Which Crash Tested Dog Crate Actually Passed? A Clear CPS Guide
Crash tested dog crates aren’t all independently certified. CPS has certified nine sizes from four brands; the test dog weight decides which fits yours.
Table of Contents
What a CPS crash test rating actually tells you
A crash tested dog crate and a crate certified by the Center for Pet Safety (CPS) are not the same thing. Only a certified crate has passed an independent crash test at a published dog weight. We checked the CPS certified list on September 23, 2026, and every crate in our table is on it.
Start with the part that matches your situation:
- Dog up to 110 lb, SUV or wagon: the certified crate table below covers you.
- Dog over 110 lb, or a sedan without a cargo area: skip to the last section.
- Young puppy still crate training: the crate your puppy sleeps in at night can stay home. This one is for the car.
What the Center for Pet Safety tests, and why it matters
CPS certified means an independent nonprofit crash-tested that exact crate size, installed with its specified straps. The crate had to keep the test dog inside and stay anchored to the vehicle mock-up. Both conditions have to hold for a pass.
An independent nonprofit, not a brand
CPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accepts no funding from pet product manufacturers. Brands volunteer for certification and commit to quality control and truthful marketing.
Passing means contained and anchored
CPS published its crate test protocol in 2016, built on CPS’s original crate crash study from 2015. In that study, a crate counted as crashworthy only if the test dog stayed inside before, during and after impact, and every connection held.
🔍 Why It Works: A crate that breaks open can release your dog into the car or onto the road. A crate that tears loose becomes a heavy object thrown forward toward the seats. Certification requires a crate to prevent both.
How to read a CPS listing, field by field
Every certified crate has its own CPS page. On a real CPS listing, the fields are:
- Product name: includes the straps, for example “with Strength Rated Anchor Straps”
- Size: the certification covers this size only
- Tested / Passed: the test month and the result
- Rating: the star rating
- Test protocol and number: the CPS test standard and the specific test run
- Test evidence: crash video you can watch
- Test dog weight: the weight of the crash dummy
Test dog weight is the number that matters
CPS describes the Gunner G1 Medium, tested with a 45 lb dummy, as rated to 45 lb. Your dog’s adult weight should sit at or under the test dog weight.
The product name includes the straps
The certified product is the crate plus its named straps. Generic hardware-store straps are not what CPS tested.
Why every certified crate shows 5 stars
All nine certified crates display 5 stars, and the listings don’t explain what fewer stars would mean. Read the stars as a confirmation that the crate passed. The test dog weight is the field that tells you whether it fits your dog.
Every CPS certified crate, sorted by dog weight
Nine certified crate sizes exist from four brands. Pick your dog’s weight band below.
Up to 50 lb
| Test dog weight | Crate & size | Tested | Key detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 lb | Gunner G1 Small | June 2017 | Gunner strength-rated straps |
| 45 lb | Gunner G1 Medium | CPS rates it to 45 lb | |
| 50 lb | Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel Medium | January 2024 | Certified with Lucky Ratchet Strap Kit |
| 50 lb | Rock Creek Crates Aluminum Kennel Medium | December 2020 | Stationary model only |
Up to 75 lb
| Test dog weight | Crate & size | Tested | Key detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75 lb | Gunner G1 Intermediate | June 2015 | Passed CPS’s 2015 study |
| 75 lb | Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel Intermediate | Maker suggests it for dogs under 70 lb | |
| 75 lb | Cabela’s GunDog Kennel Intermediate | November 2022 | Tie-down strap kit included |
Up to 110 lb
| Test dog weight | Crate & size | Tested | Key detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 lb | Cabela’s GunDog Kennel Large | May 2024 | Locking pin + straps in certified name |
| 110 lb | Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel Large | Heaviest certified test dog |
Source: the current CPS certified list and each crate’s CPS listing, checked September 23, 2026.
✅ Do This: Size the crate to your dog’s body first using our crate size chart by measurement, then confirm the test dog weight covers your dog’s adult weight. Makers sometimes size tighter than the test weight. Lucky Duck suggests its Intermediate for dogs under 70 lb even though it was tested at 75 lb.
“Crash tested” on the box isn’t the same as certified
No government standard covers pet car restraints, so any brand can print “crash tested” on a box.
Tested doesn’t mean passed
CPS has warned that brands often crash-test a single size and rarely publish the results. A claim with no public listing is a claim you can’t check.
Popular crates that aren’t on the list
As of September 23, 2026, these are not on the CPS certified list:
- Gunner G1 Large: only the Small, Medium and Intermediate are certified.
- Rock Creek collapsible: Rock Creek says it hasn’t been crash tested.
- MIM Variocage: its maker cites other, European test standards.
- Impact crates.
That doesn’t mean these crates would fail a crash. It means CPS hasn’t certified them.
Setting it up in a family car
A certified crate only protects your dog when it’s installed the way it was tested.
Use the rated straps, every trip
CPS advises securing crates with strength-rated anchor straps. Its 2015 study found proper straps sharply reduced how far crates moved toward the seatback.
Your car’s anchors aren’t part of the rating
The certification covers the crate and its straps, not your vehicle’s tie-down points. Check CPS’s cargo area guidance and confirm your cargo anchors’ strength with your vehicle’s manufacturer.
Where the crate goes when kids ride too
🏡 Family & Home: An adult loads the dog, latches the door and checks every strap before each drive. Kids shouldn’t open the crate while the car is moving or parked in traffic. In a three-row SUV, check your owner’s manual for cargo guidance near seated passengers. On long drives, plan stops around how long a puppy can stay crated.
When your dog or car doesn’t fit the list
There’s almost always a safer option than a loose dog.
Dog over 110 lb, or between sizes
No certified crate was tested above 110 lb. If your dog sits between sizes, choose the certified size whose test dog weight covers your dog’s adult weight.
No cargo area
CPS also certifies car harnesses. Check each harness listing’s weight range. The ASPCA’s car travel advice warns against wire or collapsible crates in cars, because they can collapse or break open in a crash. Our wire vs. plastic crate guide covers home use.
Puppy still growing
Choose the crate using your puppy’s expected adult weight, not today’s weight.
Crash tested dog crate FAQ
1. What does CPS certified mean for a crash tested dog crate?
It passed an independent Center for Pet Safety crash test at one size and weight, containing the dog while staying anchored.
2. Which dog crates are CPS certified?
Nine sizes from Gunner, Lucky Duck, Cabela’s GunDog and Rock Creek’s stationary aluminum kennel, per the September 2026 CPS list.
3. Is the Gunner G1 Large a certified crash tested dog crate?
No. CPS certifies only the Gunner G1 Small, Medium and Intermediate; the Large isn’t on the list.
4. Which crash tested dog crate fits a 100 lb dog?
The Lucky Duck Lucky Kennel Large, tested with a 110 lb dummy, is the only certified crate above 90 lb.
5. Is “crash tested” the same as CPS certified?
No. With no government standard, “crash tested” can mean anything; CPS certification means a published, independent pass.
6. Are wire crates safe in a car?
No. The ASPCA warns wire and collapsible crates can collapse or break open in a crash.
7. Do the anchor straps matter for a CPS crate rating?
Yes. Each certification covers the crate with its named strength-rated straps, and generic straps weren’t tested.
8. Is the MIM Variocage CPS certified?
No. It isn’t on the CPS certified list as of September 2026; its maker cites European test standards.
9. Is there a government standard for crash tested dog crates?
No. No government regulation covers pet car restraints, which is why independent CPS certification matters.
10. Where should a crash tested dog crate go in the car?
In the cargo area, secured with its rated straps; confirm your vehicle’s anchor strength with the manufacturer.
Your next step
You now know how to check any crate against its CPS listing, not the box. Confirm the test dog weight, buy the certified straps, and strap it down before every drive. Then head back to crate training your puppy at night so the car crate feels as familiar as the home one. Every certification here was checked against CPS’s own records.
