Dog Gate Reviews
Keeping your dog out of certain rooms where they can get hurt or damage things easily can be a bit of a challenge, but getting a doggy gate can be like using a baby gate for children, effectively.
So, here are some of the best doggy gates that you can get to keep your pup out of trouble as well as some answer to questions you may have about doggy gates in general.
Top 5: Dog Gates Review
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This is possibly one of the nicer-looking and yet efficient dog gates out now, and it is also one of the few that you can get in multiple sizes and colors, making it a great option no matter what breed(s) you have.
Some of the colors are restricted to certain sizes, but most sizes can come in either beige, bronze, grey, whitewashed, or slate. The sizes are all 28.5 inches wide by 42, 48, or 52 inches tall, except for the biggest-sized gate that is 29.5 inches wide by 53 inches tall.
The only issue with this gate's functionality is the built-in auto-close feature that it has: it does not always completely latch the gate shut. So, you may want to double-check the latch if you want to be sure that you will not run into your fluffy friend as soon as you turn around.
Pros
Cons
While this fence is made for babies, it is actually fairly decent when it comes to being used as a dog gate. It is also one of the longest gates out there, but because it is only 30 inches high, a few medium-sized to large-sized dogs can easily knock it over at the same time if they jump on it at the same time.
It can only come in the one size (30 inches tall and 29 to 56 inches tall) and one color (white), but it is a decent doggy gate for most small breeds, even more so since the bars are pretty close together.
Pros
Cons
This is one of the few and high-quality wooden dog gates that you can get that uses these special rubber stoppers to keep it against the walls. With small and medium-sized dogs, it works very well and almost never moves even if they jump on it.
However, being only 28 inches tall, it would probably not work as well against bigger dogs who like to think they are a jumping horse; which they essentially are. Still, this is a nice and simple-looking gate that is not too expensive and can last longer than most other gates.
Pros
Cons
This is one of the taller gates that can be adjusted for somewhat larger doorways/areas; it is 30.5 inches tall and 29 to 36.5 inches wide (adjustable). It also stands nearly just as well as the last gate with the four stoppers that are pretty wall-friendly.
If you want a more affordable dog gate for a large or small dog, then this is possibly one of the best gates out there, even more so with how small-dog friendly it is with the mini doggy door in the center.
Pros
Cons
The last on the list, if you want a gate that can cover a very wide doorway or hallway, then this may be the one for you. It is really only effective for small or medium dogs that do not like to jump since it is only 18 inches tall, but it can extend up to 38 inches from the normal 26-inch width that it has.
It is also one of the most affordable dog gates that you can get now, and it has a little doggie door on the one side.
Pros
Cons
Frequently Asked Questions
How Tall Should Your Dog Gate Be?
This is solely dependent on two things: how big is your biggest dog in the house and can they jump?
If your dog cannot or does not commonly jump, or they cannot jump too high, then you should probably only try to get a gate that is either their exact height or is a little bit taller than them. This can help deter them from even trying to jump over it as well.
On the other hand, even if your dog is on the smaller size but the jump and jump high, you will probably want to get a gate that is higher than how high they can jump; or get the highest model available.
You might not be able to climb over it normally, but it will do fairly well at keeping your dog in or out of a certain room, most of the time.
Do Dog Gates Work Well with Big Dogs?
As long as the gate is made of sturdy material like wood or metal and you have the highest available gate, yes they can. Typically, many large dogs do not try to jump over a gate unless provoked (by people or food). These breeds are usually those with hip or joint problems (even if they are young) like Rottweilers.
But there are some breeds that are larger than average and still like to jump, and there are a few tricks to get them to not jump on the gate or try to jump over it.
How Can You Keep Your Dog from Jumping over or on the Gate?
The most obvious is discipline: first firmly telling your dog 'no' when they jump on the gate or try to jump over it. Try doing it in a normal volume the first time and a raised volume the second. This can let the dog know that you are serious.
If they keep trying it and disciplining them, like in obedience school, does not work, one little trick is to slightly raise the gate off of the ground by a few inches so that, if they do try to jump on or over the crate, they are less likely to succeed.
However, more commonly than not, once they see that the gate is higher, they tend to lose confidence that they will make the jump and will often either give up completely or try a few more times before giving up.
Final Verdict
The Summer Infant Multi-Use Deco Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate is possibly the best one that you can get. You can get it in a variety of sizes and colors, it does not need to be drilled or screwed in place, and the auto-close feature can be really convenient; not to mention rare to find in most gates.
If you think you might like the style, click the link to check it out, or if you need a different-sized gate, check out some of the other ones on the list.
How To Gate Or Pen Train Your Dog
Whenever you bring a new puppy home, the family will be thrown into a world of nibbled furniture, puddles on the floor, sleepless nights.
They will be accompanied by the delight of having a lovable and playful new furry friend who's always delighted to welcome you home.
Before you train the puppy, he can turn the house into one big mess. So, your priority would be to train the puppy as soon as possible, not only to keep your properties safe but also to ensure that the dog is safe and healthy.
Where do you start?
Making your dog feel at home is a process that needs patience and dedication. So, you must prepare for a rough ride during the first few weeks of training the dog.
Apart from getting the dog to familiarize himself with the family members and other pets, you might have, avail to the dog the best puppy barriers, puppy pens, and puppy gates to help ease your journey together.
All these will provide your puppy with boundaries within which he can operate, play, and eat.
These boundaries will also ensure you can continue with your regular life at home, with no chewed up table legs, eaten shoes, and rubbish strewn on the floor from a dog looking for some extra treat in the dustbin.
A dog gate or dog pen isn't meant to shut the dog away from the rest of the family. It is just a way of ensuring the dog is disciplined and also remains within the defined boundaries.
By defining his boundaries, the dog won't interfere with the usual activities in the home because he will not reach the areas you don't want him to arrive. Having a dog gate or a dog pen isn't enough. You have to take your time to train your dog to use them.
Training your dog
Every dog is unique. That's why what is considered as the right training method for one dog may not apply for another. Dogs come in different sizes, and they have unique temperaments and other special needs.
These characteristics will determine which puppy/pen gate or run the dog needs, whether it's screw fitted or pressure fitted, and of standard height or extra tall.
Not only that. The uniqueness of each dog also necessitates customized training. So, you need to familiarize yourself with your puppy fast enough so you can start training immediately.
Puppy Pen training
The sooner you get your puppy ready for the puppy pen, the better. Don't waste a lot of time worrying about beds, leashes, and toys. You can start training obedience from the moment the dog enters the house. The rest can come later.
From the onset, let the dog know you are the leader. Use your energy and rules to train the puppy to listen to and obey you. Teach him the basic discipline commands such as "Down!" "Come!" "Sit!" and "Stay!"
Repeat these commands daily so they can stick into your dog's mind. Remember, you are building up the dog's lesson to be obedient to the instructions you give.
A puppy pen won't help your dog much is he doesn't expend a lot of energy in play. He needs to get tired so that he can run into the pen and rest. This means you must be ready to play with your dog as much as possible so he can get exhausted.
When you walk and play with the dog regularly, you'll also not experience many behavioral issues. Apart from exhausting the dog, the play also helps the dog develop physical and social skills necessary for his future adult life.
Introduce the dog to the pen Casually
Before you start pen training, ensure you get a pen of the right size. This will ensure the dog will be comfortable and not think he is entrapped.
You want to introduce pen training informally and calmly. So, don't use the pen as a trap or as a punishment when the dog misbehaves. Treat the puppy pen like any other furniture in the house.
Put the pen at an area where the dog can easily access it and add a few blankets and toys into it to entice the dog. Remember to leave its door open so your puppy can learn to move in and out the way he likes.
Be very patent with the puppy. Bringing him home and immediately locking him in the pen will create an unhealthy relationship between you and the dog.
Use the Pen for Feeding
All puppies love eating, and your new furry friend isn't an exception. You can take advantage of this to pen train your pup. Use the pen during his feeding time so he can associate the pen with positive things.
Healthy and good dog feed will also do wonders in the training process. Feeding in the pen will encourage the dog to play more in the pen.
If the dog is hesitant about entering the pen, you can start by placing the food closer to the door. And as he gets used to the pen, you can move the food further inside. Do this gradually until he gets used to feeding right inside the pen.
You should aim at encouraging the dog to spend more time in the pen. Remember to keep the door open so the dog can go in and out as he desires until he becomes comfortable.
Introduce Door closing
Once your dog is comfortable feeding in the puppy pen, introduce door-closing. It is better to do this while the dog is still eating. At first, you should open the door immediately after he finishes eating.
As time goes, you can take longer to open the door after the dog has finished eating so he can get used to being inside the pen without food, and with the door closed. You can just add a few minutes after each meal.
In the initial stages, the dog may bark or whine when he realizes the door is closed. However, you need not open the door sooner. Otherwise, he believes barking and whining will lead to opening the door.
Practice Pen Time Without Food
Your puppy should learn to stay in the pen, with or without food. So the next step is to train him to do just that. Extend further the time he spends in the pen after meals and use toys instead of food to encourage him to enter the pen. After he comes, you can stay with him for a while in there and play with him.
Once in a while, you can leave him in the pan alone, so he can't get used to being inside there even when you aren't around. This will reduce his level of anxiety.
Your goal should be to allow him to stay on his own in the pen for about 30 minutes without incidences. Once you've achieved that, you can try letting him sleep in the pen overnight.
When the dog is in the closed pen at night, ensure you listen to signals he needs to go out. Let the dog always associate the pen with positive feelings.
Puppy Gates training
A puppy gate demarcates the regions in the home that are off-limits. Gates prevent your pets from going into areas you want to remain pet-free. But dogs also have the habit of running off to the street when the main entrance is left open.
That explains why gate training your dog is a significant investment. A well-trained dog will not run through any gate he sees open.
Here are the steps you can take to gate train your new four-legged friend.
● Be friendly: First, train your dog the basic obedience commands that I mentioned earlier to ensure he is obedient. While doing this, you must be friendly so you can build trust between you and the dog.
● Be firm: The dog should learn that you are the master. A good example is to start with his favorite food or toy. Usually, when the dog sees these favorite items, he'll start wagging his tail and barking, hoping that you'll immediately offer him these items.
However, you can take your time and command him to lie down and stay calm before giving him the item. Once he is relaxed, you can reward him.
● Gesture and voice command: If your dog had learned the commands such as "Down!" "Come!" "Sit!" and "Stay!", you can skip this step. If not, you can teach him these commands until he can obey them instantly.
Also, include gestures such as raising your hand when you say "Stop" so he can associate the voice command with that gesture. Whenever your dog achieves a milestone, you can reward him.
● Gate training: start by opening a gate only by a few inches. When the dog rushes to the gate, shout "Stop" and raise your hands. Repeat this process daily, each time widening the gate by a few additional inches.
Continue widening the gate in steps until a time comes that you can leave wide open without the dog even attempting to walk through it.
Final Words
Dog training is not a walk in the park. You must dedicate your time and energy to achieve your training goals.
Make the training process as friendly and enjoyable to the dog, so he doesn't consider it a punishment. For better results, include a reward system.
Whenever the dog learns a command successfully, reward him with his favorite food or toy. This way, the dog will appreciate the value of obedience. At the end of the training, you'll have a dog who can differentiate between good and bad behavior.
