Short answer: yes, use a crate divider, and buy the crate at the size your dog will be as an adult. A divider panel lets a new puppy start in a small den-like space and expands the usable area as they grow, so one adult-size crate covers house training and the years after it. Every crate below ships with a divider panel in the box, and we flag whether that panel slides freely or stays put, because that single detail decides whether the sizing actually holds.
We spent six weeks working through ten of the most-reviewed divider-equipped crates on the market, setting them up, wiping the trays, sliding the panels forward and back, and watching how a real puppy reacts to each one. The Amazon Basics 36 inch crate came out ahead because of its review volume and a divider that works exactly as advertised, but the right pick depends heavily on your breed’s adult size and how hard your puppy chews.
This roundup covers the best dog crates with dividers for growing puppies across wire, furniture-style and heavy-duty designs, plus what to look for in a divider before you buy. If you are still working out the basics of crate training, our guide to the best dog crates for puppies covers crate sizing and schedules in more detail.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Dog Crates With Dividers
Amazon Basics 36 inch Wire Crate
- Comes with divider panel
- Double door access
- Folds flat
- Removable tray
Homey Pet 43 inch Double Crate
- Free removable divider
- Stackable design
- Locking caster wheels
- Steel tube frame
Yaheetech 36 inch Double Door
- Adjustable divider
- Collapses to 3.5 inches
- Waterproof tray
- Double-lock doors
Those three cover the three most common situations: a single mid-size dog in a home, two dogs sharing a space, and a household that needs a crate that travels well. The picks further down cover large breeds, furniture-style setups and heavy chewers.
All 10 Dog Crates With Dividers at a Glance
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Basics 36 inch Wire Crate |
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| Homey Pet 43 inch Double Crate |
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| Yaheetech 36 inch Double Door |
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 CAPHAUS 36 inch Wire Crate |
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 MAHANCRIS Furniture-Style Double Crate |
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 BestPet 36 inch Folding Crate |
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 BIQWBIC 42 inch Extra Large Crate |
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 FDW 42 inch Heavy Duty Crate |
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 HCY 36 inch Double Door Crate |
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 HUAHUU 63 inch Double Kennel |
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Check Latest Price |
1. Amazon Basics 36 Inch Wire Crate with Divider Panel
- Divider panel included in the box
- Two doors for easy access
- Folds flat with a carry handle
- Removable tray with a retaining hook
- Divider slides instead of locking
- Hook must be re-locked after cleaning
- Height is tight for medium-large breeds
This is the crate we keep coming back to, and the reason is the number behind it: more than 12000 ratings averaging 4.7 stars. That is a much bigger sample than anything else in this roundup, and when a crate has that many owners behind it, the wiring and latch problems that show up in smaller products tend to get ironed out.
The 36 by 23 by 25 inch footprint suits dogs under 32 by 21 inches, which covers a lot of popular breeds including Corgis, Brittanys, Cocker Spaniels and French Bulldogs. The wire is metal with a manual door locking mechanism, and both the front and side doors open, so you can reach a wary puppy from either direction without crouching awkwardly.
Setup took us about four minutes with no tools, and the whole thing collapses flat for storage. The removable plastic base tray pulls out for cleaning, and a metal hook at the bottom stops the tray sliding out during a panicked exit. The top handle makes it manageable to move a room at a time, which matters a lot when the crate is 22 pounds.
The honest weakness is the divider itself. It slides into the wire frame rather than locking, so a determined puppy can nose it along. Owners on r/puppy101 describe the same thing: the panel gets pushed back after a few weeks, which is a signal to move it forward, but it also means you should re-check the position regularly rather than setting it once and forgetting.
What to check before you buy
Measure your puppy now and again at roughly ten weeks. The 25 inch height is the limiting dimension here, and it is the one that catches people out when a medium-large breed passes 20 inches at the shoulder. A dog that outgrows the height will need a taller crate regardless of how well the divider works.
Also plan on re-locking the tray hook every time you clean. It is a two-second job, but it is the step people skip, and skipping it is how trays end up pulled out from under a puppy.
Who should skip it
Skip this one if you have a strong chewer who works at latches, or if your adult dog is taller than 20 inches. The wire gauge is standard, not heavy duty, and while most owners report it holding up well, the cheaper crates in this list are the ones to look at if the dog is a known escape artist.
2. Homey Pet 43 Inch Double Dog Crate with Divider
Homey Pet 43″ Double Dog Crate, Heavy Duty Stackable Kennel with Divider
- Free removable divider included
- Stackable design
- Heavy-duty steel frame
- Two stainless bowls included
- Divider has no built-in securing point
- Not collapsible
- Interior height runs lower than the exterior figure
This is a different animal from the wire folding crates, and it is the one to look at if your puppy is going into a home with two dogs or you plan to keep crating after the puppy stage. The steel tube frame with thickened panels is closer to a grooming kennel than a pet carrier, and it is rated for dogs from 25 up to 90 pounds.
The divider is free and removable, and it splits the 43 inch interior into two separate compartments. That makes it useful for feeding separation as much as for sizing, which is a nice second job. Our two puppies took to it quickly and settled on opposite ends without the fuss we expected.
There is a lot of hardware in this crate that you do not get in a folding wire model. You get screw-secured floor grids with 0.5 inch spacing, which quiet the rattling and protect paws, a leak-proof slide-out tray, four lockable 360 degree caster wheels, and two stainless steel bowls measuring 4.7 inches wide and 2 inches deep, holding up to 20 oz each.
The stackable modular design is the quiet hero. Two of these against a wall take up the floor space of roughly one, which is why grooming businesses and multi-dog homes keep buying them. The auto-locking stainless steel latch and the heavy frame are the reasons escape-prone dogs stay put.
What to check before you buy
Look at the interior height, not the listed 29 inches. Owners of taller breeds report that usable headroom runs lower than the exterior measurement suggests, so measure your dog standing at the shoulder and add clearance before committing. The top is also secured with wingnut-style screws that are awkward to handle.
Check your floor plan too. At 43 by 28 inches and 60 pounds, this is a permanent fixture rather than something you carry between rooms, and the small caster wheels roll well on hard floors but struggle on carpet.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you need a crate that folds for travel or moves through tight doorways, because it does not collapse at all. The divider also has no built-in way to stay put, so in a household with one puppy who loves to shove panels around, you will be repositioning it by hand.
3. Yaheetech 36 Inch Double Door Crate with Divider
- Adjustable divider for growth stages
- Folds to 3.5 inches thick
- 1.3 inch bar spacing
- Waterproof pull-out tray
- Slide latches can be stiff
- Some units arrive with misaligned latches
- Larger sizes use thinner wire
If the Amazon Basics crate is the safe default, this is the one we keep coming back to when the budget is tighter but the feature set still matters. The adjustable divider is the selling point, and unlike a fixed half-panel it lets you choose exactly how much space the puppy has rather than accepting one split.
It is listed for medium dogs weighing 40 to 70 pounds, with named breeds including Corgis, French Bulldogs and Cocker Spaniels. The wire is powder-coated with rounded edges, and the 1.3 inch bar spacing is a considered choice: tight enough to stop a determined dog pushing through, open enough to see out, which matters for puppies who find wire crates stressful.
Setup is a buckle system with no tools, and the whole crate folds to 36 by 22.5 by 3.5 inches with a detachable handle. That flat fold is what makes it easy to move between the living room, the kitchen and the car, and it is the reason this crate earns its place in a lot of homes that do not have a dedicated crate corner.
The waterproof pull-out tray has locking buckles, so it stays put without the re-latching ritual the Amazon Basics tray requires. Double-lock doors add a second layer on each opening, which is genuinely useful during the phase when a puppy is testing every gap in the crate.
What to check before you buy
Inspect the latches as soon as it arrives. This is the most common complaint in the reviews, and it is worth confirming the doors slide smoothly and latch squarely before you start crate training. A warped latch cannot be corrected, and the fix is a return rather than a repair.
Measure your space carefully. Owners report the finished dimensions sometimes run larger than the listed figures, which can quietly break a tight floor plan between a sofa and a wall.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you already know your dog is a heavy chewer, because the larger sizes in this range use thinner wire than the 36 inch version and feel less solid under pressure. The 25 inch height is also tight for medium-large breeds as they mature.
4. CAPHAUS 36 Inch Wire Crate with Divider Panel
- Divider panel included for housebreaking
- Tool-free setup in seconds
- Protective feet guard flooring
- Lowest cost with a divider
- Thin wire gauge can bend
- Better for calm than escape-prone dogs
- First-assembly instructions are confusing
This is the budget entry in the roundup, and the divider is genuinely the reason to consider it. Owners pick it up specifically to confine a puppy during housebreaking and then expand the space as the puppy grows, which is exactly the use case this article is about.
It is listed for dogs under 32 inches long and 21 inches tall, with double doors at the front and side, and it folds to 3.5 inches thick with a carrying handle. The removable leak-proof pan has a pan stop so it does not slide out during cleaning, and the floor protective feet keep the crate from scratching wood floors.
Setup takes seconds with no tools, and the upgraded lock design is harder for a dog to work than a basic slide bolt. The divider fits the frame cleanly, which is more than we can say for most third-party panels at this level, and it gave us a properly snug puppy space within minutes of unboxing.
The trade-off is wire gauge, and it is not a small one. Several owners of the larger variants report bent or buckled panels within weeks of use, so treat this as a crate for a small, calm puppy or a dog who is already crate trained rather than a strong chewer or a determined escape artist.
What to check before you buy
Expect stiff latches. The lock can require you to hold the door panel steady while pulling the latch up, which is awkward for the first few uses and worth knowing about before you assume something is broken.
Allow extra time for the first assembly. The instructions confuse a lot of buyers, and reading them fully before you start avoids the classic wire-crate experience of having to take the whole thing back apart.
Who should skip it
Skip it for a dog that climbs, chews wire or works at doors. The construction is a step below the heavy-gauge models here, and the money saved on wire is money you may spend again in a few months when a panel buckles. For a puppy you are house training who will not test the walls, it does the job well.
5. MAHANCRIS Furniture-Style Double Crate with Removable Divider
- Removable divider splits the unit in two
- Top panel rated to 160 lb
- Doubles as an end table or TV stand
- Sturdy panel and metal build
- Fixed footprint
- not portable or collapsible
- Less usable width for very small puppies
- Assembly still takes time
This is the one to buy if the crate is going to live in a living room rather than a utility space. The wide top doubles as a TV stand, storage cabinet, display stand or end table, and the vintage styling is designed to blend with existing furniture rather than announce itself as a cage.
It measures 43.3 by 21.7 by 26.4 inches, and the detachable divider installs for two small dogs or comes out entirely for one large dog. Rated for two small dogs under 40 pounds each, or one large dog under 80 pounds, with the top panel holding up to 160 pounds and the internal shelf up to 80.
The divider here works differently from the wire panels on the folding crates. It is a full board rather than a wire frame, so it blocks sightlines as well as movement, which some owners like for puppies who are calmer in a den-like space and others dislike because it removes visual contact.
Assembly is tool-light but not quick for a unit this size, and it is a fixed piece once built. That is the whole bargain: you get a crate that looks like furniture and can hold a heavy top surface, and you give up portability entirely.
What to check before you buy
Measure the 21.7 inch width carefully against a very small puppy. A wide interior is the right choice for a large dog but gives less usable width than a folding wire crate, so a French Bulldog or a Chihuahua will have a much smaller effective space once the divider is in.
Decide where it lives before you order. Because it will not fold or roll, moving it means partially disassembling it, and a 43 inch footprint is hard to manoeuvre through a doorway with the panels already fitted.
Who should skip it
Skip it while your puppy is in the chewing stage. Solid panels and wooden finishes are not built for a teething puppy, and none of the fabric or wood edge details on a unit like this are designed to be chewed. Most owners use this one once the dog is past that phase, or for a second dog that needs a calm space of its own.
6. BestPet 36 Inch Folding Crate with Divider
- Divider splits the crate into two zones
- Folds under 3 inches thick
- Removable side-mountable handle
- Leak-proof ABS composite tray
- Divider is two-way rather than fully adjustable
- Light duty wire can bend
- Lowest average rating in this group
The defining feature here is portability. The removable carrying handle mounts on any side, and the fold-and-carry construction collapses to under 3 inches thick, so this is the crate we found ourselves loading into a car most often. For crate training on the road, that flexibility is worth more than most buyers expect.
The wire is high tensile-strength with an epoxy coating finish that resists rust, corrosion and fading, and the two large doors at the front and side carry heavy-duty dual latches. The leak-proof ABS composite tray has an integrated perimeter lip, which is what keeps water and smell in rather than under the crate.
Be clear about what the divider does here. It separates the interior into two zones rather than letting you dial in a precise length, so it works well for two dogs sharing one crate or for splitting off a sleeping corner, but it gives you far less fine control over a growing puppy’s space than the sliding panels on the Amazon Basics, Yaheetech and CAPHAUS crates.
At 4.3 stars this has the lowest average in the group, and the critical reviews cluster around two things: light duty wire that can bend for a determined or larger dog, and a divider that does not offer the range of adjustment a puppy crate ideally needs.
What to check before you buy
Try the tray and the handle before you need them. The tray resists stains, warping and odour better than cheaper plastic trays, and the handle position changes how you load the crate into a vehicle, so set it up once and leave it configured for your car.
Check the 35 inch listed length against your dog’s expected adult length. Owners frequently report fitting runs generous, which is a good thing with a divider you plan to move, but worth knowing if your adult dog is on the smaller side.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your puppy is going to grow into a strong adult or if the crate needs to double as a permanent adult setup. The divider’s fixed split makes it a weaker choice for growth stages than the sliding panels elsewhere in this roundup, and the wire is the lightest of the group.
7. BIQWBIC 42 Inch Extra Large Crate with Divider Panel
- Heavy-duty wire a puppy cannot bend
- Two sliding bolt latches per door
- Low threshold and rounded corner clips
- Available in 24 through 48 inches
- Fitting runs generous for some adult dogs
- Divider has no locking mechanism
This is the one we recommend for anyone whose puppy will be a large dog. At 4.6 stars from 287 ratings it has a smaller review base than the top picks, but the build is a clear step up, with heavy-duty high-tensile steel wire and an epoxy-coated anti-rust finish suitable for occasional outdoor use.
Each of the two doors, front and side, carries two heavy-duty sliding bolt latches, so there are four latch points in total. That is more than most wire crates in this roundup and it is the detail that matters for a puppy who has already worked its way out of something else.
Comfort details are unusually well handled. The wide door opening has a low threshold so a puppy can step in without tripping, and rounded edges and corner clips protect nose and paws, which is the part of a wire crate most likely to cause an injury during an excited exit.
The size range is worth noting. This crate is available in 24, 30, 36, 42 and 48 inch versions, so if you are unsure about your dog’s adult size you can start with a divider and buy up once. Tool-free assembly, folding to under 3 inches thick and a top carry handle round it out.
What to check before you buy
Expect a generous fit. Owners report an adult dog sometimes ending up with more space than expected, which sounds like a problem until you remember the divider exists precisely to solve that. Measure the interior width as well as the length, because a deep crate narrows the usable space once the divider is positioned at the far end.
Check the divider for movement once the puppy is in place. It is a simple panel with no built-in locking mechanism, so treat its position as something to verify every couple of weeks rather than a fixed setting.
Who should skip it
Skip it if floor space is tight. A 42 inch crate takes up noticeably more room than a 36 inch model, and most of the space behind the divider goes unused for the first several months of a large breed’s life. Apartment dwellers with a small puppy heading for a 70 pound adult will get more from a 36 inch crate with a good sliding divider.
8. FDW 42 Inch Heavy Duty Crate with Divider Panel
FDW Dog Crate for Large Dogs 42 Inch Folding Metal WirePet Cage Double Door W/Divider Panel Indoor Outdoor Kennel Leak-Proof Plastic Tray,Pink
- Divider panel included
- Roomy 42 inch interior
- Two doors with heavy-duty locks
- Tool-free folding with carry handle
- Priced above comparable 42 inch crates
- Divider can be shifted by a strong dog
- Smaller review base
The FDW is a straightforward 42 inch crate that does the fundamentals well: a divider panel, two large doors with heavy-duty secure locks, and an epoxy coating that resists rust, corrosion and fading across climates. That last point is why it earns a place here for people who need the crate to work indoors and on a porch or in a garage.
At 42 by 26 by 28 inches and 29 pounds, it is roomier than most 36 inch crates without jumping to the weight of a heavy kennel. The removable carrying handle and tool-free folding assembly make it manageable, and the leak-proof ABS composite tray has an integrated lip for easy cleaning.
Owners consistently mention the divider panel in reviews, and it does what it should: it lets you adjust the interior as a puppy grows, so you can start a young dog in a smaller area and open it up over the first year. The 42 inch length means most medium-large breeds never need a floor upgrade once they are fully grown.
The honest limitation is the review base. With 229 ratings, the feedback is less extensive than for the best-selling crates in this group, so treat the ratings as encouraging rather than conclusive. It also carries a higher price than most comparable 42 inch crates, which is worth weighing against the extra lock and coating quality.
What to check before you buy
Look at the divider position and secure it if your puppy is a shover. The panel is not locked in place and can be shifted by a strong dog, so if yours is the type to nose it along, plan to re-check it on a regular schedule rather than assuming it stayed put.
Confirm the 26 inch width suits your dog once grown. For a very large adult it is snug, in which case a 42 inch model with a wider interior is the better long-term home, and the divider handles the early months either way.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want the deepest review base available or if cost is the deciding factor. The same general size class is available in cheaper configurations, and the premium here buys you heavier locks and a better coating rather than a fundamentally different divider system.
9. HCY 36 Inch Double Door Crate with Divider Panel
- Heavy-gauge steel resists biting and digging
- Two slide-bolt latches per door
- Free divider panel included
- Rounded corners protect the dog
- Heaviest frame in this group at nearly 32 pounds
- Smallest review base here
- Divider has no locking mechanism
This crate makes one argument clearly, and it is the wire. Heavy-gauge steel with a tight mesh and a rust-resistant black powder-coated finish is designed to resist scratching, biting and digging, which is exactly the failure mode we worry about with a teething puppy in a wire crate.
It measures 36 by 22.5 by 25 inches, and both the front and side doors are secured by two heavy-duty slide-bolt latches each. Rounded corners add pet protection, and the free divider panel lets you adjust the enclosure while the dog is still growing.
Setup is genuinely fast, with no tools, and it folds flat when not in use. The plastic leak-proof pan pulls out for clean-ups, which matters more than it sounds during house training when clean-ups happen several times a day.
The trade-off is weight. At nearly 32 pounds for a 36 inch crate it is the heaviest crate of that size in this group, and that weight is felt every time you move it between rooms or carry it to the car. With 139 ratings it also has the smallest review base here, so the rating reflects a modest number of owners.
What to check before you buy
Decide where the crate will live before you order. The weight is manageable for a one-time setup but genuinely awkward for daily repositioning, and owners who move their crate between rooms tend to stop doing it after a few weeks.
Test the divider fit early. It has no built-in way to lock in place, so a determined puppy can work it back. Position it so the puppy cannot reach the far edge to push against, and check it every couple of weeks.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you need something light, portable or easy to move between rooms. The heavy-gauge build is a real advantage against a strong chewer, but it is not the right trade for a small apartment where the crate needs to move daily, and a lighter crate with a sturdier divider position will serve a calm puppy better.
10. HUAHUU 63 Inch Double Kennel with Removable Divider
- Thickened tubes and reinforced mesh
- Removable metal divider splits it in two
- Two independent front doors
- Mid-century wooden finish doubles as furniture
- Assembly takes three to six hours for two people
- Very heavy at 97 pounds
- Too deep for most furniture gaps
This is the largest crate in the roundup. The frame uses 0.7mm thickened metal tubes with 0.6mm reinforced mesh panels, and several owners report it held firm with dogs who had already broken out of other crates, which is the single most useful piece of feedback in any of these reviews.
The removable metal divider splits the kennel into two spaces or opens it into one large area. Two independent front doors make feeding and cleaning straightforward, and two customizable name tags are included.
The mid-century modern wooden finish means it doubles as a TV stand, side table or pet storage, and the breathable mesh panels promote airflow to keep pets cool. Assembly uses labelled parts with tools included.
What to check before you buy
Budget real time for assembly. Owners consistently report three to six hours for two people, and it is not a project you want to start at night. Instructions can be unclear, and one owner reported assembling the floor backwards, so read the whole sequence first.
Check the 23.62 inch depth against your robot vacuum and your furniture clearances. At 97 pounds assembled, this is not something you slide into place, and it is too deep to tuck under most existing furniture.
Who should skip it
Skip it for a single puppy. This is a permanent kennel for a household with two dogs or one very large dog, and the size, weight and build time are all disproportionate if you are crate training one small puppy. For a puppy, use the divider on a smaller crate first and revisit this once your dog is close to adult size.
How to Size a Dog Crate With a Divider for a Growing Puppy
The rule most owners get wrong is buying a crate that fits the puppy today. Small crates get outgrown in weeks, and you end up buying two or three crates in a year. The rule that works is to buy the adult-size crate, then use the divider to create the correct space for the puppy you have now.
To size an adult crate, measure your dog from the nose to the base of the tail, then add 6 to 12 inches of length. For height, measure from the floor to the top of the head standing naturally and add 2 to 3 inches. If you do not yet know your dog’s adult size, use the weight of the larger parent as a guide and round up.
Once the divider is positioned, the space your puppy actually has should pass a simple test: they can stand up without crouching, turn around comfortably, and lie down stretched out, but they cannot walk the full length of the crate. That last part is what prevents a puppy from eliminating in one corner and sleeping in the other, which is the leading cause of in-crate accidents during house training.
For growth planning, keep the divider in place until your puppy reliably holds bladder overnight for at least a week, then move it one notch back and repeat. Owners on r/DogAdvice treat the divider position as the diagnostic itself: if the puppy is comfortable and accident-free, it is time to expand. If you want background on adult sizing across breeds, our review of the best large dog crates covers the measurements to check.
Divider Types Explained and How to Move It as Your Puppy Grows
Not all dividers are the same, and the type determines how well the crate will serve a growing puppy. Bolt-in wire frame panels, like the ones on the Amazon Basics, CAPHAUS and BIQWBIC crates, sit inside the wire and slide along it as the puppy grows. Solid board dividers, as on the MAHANCRIS furniture crate, block sightlines as well as movement. Full-width sliding panels, like the Yaheetech divider, give you the most precise control over the exact usable length.
The practical difference shows up in durability and adjustability. Wire frame panels flex and can be nosed back by a determined puppy, but they are forgiving and easy to reposition. Solid boards are more stable and better for calming a puppy, but they usually sit in one position and come out entirely rather than moving in steps.
When you move the divider, do it gradually. Moving it a full notch at once can unsettle a puppy who has just settled, so shift it a few inches every few days and watch how your puppy responds. Re-check the position weekly, because owners on r/puppy101 report puppies pushing panels back within a month and quietly undoing the sizing benefit.
One important caveat: many crates do not include a divider, and third-party panels rarely fit well. Measure the interior length and height of the empty crate, plus the gap between wires where a panel would need to sit, before buying any replacement panel. Several owners resort to blocking off part of a large crate with a cardboard box, which works temporarily but is chewed through quickly by a teething puppy.
It is also fair to say that not every puppy needs a divider. A few owners on r/puppy101 report skipping the panel in a large crate with no accidents at all, and the wider advice from trainers is that a crate should be as small as the dog needs for comfort, not as small as possible. The divider exists to make that easy to adjust, not to restrict a puppy that is already reliable.
If your puppy is anxious in a wire crate, check our picks for the best dog crates for anxiety dogs, and if your setup involves the car or air travel, the best dog crates for travel roundup covers the cases where the crate needs to fold and move with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use a crate divider with a puppy?
Yes, for most puppies it is the simplest way to get a correctly sized space without buying a new crate every few months. Set the divider so your puppy can stand up, turn around and lie down stretched out, but cannot walk the full length of the crate. That prevents them from eliminating in one corner and sleeping in the other, which is the most common cause of in-crate accidents. Expand the space only after your puppy is reliably accident-free overnight.
Do dog crates come with dividers?
It varies, and this is worth checking before you buy rather than after. Some crates, including most of the ones in this roundup, include a divider panel in the box. Others ship without one or sell the panel as a separate accessory. If your crate did not include a divider, measure the interior length and height of the empty crate and the gap between wires before buying a replacement, since third-party panels frequently do not sit flush.
When should I take the divider out of my puppy’s crate?
Take the divider out when your puppy can stand, turn and lie stretched out in the full crate, and has been accident-free inside it for a consistent stretch. Many owners move the panel back one notch at a time rather than removing it in a single step, which makes the transition easier. If your puppy starts pacing or seems cramped, the space is too small. If accidents reappear after you expanded, step back one notch.
What is a good puppy divider for a crate?
A bolt-in wire frame panel is the most common and most flexible type, since it slides along the crate walls as the puppy grows. A sliding full-width panel gives you the most precise control of the usable length. A solid board divider blocks sightlines and can be calmer for a stressed puppy, but usually sits in one position. The key features to look for are enough adjustment range, a way to keep it from sliding, and a finish that resists chewing.
Should puppies have separate crates?
Not usually, and one crate is easier to manage for a single puppy. Separate crates make more sense in a multi-dog household where you need feeding separation, rest periods away from each other, or one dog who needs a calmer space. Several of the larger kennels in this roundup use a removable divider to split one unit into two compartments, which gives you that arrangement without buying two separate crates.
Conclusion
The best dog crates with dividers for growing puppies all follow the same principle: buy the crate your dog will need as an adult, and let the divider panel handle the months in between. Our top pick, the Amazon Basics 36 inch wire crate, wins on the strength of more than 12000 ratings, a divider that ships in the box and a tray that is genuinely easy to clean, and it is the crate we would put in front of most families starting crate training in 2026.
For a large breed heading toward 70 pounds or more, look at the BIQWBIC 42 inch instead. For a household with two dogs or a dedicated crate room, the Homey Pet 43 inch kennel earns its space. Whichever you choose, set the divider, check it every couple of weeks, and expand only once your puppy is reliably clean overnight.