Crate size by breed / Herding group
Shetland Sheepdog crate size
An adult Shetland Sheepdog weighs about 20 lb, which sits inside the manufacturer's 24 in band (11–25 lb, 23.6 × 16.7 × 19.1 in interior).
Which crate for a Shetland Sheepdog
The chart below is MidWest's iCrate sizing, the most common wire crate in US pet stores, with the Shetland Sheepdog'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 | Shetland Sheepdog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Fits the 20–20 lb range |
| 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 Shetland Sheepdog that measures more than 22 in nose to tail base is long for the 24 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 Shetland Sheepdog puppy reaches 20 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 Shetland Sheepdog puppy feeding chart shows the growth stages the divider will follow.
Bed size for a Shetland Sheepdog
Using Orvis's rectangle-bed fit guide, a 20 lb Shetland Sheepdog 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 Shetland Sheepdog compares
By mid-range adult weight, the Shetland Sheepdog ranks 16 of 49 breeds on this site, with 32 heavier and 16 lighter — a small breed in the size classes used here. AKC gives height only; VCA lists about 20 lb.
Breeds of similar weight, whose crate answer is the same or one size off: Shiba Inu (18–22 lb), West Highland White Terrier (15–20 lb), Beagle (22–25 lb), Dachshund (Standard) (16–32 lb), Pug (14–18 lb).
Adult height from AKC breed standard (PDF); adult weight from VCA Animal Hospitals breed page; 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.