The Best Dog Crate for an Australian Shepherd (2026 Guide)

Written by the team at Impact Dog Crates. We build dog crates for a living, which means our days are spent around trainers, breeders, working dogs and anxious rescues. Learn more about us here.

If you have an Aussie, you know he’s less a pet than a very enthusiastic coworker. He’s watching you, reading the room, herding the kids, and looking for something to do. VCA Animal Hospitals says the breed “will languish without a job to do,” and every Aussie owner nods at that. It’s also what trips people up with crates: a bored, anxious, or just-done-with-being-shut-in Aussie will test the door, the corners, and the latch, one after another, until something gives. Here’s how we think about sizing a crate for an Aussie, what holds up when a smart dog goes to work on it, and how to make the crate a place he actually wants to be.

How Big of a Crate Does an Australian Shepherd Need?

For most adults, a 34” or 40” crate, depending on the dog. Aussies come in a wider range of builds than people expect, from compact and wiry to tall and rangy, so go by your own dog’s measurements instead of a breed label.

Measure from the floor to the top of his shoulders and from his nose to the base of his tail, then add a few inches to each so the crate feels like a den instead of a box. Our guide to measuring your dog for a crate shows how. If your Aussie is still a puppy, buy for the adult.

Real owners land on both ends of that range. One chose a 34” for a female Aussie on the smaller side. Another picked the 40” for a standard-size Aussie so he’d be comfortable on the road. A smaller, lighter dog often fits the 34”, and a taller, heavier one the 40”.

Impact’s Collapsible Dog Crate in white, shown front on.

Wire, Plastic, Soft-Sided, or Aluminum: What Actually Holds Up Against an Aussie?

An Aussie isn’t a heavy dog, but he is persistent and athletic, and that’s a different test for a crate than weight alone.

Wire’s appeal is price and portability, not durability against a determined dog. It’s the story in our reviews: one owner called their Aussie “a mastermind of escaping and tearing apart wire kennels” before switching to the Stationary Dog Crate, and another wrote about a Husky and Aussie Shepherd mix who “grew into severe anxiety” and chewed through wire crates. Neither is a bad dog. They’re capable dogs in the wrong crate.

That’s where the Collapsible Dog Crate and the Stationary Dog Crate earn the difference in price, and where the High Anxiety Crate is the step up for an Aussie who has already beaten a standard crate. It’s a real jump over a wire crate, and it’s a crate you buy once instead of replacing.

The door and latch hardware on Impact’s Collapsible Dog Crate.

Why Do Australian Shepherds Escape Crates?

Because they’re smart, athletic, and often under-employed. Aussies were bred to think and move all day, and a crate with nothing to do in it offers neither. A dog like that puts his brain to work on the door.

The fix starts outside the crate. An Aussie who has had a good run, a training session, and some attention can usually settle fine when you head out. A restless one can’t. That’s the whole strategy: exercise and mental work come before crate time, not instead of it.

Are Australian Shepherds Easy to Crate Train?

Yes. Aussies are fast learners who love a clear routine and a reward. He’ll pick up a cue like “bed” quickly, and a predictable routine is exactly what a herding-breed brain wants.

An Australian Shepherd relaxed on the rug beside his crate.

What Should You Plan Around With an Aussie’s Coat and Energy?

Two practical points. That beautiful double coat sheds, and it sheds heavily a couple of times a year, so a washable mat is worth having. And because Aussies love to herd (kids included), a crate can give your dog a place to retreat when the household gets busy, which is a good reason to treat it as his room and never a time-out spot.

Should You Buy the Adult-Size Crate for an Aussie Puppy?

Yes. An Aussie puppy grows quickly, so a puppy-sized crate is a purchase you’d make twice. Measure for the adult, and use bedding to make the space cozy while he’s small.

How to Crate Train an Australian Shepherd, Step by Step

The fundamentals are the same for every breed, and our walkthrough on what crate training involves covers them in detail. With an Aussie it’s about exercise and giving his brain something to do.

1. Run his brain and his body before you ask him to rest. A walk, a training session, or a game of fetch before crate time turns the crate into the place he naturally lies down.
2. Put meals and a favorite chew in the crate, with the door open. Let him walk in on his own and feel like it was his idea.
3. Close the door for short stretches while you’re in the room. Build from seconds to minutes. Keep arrivals and departures calm.
4. Give him a job in there, like a stuffed food toy or a lick mat. A herding-breed brain needs a task, and chewing something is a better one than testing the latch.
5. Keep long stretches reasonable. Our guide to how long a dog can stay in a crate lays out time guidelines by age and puts adult dogs at roughly 4 to 8 hours.
6. If you see real panic, call your vet or a certified behaviorist. Torn-up paws, soaked bedding, or a dog hurting himself to get out is a problem to work on, with the crate keeping him safe in the meantime.

Which Impact Crate Is Right for an Australian Shepherd?

It comes down to what your dog actually does. An Aussie who escapes, chews, or panics when you leave belongs in the High Anxiety Crate, which is backed by a Lifetime Dog Damage Guarantee. A settled Aussie who needs a secure, permanent spot at home does well in the Stationary Dog Crate. And if your Aussie goes to trials, camping trips, or the cabin, the Collapsible Dog Crate folds down for the road.

An Aussie Needs a Crate That Can Outlast a Very Good Problem-Solver

An Australian Shepherd is smart enough to treat a crate like a puzzle, so the crate has to be the kind of puzzle he can’t solve. Size it to his measurements, usually the 34” or 40”, give him real exercise before crate time, and choose a construction that doesn’t flex when he tests it. Get that right once and you’ve bought a crate for the life of the dog.

What Australian Shepherd Owners Are Saying

Frequently Asked Questions

How big of a crate does an Australian Shepherd need?
Most adults fit a 34” or 40” crate. Measure his height (floor to shoulders) and length (nose to base of tail), then add a few inches to each.

Why do Australian Shepherds escape crates?
They’re smart, athletic dogs who need both mental and physical challenges. A bored or anxious Aussie will keep testing a crate until something gives, and a wire frame is the kind that gives.

Are Australian Shepherds easy to crate train?
Yes. They’re fast learners who respond well to positive methods, and they settle best when they’ve had plenty of exercise first.

Can an Australian Shepherd use a wire crate?
It isn’t a good fit. Wire flexes under repeated pressure, and a determined Aussie can bend a rod or open a joint, leaving gaps that can injure him.