Whilst researching and reviewing the best crate for French Bulldogs, we found the MidWest iCrate Starter Kit was a clear favorite.
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A complete starter kit for your Frenchie including a two-door metal wire crate, fleece padding, crate divider, plastic pan, polyester crate cover and two dogs bowls for attaching to the kennel.
French Bulldogs, or Frenchies, were originally bred from English toy bulldogs and French ratters. In the past decade, they have become one of the most popular dog breeds in the UK, USA and Australia.
Frenchies are an adorable small-medium sized breed and known for their friendliness, sociability and playful ways.
Owners also love to pamper their French Bulldogs, from designer collars to the latest apparels out there.
In the home, they like nothing more than a cuddle. But what about at night time? Do they sleep on the bed, their own dog bed or in a crate?
A dog crate, sometimes called an indoor kennel or cage, can be a good place for your French Bulldog to relax and sleep in.
This article will review our six best dog crates for a French Bulldog. We will discuss what to look for in a crate, the types available, which size suits a Frenchie best and give some hints and tips on training.
Contents
Best Dog Crates for French Bulldogs – Our Top Six
1. 🏆 MidWest iCrate Dog Crate Starter Kit
A fantastic complete set for our USA and Canada readers is the MidWest iCrate starter kit. The base crate is a 30″ two-door black metal dog crate.
The cage is very secure, chew-proof and sturdy with a lock on each door. It has dividers so you can make the crate initially smaller when your dog is still a puppy and extend out to full size as they grow.
There is a removable plastic panel at the bottom which can be cleaned, a handle at the top for lifting and, best of all, can be collapsed down flat should you need to store it.
Included with this crate are a machine washable fleece bed, a polyester crate cover and two Snap’y Fit dog bowls which can be attached to the inside of the cage.
This is an exceptionally good value for money crate that will do well for most French Bulldog’s whether they’re a puppy or an adult.
2. Frisco Fold & Carry Double Door Collapsible Wire Dog Crate
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A basic, inexpensive and reliable dog crate for your Frenchie. Two easy to open wire doors on the front and side.
The crate has a divider panel included which can be used to reduce the crate size while your French Bulldog is still a puppy and expand as they grow.
Assembly is simple without the need for tools. The crate can be folded and transported or stored away with ease. There is also a plastic tray which can be removed and cleaned.
As with many crates, this is the fundamentals of a place for your dogs – so if this is being used often – consider a dog bed, padding, covering or pillows for additional comfort and warmth.
3. Ellie-Bo Medium Dog Crate [UK]
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 | Ellie-Bo Dog Crate Dog Cage from Small to Large, Foldable Puppy Dog Crates, Cage Furniture with... | Buy on Amazon |
A two-door dog crate available in a choice of colours (black, silver, gold). Two metal sliding latches for security and a removable metal tray which can be cleaned with ease.
4. Veehoo Folding Soft Dog Crate
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 | veehoo Folding Soft Dog Crate, 3-Door Pet Kennel for Crate-Training Dogs, 5 x Heavy-Weight Mesh... | Buy on Amazon |
Our first soft dog crates on our list – and definitely one of our favourites. It’s a very lightweight crate with three roll-up mesh doors located at the top, front and on the left of the crate.
The five-sided mesh exterior at each side is a super light honeycomb for better ventilation. Doors are secured using a zipper.
The inner part is made from a collapsable solid-steel frame which can be flattened down and stored if required.
As with all soft crates, this isn’t the fortress you’d find with a wire crate. It’s made for dogs already crate and toilet trained.
Note, Veehoo does not have a 30-inch crate option, just 28″ or 32″ – we’d go with the larger of the two available.
5. AmazonBasics Folding Soft Dog Crate, 30″
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 | Amazon Basics Foldable Soft Dog Crate with Front and Top Opening, Medium, 76 cm L x 54.1 cm W x 54.1... | Buy on Amazon |
Not quite as fancy as #5 but still a great soft crate option for your Frenchie.
6. MidWest Homes for Pets Dog Crate [USA]
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 | Medium Dog Crate, MidWest Life Stages 30 Inch Double Door Folding Metal Dog Crate, Divider Panel,... | Buy on Amazon |
This is the same as the iCrate Starter Kit without all the extras. If you’re just looking for the crate itself this offering comes in a choice of single or double doors. It also has a dual slide lock for extra security.
Why Choose a French Bulldog Crate
There are a number of reasons why you would purchase a dog crate for your French Bulldog. These include:
- A safe open “den” that your dog can go to whenever they want
- A place they can sleep at night which is there own
- Short term confinement where they can be kept when needed
- On Vets orders – e.g. to aid recovery after operation or industry
- Transporting your dog from one place to another
Choosing the Right Crate for your French Bulldog
When choosing a dog crate, your end goal is to create a safe and friendly environment that your dog will enjoy going in when they want space or a snooze.
It is not a place to be sent for bad behaviour. Using a crate as a form of punishment will result in it being seen in a negative light and not used as intended.
Though crates have many uses, if you are planning on using it as a place for sleeping overnight – you should consider a few things.
Where your Frenchie sleeps is usually down to the preference of the owner. Though they can sleep with you on a bed at night, you may regret this habit after a few months of broken sleep. From personal experience, it’s far harder to break this habit than people realise.
Some people prefer crates as it creates a clear division between sleeping locations.
You should consider the size of the crate when choosing this option and where in your household you plan to put it.
Many people opt for the bedroom. If this is your preference, make sure it is in a spot that will not only fit the crate but is easy for your dog to get in and out of. The area should be well ventilated, but not drafty or in direct sunlight.
The crate will require some bedding to make it more homely for your Frenchie – and you’ll need to invest time in training for best results. We will cover these points later in the article.
Types of French Bulldog Crates
The most common types of crates you’ll find are wire crates. These are often rectangular with metal bar frames on all sides.
Wire crates often come with two options – single or double door. A double door crate is always better as it gives choice as to how your dog enters the crate and may make training a little easier.
However, if you have a limited amount of floor space you may opt for a single.
They are often foldable meaning you can fold them away flat when needed.
This is good for storing the crate away, particularly if you’re only using it for the short term or for moving the crate to another part of your home. Getting a fully built crate through a door will be a challenge I wouldn’t recommend trying.
Wire crates are very strong and should stay firm against chewers and escape artists. Doors usually come with two slide locks, one at the top and another at the bottom. This stops a determined dog or puppy from squeezing through the weak points.
Finally, the wire crates also tend to come with a metal or plastic floor panel. This can be easily removed and cleaned if needed.
Next up we have Soft Crates. These crates are designed for dogs who are already crate trained (and toilet trained) as they would be easier to chew your way to freedom.
Soft crates are much more lightweight than their wired crate counterparts, thus making them excellent as indoor or travel crates.
The inner frame can be made from metal, PVC or plastic. Fabric often covers the rest of the crate. There can be anything between two to five doors on these crates – usually made from mesh netting with a zipper.
These are a lot cosier, softer and lighter than normal crates – and great for a French Bulldog who is already used to being inside a crate.
Travel crates are often a lot smaller, usually plastic crates, used for transporting pets. You’ve probably seen these being used in vets offices, but can be used for transporting a dog anywhere – especially if mobility is a problem.
These are very much designed for short term travel – so should not be used in your home as a permanent solution as your dog will find them too cramped.
Finally, car crates are used in cars for transporting your dog about. These can be standard crates or specialised crates designed to fit in with the shape of the car. There are a few options for safely driving with your dog including frames and dog seat belts – so best to do some research.
What Size Crate for a French Bulldog?
Although you can choose a smaller crate for a French Bulldog puppy, it is recommended to get a 30-inch sized dog crate for your Frenchie. A crate needs to have enough size for your dog to stand up in as well as stretch out.
You can measure your dog using a tape measure by doing the following (in inches):
- Height: Measure from the ground to the head whilst your dog is sitting upright
- Width: Measure from the nose to the base of the tail whilst your dog is standing up
You should then add a few extra inches to the final numbers – roughly 4 inches to the height and 6 inches to the width. Some crates also have weight recommendations – so it may be worth getting their weight next time you visit the vet.
If your measurements are between two different French Bulldog crate sizes – it is advised you pick the larger of the two. A crate which is too small will be cramped and you may land up having to buy a larger size eventually.
Though you can get a smaller crate for a French Bulldog puppy, you will eventually have to replace it when they are fully grown. To save the fuss and additional training, some dog crates come with dividers. These can be used to make the crate smaller, then extended to full size as your dog grows.
When considering size, you may also want to consider the space the crate will go. If you have a large home with lots of spare space – this is less of a problem. However, if you live in a smaller space or apartment, you should consider the best place to store it before you buy.
Your dog must be able to get in and out of their crate with ease. The space available will also determine whether a single or double door crate is best.
French Bulldog Crate Training Tips
The lovely bundles of joys that are French Bulldogs will need some training in order to become comfortable using a crate. Like all dogs, each Frenchie is different and the time it takes to crate train them will vary from bulldog to bulldog.
Puppies and adults who have not had contact with crates in the past are likely to pick it up quickly. Training a French Bulldog will be the slowest for those who have had interactions with a crate in the past, but it didn’t end well. Don’t be disheartened though, you can still crate train them, you just need a bit of extra patience and some TLC.
Regardless of the stage of life, you first need to pair the crate with good things, i.e. tasty treats. Make sure they’re of high value to your dog.
Sit on the floor in front of the open crate (keep the crate opened for quite some time still) and toss the treat inside.
Your Frenchie should follow the treat inside and possibly come back out straight away. If they don’t, try putting the treat just outside of the crate and then move the next treat closer, and so on until you can do the toss game.
Repeat the toss game until your dog looks like they’re waiting for the next treat without coming out of the crate.
Move from the front of the crate to the closed side of the crate and repeat the above exercise. This time toss the treats through the wire bars and see if you can spread them out in a fashion which would encourage your pup to lie down and eat or expect the treats.
Don’t tell them to lie down, but luring is fine. Reinforce lying down heavily as this is an important step.
When your Frenchie is clear on the idea that walking into the crate means lying down, you can add a bit of movement.
Start small, move along the floor a couple of inches and come back to the original spot then treat. If your pup comes out of the crate, go back a step and do a bit more reinforcement on the previous lying down. At the same time reduce the movement to maybe just extending your arm, then tossing it a treat.
Movement should eventually graduate to something like walking out of the room for a minute or two and coming back, with your Frenchie still lying down in the crate. To achieve this you need to vary the movements you use, but also don’t introduce too much difficulty too soon.
Once you’re able to walk out of the room without being followed, you can go back to step one again and start over. This time, however, you can close that crate door without worrying too much. Your pup should be comfortable enough in the crate to accept the crate door being closed. Don’t lock the door for now.
If your Frenchie shows signs of unease or desire to come out of the crate, swing that door open and let them get out if they want. This prevents them from going into panic mode and further reinforces the idea that crates are safe and you have their back at all times.
Finally, once you’ve done all the steps with the door closed and you’re confident that your pup is happy and relaxed inside the crate, you can start locking the door.
It would be best to start with step one again and do the exercises all over but with the doors locked this time. Your pup might be perfectly fine without that though, so go with what they are telling you.
If you’re at all concerned, you can always go back a couple of steps and work a bit longer on associating the crate with good stuff.
Just remember, this little bit of hard work will pay off for many years to come. What’s better than being able to get out of the house, knowing full well that your dog is perfectly happy and relaxed at home?
General Crate Hints and Tips
- Be mindful of placing your dog crate in a drafty part of the room. Like humans, your dog will get cold – especially if staying there at night. The same applies if you leave them too near to a radiator or direct sunlight.
- Access to water is always a good idea. This is less of a problem if your crate door is open and they can gain access to a water bowl. Alternatively, there are water bowls which can be clipped onto the inside of the crate.
- It’s a good idea to place your dogs favourite toy or something like a Kong Cone to keep them entertained.
- A crate by itself is not a particularly comfortable thing. You should include a dog bed, padding, pillows or blankets to create a cosy environment.
- We’ve mentioned this already, but it is worth repeating, do not use your dog’s crate as a form of punishment when they misbehave. Sending them to their kennel when they’re naughty will be seen as a negative, making the crate an undesirable space.
- Placing a blanket or special cover over the crate can help your dog if they are generally anxious.
- Though your dog may respond well to training, make sure you experiment with what happens once you leave the room. If they begin to cry or whine in their crate they may be suffering from separation anxiety. This is not uncommon in dogs but will require training and patience.
- Dog’s are not as good at toilet control as humans. Remember that before placing them in a crate especially for more than an hour – else you may return to an unpleasant surprise. Also consider this if they’re still potty training.
- Never use a crate for long term accommodation for your dog. Leaving them locked in a crate all day while at work is unfair on the dog and makes the crate seem like a bad place to be.
Summary
We hope you found our guide to the best crate for a French Bulldog helpful in making your decision.
A dog crate can be a great way of giving your Frenchie their own space where they can relax, sleep and feel safe. To achieve this you need to find a crate that is spacious, that can be padded out for comfort and invest time in training your dog to be happy in their crate.
Check out our Crates section for more dog crate related guides and articles. Remember to leave a comment, recommendation or review below or join us on our Facebook page.
