Picking the Right Dog Gate

It can be difficult picking the correct dog gate for your home and pet.  There are so many choices available, between pet stores, online vendors and specialty outlets, your options seem endless.  There are three basic dog gate types, and each is most suitable for specific living situations and pets.

The tension-mounted gate is a product that works on the principle of friction.  The attachment sites are spring loaded and therefore press firmly against the doorjamb or wall.  This is great if you live in a rental because you don’t have to install anything into the walls.  In an ideal situation, the most that remains after you take down the gate is some smudging on the wall.  Realistically, if you need a lot of tension so that your pet doesn’t push down the gate, you might dent the walls some.  Therefore, this gate is best for lighter, smaller dogs.

The hardware mounted gate uses hardware inserted into the studs in the wall or into the doorjamb.  This is a much sturdier gate, and with multiple sets of hardware available from most manufacturers, you can use the same gate all over the house.  For a larger dog, this is a good choice.  If you eventually remove the hardware, you will need to patch and paint the walls.  Additionally, because this gate is more difficult to move, you will want to make sure there is a door incorporated into the design.

The stand-alone gate is just that–an expandable fence that is balanced on four or more long feet that are covered in a non-slip material.  This gate is great if you don’t want to touch your walls at all.  Depending on the stickiness of the foot material, it can be difficult for your dog to move, but these gates tend to be the shortest, so a dog may opt to jump over them.  Additionally, a smart dog will see how you slide the gate to get through and potentially figure out how to do it themselves.