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Quick Access To The Best Dog Crates For Separation Anxiety?
| Editors Pick | Brand |
| Best Overall | ProSelect Empire Dog Cage |
| Best Budget | Aspen Pet Porter Heavy-Duty Kennel |
| Best Runner Up | Durable Aluminum Dog Crate |
| Best Under $100 | Petsfit Portable Soft Collapsible Dog Crate |
So you’re noticing your dog feels particularly uneasy & restless while you’re away from home and you’re looking for the best dog crate for anxiety.
Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve scoured the internet, looking at crate after crate, to find 10 of the best that can help with the anxiety your dog is unfortunately going through.
This is not an easy situation for the dog or you as the owner. You don’t want your dog to feel this way, and, you also don’t want more of your things destroyed on the floor when you come home.
Finding the right crate is one thing you can do that can really help their alone time at home. Then when you return home, all you have to worry about is loving them, and not a cleanup.
As it should be!
Let’s dive in to our best overall crate pick for a dog experiencing anxiety.
Table of Contents
The 10 Best Dog Crates For Anxiety
Best Overall: ProSelect Empire Dog Cage
If you’re finding your dog easily escaping from any of the crates you’ve brought home, the ProSelect Empire Dog Cage would be our best suggestion to stop the continual buying of crate after crate.
This crate is made from 20-gauge steel (20-gauge is a metric for how thick the steel is) which will prevent even the most ambitious of dogs from getting loose.
If your dog goes to the bathroom frequently when you’re not home then the floor grate and associated tray underneath will help make cleanups much easier.
It also has the option for mobility. The crate comes with 4 attachable wheels which make for easy transport around your house or you can choose to leave them off for added stability.
The reviewers of this cage are from owners with the most rambunctious dogs (they wouldn’t have bought it otherwise!) and 84% have given this a 5 star review. Many share that it has stood the test of time and that this will be the last crate you ever need.
Best Budget Crate: Aspen Pet Porter Heavy-Duty Kennel
Our best budget option is for the Aspen Pet Porter Heavy-Duty Kennel which is great for someone who doesn’t have a super-chewer.
It’s a great crate and provides many of the things you’d want in one for a dog experiencing separation anxiety like, cave-like design, many sizing options to ensure you can find the perfect sized one for your dog, and it’s very secure.
It has many holes scattered across the sides and back of the crate to ensure air circulation/ventilation is still there. But, also maintains some darkness for your pup while inside which helps them feel more secure.
It’s also been reviewed over 4,500 times with an average of 4.4 out of 5 star ratings. Many owners and their furry friends have been happy with this crate.
Although, as previously mentioned, it may not be able to last against a determined chewer as it’s made of plastic which isn’t the best chew resistant material.
Best Runner Up: Impact Collapsible, Durable Aluminum Dog Crate
Our best runner up option is for the Impact Collapsible, Durable Aluminum Dog Crate. This crate meets all the criteria for a perfect dog crate for a dog going through separation anxiety.
The reason why it isn’t our best overall pick is because of the price. It’s definitely on the higher end.
This option is a great choice if your dog is really damaging your house and you’ve had to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars in replacing furniture, carpet or other personal items.
Making an investment in a more expensive crate may end up saving you money in the long run by protecting your home.
Also, your dog may be more calm in this crate as it checks all the boxes on a crate that would help a dog with anxiety.
Best Crate Under $100: Petsfit Portable Soft Collapsible Dog Crate
Our best crate under $100 for anxiety is the Petsfit Portable Soft Collapsible Dog Crate which is great for on the go use as well. Its patented screw-in frame is made to hold the mesh in place and maintain its box-like shape.
There are two entrances that can easily be rolled up for great come-and-go access for your dog. Obviously if you want to keep your pup inside the doors can be zipped closed as well.
The crate can also be assembled in a matter of seconds without the need for tools.
Considering this is a soft crate it is not meant for chewers but for dogs that don’t express their anxiety that way, this is a great option.
It can easily be brought with you for the odd time you can bring your pup with you which would help keep them feeling secure while accompanying you.
Alternative Top Picks
LUCKUP Heavy Duty Dog Crate
The LUCKUP Heavy Duty Dog Crate Strong Metal Kennel can keep even the most rambunctious of dogs secure. It’s made from steel and can make your dog feel safe and sound while inside.
It also has a tray underneath, as many of the heavy-duty crates do, to help make clean up as easy as possible.
Many reviewers have shared their happiness after bringing home this crate as their nervous dogs were able to find peace in this crate.
It is meant for larger breeds though as the smallest size is 38 inches. So if your dog is a smaller or medium sized this won’t be the right option as there would be too much room to move around which isn’t ideal for a dog with separation anxiety.
The Homey Pet New Heavy Duty Dog Kennel
The Homey Pet New Open Top Heavy Duty Dog Kennel can help provide the security that your nervous pup desires. The full design is made of heavy-duty metal with a safety-auto lock feature.
The grid on the floor helps keep your dog clean and dry even if accidents happen.
The crate comes with 4 lockable wheels to increase mobility while also providing the option to keep the crate in place. As the crate is fully made of metal, moving it around the house to different locations would be a pain in the butt without wheels.
Reviewers of this crate are for the most part very happy with their decision with the occasional dissatisfied customer, most of which stem from manufacturing errors when delivered.
AmazonBasics Heavy Duty Stackable Pet Kennel
The AmazonBasics Heavy Duty Stackable Pet Kennel is of the more affordable heavy-duty metal crates. This is likely because it’s made out of iron and polypropylene material as opposed to steel.
So if your dog is more accident prone and a howler instead of a chewer/escape artist, this could be the perfect crate for them!
The crate can also be easily collapsed to help with storage and comes almost completely assembled for a quick and easy setup once it’s in your home.
Many AmazonBasic products are good choices. Amazon can see what is currently highly valued on the market and how they can provide a great, cost-effective alternative.
Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier
The Petmate Sky Kennel Pet Carrier is designed for travel but can double as a great crate for a dog with separation anxiety. It’s made of a strong plastic shell with a steel wiring along the sides to provide ventilation but maintain security.
Your dog would be hard pressed to chew through this crate as the only holes for teeth to get through are on the back. All other places of the crate are enclosed by steel wire.
The crate comes in many sizes ranging from 21 inches all the way up to 48 inches so it can be of use to many breeds.
It’s design helps provide a den-like feel which instinctively can help relax a dog. Dens are what dogs used to call home before our households!
The crate has been reviewed over 3,800 times with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Casual Home Wooden Pet Crate
The Casual Home Wooden Pet Crate can be a safe & secure place for your anxious dog as well as a stylish end table for your home!
Not only does this crate double as a table, which is far more fashionable in a home than other crates, it’s made of chew-resistant solid wood which makes for a durable and long lasting crate.
It provides lots of ventilation on the top half of the crate while providing some darkness when your dog lies down. This can help them relax and hopefully get some sleep instead of worrying about your whereabouts!
This is a stationary crate. Unlike the other steel made heavy-duty crates this wooden crate does not come with wheels so it’s pretty much got to stay put once it’s placed. However, because of its design that doesn’t pose much of an issue.
JESPET Soft Pet Crate
The JESPET Soft Pet Crate provides a comfortable, easy to move, easy access home for your dog. The frame inside the soft outer shell is made of strong steel tubes to help maintain the crates integrity.
It has 3 entrance ways, the top, the front, as well as the side, so it can be placed almost anywhere in your home without having to worry about accessibility for your dog.
It comes with a comfy fleece bed to ensure your pup can get comfortable.
Furthermore, it promotes getting some shut eye as opposed to worrying all day with a non-distracted mind.
Symptoms Of Separation Anxiety In Dogs
It’s not uncommon to come home and find your dog got into or did something that they shouldn’t have.
May that be having the occasional accident in the house because they didn’t do their business on their walk before your left.
Or, finding some tasty leftovers in an exposed garbage bin.
Or, messing up your nicely made bed as they sprawl out and roll around having themselves their own kind of party since the parents aren’t home!
The odd time for things like this to happen doesn’t necessarily mean they are experiencing separation anxiety, it’s more likely simply just a bored pup.
However, dogs with separation anxiety are much different. Even the shortest time periods away from their owner can cause them a great deal of stress.
This can results in them to misbehaving far more frequently. Their time spent alone is far more upsetting than a dog who’s simply bored. Below you’ll find common ways that a dog behaves when experiencing separation anxiety.
Excessive Barking and/or Howling
If hours after you’ve left your house and your dog is still howling and barking this could mean your dog is experiencing separation anxiety.
You may return home to some not-so-happy neighbors due to the excessive noise coming from your vocal pup. Something you want to take into account though is whether or not your dog is vocal when you’re home too.
If they’re vocal when you’re around then that may simply be a character trait. It may not necessarily mean they have separation anxiety.
BUT, if it’s only when you’re not around then it very well could be.
Destructive Chewing
Things that smell like you are usually the first thing dogs will go for. This is because these items remind them of you and provide comfort while you’re not around.
However, since dogs interact with the world around them with their mouths, when a dog is feeling anxious, upset or worried they may begin chewing on things to help them cope.
Unfortunately this leads to many shredded items that is not only costly but distressing to come home to.
Constant Pacing
The inability to settle can be another symptom of separation anxiety. Walking back-and-forth in the same general space can be an indicator that your dog is in distress.
Nervous energy makes it feel almost impossible to sit still. It’s very similar to when a person is feeling nervous about something!
High Levels Of Distress When You Leave Your Home
Dogs are very routine/habit oriented and can pick up on common things you do when getting ready to leave the house. You might notice them acting up by whining, following by closely, or with distressed pacing.
These are common ways of a dog showing their anxiousness. Often times the que for these can be as simple as you gathering your things to leave your home.
You may not notice it, but you likely do very similar things each time, and your doggo notices!
Frequently Going To The Bathroom Inside
Even with a well-potty trained pup accidents do happen. However, if you’re noticing that your dog, who you believe to be house-trained, is still having frequent accidents inside the house.
It may not be that their bathroom routine is off – it could also be a nervous bladder.
What Causes Separation Anxiety in Dogs?
If only our pups could share with us what’s bothering them! Unfortunately, since we can’t speak dog we have to make some educated guesses as to what is causing them such discomfort.
There are many triggers that could be the cause. Here are some of the more common reasons why your dog may be experiencing separation anxiety.
Dramatic Environment Changes
Large changes in your dog’s life can definitely play into the development of separation anxiety. Some of those things could be:
- A change in the household members; If a family member passes away and they were a big part of the dogs life this can definitely play a part in their anxiety. They may not understand or know why a person is no longer around. This can cause them to experience grief when they lose the presence of a loved one, very similar to how humans do.
- A change of owner; If a dog had a previous owner that gave them up and then they begin to get attached to you. This can spark separation anxiety as they are worried they will be left again.
- A change of home; If you move to a completely different area, this change in scenery, smells, familiar interactions, sounds, etc. can bring up anxiety in your dog. Just like humans, we get attached to what’s familiar and when that changes suddenly, we usually aren’t too fond of it at first. And especially for a dog because they don’t understand why their home has changed in the first place.
- A change in daily routine; If your dog is used to doing things at a certain time every day and that changes, it can lead to distress. An example of this is in 2020 when everyone had to stay home. An owner would begin to be much more available to their dog. Once that changed back to normal working days, a more emotional dog may start to experience separation anxiety because of this change to their day.
Trauma
If your dog experienced a traumatic event when they were younger this could be a reason for your dogs anxiety. If they were in a shelter, or a rescue dog, where you’re not 100% sure about their history.
They could have experienced a highly stressful event(s) that have stuck with them until now (the poor thing).
Infatuation (Obsession)
Some breeds build a much stronger bond with their owner than others. Because of this strong bond/love for you it pains them to see you go. This is likely why they act out when you’re not available to them.
Soothing Their Symptoms: Things You Can Do To Help Your Dog Cope
Some things you can do to help your dog overcome their anxiety in addition to getting them a great crate are:
Exercise
Too much energy can be a root cause for many of the things you find your dog did while you were gone. A more simple remedy can be to tire them out before you leave the house.
This hopefully will help them get into a relaxed state and enable them to get some rest while you’re away. Exercise is also known to release ‘happy’ hormones like endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin which all have specific benefits.
Normalize your departure cues
Your dog probably knows exactly when you’re leaving the house. Either because it’s at the same time everyday, or, because you unconsciously do the same few things every time before you leave the house.
A good way to normalize your departure cues is to change things up a bit. For example, don’t make every time you pick up your keys a symbol of you leaving the house.
Mix in some times where you pick up your keys then go sit on the couch and resume watching T.V.
Another example would be to put your jacket on then proceed to do the dishes. Or, grab your keys and do some cleaning around the house. Or, put your shoes on and go do some laundry!
The whole purpose is to make these have less significance to your dog. The common things that you generally always do before you leave the house.
By doing so, they won’t be 100% aware that you’re leaving. This means in the future when you do these things the emotional shock will be less painful.
Another part of desensitizing your departure cues involves making less of a big deal of your coming and leaving home.
I know it’s tempting (because I do it all the time) to say goodbye and let them know you won’t be gone for very long. Or to greet them with a big hello and a hug & kiss when you get back home.
But, for a dog with large amounts of anxiety this is doing them more harm than good.
If you make less of a big deal that you’re leaving or that you’ve just come home. It won’t have the same degree of significance that is getting your dog all riled up emotionally.
If you act like you’ve been home all day and you walk by them as though you hadn’t left. Then, when they’ve calmed down you can give them love and attention. This can help reduce their feeling of anxiety.
Remote interactive devices
Thanks to technology you can even stay connected with your doggo while you are away from home!
There are devices now-a-days that can help give your dog the sense that they’re not alone while you’re gone. The most common product on the market today is remote treat dispensers. These give you the capability to treat your dog while you’re away at work or anywhere in your travels.
Get them a friend!
This may not be a practical solution for you, or maybe you hadn’t thought about it. But adopting another dog/pet could absolutely help soothe your dog’s anxiety.
Having another companion to help occupy their attention while you’re gone can be a great solution. Of course it’s important to make sure your dog and any new family member are getting along before leaving them alone together.
Once their bond is set though, you will find that their being away from you is not as painful.
And since you love your current doggo so much, who wouldn’t want another little bundle of joy to love!
Provide personal items to comfort them
It may sound odd, but leaving your dog with something you’ve worn more recently could provide them with a great deal of comfort. It’s well known that a dog’s sense of smell is far greater than a humans.
When a dog gets a whiff of something familiar it can put their mind in a more relieved state.
However, this could also result in a destroyed shoe, shirt or pants. So it’s important to make sure destructive chewing isn’t one of the ways your dog seems to be expressing their anxiety before giving this method a shot.
Do your best to keep them occupied
Imagine if you had to sit at home and not be able to distract yourself with social media, T.V or games… You’d be pretty bored too and may even become mischievous!
This is why doing your best to keep them occupied while they’re home alone is important.
Thankfully, there are many toys that are built for this type of thing. There are various puzzle toys for dogs as well as long-lasting chew toys that can help keep their minds distracted during their alone time.
It’s important to note that this won’t likely eliminate their anxiety. BUT, it can definitely help reduce the severity of it. If they have something their mind can focus on outside of being alone they’ll be less prone to misbehaving.
Important Features A Crate Should Have For Anxious Dogs
While there are many crates out there that would be completely adequate for a dog that isn’t experiencing a high degree of anxiety. There are fewer crates that would best suit a dog going through this experience.
Here are some of the more important features your crate should have if your dog is experiencing anxiety.
Very Secure
Since a dog going through separation anxiety is much more high-strung than a dog who isn’t, a more secure crate is definitely needed. They will be trying everything in their power to break out of the crate until they’ve come to the conclusion that their efforts aren’t working.
This is why a super secure crate is important. It’s limits will be tested and the last thing you want is to come home to a broken crate. Not only cause you’ll have to buy another, but your dog could have gotten hurt during the escape.
Chew-Resistant
This goes hand-in-hand with the point of having a crate that is very secure. You are going to want a crate that is made of considerably durable material to ensure that their chewing isn’t going to break through the crate and set them loose.
Even with their most determined efforts you want to know that the crate you brought home is going to be able to go the distance as an anxious dog will want to chew anything they can get their mouth on.
The Perfect Size
One of the biggest concerns when buying a crate or even a dog bed is, is it going to be big enough? The worst thing is getting it home or having it shipped from amazon only to realize it’s too small for your dog.
However, you also don’t want to bring home too large of a crate because that can reduce the security your dog feels while in their crate.
It’s very important to measure the height and length of your dog, and to check the sizing of the crate you want to bring home.
You want there to be enough room for them to stand up and turn around so they don’t feel trapped, but not so much that they can walk around in circles or pace.
Think of it like a baby feeling comfort when being caressed by their mother. A nice snug warm hug is comforting and that’s what you want to attempt to replicate with your dogs crate.
Cave-Like Crates > Cage-Like Crates
A part of the history of dogs is that they used to live in dens before they were domesticated. This is why a darker more secluded cave-like crate will bring them more instinctive comfort and calmness.
It’s of course important to have proper ventilation/air circulation in the crate. But it’s also helpful for their crate to still maintain a more den-like resemblance.
Conclusion
There are many ways your pup can be experiencing separation anxiety as well as many reasons as to why it has flared up. It’s important to move forward with the right crate that suits your dog’s specific situation.
We hope the information shared has been helpful to you but it’s always a good idea to consult with a vet to get more concrete answers as to why your dog may be acting up.
Finding the right crate for your dog’s situation is important and it was our pleasure to bring you some of the best dog crates for anxiety to help them cope with their situation.
It definitely takes some love and patience to help a dog overcome separation anxiety and finding the right crate for your dog to call home while you’re away has brought you 1 step closer!
Other posts you find might interesting:
How To Crate Train An Older Dog With Separation Anxiety
Should You Put A Blanket Over A Dog Crate? (The Pros & Cons)
