What Size Crate Does a Bernese Mountain Dog Need?

By the Riverside Berner Guide editorial team
Last updated November 9, 2026

No breed club, kennel club or veterinary source we checked gives a Bernese Mountain Dog crate size, so we won’t print one. The right crate is sized to your own dog: measure your Berner standing up, add 3 to 4 inches to the height and length, and make sure there’s room to stand, turn around and lie down. For a puppy, buy a crate that will fit the adult dog and block off the extra space with a divider.

This guide shows you how to measure, how to size a crate for a growing puppy, and how to crate train kindly. It’s part of our Bernese Mountain Dog care guide.

Why there’s no official Bernese Mountain Dog crate size

You’ll find plenty of crate charts online that list a size for Berners. We looked for one from an allowed source: the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America (BMDCA), the American Kennel Club (AKC) and veterinary schools. None gives a crate size for the breed.

The AKC’s guide to choosing a crate gives a measuring method instead of a breed chart. Cornell’s veterinary college and UC Davis’s veterinary school also describe how a crate should fit, not a number. So the honest answer is: measure your dog.

Why breed size alone won’t tell you

Berners vary a lot. The BMDCA FAQ says males stand 25 to 27½ inches at the withers and females 23 to 26 inches. Males generally weigh 80 to 115 pounds and females 70 to 95 pounds.

Those figures don’t translate into a crate size.

Height at the withers is measured at the shoulders, but the AKC method measures to the top of the head. A tall dog and a short dog of the same breed can need different crates. For more on adult size, see how big Bernese Mountain Dogs get.

How to measure your Berner for a crate

The AKC gives a simple method. You’ll need a tape measure, a helper and a few treats.

1. Stand your dog up. Ask your dog to stand square on a flat floor.
2. Measure height. Measure from the top of the head to the floor.
3. Measure length. Measure from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.
4. Add 3 to 4 inches to each. These are the minimum inside height and length your crate needs.

Use your own dog’s numbers, not a chart. Check the crate’s inside measurements, not just its name or the outside size.

The fit test

Measurements are a starting point. Then check the fit with your dog inside:

• Stand: Your dog can stand without ducking its head (Cornell).
• Turn: Your dog can turn around freely (UC Davis).
• Lie down: Your dog can lie down comfortably (AKC).
• Not too big: For a dog still learning house training, the crate shouldn’t leave room for a separate potty area. The AKC and UC Davis both warn that a dog may soil one end and rest in the other.

What about a 48 inch or 54 inch dog crate?

You may be wondering whether a 48 inch dog crate or a 54 inch dog crate is the right crate size for a Bernese Mountain Dog. No allowed source answers that, and a size label such as “XXL dog crate” isn’t a measurement of your dog. Measure your dog, add the AKC’s 3 to 4 inches, and compare the result with the inside height and length of the crate you’re considering.

What size crate for a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy?

Buy once, for the adult dog. The AKC suggests an expandable crate sized for the breed’s typical adult size, with an adjustable divider. Cornell agrees, noting that it saves you buying several sizes as your dog grows.

The divider is what makes this work. UC Davis advises blocking the back of an adult-size crate so your puppy can’t make a separate toilet area. Cornell says the space should still let your puppy stand, turn and lie down comfortably.

Moving the divider as your puppy grows

There’s no Berner growth chart to plan around, as our Bernese growth chart guide explains. So size the space to your puppy, not the calendar. Check often whether your puppy can still stand without ducking, turn around and lie down comfortably, and move the divider back when it can’t.

You won’t know your puppy’s adult measurements in advance. Re-measure once your dog is grown, using the AKC method, to confirm the crate still fits.

House training and the crate

A crate is a house-training tool, not a holding cell. The BMDCA’s puppy sheet says young puppies can’t hold their waste for long and need regular trips outside. With consistent training, it says house training should usually be done by 8 months of age at the latest.

UC Davis warns that puppies can’t be expected to hold it for long stretches, such as all day while you’re at work. If your puppy has accidents in the crate, it most likely just needs to go out more often. Our Bernese puppy training guide covers house training step by step.

Adult Berners: does the crate need to be bigger?

It can be. Cornell says that for a house-trained dog crated mainly to prevent destructive behavior, a larger crate with room to stretch out is fine. The “not too big” rule matters most while your dog is still learning house manners.

The AKC’s crate training guide says seniors with aches or arthritis may find long crate time uncomfortable. It suggests a larger area with several comfy spots instead. See our guide to caring for a senior Bernese.

Choosing a Bernese Mountain Dog crate: types, not brands

We don’t recommend brands or products. This page explains how to choose a crate, so you can judge any model yourself. The AKC says the crate should be secure enough that your dog can’t escape and easy to set up and take down.

Given a Berner’s size, the AKC’s note that soft crates suit small breeds that won’t chew is worth taking seriously. Cornell adds that many dogs like a den-like feel, so you can cover a wire crate with a sheet or cover, leaving one or two sides open.

Making it comfortable

The AKC says every crate needs ventilation holes or mesh sides. Its crate training guide suggests adding beds or blankets only once your dog reliably avoids accidents and doesn’t shred fabric. It also advises taking off your dog’s collar before crating, for safety.

Where you put the crate matters too. The BMDCA’s puppy sheet calls a clean, dry, well-ventilated space that is heated or cooled as needed essential to a dog’s health. For a breed that struggles in heat, keep the crate out of hot spots; see keeping a Berner cool.

Crate training basics

A crate works best when your dog chooses to go in. The AKC’s crate training guide and the UC Davis handout describe a slow, reward-based start:

1. Make it inviting. Put the crate in a common area with toys and treats inside for your puppy to find.
2. Reward every visit. Toss a treat in each time your dog goes near or inside, with the door open.
3. Feed meals in the crate. Once your puppy goes in happily, serve meals there.
4. Close the door briefly. Start closing it during meals and open it before your puppy finishes eating.
5. Build time slowly. Lengthen closed-door time step by step, then practice leaving the room, then the house, for short spells.
6. Give a chew. A food-stuffed chew toy each time your dog goes in makes the crate worth visiting.

UC Davis says that if your puppy keeps whining, it has been closed in too long. Go back to a time it handles well and build more slowly. The AKC adds that crate training goes best when your dog is calm or sleepy, after its bathroom and exercise needs are met.

Firm rules

• Never use the crate as punishment (AKC, UC Davis).
• Never force your dog inside (AKC, UC Davis).
• Never crate longer than your dog is comfortable or can hold its bladder (AKC).

Before crating, give your dog a chance to burn off energy. Our guide to adult Bernese exercise needs covers daily activity, and puppy exercise covers the growing months.

How long is too long?

The AKC’s article on leaving a puppy alone gives these limits for time alone in general, not just in a crate:

The same article says adult dogs shouldn’t be left alone much longer than six to eight hours without a bathroom break. If your days run longer, the AKC suggests a dog walker, a pet sitter, doggy daycare or a puppy-proofed space with a playpen or gate.

When a crate isn’t the answer

Some dogs panic in a crate. The AKC lists warning signs: pacing, shaking, scratching or biting at the door, long bouts of howling or barking, and drooling. Cornell adds panting and soiling the crate.

Don’t force a highly stressed dog to stay crated alone. Cornell suggests a larger space, such as a pet-proof exercise pen, or a pet sitter. UC Davis warns that crating a dog with separation anxiety may make it more anxious, and that some dogs break teeth or tear nails trying to escape.

If your dog shows these signs, talk to your vet. Cornell says a vet or qualified trainer can help reduce anxiety, and UC Davis notes your vet can refer you to a behaviorist or trainer. Our Bernese training guide covers reward-based training for adults.

The bottom line

No allowed source gives a Bernese Mountain Dog crate size, so measure your dog, add 3 to 4 inches to height and length, and check that your Berner can stand, turn and lie down. Buy for adult size and use a divider for a puppy.

Then make the crate a calm, rewarding place, and keep crate time within what your dog can handle. For the rest of your day-one shopping list, see our Bernese puppy supplies checklist. If you live in a small home, our guide to Berners in apartments may help too.