Crate size by breed / Working group
Working group · large breed
Alaskan Malamute crate size
An adult Alaskan Malamute weighs about 85 lb, which sits inside the manufacturer's 42 in band (70–90 lb, 41.9 × 29.5 × 30.3 in interior).
- 1Shoulder 25 in
- 2Crate 42 in · 41.9 × 30.3 in inside
- 3Adult weight 85 lb
- 4Bed Large 43 × 29 in
Which crate for a Alaskan Malamute
The chart below is MidWest's iCrate sizing, the most common wire crate in US pet stores, with the Alaskan Malamute's weight range marked. Interior lengths are the figures the manufacturer lists, not the nominal size, which is why a "36 in" crate is 36.6 in inside.
| Crate | Label | Interior L × W × H (in) | Dog weight | Alaskan Malamute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 in | Toy | 17.68 × 11.7 × 14.22 | 1–6 lb | Too small |
| 22 in | Extra Small | 22.5 × 14 × 16 | 7–12 lb | Too small |
| 24 in | Small | 23.6 × 16.7 × 19.1 | 11–25 lb | Too small |
| 30 in | Medium | 29.7 × 18.6 × 21 | 26–40 lb | Too small |
| 36 in | Intermediate | 36.6 × 21.9 × 24.5 | 41–70 lb | Too small |
| 42 in | Large | 41.9 × 29.5 × 30.3 | 70–90 lb | Fits the 85–85 lb range |
| 48 in | Extra Large | 47.76 × 29.6 × 31.7 | 90–110 lb | Larger than needed |
Crate dimensions and weight bands: MidWest Homes for Pets — iCrate product sizing (manufacturer), checked 2026-10-20.
Measure before you buy
Weight bands are a shortcut. The dimension that decides whether a crate works is body length. Stand the dog, measure from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail (not the tail tip), and add 2 to 4 inches; the crate's interior length must be at least that. For height, measure from the floor to the top of the head while sitting and add the same allowance. A Alaskan Malamute that measures more than 40 in nose to tail base is long for the 42 in and should go up a size regardless of weight.
The welfare rule is the one every shelter and trainer repeats: the crate must be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around. Bigger is not better for house-training, because a crate with spare floor space invites the puppy to soil one end and sleep in the other, which is why the adult-size crates in this chart ship with a divider panel.
Puppies: buy the adult size and use the divider
A Alaskan Malamute puppy reaches 85 lb at maturity, so buying a puppy-sized crate means buying twice. Choose the crate for the adult weight above, fit the divider so the puppy has room to stand, turn and lie down and no more, and move the divider back as the dog grows. The Alaskan Malamute puppy feeding chart shows the growth stages the divider will follow.
Bed size for a Alaskan Malamute
Using Orvis's rectangle-bed fit guide, a 85 lb Alaskan Malamute takes the Large (43 × 29 in). Dogs that sleep stretched out need the length of their body plus a few inches; curl-sleepers can go one size down in a bolster bed. Full chart on the bed size page.
How the Alaskan Malamute compares
By mid-range adult weight, the Alaskan Malamute ranks 111 of 132 breeds on this site, with 21 heavier and 110 lighter — a large breed in the size classes used here. In the AKC's 2024 registration ranking the Alaskan Malamute stood at number 79. The standard separates the sexes: females top out around 10 lb lighter at about 75 lb and stand 23 in, which is why a female often fits the smaller of two candidate crates. The standard names one desirable freighting size per sex: males 25 in and 85 lb, females 23 in and 75 lb.
Breeds of similar weight, whose crate answer is the same or one size off: Rhodesian Ridgeback (about 85 lb), Beauceron (66–99 lb), Borzoi (75–105 lb), Giant Schnauzer (75–105 lb), Old English Sheepdog (79–101 lb).
Adult height from AKC breed standard (PDF); adult weight from AKC breed standard (PDF); both checked 2026-10-21. Height is at the withers in inches; weight in pounds for adult dogs. Where a breed standard states a figure it is used first (AKC, then FCI); where the standard is silent, the Wikipedia infobox or VCA breed page is used and named. Metric figures were converted and rounded to the nearest half inch or pound. Where the source gives only a maximum, the range reads "up to" that figure.