The best puppy training crate

The sturdy MidWest Life Stages Folding Dog Crate has a built-in divider so you can adjust its size as your puppy grows.

A crate can help make puppy house-training progress more smoothly by providing your dog with a safe place to relax when you can't supervise. If the crate is just large enough for your pup to comfortably lie down, stand up and turn around, they will be less likely to have an accident inside.

My favorite kind of crate for house-training is the MidWest Life Stages Folding Dog Crate. This metal wire model has an adjustable interior panel that can be moved to shrink the space down to puppy-training size. As your dog grows or when your potty training is complete, you can move the panel back to expand the interior. This crate can literally last a lifetime.

The MidWest Life Stages Folding Dog Crate has some other important features, too, making it our top pick for the best dog crates. It's well-constructed with heavy-gauge steel and strong bolt latches, and the crate's plastic, leakproof mat is easy to clean up if your pup has an accident. Rubber rolling feet protect wood floors from scratches and a handle at the top makes the surprisingly lightweight crate easy to lift. Best of all, the whole thing folds down flat for effortless transportation or for stashing away when your house-training is complete.

This crate comes in six sizes — from 22 inches to 48 inches long — and you can choose between two styles, one with a single door at the front or one with two doors, one at the front and one at the side. The wire construction provides good ventilation and visibility.

The MidWest Life Stages Folding Dog Crate isn't ideal for every dog. If you have a skilled escape artist, you may find that they are able to manipulate the bolts and get free. I've also seen panicked dogs cause real destruction to the plastic mat or their mouths or paws trying to get out. However, if you've done the work of desensitizing your dog to a crate, this is an excellent style for house-training needs and beyond.

Pros: Lightweight and durable construction, available in six sizes with one or two doors, divider to adjust size for growing puppies, leak-proof plastic pan, carrying handle, rubber roller feet to protect floors, heavy-duty slide-bolt latches

Cons: Some dogs may be able to manipulate latches, destructive dogs could harm themselves or destroy the crate's plastic mat