In need of a sturdy, durable crate for you pit? In this article we’ll cover the best crates for pitbulls, what to look for, and what to avoid.
Safety First! A lot of these crates have doors on the roof of the crate. This is to make it easy for you to access. We recommend sealing this off with zip ties or similar. Too many dogs have died, even in the heavy duty models, by breaking the roof latch and trying but failing to escape. This isn’t a slight on any specific model. Just something to be aware of.
As always, crate training is mandatory for all dogs. Do it for their safety! It’s when they try to escape that they get hurt.
We have some training articles here.
Note: If you click some of the links in this article we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Table of Contents
- Top Pick – Best Heavy Duty Crate on Wheels
- Best Budget Option
- Best Heavy Duty Folding Crate for Travel
- Best Soft Folding Crate for Travel
- Best End Table Design
- FAQ
- What Size Crate Should I Get For A Pitbull?
- Can A Dog Crate Be Too Big?
- Are Metal Or Plastic Dog Crates Better?
- Is It Cruel To Crate A Dog At Night?
- Is It Cruel To Crate A Dog While At Work?
- Should I Completely Cover My Dog’s Crate?
- Can I Crate My Dog For 12 Hours?
- Should I Leave Water In Dog Crate At Night?
- Should I Sleep Next To My Puppy’s Crate?
Top Pick – Best Heavy Duty Crate on Wheels
- Heavy duty frame: made from corrosion-resistant steel,strong and durable, hard to be damaged,nontoxic finished surface keep your dog health,suitable for most medium and large dogs,two locks with the safety buckles to prevent the dogs from opening the door and escaping.
- Double door & locking caster design: The front door is suitable for pet in and out,the top door also can be opened for you interacting with your dog. 360 degree rotated locking casters can help you to move crate anywhere easily and lock the wheels to keep the crate in place.
- Easy to clean:Removable (slide-out) plastic tray helps you to catch the fallen dog food and excrement,and allows you to wipe and clean easily.
- Easy to assemble:All hardware pack included,just need to fit it with four wheels and eight screw bolts, locks were pre-assembled,Just takes 3-5 minutes to complete.
- Overall Dimensions: 41.5"L X 30.5"W X 37"H; Internal height of the dog cage (excluding wheels): 32"H; Metal pipe spacing:2"; Metal"slat-like" floor spacing:1" Color: Black.
What We Like
- Sturdy
- Big dogs can’t squeeze through and break latches
- Wheels for easy movement around the house
- Safe – smooth bars don’t have sharp ends like some wire crates
- Great for separation anxiety (with training) – strong, sturdy crate helps dogs feel more at ease
- Plenty of room for large pit bulls
What We Don’t Like
- Top latch is an escape prone area – keep this tightly tied down.
- Paint can chip from excessive chewing or gnawing
Best Budget Option
- ICrate the 'All Inclusive Dog Crate' Includes Free divider panel, durable dog tray, carrying handle, 4 'roller' Feet to protect floors & Midwest Quality Guarantee 1 year Warranty
- XL Double Door Folding Dog Crate ideal for Dogs with adult weight of 90 to 110 pounds | Convenient divider panel allows crate to expand as Your dog grows | iCrate measures 48L x 30W x 33H inches
- Your DOG'S Home While you're away from home | Durable Design creates a safe place for Your pet while you're away & caters to Your dog’s natural “den” instincts
- Safe & Secure Home | Two heavy duty slide bolt latches firmly locks dog crate door in place keeping Your dog safely inside their dog crate
- Easy Assembly & Portable Design | Sets up in seconds w/ no tools required for assembly & folds flat for convenient storage or Travel | Roller Feet protect hardwoods, make repositioning Easy; Wire Spacing: 1.5 inch x 7.875 inch
What We Like
- Over 30,000 reviews and counting – this thing sells!
- durable
- easy to setup and collapse
- resists dents and marks from puppies chewing on it
- travels fast and light
- Some models include a divider – make a smaller internal space for smaller dogs
- Smaller sizes fit easily in the backseat of a car – 22″ size or less
What We Don’t Like
- Latch is straight instead of having a hook end – (smart puppies can escape)
- Ends of some wires are not filed down – cut hazard
- A little flimsy for larger dogs that try to escape often
Best Heavy Duty Folding Crate for Travel
- External Dimensions: 20" High x 16.5" Wide x 24.5" Deep | Door: 10-3/4" High x 9-1/4" Wide | Weight: 25 lbs. | Folded: 8" High (stores easily when not in use)
- Convenient Carrying Handles: Whether assembled or folded up for storage, there are heavy duty handles to make moving the crate easy
- Doesn't Heat in Sun: When outdoors, the sun doesn't affect the temperature inside the crate. Rather, shade from the sun with great ventilation helps keep your dog cooler than a wire crate
- Easy Assembly: See the helpful assembly video below the product description on this listing
- Quality: Unlike the competitors, Extreme crates are constructed with the greatest attention to detail and your pet's comfort in mind
What We Like
- Easily folds up for RV or car camping
- Heavy duty aluminum walls give you a heavy duty crate option on the go
- Easy to clean
- Super sturdy even for home use – resists gnawing and escape attempts
- More cave-like – can be useful if paired with separation anxiety training
What We Don’t Like
- More expensive than soft folding crates (up next in review below)
- More difficult to assemble than other models
- Heavy
Best Soft Folding Crate for Travel
- Attention Buyer: This soft dog crate has FOUR mesh doors with CURTAINS. Size: 24" long x 18" wide x 21" high; 1" wider and 3" higher than most other brand 24" soft crates, so the EliteField soft crate makes your dog feel more spacious; fully assembled; set-up and fold-down in seconds, no tools needed
- The crate frame is made of strong steel tube; the crate cover is made of high quality durable 600D fabric and hex mesh fabric; a well ventilated, stylish, lightweight and durable crate
- SPECIAL FEATURES: Four mesh doors (on the top, front, and two sides) for convenience and for sunlight and breathability; four door curtains offer shade, reducing barking and stress; front and two side doors with locking zippers for safety and security; two accessory pockets and water bottle holder and hole on the back; removable and washable cover and bed.
- Free carrying bag and fleece bed included; a handle and hand carrying straps on the crate, hand carrying straps and adjustable padded shoulder strap on the carrying bag allow for many carrying options; folded crate with just 3" height for easy transport and storage
- 2 Year Warranty from EliteField, a New York-based Pet Product Manufacturer. The "EliteField" brand is ranked #1 under Amazon's "Soft Dog Crate" category. This can be seen through searching for "Soft Dog Crate" on Amazon. Product Quality Guarantee, 100% Money-Back Guarantee, Customer Satisfaction Guarantee (See important information in "Product Description" section below)
What We Like
- Light
- Easy to pack up
- Roomy
What We Don’t Like
- Motivated dogs will easily tear out of this – dog must be crate trained
Best End Table Design
- Elegant way to house your pet while disguising the pet crate as a fashionable piece of furniture that can double as an end table
- Made of ECOFLEX, a non-toxic recycled plastic-wood polymer composite material that won't warp, crack or split
- Spindles made of stainless steel tubing and a stainless steel latch; double latches on large and x-large crates
- Easy, no-tools assembly
- For dogs up to 80lbs
What We Like
- Gorgeous design – looks like furniture
- Easy to put together
- Doesn’t have sharp edges and ends like some wire crates
- Stylish and functional
What We Don’t Like
- Scratches easily and won’t stand up to escape artists dog – don’t buy this unless your dog is crate trained (or you don’t mind the scratches and damage)
FAQ
What Size Crate Should I Get For A Pitbull?
The American Pit Bull Terrier is an average of 18 to 21 inches high and 35 up to 65 pounds in weight. For a dog of that height you should invest in a crate that is at least 32, 36, or 42 inches high. For 18″ high pits at 35 lbs go with the smaller 32″ high crate. For the larger 65 lb pit bulls the 42 inch high crate will suite them better.
Can A Dog Crate Be Too Big?
Yes and no. A larger crate will be heavier to move around and difficult to collapse and travel with. Larger crates do well for crate training though as you can create separate spaces for the bed, food/water, and potty areas.
On the contrary, big crates might give potty trained dogs the idea that they can poop/pee on one side and still sit on the other clean side.
In general you should get a crate that is at least 12-14 inches higher than the height of your dog so they can fully stand. Plus when standing their nose and tail shouldn’t be touching the ends.
For an 18″ high pit bull, a 32″ high crate would be fine.
Are Metal Or Plastic Dog Crates Better?
Both can work depending on your needs. Since there are both high end metal vs low end metal and plastic, we have to go a bit into the weeds to answer the question.
Metal heavy duty or plastic heavy duty crates are better for dogs that chew or try to escape.
Light metal and soft plastic dog crates are better for crate trained dogs. They are cheaper and lighter but separation anxiety training is needed so your dog doesn’t escape, or worse, injure itself while escaping.
Some metal wire dog crates can have sharp edges that can put dog paws and noses. Dive deep in the reviews to avoid these or check the edges and tape them up. Again, this isn’t an issue with crate trained dogs as they won’t try to escape and hurt themselves.
Is It Cruel To Crate A Dog At Night?
Yes and no.
Yes if your dog isn’t crate trained and they cry all night, try to escape, and either succeed at escaping or hurt themselves and the crate while trying to escape.
No it isn’t a problem if the dog is crate trained and they consider their crate a safe, warm cave. If that’s the case you can likely leave the door open and they will go in on their own.
Is It Cruel To Crate A Dog While At Work?
Yes and no.
Yes if your dog has separation anxiety and haven’t been crate trained. They could injure themselves or the crate by trying to escape. Some dogs have even died while trying to escape.
No if your dog is properly crate trained. In that case you can easily leave them in a crate while you are away. They’ll just sleep and drink water till you return.
It’s still cruel to leave your dog in a crate longer than 6 hours or so. Dogs need to use the bathroom.
Should I Completely Cover My Dog’s Crate?
This can help with separation anxiety though it’s not needed. See our article here on full separation anxiety training.
For warmth and to cut down drafts, yes, cover the crate. Simple blankets work fine. You can even get form fitted crate blankets that zip up around the edges.
Can I Crate My Dog For 12 Hours?
Yes you can crate your dog for 12 hours if the crate is setup with a pee pad area. No, you should not crate your dog that long if it has no where to go to the bathroom.
Should I Leave Water In Dog Crate At Night?
If you close the door then yes, leave both water and a pee pad area for your dog at night.
Should I Sleep Next To My Puppy’s Crate?
No, this does not teach them to feel comfortable on their own. See our article on proper separation anxiety training. The goal is to make your dog feel secure and that they have agency and control.
