As dog owners, we know that our dogs need space to explore, come, and go as they please. Dog gates are an easy way to limit your pet’s access to select areas of your home.
In many cases, the dog depends on us to get from one place to another, and sometimes we are not available or cannot always keep an eye on them.
With a dog gate, you let your pet enjoy playing freely while keeping parts of your home animal-free.
How Do Dog Gates Work?
Dog gates open up a world of possibilities for you and your best friend, as you can use them to limit access to corridors, stairs, or rooms. They are also perfect for houses with gardens, yards, or private balconies, where you can create a living area for it.
Dog gates are not a barrier to their freedom, but quite the opposite. These gates allow you to keep the dog in a safe area when you can’t watch it or when you need it to stay away from off-limits zones.
What is the best dog gate?
Pet gates are made from a number of different types of material; wood, wrought iron, steel, and light-weight aluminum. Usually they all are powder coated for ease of maintenance, to prevent rusting, and for obvious safety reasons. Some are made specifically for outdoor, some for cars and some just for the stairs.
Different designs are adjustable in width, and have special extensions that can be used to make them wider depending on your situation.
Various ways of installation are used for pets safety gates. They include pressure-mounted, wall-mounted, expandable, and freestanding gates.
9 Types of dog gates and how they work
Retractable Dog Gates
Retractable dog gates are practical if you are alone at home holding your child or even with your hands busy.
You will only have to open this door with one hand. Just press, turn and release the button and pull the handle extending the door. It only takes a second to keep your furry friends on the other side.
It is handy for small spaces; when it’s not needed, you remove the mesh quickly, leaving the way free.
They are suitable for doors, hallways, and the bottom of stairs, but you can also use them indoors or outdoors if you wish since one of their benefits is their easy adaptation to any entrance.
Indoor Safety Gates
With the interior dog gate, you will be able to divide your house and keep the dog in a secluded area without problems, thanks to its design that includes a lockable door and adjustable side panels.
It is easy to install, change position when you need it, and opens in both directions.
It is a handy accessory nowadays; having a home office due to the quarantine, you will be able to work in any place of your house without any interruptions from your dog.
Dog Gates For Stairs
If your home has stairs and you are worried about your dog going up or down without any supervision, this type of gate will help you.
Dog gates for stairs shield your fun-loving puppies from getting into rooms where you don’t need them. They also prove useful for pups who experience difficulty climbing steps so they don’t hurt themselves. In pivoted and retractable models, they are not difficult to install and simple to use.
It’s an elegant and easy approach to protect your canine and shield them from getting into rooms where you don’t need them.
Outdoor Dog Gates
Outdoor dog gates are ideal for homes with a yard or garden, as their design allows your furry friend to enjoy the outside and a beautiful day safely while you can’t always keep an eye on it.
These types of doors are big and flexible enough to make the dog comfortable. Besides, these gates are very resistant, light, and safe. They are rust-proof and powder-coated to hold up well to the elements.
Having said that, there are many things to take into considerations when choosing an outdoor dog gate; the placement of the gate, the type of installation, the size, and the durability of the material.
Free Standing Dog Gates
These types of doors work best to temporarily keep your dog away, such as when you’re cooking or working on something important and need the dog to be away from you or your working space for a short time.
Choose the material that best suits your decor and needs; most are relatively lightweight.
There are wood, metal, and plastic gates.
They open like an accordion. When you have no use for it, you folded and put it away.
Dog Car Barrier
The benefits of dog gates are not only limited to the home or garden; they can also be a big help inside your car.
If you are one of those owners who love to travel with your dog in the car, you can keep it safe in the cargo area, away from the front seats, to avoid any accident.
These doors are of high quality and resistant steel wire material, designed to protect the vehicle’s interior. It is easy to install and remove without tools. With this type of dog gate, you can even have more than one dog safe in the back of the car ready to travel with you!
Related Read:
Walk Through Dog Gates
Sometimes the house rules do not apply in all cases; if you have two pets like a cat and a dog or a large and a small breed, this gate can help you have some order in the house about who is allowed to pass and who is not.
Also, if you have small children and some areas are not suitable for them, you can limit the space, and with the little door, the pets can keep coming and going when they want.
This type of door is also easy to install and is simple to open for adults. It has a practical “Easy Close” handle that comes equipped with a safety lock function. It works for hallways, doors, and stairs.
Foldable Dog Gates
Folding dog gates have many benefits; closing a hallway or stairs, blocking off entry to the kitchen or office, etc., but also keeping your dog confined to a specific room temporarily, with more freedom to roam than a dog kennel.
Some are pressure mounted for a solid fit. Set up is very easy, you don’t need any tools. You extend the gate and place it anywhere as a pet divider.
Swinging Pet Gates
They are designed to securely block doorways, stairways, and other rooms that you don’t want your pet to explore.
These gates are hardware mounted. It’s more of a permanent option to help your pet get through certain areas. You will need few basic tools, like a screwdriver or a drill, to put up this type of gate that works perfectly. You will also need a wall-mounting bracket to set it up securely.
What to look for in a dog gate?
Larger breeds need a heavier gate than smaller breeds. Depending on your breed’s size or if you have more than one pet, you choose an expandable and flexible dog gate.
For temporary gates, a freestanding gate is always a good option. Indoor dog gates need to appear nice in your house and at least match your decor colors; you’re looking at them all day. You don’t want it to be an eyesore.
If you have a new puppy or a dog that loves to chew on things, a wood gate is not recommended.
Outdoor dog gates have to be weather-resistant and should be mounted on the deck’s floor or in the ground in the backyard. It’s unsafe to keep it free-standing.
FAQ’s
1-How do you secure a dog gate?
Depending on the dog gate you choose, there are many ways to support your gate, such as support feet for freestanding gates, pressure mounted, hardware wall mounted support, or a banister mounting kit.
2- What is an alternative to a dog gate?
There are many alternatives available:
• Door flaps – a soft flap made from vinyl or metal let your dog in and out of your home. Best for single pet home or light use.
• Screen doors – comes with a built-in doggy door or a screen curtain.
• Pet doors for windows – interior or exterior door. Has reinforced corners for heavy use. you can slide this in the window tracks or a sliding door
• Electronic pet doors – this is an innovative device that allows your pet, that’s wearing a smart key or a microchip, through the door.
3- How high should a dog gate be?
Typical heights of pet gates range from 30 inches to 36 inches. However, some may be as low as 20 inches. You can also buy extensions available for some pet gate designs that enable you to increase the gate’s height by 16 inches, or with two of these, by 32 inches. I personally have a 12-inch wire gate; my Shih Tzu never attempted to jump over it.
Conclusion
I hope this information has been as useful to you as it has been to me when I was shopping for a dog gate for my Shih Tzu. A dog gate is an effective accessory for any dog parent. Even the most trained dogs misbehave sometimes.
As you can see, different types of doors can be adjusted to your needs no matter if you have a small or big house. You may choose the best one that suits your needs; Whether it’s an outdoor dog gate or a gate for stairs. All of them have in common the function of keeping the dog in a safe place.
Actually, having a dog door has been very useful to me, so I recommend them to any pet owner who needs a little more control in their home.
Recent Posts
As a dog owner, you want to ensure that you take proper care of your furry companion. A common question that many pet owners have is, "Can I walk my dog 30 minutes after eating?" Understanding the...
Have you ever considered getting an elevated dog bed for your furry friend, but wondered if it's worth the investment? If so, you're not alone. As dog owners, we all want to provide the best care for...