Investing in a crate for your Alaskan Malamute is generally recommended thanks to their benefits regarding training and denning instincts.
Problems begin to arise when you realize how big an Alaskan Malamute is compared to other dog breeds and how difficult it is to find a dog crate that’s big enough to house them comfortably.
Years of experience have led us to test out all manner of products and dog crates for Alaskan Malamutes, so stay tuned to learn about our top picks for different situations.
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Our Top Pick
You can find our top pick below if you’re in a hurry.
- Plenty Of Space For An Adult Mal
- 3 Latches & Secure Lock
- Removable Pan
You can’t go wrong with this XX-large dog crate by Frisco. It’s heavy-duty and more than large enough to fit your Malamute without them being able to break out of it no matter how hard they try.
It also has all the features we’re looking for, including a removable plastic pan and optional mats, which make it super comfy.
What To Look For In The Ideal Dog Crate For An Alaskan Malamute (Buying Guide)
Regardless of the size of your Alaskan Malamute, there are a few things you should look out for when buying a dog crate to make sure you’re getting a high-quality product for your money.
We’ve included a few of the criteria that we personally look out for when purchasing a new dog crate.
Size
This one is probably a given, but the crate must be large enough to accommodate your Alaskan Malamute.
It’s also where the difficulty comes in for us as reviewers, as Malamutes can vary so much in height, length, and weight! Always check your Malamute’s size against the manufacturer’s provided sizing chart before purchasing.
Remember that ideally, you’ll want the crate to be big enough for your Malamute to be comfortable in but not so large that they don’t feel secure.
Secure Double Doors
Many Alaskan Malamutes have a reputation for being escape artists, so their dog crates must have secure doors with high-quality latches.
Ideally, you’ll want your crate to be double-latched to make escaping harder, and we recommend reading the product reviews to see what other owners have experienced.
While they aren’t necessary, we also recommend dog crates with double doors for Alaskan Malamutes.
These make gaining access to your Malamute much easier, giving you more options when positioning the crate within your home.
Durability
Large dog crates require much thicker wire to retain their structural integrity and remain safe for your Alaskan Malamute to use.
Not only that, but if your Malamute decides to chew at the wire, it must be strong enough to withstand them.
Always check what the manufacturer explicitly mentions about the crate’s construction and look out for any safety features they have included.
Removable Pan
Alaskan Malamutes shed. A lot.
And their crate is bound to fill up with hair in no time, especially when it comes to coat-blowing season.
Many crates now include an easily removable tray that makes cleaning much easier and saves you from having to climb in the crate itself.
Ease Of Transportation
Moving a large dog crate once it’s set up shouldn’t be a chore, and luckily, many manufacturers now implement small design features that can make transportation easy.
If you don’t have a permanent position in mind within your home, consider looking for a collapsible dog crate with wheels.
You also need to consider plane travel, as there are only very few crates approved for airplane use and even fewer that can fit an Alaskan Malamute inside.
4 Best Dog Crates For Your Alaskan Malamute
Now that we know what to look out for let’s dive into what we think are the best dog crates for Alaskan Malamutes.
We’ve tried to consider as many different circumstances as possible to make it easy to find the find dog crate for your needs.
1. Our Top Pick – Frisco XX-Large Heavy Duty Dog Crate
- Plenty Of Space For An Adult Mal
- 3 Latches & Secure Lock
- Removable Pan
Undoubtedly, our choice for the best dog crate for Alaskan Malamutes is the Frisco XX-Large Heavy Duty Dog Crate.
Make no mistake, this dog crate is BIG. It’s pretty much guaranteed to be big enough for your Alaskan Malamute, even if they’re on the giant side, and it is suitable for dogs weighing up to and over 90 lbs.
While a crate of this size can be challenging to accommodate, it’s one of the only ones on the market that’s large enough to comfortably fit a Malamute for extended periods (overnight) without them feeling too claustrophobic.
There’s no need to worry about the strength or durability of this crate, either. It’s built to withstand any escape attempts with three individual safety latches.
It’s also super safe for your Mal, with rounded corners and a durable coating on the wire to prevent accidents if they decide to chew.
It also has the extra features we are looking for, with a double door system and a removable pan for easy cleaning. You can also purchase an additional mat, which I highly recommend to make it even more comfortable for your Mal.
2. Value Pick – MidWest iCrate Dog Crate
- Comes With Divider & Leak-Proof Pan
- Good Value Option
- Certain Parts Can Be Chewed Easily
Our next recommendation is a value pick by Mid West.
Don’t let the value fool you, though; it comes packed with features like a double-door entry and a removable pan.
It also boasts the benefit of being collapsible, which is very beneficial if you need to move the crate often.
The only downside we found with it is a lack of durability against Mals that like to chew, but aside from that, it’s a great option if you’re on a budget.
3. Stylish Option – Frisco Double Door Furniture Style Dog Crate
- Unique Aesthetic That Blends Into A Room
- Functional 2-Way Door Design
- More Expensive Than Other Options
Dog crates are not usually known for being an appealing piece of furniture, and they typically end up being put out of sight where possible.
The Frisco Double Door Furniture Style dog crate ends this problem by providing a stylish alternative to a pet crate that doubles as an end table.
It’s pretty functional as a dog crate, as well as being a nice piece of furniture, and can handle up to 150 lbs of weight on top!
All of this comes at an increased cost, and this isn’t the ideal crate option if you’re looking to travel with it. It is designed to be stationary and fit in with your furniture, after all.
4. Travel Pick – Sport Pet Travel Dog Carrier
- IATA Airline Approved
- Features A Moat to Keep Your Mal Dry During Accidents
- Not Ideal For Everyday Use
Traveling with an Alaskan Malamute is not an easy task, especially when it comes to flights. Luckily, there are travel crates available to buy that make transporting your Malamute a breeze, although finding one large enough to fit them safely is understandably tricky.
Our go-to choice is the Rolling Plastic Travel Dog Crate by SportPet Designs, which can carry dogs up to 26 inches in height and 36 inches in length. The weight limit is 140 lbs.
While these dimensions should be big enough to house the majority of Alaskan Malamutes, we always advise you to measure your Malamute using SportPet Design’s provided guide before purchasing.
What makes this travel crate stand out from the rest is the added considerations to help you as the owner.
There are two appropriately placed handles to make lifting the crate easier, and snap-on wheels allow you to pull the crate around rather than carrying it yourself.
The crate is IATA-approved, meaning it is suitable to fly with and has passed all the necessary regulations. The crate also has two attachable water dishes and four ‘Live Animals’ stickers.
Before purchasing, please get in touch with your airline to ensure this crate meets their specific requirements.
Why Are The Benefits Of A Dog Crate For Your Alaskan Malamute?
Here at The Malamute Mom, we’ve had experience raising Alaskan Malamutes using crate training.
While we certainly agree that a dog crate is not absolutely necessary to raise a happy and well-behaved Malamute, there are many benefits to using one that also can’t be ignored.
Let’s explore the benefits that crates have for your Mal.
Safe Space
Despite their large size and sometimes intimidating appearance, Alaskan Malamutes are softies at heart and need their own space to feel safe and secure. That’s where a dog crate can become very handy.
They provide a cozy confinement for your Malamute to hide in if necessary, allowing them to fulfill their ancestral instincts that would have led them to cave-like structures if they were scared.
Read more about our tips for calming an Alaskan Malamute down here.
Great For Separation Anxiety
Alaskan Malamutes are unfortunately known for developing destructive behaviors if they aren’t given necessary training, but we understand that sometimes these behaviors can arise in even in the most obedient dogs.
Separation anxiety is an example of this and something that many Malamutes suffer from.
Having a dog crate for your Malamute allows you to keep them confined if you have to leave them unoccupied, meaning they can’t raid the garbage or chew up your shoes!
They’ll also start associating their crate as a safe space to help them cope with separation anxiety.
Helpful For Obedience Training
One of the best ways we’ve found to instill good habits into our Alaskan Malamutes is to use a dog crate.
Thanks to their stubborn personalities, Mals are incredibly hard to train, so it’s essential as Malamute owners to use every tool in our arsenal.
For example, if we are eating and our Malamutes decide to push their luck and beg for food, we will take them to their crate.
They don’t associate the crate with being punished, so it won’t be a negative experience for them, but it is a reminder that they should be out of the way when we are eating and that, as humans, we have the final say in the household.
There are many more benefits than those listed above that may differ depending on your Malamute’s needs.
Not every Alaskan Malamute will respond well to being in a crate, especially if they have not been brought up with one or if they come from kennels where a crate can be seen as a restrictive tool.
At the end of the day, the important thing is that a dog crate should be used as a positive tool to help bring your Malamute up. It should never be seen as a form of punishment, or else you risk losing your Malamute’s trust.
In Summary
Finding a dog crate that’s not only large enough but also strong enough to hold an Alaskan Malamute can be very tricky, but using our recommendations, we hope you can find the option to suit your needs best.
Have you crate-trained your Alaskan Malamute? We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!