The Crate That Finally Ended the Midnight Crying

Moose came home in early March 2026, about four months old, with a shelter collar, a thin leash, and no idea what a house was. I had no dog gear at all. I am 57, retired from a dental office, and this was the first dog I was training myself as an adult. The week before he arrived, I ordered the MidWest Homes for Pets 36-inch single door iCrate. The listing says it is made for medium to large breeds in the 41 to 70 pound range, and the shelter guessed Moose would land near there. I liked that it came with a divider panel. I did not like the idea of a giant empty crate for a small puppy.

The crate went together on the bedroom floor next to my side of the bed. The listing says tool-free assembly, and that was true for us. The panels lined up, the carry handle was on top, and I had it standing before Gary finished putting away the groceries. That first night I put a fleece blanket in the bottom, set the removable tray underneath, and used the divider to block off the back half. I wanted him to have a small, safe spot instead of a whole 36-inch room.

He cried. Not a whimper, a full rising howl that started around ten o'clock and came in waves. I sat on the floor beside the crate with my hand flat on the top. He would settle for a few minutes, then start again. This went on for about ten nights. I am not going to pretend I had a method. I was tired, and I second-guessed the whole thing. What helped was keeping the routine boring: last potty, blanket, a plain word, lights low, me in bed where he could see me. By the end of the second week, he walked in on his own at bedtime. I did not leave him in another room to cry it out.

The divider is what I would tell any new puppy owner to use. At four months, Moose did not need the full length of a 36-inch crate. The divider panel made the space smaller, so he could turn around and lie down without a corner to use as a bathroom. The listing says the divider lets the crate grow with your dog. I moved it back once in April, once in May, and took it out for good in June. The tray came out for washing, and the rubber feet kept the crate from sliding on the wood floor.

The divider panel did more for us than any treat. It made the crate the size of a bed, not the size of a room.

The first month was not a straight line. There were nights he went in and nights he stood at the door and looked at me like I had betrayed him. I kept the crate in the bedroom instead of moving it to the laundry room. That was a choice for our house, not a rule for every dog. Some dogs do better with a cover. The MidWest Homes for Pets crate has a single door and a metal frame, and Moose could see me from inside it.

By late March, I was using the crate for short errands. I would stuff his KONG with soaked kibble and a little peanut butter, freeze it overnight, and hand it to him in the crate before I walked out. I did not make a big production of leaving. I picked up the LickiMat if it was out, put the KONG in, closed the door, and went. The first few times I was gone ten minutes. Then twenty. He was asleep when I got back more often than not. It was a routine that helped him settle in our house.

The MidWest Homes for Pets crate has held up. It is 22 pounds and folds if we need to move it, though I have not folded it since we set it up. The door latches the way it did on day one. The tray has not leaked, and the fleece blanket gets washed every week. The listing gives the size as 36.5 by 23.25 by 24.75 inches. The item dimensions line says 36 inches long by 23 inches wide by 25 inches high. At about 45 pounds and still filling out, Moose can stand up and turn around without his head hitting the top.

Would I buy it again? Yes, for a medium to large puppy in a house like ours. Not because it is fancy. Because it is simple. The single door is the door we use. The divider gave me a way to size the crate to a four-month-old without buying a second crate later. The tray comes out for accidents. The rubber feet keep it quiet. The carry handle is there if we ever need to move it. The listing says it has a one-year manufacturer warranty, and I have not needed it. No panel has bent, and Moose has done his share of leaning on the front.

What I'd Tell You If We Were Sitting at My Kitchen Table

I would tell you to buy the crate before the dog comes home, set it up where you sleep, and use the divider. I would tell you that the first week may be rough and that a puppy crying at night is not a sign you picked the wrong crate. I would also tell you to keep your expectations honest. This crate helped Moose settle. It did not teach him to love being alone, and it will not work for every dog. If your puppy panics, drools, hurts himself, or cannot calm down in a crate, talk to your vet or a certified trainer. That is not a crate problem. That is a dog who needs a real plan. For us, in our house, the MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate made the first month manageable.