31.5”, 72” x 12” x 28.9”, and 72” x 12” x 20”.
We thought it was pretty cool that you could open a door onto the deck, the back yard, or the front porch but keep your doggy contained and safe. He can enjoy the warm air and outdoors without running near the road or chasing various wild critters.
To give you an idea of what size you’ll need, we tested a large crate on a German Shepherd and he had plenty of room to move around and stretch out. Then we tested a medium crate on a Corgi and it was the same situation: room to stretch and relax.
What we like:
- The idea of this crate is awesome. A crate, a table, and a gate all in 1 contraption? That’s genius. Personally, I never worried about how ugly a dog crate might look in my home but after I found this crate, I loved the side table functionality. My dogs have always wanted to be in the living room with me so this crate is perfect.
- This crate seems like a good option for a dog with separation anxiety who doesn’t chew or try to escape. Barking and howling won’t damage the metal wire or the wood frame. So, if your pup has low-grade anxiety, you should be safe with this crate.
What we don’t like:
- This doesn’t seem like the most durable crate against puppies or dogs that chew on things besides their toys. Wood is destructible, no matter how big or small the dog. If your dog chews or escapes due to separation anxiety, we suggest searching for another crate.
- When in crate mode, it wobbles a tiny bit. We’re talking about ¼ inch. No more than that. This seems to be due to the versatility of the product. It needs to open easily into a gate so there are no pegs connecting the roof with the sides. It all just snaps together. It’s not a major problem. It’s just a little detail we noticed. So, no need to panic if you notice wobbling!
Woof Woof Tip!
Use a doggy bed or mat on crates with grate bottoms, if your dog cooperates with them. Consider cheap blankets if he does chew on bedding.
The MidWest Homes crate has a bunch of different size options and a couple of different door options. You can choose 1 or 2 doors. Each crate comes with a divider so you can use a bigger crate for your puppy and make his space bigger as he grows. The crate also has a removable tray, a carrying handle, 4 roller feet, and a 1-year warranty. The doors latch with heavy duty slide bolt latches. And setup doesn’t require any tools. The crate folds flat if you need to store it.
Sizes refer to the long side of the crate. You can choose from an 18, 22, 24, 30, 36, 42, and 48-inch crate. Remember, you can buy a bigger crate and downsize as needed for puppies. It seemed like a smart investment to us.
I used a wire crate similar to this for a German Shepherd. It worked well that the crate was all wire and he could see where I was when he was in the crate. Personally, I would recommend this crate for teaching your dog that it’s okay for you to be in a different room of the house. Your dog will still be able to see you through the wire and it may bring him comfort.
What we like:
- Easy assembly! The 2 long sides and the roof lift up. Then lift the short sides and snap them into place. And there’s your crate!
- The aesthetic of the black wire (as opposed to silver) is much more appealing in the home. It looks less like a basic wire cage.
- Easy to clean! Just slide out the tray, wash it off, and slide it back in. Done!
- Super affordable! A 36” crate gives a Whippet plenty of room and costs less than $50. A 48” crate is more than enough room for a German Shepherd and costs less than $80.
What we don’t like:
- We’re concerned about the latches on this crate. They don’t exactly lock into place. So, if your dog is a master escape artist, he may be able to open the door while you’re not home.
- The wire is flimsy and doesn’t seem to hold up against large dogs who are determined to get out. Small dogs can’t bend the wire but larger, stronger dogs could probably damage the crate.
The Petmate Sky Kennel is another dual-purpose doggy crate with some useful benefits. The enclosed plastic crate could make your anxious dog feel like he’s in a den – like a wolf in the wild. Some dogs love den-like places because it satisfies their wolf-like instincts.
The 4-way vault door latch was easy for us to use – just twist the knob – but our dogs weren’t able to open the door themselves. And the dual-purpose aspect of the crate is the Sky Kennel is airplane friendly on a lot of airlines. (You’ll have to check with your specific airline for their rules and regulations since each airline is different.) Petmate makes 6 different sizes of Sky Kennels for your pup. They’re all made of durable plastic with non-corrodible wing nuts, extra-strong steel wire, and an interlocking door.
I’ve used this style kennel for over 20 years in various sizes for puppies and adult dogs. It’s easy to crate train in this style crate. All I’ve had to do was put a doggy bed in it with a favorite toy and give my pups a treat every time they go in there and they’re crate trained! Just make it a positive experience and your anxious pup should find solace in this den-like crate.
What we like:
- The crate is versatile for home use, car travel, and airline travel. So, if you want to ease your pup’s anxiety by bringing him along for errands or vacation, you can do that.
- Chewers?
- We tested this crate with an escape artist puppy. He wasn’t able to find a way out of the crate. This means your dog shouldn’t be able to get out when he’s left alone.
We loved all the extra accessories that come with the crate, especially if you’re planning to travel. We received a “live animal” sticker, clip-on bowls, and ID stickers. This was such a fun surprise! - The variety of sizes was great. If you have a small breed – there’s a crate for him. If you have a large breed – there’s a crate for him. The biggest crate you can buy is huge and while it may seem cumbersome, your big fur-baby will be comfortable.
What we don’t like:
- It doesn’t perfectly meet international airline requirements. They require metal hardware and this crate comes with plastic hardware. But it’s not difficult to switch them out, considering it meets pretty much every other aspect of international travel requirements.
Best Secured Crate for Separation Anxiety
While this dog crate is a little pricier, it’s worth the investment for the safety of your anxious dog. This crate is made of 20-guage steel with reinforced half-inch steel tubes. These tubes cover the entire crate so it’s open on all sides. This means ample ventilation. Also, your dog will be able to see you through all sides of the crate. It’s very powerful against dogs who try to escape and chew when their handlers leave them alone.
The crate also has a floor grate with a tray. The tray easily slides out for cleaning. Dog hair, crumbs, dirt, shards of destroyed toys… It doesn’t matter. The tray will be clean in no time!
You have 2 options for the movability of this crate. It comes with casters if you want to roll the crate from room to room. Or you can remove the casters and make it stationary.
While it may look a bit like a jail cell for a bad dog, it might be necessary to crate train a highly anxious dog. You can still make it comfy with a dog bed or mat and toys.
What we like:
- While it looks a little like a jail cell, the dark gray finish of the metal makes a pretty cool aesthetic in the house. It’s not just bland silver. Personally, with a lot of neutral gray and blue walls in the house, the battleship gray (as I like to call it) looks pretty good.
- It definitely held up against our escape artist pup. He’s a strong doggo and rather determined to get what he wants. But he couldn’t escape from this crate.
- The removable casters roll easily on floors and carpeting. We were able to move the crate from the living room during the day time to the bed room at night. Keeping our dog in the crate but allowing him to be in the room with us taught him that crate time is a good thing.
- Even with a doggy bed in this crate we still found treat crumbs and clumps of fur on the tray. It’s just unavoidable. But we could remove the tray even while the dog was in the crate so we were able to clean it at any time.
What we don’t like:
- The price. It’s quite a bit more than other crates. However, it’s definitely worth it. If you don’t need such a heavy-duty crate, don’t spend the money on it. But if you have an escape artist like ours, we recommend the investment.
- It only comes in 2 sizes: medium and large. So, if you have a small breed with separation anxiety and a surprisingly strong jaw, you may be out of luck with this one.
This AmazonBasics crate is a wire style crate with the option of 1 or 2 doors. Like many other wire crates, it features a pull-out plastic tray and a carrying handle. It folds up and stores away when you don’t need to use it. The door handles lock in place so your little furry escape artist can’t make a run for it.
For quite an affordable price, you can choose from 1 or 2 doors in 6 different sizes ranging from 22 inches in length to 48 inches in length. If you have a growing puppy with separation anxiety, you could consider purchasing a larger crate and utilizing the divider to reduce the space as your puppy grows.
The all-wire design will let your pup comfortably see you while he’s in the crate, thus reducing his anxiety about you not being closer to him.
To give you an idea about sizing, we tested the 36” crate with a Labrador Retriever and he fits well enough. It was rather short for him so he couldn’t sit or stand without craning his neck slightly, but for sleeping he was fine.
What we like:
- It’s a simple and straightforward crate. No-fuss to assemble it. No-fuss to pull the tray out and clean it. Just set it up, lay a blanket for bed in it, and you’re good to go.
- It made pretty good sleeping quarters for my dog. He had a space of his own but he still had a full view of where I was at night. He didn’t make a fuss over not being in the human bed.
- We love how big these crates are if you have an 80-pound dog (which fit well in the 48” crate) or even just a 60-pound dog (which fit well in the 42” crate).
- It worked well with a dog who tends to chew on inappropriate objects due to separation anxiety. No more chewing on walls, furniture, or floors!
What we don’t like:
- The wire (like most wire crates) are not built for strong escape artists. If your dog has enough muscle to bend metal, keep shopping and keep working on crate training your dog.
Woof Woof Tip!
Fully crate train your dog before leaving him alone in his crate. If he’s a chewer he will chew through a plastic or fabric crate. That’s not the manufacturer’s fault – that’s lack of proper training.
This style of doggy crate is the soft cloth foldable variety. A steel frame within the fabric holds the crate in formation. It has a window on every side with a roll-up door. One window is even shaped like a bone. Adorable!
So, it’s fairly enclosed (similar to the plastic crate) which will give your dog that den-like feeling. But this type of crate folds up into a fairly flat, small contraption for the time you’re not using it or packing it for travel. It’s lightweight, easy to carry, and works great for car rides.
The Port-A-Crate is available in 6 sizes ranging from 16” long to 36” long. To give you an idea of what size you might need, the 16” crate holds doggies up to 10 pounds. The 24” crate holds doggies up to 25 pounds. And the 36” crates holds bigger doggies up to 70 pounds.
Measure your dog from the top of his head to the floor while he’s standing. The crate needs to be about 2 inches taller than he. Then measure your dog from the tip of his nose to the base of his tail. The crate needs to be 6 inches longer than that measurement.
What we like:
- Soft and comfortable for dogs to lay down, curl up, take a nap, or travel in.
- Awesome for travel! While it’s not suited for airplanes, car travel worked out pretty well. It folds easily and assembles easily without major headaches.
- Since it’s a cloth crate, we weren’t sure how sturdy it would be but we were pleasantly surprised! It held up quite well. (Although cloth isn’t a good idea if your anxious pup is a chewer.)
- We had to laugh a little, but our dog actually loved sleeping on top of this crate just as much as he slept inside the crate. Which goes to show that dogs love this crate. A pup with separation anxiety could find a soothing, comfortable place with the Porta-A-Crate.
What we don’t like:
- It’s not the best for chewers. If your anxious pup chews on anything and everything when you leave, look for another crate. Maybe the plastic or metal, depending on his jaw strength.
- You will have to lock the zippers shut when you leave your pup home alone in this crate. It is possible for a smart pooch to pull the zippers open and obtain free range of the house. And that’s when mischief happens!
Another cloth crate option is the EliteField with larger windows, a roof window, and bigger storage pouches. And this crate is available in 14 fun color combinations! And 5 different sizes.
The zippers have locks so your pup can’t weasel his way out while you’re not home. And the plush floor mat slides out quite easily for a quick clean up. Then, when you’re not using the crate or packing it up for travel, it folds up into a carry case with should straps.
The crate frame is made of strong steel tubing. The fabric cover is made of durable 600D fabric and hex mesh, which is well-ventilated and lightweight. All of this fabric is removable and washable, as well. There are 3 mesh doors for ample ventilation and viewpoints, so your pup can comfortably see where you are while in the crate.
Lastly, this crate features a 2-year warranty from EliteField with a Product Quality Guarantee, 100% Money-Back Guarantee, and Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.
What we like:
- The plush mat in the bottom of the crate is waterproof, which is great for drooling or minor accidents. The fabric walls and floor aren’t particularly waterproof but they are treated to ward off moisture soaking in.
- With large windows and doors, it’s a good investment for pups with separation anxiety because they can easily see where you are.
- This crate is super awesome for traveling. Pups can rest easy in the crate in the car. Then you just have to fold it up to carry into a hotel room and set it up again. It’s pretty simple!
- The quality of the materials is awesome. Seams are double sewn. Fabric is heavy-duty. And the zippers stay on track.
What we don’t like:
- If your pup is a chewer, considering purchasing a solid material crate and keep working on crate training. A dog chewing on a fabric crate is never a manufacturer issue. It’s a training issue.
Our final fabric crate on the list is the Noz2Noz Soft-Krater. It’s available in 5 sizes (21” through 42”) and suited for both indoor and outdoor use. It’s well-ventilated with mesh windows and doors, so if your pup is outside he gets the full breeze to sniff and enjoy. Or if he’s inside while you’re not home, he can comfortably see all around him.
This crate is rated to hold up to 100 pounds of dog if you order the 42” crate. The 36” crate holds up to 70 pounds. The 30” crates hold up to 40 pounds. And the 21” crate holds up to 15 pounds.
Setup literally takes seconds. From the house to the car and back… It folds up nicely and travels easily.
We like this crate for pups with separation anxiety as long as they are well-behaved in the crate. Like other fabric crates, you must teach your pet to chew only his toys and not the sides of the crate. No fabric can withstand a bored and determined dog.
What we like:
- It’s super easy to carry from the house to the car and back. Setup is easy in the car if you’re taking your pup on car rides with you. And it’s comfortable enough that your pup can learn to love being in the crate in the house.
- Even large breed dogs can find a happy place. The 42” crate is pretty big but it still fits in the back of our minivan. That means your big baby can go for car rides and have a cozy spot at home!
- One of us from the group that tested this crate has actually had one of these crates for about 5 years. It’s still in good condition and her doggy loves it!
Lastly, we loved how cooperative customer service was. That’s always a plus!
What we don’t like:
- Unlike other soft crates, this one didn’t include a mat in the crate or flaps over the windows for privacy. While it’s not the end of the world, it’s one of those little details that make you prefer other brands better.
- This crate isn’t very user-friendly with a sick dog. No matter which end it comes out of, the vomit or excrement will get on the fabric of the crate. It’s not easy to get in there and clean it. And the smell seemed to linger.
Woof Woof Tip!
Purchase a crate slightly larger than your dog so he doesn’t feel cramped. If he already has anxiety about being alone, feeling claustrophobic certainly won’t make him feel any better.
For a very affordable price, the Aspen pet Porter Heavy-Duty Pet Carrier is available in 9 sizes and 8 color combinations. Its heavy-duty construction stands up to nervous puppies with separation anxiety. The plastic design is suitable for airline travel if you desire to take your pup with on vacation. And it’s easy to clean if your dog has an accident or tracks dirt into the crate.
Assembly was pretty simple for us. All you have to do is set the top on the bottom with the door in between and tighten the metal screws and wing nuts.
The largest size crates hold between 90 and 125 pounds, so even the biggest puppies can have a safe place in their home.
What we like:
- The wide range of sizes for all types of dogs.
- The heavy-duty plastic is safe for dogs with separation anxiety who might try to paw at the sides. (Remember to properly crate train before leaving him alone for too long)
- Assembly was pretty simple like we said. Just set up the 3 pieces and screw them together!
- Easy to clean! Plastic couldn’t get any simpler to clean. We tried a garden hose, spray clean, and soap. All 3 cleaned the crate really well.
What we don’t like:
- The price is a little out of the “on a budget” range but if you can swing the investment, it’s totally worth it.
- Change of guardian or family: This includes dogs have been abandoned, left on the side of the road, surrendered to a shelter, or given to a new guardian or family.
- Change in schedule: Dogs thrive on routine, so when the handler starts a new job the sudden change in routine makes them nervous. This especially happens when a handler works from home and then begins a job away from home.
- Change in residence: Moving to a new house or apartment can trigger anxiety due to the location being unfamiliar.
- Change in household membership: This includes the absence of a family member due to moving out or death. If the dog was attached to that person, anxiety could develop for fear of other family members leaving.
- Urinating and defecating
- Barking and howling
- Chewing, digging, and destruction
- Escaping
- Pacing
- Coprophagia
- Labrador Retriever
- Border Collie
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
- Jack Russell Terrier
- German Shepherd
- Australian Shepherd
- Bichon Frise
- Vizsla
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- Toy Poodle
Why Do Dog Crates Work for Reducing Separation Anxiety?
What Should You Add in the Crate to Attract Your Dog?
- A blanket, mat, or bed so he’s not laying on hard plastic, metal, or wood.
- A favorite toy.
- Give him a treat every time he goes in the crate to show he gets rewards for using it.
- Perhaps place a lavender diffuser near the crate. Lavender is known to calm dogs (and humans). If he feels calmer in that space, he’s more likely to go there on his own.
The right size crate for your dog
Safety and convenience
Material
Maintenance
Aesthetic and design
Durability
Portable
Warranty
Wired dog crate
Plastic dog crate
Soft-sided dog crate
Aluminum/Steel dog crate
Wooden dog crate
Personally, I love this type of crate as an aesthetic in the home. They’re made of wood with stylish metal rails on the windows and door. So, you can place the crate in your living area beside a couch or sofa chair where your dog can be comfortable while you relax. And they double as a side table!
How do I get my dog to stop whining in his crate?
Ignore him until he’s quiet. Yes, it could take a while. Be prepared to be patient! Praise him and/or give him a treat when he’s quiet. Eventually, he’ll learn that he’s rewarded for being quiet in the crate and he’ll be more willing to do so.
How do you crate train a dog with separation anxiety?
Introduce him to the crate slowly. Put his favorite blanket or bed in the crate with a toy. Coax him to go in and give him and a treat. Let him know he’s a good boy (or girl) for being in the crate. Let him get comfortable being in the crate while you’re home. Don’t put him in the crate when you leave – just yet. Once he’s established his crate as a safe, comfortable place that he enjoys you can put him in the crate when you leave. He’s more likely to feel comfortable with being alone when he’s in his safe space.
Can my dog stay in the crate for 8 hours?
Eventually, yes. But only after thorough crate training, confidence in his ability to be comfortable for 8 hours, and some feeding/watering precautions. A.K.A. don’t feed him a full meal and a full bowl of water and then put him in the crate for 8 hours. He won’t be able to use the bathroom. Give your dog only a cup of food and a couple cups of water, and then take him for a walk. Tire him out and let him do his business so he’s comfortable in the crate.
What natural remedies or essential oils can I give my dog for anxiety?
Lavender is known to calm some animals. You could place a lavender oil diffuser near your dog’s crate so he receives the scent. Test it out while you’re at home and see if it calms him.
What should I NOT do to crate train my dog with separation anxiety?
Never scold him for crying while he’s in the crate. Never use the crate as punishment when he’s misbehaving. Only use the crate as a positive experience.
