Dog Product Reviews
I’m using this page to review products that I’ve purchased for my dogs, and I’ll add more products over time. Some items below include links that if you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. These affiliate links are all marked with an “*”. But rest assured; I’m completely honest about what I like and don’t like.
Dog Pens & Fencing
There are several types of dog pens, the smallest of which are like playpens for babies. These playpens* can sometimes work for puppies or small dogs that don’t jump. But the kinds of dog pens that I’ve used are more like portable metal fences that come with at least one gate. Below I’ve broken this down further into pens that are meant to be ultra portable and others that, while easy to move, stake in the ground and are more secure.
Light-weight Portable Fence Pens
I purchased the 36 inch Amazon Basics Foldable Metal Exercise Dog Playpen* when my cattle dog had surgery on her leg and needed to be confined for 10 weeks. This pen worked fine for its intended purpose, but I didn’t feel that it was secure enough to leave her in it when I wasn’t at home. Below are my observations:
You can purchase lighweight fence pens* that can be used both indoors and outdoors. This type is the most portable kind and doesn’t require staking; although keep in mind a large and/or very energenic dog may be able to escape. I purchased this fence for indoor use when my cattle dog had surgery.
But the kind of fencing that I use, is more secure and stakes into the ground. I’ve been using the FXW Rollick pens* for a few years now, and I’ve been very happy. They come in several different heights and you can buy sets in a varying number of panels.
Pros:
— Lightweight and portable
— Can be made into various shapes. The photo shows a 4 feet by 4 feet configuration, but you you also make it 2 feet by 8 feet or make it into an Octagon.
— It folds flat for easy storage without disassembly.
— It held a crazy cattle dog for nearly 3 months.
Cons/Limitations:
— It is light enough that an energetic dog can move it. When my girl got really restless, she could move it a few feet across the rug. Given this, I don’t recommend this pen for bare floors.
— The gate latch can come open when the fence is jiggled a lot. My crazy dog managed to escape twice until I started using a carabiner clip to secure the gate.
— The fence is not designed such that you can easily add or remove panels.
Sturdy, Stake-in-th-ground Dog Fencing
The other type of dog fencing that I’ve used is more heavy duty and secure. I originally purchased this type of fencing when I put in a doggy door and wanted to create a small pen where my dogs could let themselves out to use the bathroom without having free roam of the yard. But this type of fencing has proven so useful that I’ve purchased it several more times over the last 4 years. The brand that I keep going back to is FXW Rollick*. At one point I tried the Giantex brand dog fence* because it looked similar and was about 30% less expensive. But in the end, I returned it because it just didn’t feel as sturdy. Perhaps if I hadn’t already owned the FXW brand*, I would have been satified with the quality.
You can buy these fences in several heights. I purchased the tallest one (50″, shown above) for the doggie door enclosure, but I purchased the 40″ height for several other purposes. As shown in the photos, I’ve used this product as long-term fencing for my side yard and vegetable garden, as well as for temporary fencing to keep the dogs away from fruiting trees or newly planted landscaping.
Pros:
— Lightweight and easily installed/removed.
— Versatile.
— Sturdy and long-lasting.
— The gate latch is very secure.
Cons/Limitations:
— The included gate is narrow, which makes it difficult to carry large objects through it.
— The gate latch requires 2 hands to open it. To get around this, I tie the bottom latch open.
— After being outdoors year-round in Florida, some rust have developed on the gates.