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Keep a Dog Crate Warm in Winter: A Cover and a Safe Pad

A wire crate loses heat through its open sides and a cold floor. Move it, drape it, then fit a proper cover and a safe pad.

By Jamilur Rahman Updated November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

Time
20 min
Cost
$20-$50
Difficulty
Easy
A wire dog crate in a living room corner with a thick blanket over the top and sides and a rug under it
In this guide
  1. Quick answer
  2. Free vs. permanent fix
  3. What you'll need
  4. Why it happens
  5. Try this first (free)
  6. When free fixes aren't enough
  7. Buy the fix
  8. Too cold or too warm? What to watch for
  9. What to skip
  10. FAQ
  11. Related problems

Quick answer

To keep a dog crate warm in winter, move it away from drafts and bare floors, add a thick bed, and cover the top and sides so the crate holds your dog's body heat. A fitted crate cover does that neatly, with vent panels so air still flows. Leave the front or one side open, and never put a heater or heating pad inside.

Free fix vs. permanent fix

Free fix · 20 minutes

Move it and drape a blanket

  • Put the crate against an inside wall, away from doors and windows
  • Set it on a rug or foam mat
  • Drape a thick blanket over the top and two or three sides
  • Leave the front or one side open for air and a view

How long it lasts: A night or two. Blankets slip, bunch up and can be pulled through the bars and chewed.

Most readers choose Permanent fix
Fitted insulated dog crate cover (illustration)
Illustration

A fitted insulated crate cover

A fitted cover is cut to your crate size, so it does not slip or leave gaps. Insulated fabric holds the warmth your dog gives off, vent panels keep fresh air moving and a roll-up door flap lets you open a side. It is a tidier and safer version of the blanket trick.

What to get: Fitted insulated dog crate cover

How long it lasts: All winter. It stays in place, holds heat and goes in the washing machine.

Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What you'll need

  • Tape measure

    Measure the crate length, width and height before you buy a cover

    You have it

  • Rug or foam floor mat

    Lifts the crate off a cold floor

    You have it

  • Thick blanket or quilt

    A first-night fix while you wait for a cover

    You have it
  • Our pick
    Fitted insulated crate cover (illustration)
    Illustration

    Fitted insulated crate cover

    Sized to your crate, with vent panels and a door flap

    Check price
  • Self-warming crate pad (illustration)
    Illustration

    Self-warming crate pad

    Cut to the crate floor to hold your dog's heat

    Check price

Why it happens

1

Open wire sides

A wire crate is mostly air. The heat your dog makes escapes through every gap.

2

A cold floor under the crate

Tile, concrete or a bare basement floor draws heat out of the crate from below.

3

A drafty spot

A crate near an outside door, a window or a floor vent sits in moving cold air.

4

A crate that is too big

Extra empty space is extra air to warm. Your dog only needs room to stand, turn around and lie down.

Try this first (free)

Do these in order, starting with the simplest.

  1. 1. Pick a warmer spot

    Move the crate to an inside wall in a room that stays warm. Keep it away from outside doors, windows and floor vents. Do not put it right against a radiator or heater, which can overheat your dog.

  2. 2. Check the crate size

    Tool used: Tape measure

    Your dog should be able to stand, turn around and lie down, with little extra. If the crate has a divider panel, use it to shrink the space so body heat fills it.

  3. 3. Lift it off the floor

    Tool used: Rug or foam floor mat

    Set the crate on a rug or interlocking foam mat. This cuts the heat lost through the floor.

  4. 4. Drape a blanket

    Tool used: Thick blanket or quilt

    Cover the top and two or three sides with a thick blanket or quilt, with the front open. Clip or weigh down the edges so your dog cannot pull fabric in through the bars.

  5. 5. Swap in a fitted cover and a safe pad

    Tool used: Fitted insulated crate cover

    A cover made for your crate size holds the heat better than a loose blanket. Add a flat, snug pad on the floor. Remove anything your dog tries to chew or shred.

    Fitted insulated crate cover (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Fitted insulated crate cover · Sized to your crate, with vent panels and a door flap

    Check price on Amazon

  6. 6. Check on your dog

    Feel your dog's ears and paws and watch for shivering or tight curling. A dog that pants or seems restless is too warm, so open a side.

When free fixes aren't enough

A draped blanket is a good first step, but it slips, leaves gaps and can be pulled through the bars. If the crate sits in a cool room all winter, a fitted cover is the stronger answer: it matches the crate, holds heat and has ventilation flaps. Add a pad made for crates on the floor. Skip covers and loose blankets for dogs that chew fabric and use a tough, flat bed instead. A crate is not a shelter. If it sits in a garage, on a porch or outdoors in freezing weather, bring your dog inside.

Buy the fix

Still stuck after the free fixes? These are the products we would look at.

Our picks compared
PickProductFixesWho it's forBuy
Best pick
Fitted insulated dog crate cover (illustration)
Illustration
Fitted insulated dog crate cover
heat loss through the open wire sides Dogs in wire crates in a cool room. Check price
Upgrade pick
Self-warming dog crate pad (illustration)
Illustration
Self-warming dog crate pad
a cold crate floor Dogs that sleep on a bare plastic crate tray. Check price
Best pick
Fitted insulated dog crate cover (illustration)
Illustration

Fitted insulated dog crate cover

Fixes: heat loss through the open wire sides

Look for: Sized for your crate, so match the listed crate length; Thick, insulated fabric with ventilation panels; A roll-up or zip door flap so the front can open; Machine-washable.

Who it's for
Dogs in wire crates in a cool room.
Honest downside
Your dog chews or pulls at fabric through the bars. Make sure nothing is within its reach inside the crate.
Check price on Amazon
Upgrade pick
Self-warming dog crate pad (illustration)
Illustration

Self-warming dog crate pad

Fixes: a cold crate floor

Look for: Cut to your crate size; A reflective layer that returns body heat; A non-slip underside and washable cover.

Who it's for
Dogs that sleep on a bare plastic crate tray.
Honest downside
Your dog shreds bedding. Fix the chewing first, and use a flat, tough mat.
Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices because they change, so use the button to see today's price.

How we picked: How we picked: this page is based on veterinary and trainer advice on crate comfort, product instructions from crate cover makers and what dog owners report in reviews. We do not test products by hand.

Too cold or too warm? What to watch for

  • Too cold: shivering, tight curling, cold ears and paws, whining or reluctance to settle.
  • Too warm: panting, restlessness, stretching out away from the bedding, hot ears. Open a side or remove a layer.
  • Just right: your dog settles, stretches out and sleeps calmly.

What to skip

Heat lamps, space heaters and heating pads in or near the crate

Never put a heating pad, heat lamp or space heater in or against a crate. A dog cannot move away from heat it cannot escape, and cords are easy to chew. Use insulation and a pad that holds your dog's own body heat.

Frequently asked questions

What can I put in a dog crate to keep it warm?
A thick, snug bed or a self-warming pad on the floor, plus a blanket your dog does not chew. Fleece layers work well. Never put a heating pad or heater inside.
Is it safe to cover a dog crate with a blanket?
It is usually safe for a dog that does not chew, as long as air can flow. Leave the front or one side open, never cover the whole crate and keep fabric out of reach. A fitted cover with vents is safer than a loose blanket.
How cold is too cold for a dog crate?
There is no exact number. Keep the crate indoors in a room that stays comfortable for you. Small, short-coated, young and senior dogs feel the cold first. Shivering, tight curling and whining are signs your dog is too cold.
How do I keep a dog crate warm in a garage or outside?
Do not. A crate is not insulation, and a garage or porch can get dangerously cold. Bring the crate inside for winter nights.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure

Fitted insulated dog crate cover (illustration)
Illustration

Our pick: Fitted insulated dog crate cover

Check price