Best affordable crate for a senior dog

A crate for a senior dog is really about comfort and routine rather than training — and the good news is that a relaxed older dog who already understands crates doesn't need anything fancy. Crate size is still the most important factor: it needs to be long enough for your dog to stretch out fully and tall enough to stand without stooping, but not so large it loses that cosy den feeling. Wire crates are usually the best all-round choice for home use — good airflow, easy to clean, and you can drape a blanket over three sides to make it feel more enclosed. Can you tell me roughly how big your dog is — weight and height if you know it — and is this purely for sleeping at home, or do you need to move it around at all?

That's really helpful — and the fact she's already crate-comfortable makes this straightforward. For a 20kg spaniel-sized dog you're looking at a medium crate, roughly 91cm long. Since it's just for sleeping in the kitchen and she's not going to be pacing or unsettled, you don't need anything heavy-duty. What I'd recommend is the Ellie-Bo Dog Crate in the medium 36-inch size. It's a solid double-door wire crate, consistently under £40 on Amazon UK, and it holds up well for daily home use. The base tray slides out for cleaning, which matters more with older dogs. Pair it with a cheap memory foam mat or even a folded duvet inside and she'll sleep just as well as in a crate costing three times the price. The wire sides let her see what's going on in the kitchen without feeling exposed, which older dogs tend to appreciate.

It comes with a basic tray, not a bed, so yes — put something soft in there. For a senior dog with potentially achy joints, a thin memory foam mat is worth the small extra cost. The Pets at Home own-brand memory foam mats are reasonable, but honestly a folded fleece blanket works almost as well and costs very little. The key thing is that the bedding fills the floor of the crate without piling up so high that she has to step awkwardly to get in. If she has any stiffness getting up and down, keep the bedding low and firm rather than deep and squashy.

The main thing is the door — make sure she can get in and out without having to step over a high lip. The Ellie-Bo has a front door that opens fully, so there's no awkward manoeuvring. Beyond that, position matters more than most people think: keep the crate away from draughts and not directly on a cold tile floor if you can help it. A piece of cardboard or a rubber mat underneath insulates the base nicely and costs nothing. At 10 she's in good hands — dogs that age usually sleep 14-plus hours a day, so a comfortable, familiar crate is genuinely one of the best things you can do for her.