Best crate for Irish Wolfhound puppy

An Irish Wolfhound at 14 weeks is already a project — and the sizing question is genuinely tricky with giant breeds because the gap between 'puppy now' and 'adult dog' is enormous. Here's the core rule: crate size is the single most important factor. Too small causes real distress, but too large — especially during crate training — removes the den-like feeling that makes a crate feel safe rather than just an empty room. For a giant breed puppy, the answer is almost always a large adult-sized crate bought once, with a divider panel used now to shrink the space down to puppy-appropriate. Before I give you a specific recommendation, can you tell me: is this primarily for home use, travel, or both — and are you crate training from scratch right now?

Completely sensible — you'd be buying a second crate within months otherwise. A male Irish Wolfhound will typically reach 70–90kg and stand around 80–90cm at the shoulder. That means you need a 54-inch (137cm) crate as your end destination. Anything smaller and a full-grown Wolfhound can't stand up or turn around comfortably, which defeats the purpose entirely. One more question: does he show any signs of being an escape artist or anxious chewer yet, or is he fairly settled so far?

That's helpful — a settled, non-destructive giant breed is exactly the right candidate for a heavy-duty wire crate rather than something reinforced and expensive. Wire is ideal here: good airflow, the dog can see out (which helps anxious puppies settle), and critically, the divider panel lets you shrink the usable space to roughly a third of the crate right now so it feels like a den rather than an aircraft hangar. My clear recommendation is the MidWest iCrate 54-inch Double Door Folding Metal Dog Crate. It comes with a divider, it folds flat, and 54 inches is the right call for an adult Wolfhound — he'll have room to stand, turn, and stretch without the space being so vast it loses all den feeling. It's well-made, widely available, and you will not need to replace it. Set the divider so he has just enough room to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably — no more than that while he's still learning.

Move it gradually — roughly every four to six weeks while he's in rapid growth phase, just enough that he always has room to stand and turn without it feeling spacious. The practical test is simple: if he can do a full circle without touching the sides, it's fine. If there's enough room that he starts toileting at one end and sleeping at the other, pull the divider back — that's the main risk of going too large too fast during training. Once he's reliably clean and calm in the crate overnight and for short periods during the day, you can remove the divider entirely. For a Wolfhound that usually happens somewhere between 9 and 14 months depending on the individual dog.

Good choice — it'll see him through from now to adulthood without any drama. One last practical note: put it somewhere he can see household activity rather than a quiet back room, at least while he's getting used to it. Wolfhounds are sociable dogs and a crate that feels connected to family life is one they accept much faster. Good luck with him — he's going to be spectacular.