Watch your pet and see how they behave inside the pen at first. Make sure they’re not able to scramble over the top or tip it over. It should be a solid, safe, comfortable place for them to hang out. The EliteField 2-Door Dog & Cat Playpen isn’t all that suitable for rambunctious or big dogs. Energetic pups can tip the playpen over or climb out. Teething puppies can chew the canvas or netting. Because it’s so portable and lightweight, it might be a good option for young puppies or older small dogs, particularly at nap time when they need a safe place to stay.

The biggest issue our testers had was assembly. You don’t need tools to assemble it, but it takes some time and works better if you have a second person to help you. The step-through door is convenient for humans, but can be high for a small dog. Depending on the size of the pen, there are 1-2 latches on the gate. The gate just sits inside hinges, so it can come off if you move the pen or lift up the door.Pens are a helpful training tool,” says Melissa “MJ” Viera, founder and licensed groomer and trainer of MJ’s Pet Training Academy located in Acushnet, Massachusetts. “When it comes to potty training a puppy, setting up a pen outside can help speed the process along. This gives your puppy a small area with less distraction and eventually helps transition them to free roaming. Portable pens are an excellent training tool for puppies.”

It’s made of coated wire which should help it last, and make it easier to use outside. The pen is easy to set up: Just unfold and latch together with the enclosed clips. It folds flat for storage and to be moved, but it can be heavy, so it likely won’t be something you want to unfold and set up every day. A4: No readily available way to anchor it. The bottom rail of each section is a square tube about 5/8" wide and tall. If you can work a way to fix a tube to concrete, you can try that on these. We tested 19 different dog pens in our New York lab, evaluating a wide range of pens for qualities like versatility, stability, and how easy they were to set up. Several models were tested in at-home environments as well. We also spoke to long-time puppy fosters, rescue volunteers, and trainers for additional insight in what you should look for when shopping for a new dog pen.Taking down this pen was very easy, and it was not too heavy so it was easy to carry,” one tester noted. “It also included a clip to keep the pen together while carrying which was nice.” A1: If you are on grass and secure the long pins into the ground, it will not move, however on pavers it could be moved a bit. We have put ours on both.

It was intuitive to set up and take down,” noted one tester, “and it's still sturdy without being clunky or oversized.” Although the playpen is easy to put together and take apart, it’s bulky when disassembled and doesn’t have a carrying case. You’ll need plenty of storage space when you aren’t using it. This pen comes with or without a door. Unlike some pens that have step-through doors that don’t take up an entire panel, this gate is one of the eight panels and goes all the way to the ground. That makes it a little difficult to use outdoors because it can get caught on grass or turf when opening and closing. This playpen was incredibly easy to set up with minimal lift. I am impressed by the ease of assembly and its lightweight structure,” said one of our testers. This human baby playpen can be a good option for tiny, young puppies or even small, calm adult dogs. It's so easy to pop open, snap shut, and store in its handy carrying case. It weighs only about 10 pounds and is simple to stash away.

Depending on how you plan on using the pen, you’ll want to make sure your pet has room to move around. If it’s for a puppy, make sure there’s room for a separate sleeping area, a place to play, and a potty spot.

Exercise pens (sometimes called “x-pens”) are simple playpens made of metal or plastic. They usually have about six or eight side panels that connect together so the entire pen can be configured in a square, rectangle, or octagon shape. This Frisco pen comes in five different heights, which you choose based on your dog’s size and interest in climbing. Changeableforyour pet: 31.5"W by 39.4" H heavy-duty panel frame, the 8-panel design allows multiple shape configurations like rectangle, square, round, etc. This metal pen is easy to set up and take down, but it’s even easier than some because there’s a built-in latch instead of clips. Clips can get wonky from puppy chewing and it’s easy to lose them when you store the pen. (Tip: Clip them all on the top.) Set-up instructions are easy to follow and it has a clip to keep the pen together when folded. This sturdy metal pen is so much more solid than pretty much every other kind of pen. It’s made of metal tube frames and wire panels, covered in a rust-resistant coating. There’s a very convenient step-through gate and eight panels that can be moved around to create a square, octagon, or rectangle pen. (You can also buy it with 24 or 32-inch tall panels for smaller dogs.) Some agile pups can also climb out, particularly when a pen is too short, so see how your pup acts before leaving them alone.The right dog pen will keep your pet safe in one spot so they can’t get into trouble. They are also great for providing a safe retreat for an older dog, or as a tool for potty training your dog. Options range from simple metal enclosures to wooden gates that can double as room dividers. There are multiple velcro compartments on the sides of the pen that can potentially be used for toys and doggie treats,” said one tester. “And it's spacious enough for almost any dog to roam around in, roll around in and/or sleep within it.” Portable: The metal playpen can be folded flat for easy storage and transportation when you go traveling with your beloved pets. The panels can be detachable and put together one by one, space-saving and convenient. You can buy more than one heavy duty dog playpen if a greater area needs to be covered, just ensure you buy the same height!