How to Choose a Dog Crate Pad or Crate Mat

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A crate pad, or crate mat, is the bed that lies on the floor of your dog’s crate. The right one makes the crate a comfortable place to rest. The wrong one gets shredded, slides around or soaks up accidents. This guide explains when to add a pad, how to measure for one, which type suits which dog, and how to keep a chewer safe, using advice from the AKC, Humane World for Animals and the RSPCA and a hands-on test by Whole Dog Journal.

How we wrote this: we looked for crate pad reviews in which a named reviewer tested pads hands-on with their own dogs, and that we could match to the maker’s current page and to a product link on an independent site. Only Whole Dog Journal’s test by trainer Jae Thomas met the bar for named testing, and even then the exact products did not pass all our checks, so we changed this page to a how-to and name products without links. Product facts come from each maker’s own page (K9 Ballistics and Primo Pads through Wayback Machine copies, because their sites block automated requests). Care and safety advice comes from the American Kennel Club, Humane World for Animals and the RSPCA. We did not test these pads ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

Should you put a pad in your dog’s crate?

Most of the time, yes, but the sources differ on timing.

• Yes, from the start: Humane World for Animals says the crate should always have a comfortable bed, and that a soft bed encourages the dog to relax and link the crate with good feelings. It adds that the bedding should be washable and suit your dog’s size and chewing habits.
• Yes, soft bedding: the RSPCA lists comfortable soft bedding as part of turning the crate into a safe haven.
• Wait if your dog has accidents or shreds fabric: in the AKC crate training guide (updated 21 September 2026), trainer Rachel Lane advises caution with a bed or blankets in the crate. The AKC says it is best to wait until your dog consistently doesn’t have accidents or shred fabric before adding them.

Our reading: give a calm adult dog a pad right away. For a puppy in house training, or a dog that chews bedding, start with a pad that is easy to wipe and hard to chew, or with nothing soft, and upgrade once the accidents and chewing stop. Our how to crate train a puppy guide covers the training side.

How to measure your crate for a pad

Crate pads are sold by crate length (for example, a 36 inch pad for a 36 inch crate), but makers measure in different ways, so always check the maker’s own size chart.

• Primo Pads tells buyers to always measure the crate and not go by what the box says. For wire crates it says to measure the outside of the crate and not the pan (Primo Pads).
• K9 Ballistics says to measure the length and width of your crate and to allow at least a quarter or half inch of wiggle room between the crate wall and the bed frame. Its rigid frames will not fit in spaces smaller than their size, and crate sizes vary slightly by maker (K9 Ballistics).

A soft pad that is too big bunches up, which gives a chewer an edge to grab. A pad that is too small slides around and leaves bare tray. Crate width is not standard, so measure both length and width. Our dog crate size chart helps if you are still sizing the crate itself.

Types of crate pad and who they suit

• Soft fleece or polyfill mats: light, cheap and machine washable. Good for dogs that do not chew bedding. They are easy to shred, so they are the wrong choice for a chewer.
• Foam or orthopedic pads: thicker support for older or heavier dogs. Check that the cover zips off for washing and that there is a waterproof liner if your dog has accidents. For joint support outside the crate, see our best dog bed for senior dogs and arthritis guide.
• Sealed vinyl pads: closed-cell foam inside a wipeable cover with no seams to start on. Whole Dog Journal describes Primo Pads this way (see below).
• Framed “armored” pads: a padded center stretched inside a metal frame that covers the edges. Whole Dog Journal’s top chew-proof pick uses this design.
• Heated or cooling pads: for cold garages or hot rooms. See our best heated pet bed guide, and keep cords out of reach of a dog that chews.

What to look for

• Fit: it should cover the floor without bunching, as above.
• Chew resistance as the maker states it: read the warranty, not the label. “Chew resistant” is not “chew proof”. Whole Dog Journal notes that no bed is truly indestructible (Whole Dog Journal).
• Edges and seams: exposed corners, piping, zippers and tags are where chewing starts.
• Washable cover: crates see accidents and drool. Check whether the whole pad or only the cover goes in the washer. Our how to wash a dog bed guide covers the rest.
• Water resistance: “water resistant” and “waterproof” are not the same. K9 Ballistics, for example, calls its own beds water resistant, not 100% waterproof (K9 Ballistics).
• Non-slip base or a way to fix it down: a pad that slides gets pushed into a corner, where a dog can get its teeth under it.
• Headroom: a thick bed or one on legs takes height out of the crate. Your dog should still be able to stand, turn and lie down comfortably, as the AKC says a crate should allow.

Crate pads that were tested hands-on

Whole Dog Journal trainer Jae Thomas, CPDT-KA, tested chew-proof and chew-resistant beds for a guide published on 22 July 2024 (Whole Dog Journal). Two of them are made for crates. We name them without links because the exact products did not pass all our checks.

• Primo Pads wire crate pads: Thomas named Primo Pads the best chew-proof dog bed for crates. She describes them as firm closed-cell foam inside a waterproof, dust-proof and hair-proof cover, heat-closed with no zippers or stitching. She tested them in an Impact crate and a normal wire crate and found that, even without the brand’s lockdown system, the fit was tight enough that most dogs won’t be able to pull it up and chew on it. Her main downside was the short chew warranty. Primo Pads says its pads are made in the USA, lists 13 wire crate sizes from 13 x 22 to 36 x 54 inches plus custom sizes, and offers an optional “lockdown system” of re-closeable zip ties that fix the pad to the underside bars of a wire crate with the plastic tray removed (Primo Pads).
• K9 Ballistics Chew Proof Armored Padded Elevated Dog Crate Bed: Thomas tested this padded version with its aluminum frame and docked it a star against the unpadded cot because the padded center is more enticing for dogs to chew. Her top overall pick was the unpadded Chew Proof Armored Rip-Stop Elevated Dog Bed, which she found nearly impossible for dogs to chew in a properly sized crate, with the edges flush against the crate sides.
• K9 Ballistics Chew Proof Armored Dog Crate Pad (the flat version, not part of the WDJ test): K9 Ballistics calls this the strongest crate pad on the market and the only one of its non-elevated crate pads that it considers chew proof (K9 Ballistics). The maker says it has an all-aluminum frame including the corners, a ripstop ballistic polyester sling with 1.5 inches of recycled polyester fiberfill, replaces the crate tray, lies flat so your dog keeps its headroom, and has a 120 day chew proof warranty. The center pad comes off with an allen wrench for machine washing in cold water (K9 Ballistics).

Choosing the crate itself? Start with our best dog crate guide and the dog beds and crates buying guide.

If your dog chews the crate pad

• Take it out. Remove a pad as soon as your dog tears it. Swallowed fabric or stuffing can block the gut.
• Know the warning signs. The AKC lists vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, straining, lethargy and a painful or bloated belly among the signs of an intestinal blockage, and says repeated vomiting or a painful belly warrants a vet visit that same day. If you think your dog has swallowed part of a pad, call your vet for advice, even if your dog seems fine.
• Look at why. Chewing in the crate can come from teething, boredom or stress at being left. The RSPCA suggests safe chew toys in the crate, and our best dog toys for aggressive chewers guide has options. If your dog panics when left, read should you crate a dog with separation anxiety and talk to your vet or a qualified behaviorist.
• Step down, then back up. Go to a wipeable or framed pad, or the bare tray, for a while, and try soft bedding again once the chewing has stopped, as the AKC suggests.

Keeping a crate pad clean

• Follow the maker’s label. K9 Ballistics says to avoid bleach on its framed beds because it can damage the frame (K9 Ballistics). Primo Pads can be wiped or hosed down, according to Whole Dog Journal.
• Dry the pad fully before it goes back in, and wash the crate tray too. Our how to clean a dog crate guide covers the crate.
• For a puppy in house training, a spare washable pad or cover means you are never left with an empty crate on laundry day. Our how to use puppy pads for house training guide covers potty pads, which do not belong inside the sleeping area.

FAQ

Should I put a pad in my puppy’s crate?

Humane World for Animals says a crate should always have a comfortable, washable bed. The AKC suggests waiting until your puppy no longer has accidents or shreds fabric. A wipeable, chew-resistant pad is a middle ground.

What can I put in my dog’s crate that he won’t chew?

Nothing is fully chew proof, as Whole Dog Journal notes. Sealed vinyl pads and pads with a metal frame over the edges are the hardest to chew. Supervise at first and remove anything your dog tears.

What size crate pad do I need?

Match the pad to your crate’s length and width, not the box label. Primo Pads says to measure the outside of a wire crate, while K9 Ballistics says to leave a quarter to half inch of wiggle room, so use the maker’s own chart.

Do crate pads go on top of the tray?

Most soft pads lie on the plastic tray. Some framed and lockdown pads replace it: K9 Ballistics says its armored pad replaces the tray, and Primo’s lockdown ties need the tray removed.

How often should I wash a crate pad?

Wash it whenever it is soiled, and regularly for a puppy in house training. Follow the maker’s care label, and dry it fully before it goes back in the crate.

For more, read the dog beds and crates buying guide, how to choose and use a dog crate cover and dog bed size chart.