Crate size by breed / Toy group
Maltese crate size
An adult Maltese weighs 7–9 lb, which sits inside the manufacturer's 22 in band (7–12 lb, 22.5 × 14 × 16 in interior).
Which crate for a Maltese
The chart below is MidWest's iCrate sizing, the most common wire crate in US pet stores, with the Maltese'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 | Maltese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Fits the 7–9 lb range |
| 24 in | Small | 23.6 × 16.7 × 19.1 | 11–25 lb | Larger than needed |
| 30 in | Medium | 29.7 × 18.6 × 21 | 26–40 lb | Larger than needed |
| 36 in | Intermediate | 36.6 × 21.9 × 24.5 | 41–70 lb | Larger than needed |
| 42 in | Large | 41.9 × 29.5 × 30.3 | 70–90 lb | Larger than needed |
| 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 Maltese that measures more than 21 in nose to tail base is long for the 22 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 Maltese puppy reaches 9 lb at maturity. 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 Maltese puppy feeding chart shows the growth stages the divider will follow.
Bed size for a Maltese
Using Orvis's rectangle-bed fit guide, a 9 lb Maltese takes the Small (28 × 18 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 Maltese compares
By mid-range adult weight, the Maltese ranks 5 of 49 breeds on this site, with 44 heavier and 4 lighter — a toy breed in the size classes used here.
Breeds of similar weight, whose crate answer is the same or one size off: Yorkshire Terrier (up to 7 lb), Poodle (Toy) (4.5–6.5 lb), Havanese (7–14 lb), Dachshund (Miniature) (up to 11 lb), Pomeranian (3–7 lb).
Adult height from Wikipedia breed infobox/body; adult weight from Wikipedia breed infobox/body; both checked 2026-10-20. 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.