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Anyone have any recommendations on the proper size of a dog crate, relative to the dog’s size? We will be traveling a good day’s drive from home in late October to do some pheasant hunting, and I am a bit concerned about a suitable crate for the trip. I currently have Ruffland large size crate for our longer legged Labrador. He is not a bulky dog at all, just a bit longer on the leg. I’m wondering if I need to move up to an extra large crate.

Can your dog stand up and turn around in a large?

Have you crated him much in a size crate large before this trip?

Yep. He can stand up in it , although it is tight, height wise. He can also turn around in it. He slept in it at night, in the garage last winter. He wasn’t full grown back then.

That sounds like the correct size. The safest for a dog is one they can enter and just turn around in. They do not need to stand fully as the dog will mostly be laying down. A travel kennel is basically the dog's seatbelt and too large of a crate may not protect the dog to the best of its abilities. You don't want the dog traveling very far before contacting the side of the kennel in the event of a sudden stop or a crash. Air travel requires a larger crate but that is not applicable here.