2016 Top 5 best playpens for dogs

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Why should you buy a playpen for dogs?

There are many different reasons why a pet owner may consider purchasing a best playpen for dogs, or a single dog. Usually, it is because we feel guilty about closing our pets in a small dog crate, tying them up somewhere so they don’t run away, or simply closing our dogs in another room so they wouldn’t bother us. In this quick dog playpens review, we’re taking a look at five best dog products that you may want to consider, but first let’s discuss why should you even think about buying a playpen for dogs.

Dog playpens are different from crates, and they can serve as a great alternative for all those scenarios above, because your pooch still has some freedom to run around, play with his dog toys and not feel too constrained. More importantly, you can always have a playpen somewhere in the house or the backyard and your canines will feel calm and happy to see you around all the time. Playpens are designed to provide dogs with a safe and secure area to play at the time when you cannot monitor them.

Playpens are often referred to as dog exercise pens, too. As the name implies, this item is constructed to provide a good alternative for your dog’s crate if your Fido seems to dislike them, especially after some veterinary studies came out showing that it’s unhealthy to keep your dog for too long in the crate. Playpens for dogs, on the other hand, are not as bad for pets, and many canines like them to a certain extent. However, not every pet playpen is the same. It’s always important to consider build quality and the materials used in every playpen for dogs because some of them can be easily knocked over or even destroyed.

Finding the best playpen for dogs might prove to be a challenge. There’s a huge bunch of options available today, especially from online retailers like Amazon. We’ve done our in-depth research on all available dog supplies in this category and scanned though everything available. Below is the result of this work and thorough research of finding best playpen for dogs: a list of Amazon items for your convenience, because we know how much dog owners of today love and trust this merchant. Enjoy.

What to consider when shopping for the best playpen for dogs?

Type. One of the most important factors to consider when purchasing playpens for dogs is what type you’re after. Do you need a portable pen for easy mobility? Maybe a heavy duty for extra sturdiness? How are you going to use it, where are you going to store it and how often will you need this playpen? There are many factors that come into play when deciding your best option, which is why this list of best dog playpens might not be the quintessential answer to your question. Nonetheless, if you do your research and find out what type of playpen is best for your home and your pet, then making the right choice will be easier.

Size. Another very important aspect to consider is the size of your dog. Not every playpen will work for every dog. In fact, most playpens are designed for small dogs, then there are a few of them that are made for medium-sized dog breeds, and very rarely will you be able to find a playpen for dogs that’s good for large breeds such as Great Dane, for example. Playpens for dog breeds of that size are usually known as a room in the house. Ensure that you double check the size of your soon to be dog playpen and choose accordingly. Consider that your dog might want to move around a little, and you will also want to put some toys in there, possibly your pet’s food bowl and a few other items.

Build quality. Finally, no least important is the build quality of your playpen. Usually, this comes down to one thing and one thing only – price. The higher the price, the higher the build quality (at least on this list). You’ll notice that cheaper playpens are often made out of plastic or very thing metal wires. Playpens that are of average build quality will often come in commercial-grade plastic, occasionally in thicker metal or even wood (rarely). Lastly, good quality builds for outdoors are usually made out of thick metal materials, and for indoors, hardwood will be used to keep the playpen stylish and sturdy. The market on playpens for dogs continues to expand and new products are constantly making their appearances, but we’ve narrowed down our list to five items and will now try to find one best playpen for dogs.

Top 5 Best Playpens for Dogs in 2016

5North States Superyard Play Yard

Quick overview: Playpens for dogs from North States Industries are often advertised as working well with both pets and kids, so if you’re not on the lookout for a dog-specific playpen (with additional small doors and extra pet safety), this can be a great and affordable option. It’s a double win if you have toddlers. North States Superyard best playpen for dogs has 6 panels made out of plastic. It’s 26 inches in height, each panel is 32×25 inches and the whole set comes with a carrying strap.

This type of playpen for dogs is very easy to set up and usually takes seconds, but that also means that knocking it down will be somewhat easier, too, especially because of the light plastic build. Although we’ve tried listing more sturdy pet playpens in here, this one comes close to being more of a lightweight and portable playpen for dogs. Depending on your needs, this could either be a good thing or a bad thing. You can use additional panels to build out this playpen, but remember that adding more of them will weaken the structure itself. In terms of its sturdiness, this playpen while lightweight isn’t easy to pull apart or breakdown, so you shouldn’t worry about your dog destroying it quickly.

Noteworthy customer review (make sure to read the full review on Amazon): “It’s as advertised, so I don’t have any complaint about the quality, but up close it looks even cheaper than it does in the photo. The person who said it looks like a dog kennel nailed it. So if you’re looking for something that will go well with the decor in your living room, don’t bother with this…”

Video: Top 5 Dog Videos || Jan 15 2016

4Midwest Black E-Coat Exercise Pen

Quick overview: As always, Midwest has something to offer to their loyal based of dog owners. Second on the list of best playpens for dogs is their E-Coat exercise pen, which is a very popular and highly rated item on Amazon. This playpen for dogs is normally available in multiple different sizes, but it’s often limited to whatever they have in stock. Overall, you can find any size exercise pen you need for your pooch and for a very affordable price. Considering its price for value, this is definitely one of the best options on this list!

Midwest’s playpen is made out of metal, and is often used with different pets and even children. No need for any tools to set it up, and the whole procedure will take no more than a minute. While it’s just as portable as the playpen mentioned above, this seems to be sturdier and more reliable, while also being cheaper. Midwest promises that their E-Coat finish is durable and will last for a long time, and customers who purchased this playpen for dogs seem to agree. With this set, you get 8 pieces of a playpen all of which are measure at 24 inches in width. There’s no built-in door, but you can assemble a door-like entrance by clipping 2 ends (clips are provided). Storing is also very simple: fold it in seconds and store it flat anywhere in the house or even in the car.

Noteworthy customer review (make sure to read the full review on Amazon): “We’ve also used it as a pen, and it worked great for that too. We wondered if our little guy would be able to knock it over when it was in its pen shape, but if he tried, it didn’t come down. We left him in it while we ran errands for a couple of hours, and when we came back, it was exactly as we’d left it…”

3IRIS Indoor/Outdoor Plastic Pet Pen

Quick overview: IRIS USA currently has the most popular playpen for dogs on Amazon. For this price, it’s cost to value ratio is almost unbeatable. Playpen has either four or eight sides including a small door for your dog on one of the panels, which is extremely convenient. One downside of this pet play pen is that it’s made out of plastic rather than metal. Nonetheless, it’s a commercial-grade plastic and if used with small to medium sized dogs, there will be no issues with them knocking it over or breaking down the playpen. The item is currently very well rated on Amazon, too, with positive reviews recently having climbed over 2,500.

Although the playpen for dogs itself is made out of plastic, the door is held by double steel door latches which will ensure that your pooch doesn’t get out whenever you don’t want them to. Assembly of this best playpen for dogs is easy and hassle-free that takes minutes, and you can use it both indoors and outdoors. If needed, you can even purchase an additional mesh roof for this playpen (doesn’t come with the original dog product though). All panels are 36 inches wide 23 inches tall each, and it can be folded flat to easy transportation and storing. All the panels can also be adjusted, so if you purchase the 8-panel one – you can set it up in whatever way you see fit.

Noteworthy customer review (make sure to read the full review on Amazon): “There’s enough room for a oil-filled heater, her large burrow bed and blankets, water bowl, bone-chewing/play area. Also, I sectioned off a small area for her potty pads. This way she doesn’t have to “hold it” when I’m gone for longer periods of time. The pen is so roomy, that there’s plenty of distance between the potty pads, her bed, and water dish…”

2Richell Convertible Indoor/Outdoor Pet Playpen

Quick overview: Richell has been known to dominate the field of dog gates of premium quality, and recently they started manufacturing and making them more affordable. It seems like with all the effort to keep their dog products at a lower price, Richell continues to stay on the higher end of pricing, but you also get the quality that you expect from a company like Richell. Their convertible best playpen for dogs can be used both indoors and outdoors, and like most of their other playpens – it can be used as a gate, too!

Richell’s playpen for dogs is designed with outdoors and indoors in mind, with a completely water-resistant construction. You can get these with 4 or 6 panels, which are 29 inches in width and 35 inches in height. Similarly to other playpens, this one can also be either combined or broken down to make larger or smaller playpens for dogs. One problem with some other items like this one are the wide gaps, which small dogs can often use to their advantage, but not in this one. Gaps in here are approximately 2 inches, so your Fido will not be able to stick out more than a nose. Customers overall seem to be very happy with this purchase- however, given its higher price, when it comes to cost-for-value ratio, it’s possible that the best option would be to go either slightly cheaper (#3) or slightly more expensive (#1) for the best result.

Noteworthy customer review (make sure to read the full review on Amazon): “I did a lot of research and made phone calls to manufacturers before I settled on this dog pen. It was more expensive than some other pens, but it does exactly what I need it to do–which is to confine a LARGE puppy in three areas of our finished, but wide-open basement…”

1Richell 3-in-1 Convertible Elite Pet Gate

Quick overview: It’s important to mention that this product is not advertised as playpen but a dog gate, which it is. However, this being a pet gate from Richell, we know it’ll have more features than your average dog product, and it does – it turns into the best playpen for dogs you can currently purchase for your home. This item is available with 4 or 6 panels that measure at 197-1/2 by 31-1/2 by 13/16 inches when fully extended. This is by far the best option for any small or medium sized dogs, bar none, if you can afford it.

Video: Top 5 Best Playpens for Dogs under $200

Priced as a high quality premium product, Richell’s 3-in-1 convertible elite pet gate that turns into an amazing playpen for dogs is exactly what most dog owners will be looking for. Its stylish hardwood design will look amazing in your living room or hallway, lockable door on the gate will allow for easy movement when you’re using it either as a gate or a playpen and the special caps provide extra stability when it’s in the playpen construction. You also have an option to choose different panel setup for custom configurations, and use it in three different ways: as a pet playpen, a room divider or a sturdy freestanding pet gate.

Noteworthy customer review (make sure to read the full review on Amazon + photos): “I can’t tell you how much I love this!!! Took me about 15 minutes to unpack it and put it together! NO TOOLS just drop in the pins and put the lock caps on! Excellent Quality…”

Video: Top 5 Dog Videos || Feb 19 2016

VIDEO review of top five best dog playpens

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