Second crate for foster puppy with resident dog

A foster puppy arriving into a home with a resident dog is a situation where having a dedicated second crate really pays off — it gives the puppy a safe retreat and stops your Setter feeling like their space has been invaded. Crate training works best when the crate is a genuinely positive space from day one, and the right size and type matters more than most people realise, as does how you introduce it. To point you in the right direction: what breed and size is your Setter, are they already crate trained, and do you know roughly how big the foster puppy is expected to get?

That's a really helpful picture. Since this is temporary and the puppy will be medium-sized at most, you want something sturdy enough to be safe but without spending a lot on a crate you won't keep. One thing worth knowing: puppies that age do best in a divided space — a crate that's too large lets them toilet in one corner and sleep in the other, which makes house training much harder. Does the puppy have any history of anxiety or destructive behaviour, or are they coming to you as a relatively blank slate?

Perfect — that makes this straightforward. For a social, settled puppy with no anxiety history, going temporary and practical is absolutely the right call. My recommendation is the MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate, specifically the 36-inch single-door folding crate. It comes with a divider panel, which is exactly what you need to start the puppy in a smaller section and expand it as they grow. It folds flat when not in use, the tray pulls out for cleaning, and the wire construction means good airflow and visibility — helpful for a puppy settling into a new environment. It's well under £60, widely available, and robust enough for daily use over several months. Your Setter's presence will actually help the foster puppy settle faster, but keeping the crates in the same room rather than side by side gives each dog their own defined space without competition.

Same room, but not immediately adjacent — a metre or so apart is about right. It lets the puppy draw comfort from the Setter's calm presence without either dog feeling like their space is being encroached on. Once the puppy is reliably settled at night, you can adjust the positioning if you want. The key in those first few days is making sure the Setter's routine stays unchanged — same feeding times, same walks, same access to their crate. The puppy fits around that, not the other way around.

Good choice. The divider panel is the feature that will earn its keep most — use it from night one and increase the space only when the puppy is reliably clean. Good luck with the foster; Setters tend to be wonderfully tolerant hosts.