Best Crash-Tested Dog Crate for the Car: What Independent Tests Found

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Plenty of dog crates say they are strong. Very few have been put on a crash test sled by someone other than the maker. If you drive with your dog in a crate in the back of an SUV, wagon or truck, the useful question is whether that crate kept a test dog inside in an independent crash test, in the size you need, tied down the way you will tie it down. This guide covers what independent testing found, how to choose and secure a travel crate, and two crates that passed.

How we wrote this: crash results come from the Center for Pet Safety 2015 crate study and its certified travel crate list, checked on 1 November 2026. CPS is an independent nonprofit that crash tests pet travel products with weighted test dogs. Hands-on notes come from Field & Stream, where Sage Marshall tested hunting dog kennels with his own dog over a couple of months (October 2026). Product facts are as each maker states them. We did not test these crates ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

Our picks at a glance

• Best overall for small to midsize dogs: Gunner G1 Kennel, a double-walled kennel that is CPS certified in Small, Medium and Intermediate.
• Best for larger dogs and trucks: Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel, CPS certified in Medium, Intermediate and Large, with tie downs built in.

Smaller dog, or no room for a crate? See the best dog car harness guide and are dog car booster seats safe. For crates at home, see the best dog crate guide.

What crash testing found

In 2015 the Center for Pet Safety, with Subaru of America, crash tested travel crates that claimed testing or crash protection and cost under 1,000 US dollars, plus two everyday wire crates as a comparison. Each crate held a 75 lb or 110 lb test dog and was tied down in a simulated cargo area. CPS published the results for each test in its 2015 crate study:

• Gunner Kennel G1 Intermediate: tied down with Gunner’s anchor strap kit, it held the test dog, did not hit the seatback, and the locked door still opened easily. CPS found the result good enough that no second test was needed.
• 4pets ProLine Milan: in the first test the supplied straps broke, the crate came loose and tumbled off the sled, the rear panel broke and the door gave way. Placed against the seatback it held the dog, but the door had to be pried open with a crowbar.
• MIM Variocage: a strap tore through its metal connection point in both tests and the crate crushed by about 10 inches, which its marketing describes as part of the design. The dog was held and the door opened easily.
• Ruff Tough Kennel: in one test three of four tie-down brackets failed, the door broke apart and the test dog was not held. Against the seatback, the dog was held but broke part of the door.
• Wire crates: with rubber straps from a hardware store, a wire crate slid into the seatback and was badly deformed. Even with a reinforcing system CPS designed, the test dog broke through and hit the seatback. CPS concluded that wire crates prevent distraction but give little protection in a crash.

These results are from 2015, and makers may have changed their products since. They still show two things: a crate’s strength claims mean little without an independent test, and the straps and anchor points matter as much as the crate body.

What CPS certified means

CPS now runs a certification program and lists the crates that passed its crate test protocol. On 1 November 2026 its travel crate list named three kennel brands: Gunner G1 (Small, Medium, Intermediate), Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel (Medium, Intermediate, Large) and Cabela’s GunDog Kennel (Intermediate, Large). Each listing names the strap kit used in the test, the test date and the weight of the test dog.

Two details are easy to miss. First, certification is per size: the Gunner G1 Large is not on the list. Hound & Field makes the same point and advises buying the size that was tested. Second, the test includes the tie-downs. The Gunner was certified with its strength rated anchor straps and the Lucky Duck with its ratchet strap kit, so a certified crate held by bungee cords is not the setup CPS tested.

How to choose and secure a travel crate

• Check the size on the CPS list. Look up your exact model and size on the CPS certified list before you buy.
• Size for travel, not for lounging. Gunner sizes its crates by dog weight for travel. Lucky Duck says its sizes are for travel and suggests one size up only for home use. A smaller space gives a dog less room to be thrown around. Our dog crate size chart explains how to measure your dog.
• Use the maker’s strap kit and anchor points. Tie the crate to the cargo anchors in your vehicle with the straps it was tested with. Rubber straps failed in the CPS test.
• Check that it fits your vehicle. Rotomolded kennels are big and heavy. Measure your cargo area, the height of the hatch opening and where the anchors sit before you order.
• Think about lifting it. Field & Stream found the Gunner G1 the heaviest kennel in its test and the Lucky Duck heavy and bulky. Lucky Duck lists its kennels at 27 to 45 lb empty. If you must lift it in and out often, check the weight first.
• Airline crates are a different job. Hound & Field warns that a crate approved for air travel is not, for that reason, protective in a car crash.

Getting a dog used to a crate before the first long drive also helps. Our how to travel with a dog in the car guide covers breaks, water and car sickness. If your dog is anxious or gets sick on every trip, ask your vet.

The crash-tested crates we list

Gunner G1 Kennel

Gunner makes the G1 as a double-walled kennel and says it is the only double-walled kennel on the market, with more impact protection and better insulation from heat and cold than a single wall. It is made in the USA. Gunner sizes it for travel by weight: Small up to 30 lb, Medium up to 45 lb, Intermediate up to 70 lb and Large for dogs over 71 lb. Only the first three are on the CPS certified list, each with Gunner’s strength rated anchor straps.

Field & Stream named it best overall. Marshall strapped the kennels into his Toyota 4Runner and loaded his own wirehaired pointing griffon, and found the G1 very solid. He liked the welded aluminum door, which can be set to open either way, and the built in tie down system. His drawbacks: it is heavier and more expensive than every other kennel he tested. See the Gunner G1 Kennel.

Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel

Lucky Duck makes the Lucky Kennel as a one-piece rotomolded body with a door that flips to open either way, corner locking pins and a one-hand locking paddle latch. The floor is raised and pitched so water runs to drain channels, and it has powder coated tie downs, rubber feet and lift handles. The maker sizes it for travel: Medium for dogs under 50 lb, Intermediate for dogs under 70 lb and Large for dogs of 70 to 110 lb. All three sizes are on the CPS certified list with the Lucky Ratchet Strap Kit.

Field & Stream named it best for trucks. Marshall found it sturdy, though not quite as solid as the Gunner, and liked the lockable door and tie downs for strapping it into an open truck bed. He found it heavy and bulky and thought the all plastic door frame felt weaker than the rest of the crate. Hound & Field notes that, for a dog of up to 110 lb, the Large is the only certified crate it found tested at that weight. See the Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel.

Other crates named without links

• Cabela’s GunDog Kennel, Intermediate and Large. Also on the CPS list; the Large was tested in May 2024 with a 90 lb test dog, using its locking pin and strength rated anchor straps. We do not link it because we could not match it to a listing from an independent source; it is sold by Cabela’s.

FAQ

Are crash-tested dog crates worth it?

If your dog rides in a crate in the cargo area, an independently tested crate is the only kind with public evidence that it held a dog in a crash. In the CPS tests, several crates that claimed crash protection broke or came loose. Certified crates are heavy and costly, so a tested harness may suit a small dog or a car with no cargo space better.

Are wire crates safe in a car?

They stop a dog from wandering around the car, but CPS found they give little protection in a crash, even when strapped down with a reinforcing system.

Where should a dog crate go in the car?

The CPS tests placed crates in the cargo area of an SUV type vehicle, tied to the cargo anchors. Follow your crate maker’s instructions and your vehicle manual for where and how to anchor it.

Does a dog crate need to be strapped down?

Yes. An unsecured crate can slide or tumble in a crash. Use the strap kit the crate was tested with and your vehicle’s anchor points; rubber straps failed in the CPS test.

What size crate should a dog have in the car?

Use the maker’s travel size, which is usually snugger than a home crate. Lucky Duck suggests going one size up only for home use. Check that the size you pick is on the CPS certified list.

More travel gear: our best dog car seat cover guide and the dog beds and crates buying guide.