How to Crate Train a Golden Retriever Puppy (Including the First Nights)

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About the health information here: it comes from vet groups and vet schools, but we’re dog owners, not vets, so for anything about your own puppy’s health, check with your vet.

The short answer: Get a crate sized for an adult golden with a divider, put it beside your bed at night, and make it the best spot in the house with meals and treats inside. Build up door-closed time in small steps, take a young puppy out when they wake and whine at night, and never use the crate as punishment.

In this guide

1. What size crate is good for a golden retriever?
2. Where should the crate go, and what goes in it?
3. How do you crate train a golden retriever puppy, step by step?
4. What does a golden retriever crate training schedule look like for the first week?
5. Crate training a golden retriever puppy at night: what’s normal?
6. Is your puppy crying in the crate? Here’s how to tell what they need
7. How long can a golden retriever puppy stay in a crate?
8. What if your golden puppy escapes the crate?
9. When can you stop crating your golden retriever?
10. FAQs
11. Bottom line

What size crate is good for a golden retriever?

Buy for your golden’s adult size, and use the divider while they’re small.

The AKC says a puppy’s crate should be just large enough to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. Too big, and your puppy can pee at one end and sleep at the other.

VCA’s vet behavior team words it a little roomier: enough floor space to lie down and stretch, and tall enough to stand without hitting their head. That’s most of the size debate in two sentences. Use the snug rule while you’re potty training (divider in) and the roomier one for the grown dog (divider out).

Adult males stand 23 to 24 inches and weigh 65 to 75 pounds. Females are 21.5 to 22.5 inches and 55 to 65 pounds. Owners often debate 36 versus 42 inches, and a 42-inch with a divider covers both. The full sizing rundown is in golden retriever puppy checklist: what to buy before day one.

Pick that fits a golden: MidWest iCrate Double Door 42″. It’s about 42 x 28 x 30 inches, rated for 71 to 90 pound dogs, and comes with a divider panel and a leak-proof tray. Wirecutter recommends it as a lighter-weight wire crate. We haven’t tested it ourselves.

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Where should the crate go, and what goes in it?

At night, in your bedroom. By day, somewhere the family hangs out that’s calm enough for a nap.

• Nights: the AKC and Humane World for Animals both say to put the crate in or near your bedroom. You’ll hear the whimper that means “I need to go out,” and your puppy feels less alone.

• Days: Humane World suggests the room where the family spends a lot of time. The AKC adds that it should be relatively quiet. VCA’s vets say two crates (or a crate and a pen) is fine, one in the living area and one in the bedroom.

• Kids: teach them not to poke fingers through the bars, tap on the sides or bother your puppy inside. The crate is your puppy’s safe zone.

What goes in:

• A food-stuffed chew toy. The AKC suggests one every time your puppy goes in, frozen so it lasts longer. KONG’s own puppy toy is labeled “Supervised use only,” so save stuffed toys for crate time while you’re home.

• Bedding, carefully. Humane World suggests a soft blanket or bed. The AKC points out that many puppies like to pee on soft surfaces, so you might wait until your puppy stops having accidents or shredding fabric. If the bedding gets wet or chewed, take it out for now.

• Something that smells like home. The AKC’s first-day guide suggests a blanket or toy that smells like your puppy’s mother.

• Water. The AKC says to provide water in the crate.

• No collar. The AKC says to always take your dog’s collar off in the crate, for safety.

How do you crate train a golden retriever puppy, step by step?

Slowly, with food, in small steps your puppy says yes to. Humane World’s method, which lines up with the AKC’s and VCA’s, goes like this:

1. Make the crate interesting. Leave the door open. Drop treats nearby, then just inside, then all the way in. The AKC suggests sitting next to it and tossing a treat in every time your puppy goes near.

2. Serve meals in the crate. Feed near the crate first, then a little further back each meal. Once your puppy is standing inside to eat, close the door during the meal and open it as soon as they finish. Each meal, leave it closed a few minutes longer, until they’re staying in about 10 minutes after eating.

3. Practice longer stays while you’re home. Use a cue like “crate,” toss a treat in, praise, close the door. Sit quietly nearby for 5 to 10 minutes, step into another room for a few minutes, come back, sit a while, then let them out. Repeat several times a day.

4. Start short absences and nights. Once your puppy stays quiet about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can leave the house for short periods. Keep goodbyes matter-of-fact and hellos low-key.

Three rules sit on top of all of it. Never force your puppy in. Never use the crate as punishment. And never crate them longer than they can hold it.

If your puppy whines during practice, the AKC’s advice is to wait for a few seconds of quiet, then reward and open the door. Whining means you asked for too much too soon, so go back a step.

What does a golden retriever crate training schedule look like for the first week?

Here’s a sample week that spaces out the four steps above. The day numbers are ours, not a rule. Humane World says crate training takes days or weeks, and the AKC says anywhere from a day to several months. Move on only when your puppy is relaxed at the current step.

• Day 1: Crate set up with the door open. Treat tossing and meals near the crate. At night, the crate goes beside your bed, with one last potty trip right before you turn in.

• Days 2 and 3: Meals inside the crate, further back each time. Close the door during meals and open it when the bowl’s empty, then leave it closed a few minutes longer each meal.

• Days 4 and 5: Add the “crate” cue. Door closed with a stuffed chew toy while you sit nearby for 5 to 10 minutes, then short trips into another room.

• Days 6 and 7: Work toward about 30 calm minutes with you mostly out of sight. If that’s going well, try a very short trip out of the house.

Nights run alongside all of this from day one. More on those next.

Crate training a golden retriever puppy at night: what’s normal?

Waking up, whining and needing to pee are all normal in the first weeks. Your puppy just left their littermates and is sleeping somewhere new.

One owner on Reddit’s r/goldenretrievers described a puppy that “wakes up to pee at 3am every night.” VCA’s vet guide says that, with a lot of individual variability, many puppies can hold it through the night by 3 months of age. Until then, plan on getting up.

What helps:

• Last trip right before bed. The AKC says puppies can usually hold it longer while they’re asleep.

• No food in the 2 hours before bed. That’s the AKC’s advice.

• Carry a small puppy out. It stops them peeing on the way to the door.

• Keep it boring. The AKC’s first-day guide says to carry them out for “a quick, boring potty break,” then straight back to the crate. VCA’s vets say calm, brief night trips teach your puppy that waking you up doesn’t lead to playtime.

• Think before you share the bed. If your puppy cries, the AKC says don’t put them in your bed unless that’s where you want them to sleep.

The full bedtime routine at 8, 10 and 12 weeks is in golden retriever puppy schedule: a sample day at 8, 10 and 12 weeks.

Is your puppy crying in the crate? Here’s how to tell what they need

Start with when the crying started. The answer changes what you do.

• It starts within minutes of going in. The AKC says that’s likely stress, often in a puppy who hasn’t learned to be alone yet. Go back a step in training and add more good things to crate time.

• It starts after they’ve been asleep a while. The AKC says that usually means a potty need, boredom or hunger. At night, its step-by-step guide makes an exception to the “don’t open for whining” rule: let your puppy out, because they most likely need the bathroom.

• It’s mild and brief. VCA’s vets say to give it a few minutes and see if your puppy settles.

• It’s panic. Heavy panting, lots of drool, frantic escape attempts, or howling and barking that won’t stop. The ASPCA says crate confinement isn’t the best option for a dog like that. VCA says to let them out, end the session, and talk to your vet or a veterinary behaviorist before trying again.

Whatever it is, Humane World says never punish your puppy for whining. The AKC says never leave them to cry it out.

“Crate training has been a nightmare,” one golden owner wrote on Reddit. If that’s you, slow down and go back to the last step that worked.

How long can a golden retriever puppy stay in a crate?

Not long. The guides disagree a little, so go with the shorter number.

Puppy’s age	AKC alone-time guide	VCA daytime guide (after a potty trip)
Under 10 weeks	1 hour	2 months: up to 3 hours
10 to 12 weeks	2 hours
3 months	3 hours	Up to 4 hours
4 months	4 hours	Up to 5 hours
5 months	5 hours
6 months	6 hours
Over 6 months	6 to 8 hours at most

Humane World puts it simply: puppies under 6 months shouldn’t stay in a crate more than three or four hours at a time. These are daytime limits. Puppies hold it longer while asleep.

If you’ll be gone longer than your puppy can hold it, use an exercise pen or a gated kitchen instead of the crate, and get a sitter, dog walker or neighbor to come by. The sample workday in golden retriever puppy schedule: a sample day at 8, 10 and 12 weeks shows how.

What if your golden puppy escapes the crate?

First, figure out whether it’s panic or just a puppy testing the door.

Signs of panic: frantic escape attempts with heavy panting, drooling or nonstop howling. Humane World warns that a dog with separation anxiety may get injured trying to escape, and a crate won’t fix the anxiety. Stop crating, use a gated room or puppy-proofed pen instead (the ASPCA’s and AKC’s suggestion), and ask your vet or a behavior professional for help.

If your puppy is calm and just clever:

• Check the latches. MidWest says its iCrate latches have a “Paw Block” to stop dogs working the lock from inside. Wirecutter calls it lighter-weight and less robust than its top wire pick, the MidWest Ultima Pro, so keep that in mind for a determined escaper.

• Take the collar off. The AKC says to always remove it in the crate, so it can’t catch on the wire.

• Go back a step. The AKC says fussing in the crate means you’ve asked for too much too soon.

When can you stop crating your golden retriever?

There’s no set age. Humane World’s test is that your dog can be left alone in the house without accidents or destructive habits.

Get there in stages:

1. Crate.

2. A small, puppy-proofed area, like the kitchen, when you’re out.

3. The rest of the house, a little at a time.

The AKC’s potty guide says owners often expand access too quickly, and that giving freedom gradually works better than unrestricted access too early.

Watch the teenage months. The AKC says adolescence may start around 8 months and run to 2 years, when dogs “seem to forget everything they have ever been taught,” with a second chewing phase at about 8 to 10 months. If chewing comes back, go back a stage for a while. The AKC suggests keeping the crate around for exactly these times.

Potty accidents are different. VCA says a dog shouldn’t regress in potty training, so if a house-trained golden starts having accidents, see your vet to rule out a health problem before you blame the training.

Even after you stop shutting the door, Humane World suggests keeping the crate set up with a comfy bed and the door open when you’re home, so your dog can take themselves there for quiet time.

FAQs

Is crate training cruel?

Not when it’s done kindly. The AKC says dogs instinctively look for small spaces to rest in, and that crate training helps with car trips, vet stays and emergencies. A dog who panics in a crate needs a different setup and professional help.

Should I cover my puppy’s crate?

Try it and see. The AKC says some dogs prefer a wire crate so they can see the world, while others settle better in a darker, more den-like crate, like one with a removable cover.

Can I put my puppy in the crate for biting?

Not as a punishment. The AKC, Humane World and VCA all say the crate should never be used that way. Puppy biting is normal, and it’s its own topic: golden retriever puppy biting: what’s normal and how to stop it.

Should I limit water at night?

The AKC and VCA both say water can go in the crate. We didn’t find a reputable source for a nighttime water cutoff, so ask your vet before you limit it.

Bottom line

Buy an adult-size crate with a divider, keep it beside your bed at night and in a calm family spot by day, and make it pay off with meals and stuffed toys. Build door-closed time slowly, take a young puppy out when they wake at night, and treat panic as a reason to stop and get help. Freedom comes in stages, and the teenage months may send you back a step.

Keep reading: golden retriever puppy schedule: a sample day at 8, 10 and 12 weeks · golden retriever puppy checklist: what to buy before day one · golden retriever puppy biting: what’s normal and how to stop it

Sources

• American Kennel Club, “Everything You Need to Know About Crate Training Your Dog” (Stephanie Gibeault, updated Sep 21, 2026): https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-crate-train-a-puppy/

• American Kennel Club, “Safe and Stress-Free Crate Training: A Step-by-Step Guide” (Stephanie Gibeault, Apr 24, 2026): https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/crate-training-step-by-step/

• American Kennel Club, “How Long Can a Puppy Be Left Alone?”: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-long-leave-puppy-alone/

• American Kennel Club, “Your First Day at Home With a New Puppy” (Harriet Meyers, updated Mar 10, 2026): https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/puppy-information/first-day-new-puppy/

• American Kennel Club, “Puppy Potty Training Timeline and Tips” (Harriet Meyers, updated Aug 11, 2026): https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/puppy-potty-training-timeline/

• American Kennel Club, “How to Potty Train a Puppy”: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-potty-train-a-puppy/

• American Kennel Club, “Crate Training Benefits” (Kaitlyn Arford, updated Oct 29, 2025): https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/why-crate-training-is-great-for-your-dog/

• American Kennel Club, “Your Adolescent Puppy and Changes to Expect” (Breanne Long, updated Apr 3, 2024): https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/adolescent-puppy-changes/

• Humane World for Animals (formerly the Humane Society of the United States), “Crate Training 101”: https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/crate-training-101

• ASPCA, “Separation Anxiety”: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-behavior-issues/separation-anxiety

• VCA Animal Hospitals, “Life Skills for Pets: Crate Training and Confinement for Puppies and Dogs” (Ellen Lindell, VMD, DACVB; Monique Feyrecilde, LVT, VTS (Behavior)): https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/crate-training-your-dog—an-overview

• VCA Animal Hospitals, “How to Crate Train Your Dog” (Horwitz and Landsberg): https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/how-to-crate-train-your-dog

• VCA Animal Hospitals, “Puppy Teenage Phase”: https://vcahospitals.com/pediatric/puppy/behavior-training/puppy-teenage-phase

• Golden Retriever Club of America, AKC breed standard: https://grca.org/about-the-breed/akc-breed-standard/

• Golden Retriever Forum, “Crate size 36 or 42”: https://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/threads/crate-size-36-or-42-urgent-need-help.422881/

• KONG Company, “KONG Puppy” (supervised-use warning, sizes): https://www.kongcompany.com/kong-puppy

• MidWest iCrate Double Door 42″ listing (1542DD: 71 to 90 lb, divider panel, leak-proof tray, Paw Block latch): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QFT1RC

• Wirecutter, “The Best Dog Crate”: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-dog-crate/

• Reddit r/goldenretrievers, owner post (“wakes up to pee at 3am every night”): https://redd.it/1osxqn1

• Reddit r/goldenretrievers, owner post (“Crate training has been a nightmare”): https://redd.it/1oh48iw

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