Good value but flawed in the door opening if you have small dog and is flimsy
While this pen is a great value for the price, there is a flaw in the door opening and its flimsy. Regardless of price, I sort of regret buying it. I have a small dog (10 lbs Chihuahua – terrier mix), the bottom at the door opening is a bit too tall for him. He can leap over the ledge just fine, sometimes, if he is not paying attention or excited, he bumps his knees or shins on it when jumping out. Wish I would have bought a pen with a lower ledge, if you have a small dog, or a breed with short legs, you might want to consider this. Also, if your dog jumps or stands on back legs, I would go with a taller height than recommended. The recommended height for my dog was 24″, but I got 30″ instead. Also, it is a bit flimsy, if your dog is laid back and won’t jump on it or paw at it, it should hold up, but if your dog is high energy and repeatedly jumps or pushes on it, it might not work. Also, if you have back problems or opening the lower latch might be difficult for you, you might only be able to use the top latch or look for a pen with only one latch.
63 people found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
Dektolia –
Why is the door on the last panel?
I would have given this 5/5 stars (or more) if the door wasn’t on the end panel. This could be a super versatile tool if the door weren’t on an edge panel. There have been a number of times I want to make the pen smaller or use it or use it to block an open doorway, but I can’t use the door in those situations. The dogs leave it alone if I fold back the last panel on each side to prop it like a gate across a wider than average door opening, but then no gate.I also have the Petco Animaze version and the only significant difference is this one has corner stabilizers (that I haven’t used yet).I haven’t seen a company with a door as a middle panel yet, but if you find one I’d recommend that one. Overall this has been a very useful product and I use it all the time, especially with greyhounds that can’t be staked out. I’ve used it as playpen for the dog during family pictures so she could be in some but not all, at a family party so the dogs could be outside with us without a full fenced in yard (while supervised), on my parents deck to block off the deck steps while visiting, just off my parents deck to make a little “fenced in” yard using two of them (while supervised), to block off the entryway from the rest of the house to leave the dogs safely in an unfamiliar house, to make a traveling sleep “kennel” by throwing a blanket over the top for a dog who prefers to sleep kenneled (it’s significantly smaller than a kennel yo travel with), etc. I’ve used it for a ton of things, and ended up keeping two of them when the Petco one didn’t arrive during the delivery timeframe specified when ordered.
Rated 5 out of 5
California Dreamer –
A Good Value
It amazes me how many people don’t understand the function of an X-pen, and therefore leave 1 star reviews. It was never designed to be a heavy duty kennel for an untrained adult dog, especially a large breed dog and yes, even small puppies and dogs can learn to climb out of one if one buys the wrong height and doesn’t supervise and train their pup/dog.An x-pen is not a replacement for proper crate training or an actual kennel. Originally, show dog people used them so their mostly trained and socialized dogs had a confined space at a show ground in which to potty and stretch their legs. Today, people at campgrounds use them for the same purpose. I know of Irish Wolfhound breeders who use these pens in the house and out doors without incident for both pups and adults.Their dogs are TRAINED to use these pens.One can’t put an adult dog without training (simple obedience like “place”, “down”, “sit”, etc.) in these pens and expect them to stay there if left unsupervised. That is what crates and heavy duty kennels are for. For a puppy, same thing. Even if one is cooking dinner, one can encourage puppy to stay quiet in the x-pen by offering a special treat that will keep them quietly occupied (stuffed Kong toy, pig ear, etc.). Don’t reward your dog for jumping up on the sides! And for heaven’s sake don’t put your human toddler in there. (WTF are people thinking these days?)If the pen slides across a tile floor, put a pad or blanket or a piece of plywood under it and secure it with some zip ties after drilling a few holes. If you think it is too flimsy standing on it’s own , configure it into a square or rectangle, take some 1×6 boards cut them to fit the length, drill holes in them and zip tie them to the bottom. If you have a dog that messes with gates, you can set the pen up with the gate facing inward or just buy some heavy duty spring clips (not carabiners) to lock the gate securely.OK off my soapbox.They are a great tool for raising litters of puppies (as long as one gets the right height and provides the proper amount of space for the litter (often two or three individual pens linked together). They are super flexible to arrange both indoors and out if one uses a little imagination and some zip ties.I really like the Midwest products in particular because they seem to have consistent quality control at an affordable price.
119 people found this helpful
Rated 1 out of 5
Michael A. –
NOT RECOMMENDED
Wanted to use for an inside the house cage for when I was away. The cage was super easy to put up and unfold, and was built like any other cage crate, so was fine in that respect.The BIGGEST problem and the reason I returned the product, was there was no true stability. The manufacturer provided 4 latch hooks to attach the sides to each other, which did the trick, but without any appropriate top or bottom support for the cage, I feared the cage would collapse in on my dog when she jumped up on the cage.Dogs jump up, and when my 11 week old Doberman jumped up on this cage, the whole thing moved and did not maintain its shape. The manufacture provides “supports” for the corners of the cage, to maintain stability and prevent collapse. TRUST ME, those “supports” did nothing to maintain the octagon shape and the “supports” repeatedly fell off. I even tried to tape them by the use of electrical tape, and that didn’t even work.I really wanted to keep the cage, but when it came to the safety of my dog, there was no way I would feel comfortable with this cage not collapsing in on it self and hurting or killing my dog when I was not around, just to unsafe.My thought is that this cage would work fine with other non jumping type animals, that would not be able to push the cage around when jumped upon. As for a medium or large dog, which they advertise on the product container itself, ABSOLUTELY NOT if the dog is going to jump up onto the cage. If your dog never jumps up, then this product would probably be ok for your dog.I purchased the 4 foot high cage, which was the large cage. Just not safe for dogs in my opinion!
3 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
OtakusChaos –
Perfect! Love it! Got 2!
This is metal and durable, but not too heavy and great for any use I put it to. I purchased 2 and frequently connect them together and make a giant area, and I am seriously considering getting 1or 2 more. Right now they are guarding my newly planted garden beds until the plants are established enough that the dogs won’t trample them. They also go camping with us to keep the hooligans out of trouble in the camp grounds, their lightness and adjustability (not to mention the door humans can also walk through) is perfect. We also used it to keep one dog with a broken leg contained and not moving too much. And the children love the little door and go in and out all the time (but some of the edges can be sharp, so be aware). The little extras like the stakes for the yard to keep them in one place and the clips to keep the edges straight are great, but I will never have a need to use it. The little security clips to keep the door secured shut and the gate together are a little flimsy and will probably break before we can loose them, but we have the habit of losing them and replacing them with cheapo replacements anyways, so that was not even a concern for us. The gate even has a nifty little clip/ hook thing to keep it collapsed and together (perfect for when you drag it around on road trips or camping or store it). These gates have been sitting outside in the sun and rain, sprinklers, snow and hail for months at a time with not a single sign of the daily abuse that it receives. This is a great purchase that I have not regretted and will buy more without hesitation if we need more space or if these ever succumb to the trials and rigors of our life. We got the black 24 inches tall one because we have short and fat dogs that can not jump and do not challenge the gate. If you have big dogs or dogs that are truly unafraid of anything, bigger and more sturdy might be better. But for us and our situations these are perfect.
6 people found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
Anna Baker –
BUY THE BIGGER SIZE. FOR GOODNESS SAKE. BUY THE BIGGER SIZE.
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We are on our third order of the MidWest Exercise Pen, and our puppy is a small breed who is only 12 weeks old.We started out with the 30″ and thought that would be generous. Then he figured out how to get on top of his crate and jump out.We moved his crate to the center of the playpen and ordered the 42″, thinking that would be generous. Then, before the new playpen came, he figured out how to extend his body from the top of his crate in the center of the playpen to the top of the rail and jumped out. So, we cancelled the order for the 42″ and ordered the 48″.We’re just hoping that the 48″ will be tall enough to keep our little Houdini safe inside his fortress. This is a great pen, but the manufacturer’s suggestions for sizing are modest at best and do not take into account a determined puppy. I can only imagine if he were a bigger breed!
36 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Amy T –
Serves its purpose
This serves its purpose as to have somewhere to keep the puppies while i am busy around the house. I am trying to train them so this is going to be their area. My husband did add some more support to them by adding some beams on the bottom of it, just because i feel the puppies will get big and eventually try to jump up on it but it isnt going anywhere. I would suggest that if you were to keep them in there for long periods of time to maybe get some kind of baby bumpers on the bottom. Just my thought. But overall i am pleased. Will add a second review after using this for a while.
4 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
MSB –
Wouldn’t recommend
I purchased the 36″ for a Pomeranian puppy who is about 5 lbs right now.Just wanted something larger for him to be in indoors other than his crate when I couldn’t keep my eyes directly on him since he’s still potty training. There were so many positive reviews for this product so I figured I would take a chance.Things I liked:Price pointEase of set upSizeThings I didn’t like:Not very sturdy at all once set up.All 5 lbs of him was able to move it about on the floor (was on tile). Not by much but enough that it made me nervous.The stabilizers that come with it, don’t really click on well. And they still allow a lot of movement of the panels as far as the shape.I had to put a crate inside against the side and also place the other side of this pen against the wall to give it enough stability to give it a try.If you have a dog that likes to jump or climb, or even just stand on their hind legs against the side of this, you could end up with a problem as far as the stability goes for this pen. I think maybe outside use with the stakes might be decent but I didn’t try that to be able to comment.I can’t say I would recommend this despite all the positive reviews it has.
8 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
CleanHouseCleanHouse –
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I got the 3.5 ft tall option and this has worked amazingly for me!1. FLEXIBILITY: this is lighter than the 42 in crate, which makes transporting it easier. It will bend into different lengths which is great for if i want to section off my dog from certain areas of the house. OR it can be put together like the picture and become a make-shift crate/ containment area.2. SIZE: I got the recommended 8 panels and it is quite large when opened up and put together like the picture. 50 lb lab/retriever puppy and her full grown mom at 80 lbs fit comfortably in it. Also when mom was still nursing all 9 puppies, she and her puppies could fit in this. About the size of two large crates when folded into a square or rounded out.3. DURABILITY: I have had this outside (in rain) and inside for about 6 months now. I have not had any problems with rust yet. This is not truly a crate so, yes it is a little less sturdy and secure. However, I also feel that it is important to note that when dealing with dogs at a certain weight and age, if they want out, they will find a way out. The 50 lb puppy is capable of escaping and has, but I believe this issue to be a training issue and not a product issue. Puppy is now 6 months and doesn’t try and escape anymore. Overall, this is pretty sturdy and I would definitely recommend to people with puppies.
342 people found this helpful
Rated 2 out of 5
Louis A. Cook –
I don’t think it’s a bad product, but I do think there are important …
I don’t think it’s a bad product, but I do think there are important considerations for some dog owners.1. Despite seeming to be an appropriate size, my small, 10 lb papillon jumped almost out of it, enough to fall and get stuck hanging by her leg which was pinched in the seam where the whole thing clips together. I found her hanging there upside down in pain but luckily, uninjured. Go big and/or get the lid.2. This product does not fit smoothly on the midwest crate I bought as I hoped. I bought both after much reading intending to use them together. You can sort of clip them together but it’s sloppy, and my dog could easily jump onto the top of the crate, which is shorter than the pen. The lid would not help this problem.
31 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
MightyDwightyMightyDwighty –
Use it with the AmazonBasics or MidWest Crate to create the PERFECT INDOOR SETUP for your puppy or dog =D!
Pros:- Solid construction and weight- Fully Collapsible to allow for easy storage or travel- TWO door latches to better protect against bends from your dog pushing against just the top or bottom of the door- Fully painted and coated without exposed rough edges, etc- Easy to customize shape of exercise pen to allow for multiple setups for your particular room or purposeCons:- Included hardware is slightly flimsy (the plastic edge supports can pop off fairly easily with enough pressure)- Welding clamps that connect consecutive panels provide some sharp edges that could potentially cause injuryPersonal Experience:I have a rat terrier puppy and wanted to find a quality and reasonably priced exercise pen to create what I consider to be the perfect indoor setup for a puppy still learning to be crate trained and potty trained. Essentially, I wanted my puppy to be able to stay in a safe and confined space indoors during times when I am unable to be at home, and for use for travel when we make our frequent road trips to visit our extended family’s home. But I’ll describe this a little more later, and I have included pictures to show this setup.First impression:Our puppy is expected to be approximately 35lbs, so I purchased the 36″ size just in case. After doing some research, I found a couple of comparable models that had similar measurements, features, and were reviewed highly, but ended up deciding to get the MidWest Exercise Pen because of the overall strong reviews and relatively reasonable price. It came in a pretty flat box and was extremely easy to setup. The exercise pen arrives collapsed (obviously), but is already assembled when shipped. All I had to do was un-collapse it and stand it up to the shape I desired. It includes plastic edge supports that hook over successive panels to reinforce the structure (think of it as a plastic guard that prevents two consecutive panels from collapsing past a certain angle). It is not too heavy, so it is definitely manageable to travel with as well. The coating and paint covers all areas and I did not see any exposed steel or rough edges (unlike some other reviews). I also particularly like that it has two door latches to ensure that the door is not bent from your dog pushing on either the top or bottom of the door. Also, the design allows the exercise pen to easily be customized to form different shapes to accommodate the space in your room (i.e., octagon, large rectangle, etc).After using the exercise pen for approximately a month, I am still very satisfied with all aspects of it. However, my biggest complaint is that the hardware used and the welding clamps (used to hold consecutive panels together) are not as sturdy as I initially thought. The plastic edge supports can pop off fairly easily if enough pressure is applied, and the welding clamps are a little rough and provide some sharp edges that could hurt an unsuspecting puppy. However, I have not had any particular issue with either of these things since my puppy does not push against the walls, nor has she been injured by the welding clips. I’m just making observations.Conclusion:I am very satisfied with the MidWest Exercise Pen and do not regret the purchase at all. It has quality construction, it is easy to “assemble” and collapse for easy storage and travel, it is easily adjustable to form customizable shapes, and all at a reasonable price. My only minor complaints are that the included plastic edge supports are rather flimsy and the welding clamps provide some sharp edges that could potentially cause injury.**I also purchased the AmazonBasics Single Door Crate to create what I consider the perfect indoor setup for puppies when you’re away from home (the MidWest crate should work the same). I position the crate so that its door faces inside of the pen, and I have the pen encapsulate to each side of the crate door with the rest of the crate protruding out of the pen (the picture shows the setup). The Exercise Pen is secured to the crate by simply using your standard swivel keychain hooks (these actually came with the Exercise Pen). This setup allows my puppy to sleep and enjoy her crate, but also walk around a safe enclosed area when I am not home. I also leave a puppy pad in the far corner of the pen area to allow my puppy to potty there if she really needs to. I have included a few pictures of the set-up =)
994 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
ohioapprentice –
Worth it
Our little 3 month old boxer puppy could not be contained by some plastic gate apparatus that is wedged between two walls. Nope, not Jack Dempsey’s Daughter! She found a way to escape the first time we set her up in the hallway. Ok, maybe that first time was a fluke….but on the second attempt to do the same thing, Dempsey just rammed it and knocked the whole thing down. This was not a cheap gate, mind you, just not something that could hold our Dempsey doodle down for any time longer than a few minutes. Thank goodness I had this pen on order which was what we were waiting for but had to come up with something temporary until it came. Yesterday, it came and Dempsey has a new challenge to figure out how to escape from. Very easy to put together, extremely easy to relocate, a nice, sturdy structure. I think it is going to do the trick from watching her trying to find a way out. My only concern is that she gnaws of the metal gate and I fear that her little baby teeth might get prematurely removed as a result of the gnawing. We are planning upon ordering another section of pen to add to give her more space as this is also a fantastic advantage. The pen can grow with Dempsey! You can’t go wrong with this purchase.
Rated 5 out of 5
Alex ShvartsmanAlex Shvartsman –
Large and versatile
Although this playpen folds into a fairly small box, it is quite sizable. (See photo with an 8 lb puppy for size perspective.) It took under ten minutes to assemble. And it only took that long because we couldn’t figure out what to do with an additional set of metal hooks not seen here (turns out, they’re for outdoors and are meant to stick into the ground and hold the playpen in place.)It’s very easy to adjust the shape of the playpen to suit your needs as well as to attach a crate.Most dog trainer recommend the playpen + pee pads method over the crate method to potty train your puppies, and this is an excellent playpen for this purpose.
49 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
SiobhanSiobhan –
Terrific, sturdy, versatile, easy to use crate/fence/playpen
This product has worked wonders training my small breed puppy. It comes already assembled and it’s super easy to maneuver and fold. I love how versatile it is too. As you can see from my photos, it can fold into obscure shapes to fit in essentially any space with most configurations. It can be purchased in several different sizes with many different accessories. The hinge door works great and it comes with stakes to secure it to the ground outside if needed. Terrific crate, fence or playpen – the options are abundant. My puppy loves being in it and it’s big enough that I don’t feel bad leaving him in it for longer hours when needed. The only thing I didn’t like about it are these small plastic tubes that come with it to secure the panels together and are supposed to help it stay rigid. They are hard to put on and don’t stay easily especially if there on a bend where you need to put it. I personally just choose not to use them and it still functions great and feels very sturdy without them. Very durable and secure product, I highly recommend!
5 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Robert A. Hulsman –
Perfect!
Perfect! Contains my 8 month old pup with plenty of room to play, put water and food bowls into (if necessary, but usually eats in kitchen with other dog)..so I now know he isn’t eating the house down. I was told he was 2 yrs. old at pound upon adoption. but per our vet he is about 8 months old…hadn’t even shed his baby teeth yet! Small short legged doxie-chi mix and cute as a button, but destructive as all get out. Now he can spend time with us (retired) when we are in the living room outside this pen, but inside it when I’m cleaning house in diff. rooms and my hubby is outside working in garage/yard. What a wonderful invention and is saving him from eating batteries (yes he will try to eat anything!) and from eating our blinds, sofa pillows, shoes, shoe laces, and even the special toys that are his brothers (a 9 yr. old sweet and patient chi.) Thanks Amazon for this wonderful product!! We got the 30″ inch one = he can stand on the rungs, but cannot push over or climb out..Amazing – our new piece of mind in keeping everyone safe!
15 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Becky Douglas –
The first pen has held up nicely to two large dogs and a lot of traveling …
I bought this pen to attach to another one that I previously purchased in order to make a larger penned area for the dogs while camping. These pens are heavy and well built. The first pen has held up nicely to two large dogs and a lot of traveling and I wanted to make a larger area for them to move around. They pens attach together easily and they come with ground stakes to help keep them stable in case the dogs jump up on the wire. There is a door that opens and closes easily and allows human access quite easily. The pens are well built and very stable but they are meant to be a temporary pen and are best used when a human is close by. My dogs are older and don’t try to jump up on the wire but I would not leave them alone and trust the pen to stay put if they did jump on it, even with the stakes in the ground. I primarily use the pen when I am working around the campsite and can keep an eye on the dogs. It is great to have them with me and not have to lock them up in the camper when I am busy.
29 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
TinaTina –
The best Play pen for pups!! Five stars!!
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Way beyond amazing! We love this product. Our puppy came at 8 week old and he like his crate not as much when locked the door – with this play pen I can leave the door open with his food water bowls inside the playpen, chew toys and port pad also inside it’s spacious with all this and a big pillow like bed the puppy has room to move around and sleep on the open surface if he wants.The pan attaches well to the crate just make sure to attach the plastic tube like part on the joints of it. The door is nice to have to open and close when we take puppy out and in the pan.Our 7 year old golden lab wasn’t comfortable around the puppy so when in same room sleeping at night I donot have to worry of her growling or hurting the puppy as the puppy is inside the pan happy and she out but in the same room!It’s sturdy now puppy is 9/10 week old and healthy weight and even he cannot budge it, he stand with two legs on the play pans support whinnying at us when want to be out. And it stay put not flimsy at all very sturdy. I waited 2 weeks to write this review to see how it works for us and it great!!Wonderful and helpful for new puppies when potty training as then they do it have access to the whole house so no accidents all over the house. Our puppy never goes in it was trained to go out in grass and I take him every hour and then he stay free open in the house and then in the pen during nap times and night sleep time. During the day also he likes to be in it without complaining chewing his toys or treats!! Buy this without hesitation you will love it!I posted on three golden retriever groups that I’m member of on social media. Many of my group members have ordered this play pan and are happily using it.
5 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
H. MartinH. Martin –
One section is AWESOME for smaller pets……..read full review
Our intentions for this was to use this for our Giant Flemish Rabbits who are just babies right now, but have grown real fast and big. I was looking for something that we could put them for them to run and jump outside on the grass.This MidWest pen with gate was PERFECT, until I realized that “Wow, these rabbits are loving this and we need it bigger!”No problem there…………I also found from this seller the same size but with no gate. AWESOME I though, and I bought that too!What I love about this pen, is:1) It folds down to a compact size and can be stored just about anywhere2) It is very well made3) You will received clips and stakes to tie down4) Sturdy and not flimsy at all when fully upright5) Perfect for our bunnies6) Super easy to set upThe four pictures that I have included are of the extra pen attached to this pen listed here with the gate. Adding the extra pen without the gate made it huge! I did order another section, to make it even bigger!I highly recommend this pen. If you get this one, this would be suitable for a smaller dog such as a Yorkie or small Poodle, Schnauzer etc. Getting another section would be great for any larger dog.If you feel my review has helped you in any way, please be so kind and hit the “Yes” box below this review. Thanks!
1,907 people found this helpful
Rated 1 out of 5
AmazonCustomerAmazonCustomer –
Bunny owners beware! Almost killed my bunny
I woke up in the middle of the night because of piercing screams coming from my 3 pound netherland dwarf bunny. It was the scariest sound ever and I thought my bunny was dying. I ran to his playpen to find his head was stuck between the wires. It was stuck so tight I couldn’t free him with my hands. I had to use tools to bend the wires to get him out. He was screaming the whole time from the pain. His eyes are red and he is still shaken and afraid. I think had I not woken up, he would have died for sure. I DO NOT recommend this playpen for bunnies, especially dwarf bunnies. I never write reviews, but I feel compelled to share my story because my bunny almost died. He is 3 pound netherland dwarf. He never got his head stuck in other playpens before. This play pen’s wires are too far apart.
54 people found this helpful
Rated 2 out of 5
O. MirandaO. Miranda –
Too easy to escape.
Super easy to set up and very sturdy (only reasons I gave it two stars): unfortunately, my 8 week old Maltipoo can climb out due to the horizontal bars being so close together. I bought this in hopes of not using a crate; I ended up having to buy a crate after all. I will be sending this back after I find another solution. I’m including a photo with my review.
103 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
Cindy R –
I am disappointed with this purchase
Item itself would be great if all the parts were included and I was actually able to assemble them. Dog had emergency surgery and I needed to find a solution for containment with very little notice. Item arrived quickly which I thought was a life saver. Then to my surprise I noted there were NOT 4 thumb snaps as stated would be included and did NOT receive all the corner stablizers as stated as well. I can not for the life of me figure out how the corner stablizers are suppose to roll on – I can not get them on no matter how I tried. The instructions are very vague and customer service was not helpful at all. I called customer service to inquire how to utilize them and also to report the missing items. They stated they would ship them to me; but it will be approximately 10 days before they arrive. I am very disappointed in this situation that I am now confronted with as I truly needed a fully functioning set-up due to my situation; thus have to rate only 3 stars – –
5 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
JnetJnet –
It’s a little flimsy UPDATE to a 5 star because of adjustments I made
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I bought this for my puppy and mom but didn’t quite work for whelping.. so I set up for puppy just to have moving room and mom to be in there together.. it is Flimsy so I bought a pegboard and I zip tied it to the bottom and put a blue tarp on top of it just to keep it in place then I bought the top and it of makes it more sturdy to use indoorsUpdate to pet pen: I added pegboards underneath with zip ties… then I also added a tarp … it works very well.. my puppy is. Is 5months 30lbs English bulldog and holds her in pretty well..
4 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
HeatherHeather –
Unconventional Use for this!!!!!
I love this!!! I put it around my Christmas tree so my dogs can’t mess with it!!!!
1,228 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
Jasmine –
Good gate but needs some improvements.
For the most part, this gate has been a life saver for our family and our new puppy! We have his little area gated off nicely HOWEVER it is not exactly as I had hoped. I ordered the taller one with a door. I assumed the door would be a walk-through but unfortunately it is not. Had I know this, I would have purchased the shorter gate I could step over. I am short (5’4) and it makes it very hard for me to get in the area to clean or whatever else needs to be done. I have to take the entire gate apart and open it that way. Pretty disappointing because I was hoping I would be able to walk through the door and still keep him inside. Anyways. My other complain is with the little round tubes that are intended for keeping two pieces of the gates straight. They don’t work. Period. So if you intend on making the gate into a square or rectangle… think again. My dog just leans on it and they pop right off and the gate ends up shaped like a house, triangle, hexagon etc. that is my biggest issue with it. I’m hoping to be able to find an alternative that will actually work. Otherwise, the gate is sturdy, very easy to fold and unfold. I like it. Just wish those two things could be corrected.
3 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
ANDREC –
You probably don’t need the big one
I ordered two of these for my two big dogs (70lbs +, Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Black lab) to make it easier to let them be outside when camping and not trapped in the camper when I need to work. Unless your dog is actively aggressive or an escape artist you do not need the 48″ fence. This thing looks like I’m setting up a FOB to storm the campground lol. They are strong, well made, but I wish I had gotten the 36″ or 42″ at most.
3 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Emily –
SPACIOUS
I never leave reviews on Amazon but this was amazing and I wanted to share. This is exactly what I needed.. I work full time but wanted a puppy, we all know puppies are a lot of work, I ordered this so on the days I don’t have friends over and helping with the puppy she has more space and I feel better about leaving to work. It gives them plenty of space and I’m so happy I ordered it. I highly recommend it for anyone who hates leaving their puppy in the crate.
87 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Tom in South Dakota –
Good product and great customer service
The pens are well made, the price was good, and they were delivered on time. The Midwest Homes for Pets packaging of the pens was very good. We ordered two pens and they came in one Amazon box that was too large for the two pen boxes and it was almost torn in half. And, unfortunately, one of the manufacturer’s boxes had been torn open and then taped together. Upon opening the box it appeared that it may have been a return as the clips were spread around and the ground anchors were missing from their plastic bag. Fortunately, one call to Midwest Homes for Pets customer service solved the problem and within a few days I received replacement ground anchors. We have had the pens for several weeks, they are very easy to setup and take down, and we are using one in the bunk house or the horse trailer at night and then moving it outdoors and connecting it with the other during the daytime. The two pens put together make a great area for our very young Blue Healer to safely stay and play in when we are not around.
One person found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
anonymousanonymous –
Potty training so much easier. But ?durable?
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House training was once a nightmare. Pup lunged at everything. Sniffed/dug/ate instead of getting busy. If video posts, you’ll see how distracted she can get. Pen keeps her contained and there’s no need for leash. Artificial grass (Goasis Lawn 35 mm height. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07HT4JR3L?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title ) helps her focus. She’s finally getting the idea she’s out there to do business.Have had for less than a month. Small areas of rust developed quickly, within days, but pen has always been outside. Also, 2 clips broke. Not sure of the material, but it is brittle and not metal. Easy enough to replace with cable ties, but still slightly disappointing.
9 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
StephyLyanneStephyLyanne –
Exactly what I wanted…but…
***UPDATE***We put up this kennel/cage/playpen on Sunday. We’re Wednesday and the dogs already figured out how to open the door with their paws. My boyfriend spent pretty much the entire night corralling all 3 dogs back into the playpen. We had to make it smaller by removing/folding the side with the door out and it really made a big difference. I found an old collar and made a makeshift lock with it by connecting the door to the side so if the dogs do happen to unlock the door again they won’t be able to push open the door enough to let themselves out. If your dogs paws aren’t small enough to reach through the playpen then you’ll be good, but if they have small paws expect them to figure it out eventually.First off, when we opened it one of the clips was dented and my brother in law had to try to bend it back in shape. (I will add pictures) Second, when we opened it and put together without our dogs kennel it was kind of small. Maybe for 1 dog it would be okay by itself, but we have 3 shihtzu mixes and I wanted more space so we connected it to their kennel. If you aren’t going to use their kennel I recommend buying more than 1 hate at a time. Third, it is a little flimsy so my 3 year old is able to go and push the gate around and fold it/drop it if we aren’t looking at him. I don’t really see this holding up well against a bigger pup or bigger dog as I can see them knocking it over and probably hurting themselves on the process, it maybe that’s just me and my overthinking. Fourthly, if you have a climber I really do recommend getting taller than what you would think. We got the 42” high gate because our older pup Pixie likes to climb the baby gate we have and we expected that she would try to jump/climb the shorter one as well. We did put a nonslip mat under the gate and kennel to protect the floor from doodoos and scratches from the gate.Overall, I do totally recommend this especially for inside pups as it gives them some more space out of the kennel. If I could go back and get this sooner I totally would. I hope this helps and please let me know you have any questions.
3 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Ms. TMs. T –
Buy it!! Its a lifesaver!!
This has been a lifesaver for our family. I absolutely recommend you buy this so your pet can have his or her “mini apartment.” This is perfect when you need to put your puppy in a safe place while you do things around the house. My puppy has also gotten use to sleeping in here. We set up an area for potty, eating, a play area with 2 of her 3 beds. She decides which one she wants to sleep in at anytime lol. If you decide to buy this, please purchase the pad that goes under the playpen. Also, consider buying 2 of the pads for underneath to have a stand by when one has to be cleaned. It will save your carpet or hardwood floors from accidents and prevents sliding as much. So, set up a few blue pads to make a potty area and you are good to go! I forgot to mention before we set this up, my puppy would not go on the blue pads to poop only pee. She is a picky girl. Well now she has been going on the blue pads with no issues. This works miracles!! You won’t be disappointed and there were no sharp edges on the one I have.???? If you want pink they have instead of blue. We had this previously. I attached with the matching crate for extra room even though she mainly goes in there to eat and sniff around. It gives her more room to roam safely. Just buy it! I’m extremely satisfied with this purchase. ????????Update 7/27/2020I am overall happy with my purchase but my 3month old yorkie has learned to jump over the gate several times. She jumps on top of one end, climbs up some more and jumps over.????????♀️ She will still sleep in here at night but I guess you win some and you lose some. ???? We will have to figure something out if we have to lock her in and want to keep her safe from getting into things or just use the smaller attachment. ( She loves to get into tissue)
2 people found this helpful
Rated 1 out of 5
Amazon Customer –
Worst pen ever!!
Worst pen ever. I was excited when it arrived, took it out of the box and it looked great. Then as I go to open it and put it where it needed to go, I picked it up as my hand slid under the second row and a metal piece sliced a chunk of skin off my finger!! I inspected the horizontal metal pieces and they were all sharp metal pieces. I thought to myself if my 2 dogs would have sliced there paws or adorable faces I would be doing more than writing a review!! I was so angry I have to return this item because it should go straight in the trash. Whatever happen to quality control! Shame on this company for putting our animals in danger! Buyer beware. I always read reviews, but I was in a hurry and didnt read any. I should have, lots of people have said the same thing.
99 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Tiffany –
Great indoor and out. Highly recommend.
We initially bought the 30″ option to hook to a Midwest crate inside for an area for our puppy to play without destroying our home. We liked it so well we ended up buying 5 sections of the 42″ option to hook together in our backyard as a makeshift fence. It’s too flimsy to stand on its own when that many are hooked together, but we bought garden stakes to zip tie to it for additional support. Turns out one of our neighbors had the same idea and did the same thing with the same product. Great fence solution without having to pay thousands for an actual fence. We plan on moving within the next year or so, so wanted to solution for our pup to have some room to play without losing too much money.Like another reviewer said, this will slide on the ground inside if the dog jumps on it or even just leans against it when it’s set up inside. It’s not a big deal to us to just move it back and I’m still satisfied with the product.I will add that I get nervous about the doors not being very secure for the outside fence, so I use one of the hooks that came with it to hook the door shut as well.There is some minor rusting on the outside pen already around the door hooks, but that also doesn’t bother me. It does what we bought it to do: keep our puppy contained.
One person found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
Siajkk –
Perfect For Our Puppy
I bought this for our toy Aussie puppy to be in during the times when he is in the house and I am unable to watch him. He was not potty trained at the time and I didn’t know what he would chew up when left unattended. This has been fantastic! I didn’t want him in a crate for extended periods of time. For potty training this probably wouldn’t be ideal if you are looking for a “crate training” type of training, as they have quite a bit of space to move around. This was big enough to put a puppy pad holder in, a bed, some toys and a small bowl of water. He is fully house trained now and even though I was looking forward to getting this big thing out of my house…it is his room and he loves it! He puts himself in there to nap and I only shut the door overnight and when we leave the house. The only thing I will say is you NEED to order the separate wire top for it and I was so thankful I ordered it at the same time I ordered the playpen. I originally didn’t think I would need it. I immediately needed it! Even a Toy Aussie can climb up out of this thing in 3 seconds! Other than that it’s perfect!
84 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
D. GregorD. Gregor –
Very good item for the price
Very good item for the price. Coating is very nice, wire is a little thinner than heavier models but at this price point there are no complaints. One thing we did to increase rigidity even after crimping the metal band was add a strip of wood to each side and secure with the wraps. This simple mod has strengthened the sides significantly and is ready to remove when needing to break down the pen. Also added some simple tie wraps at the corner and is night and day better and strong.We got the 36″ high model with a door as we didn’t want our 7 week old puppy to outgrow this quickly. That size is perfect and should last the duration until she is large enough to use the dog door on her own.One note, get it with the door. I can’t imagine being able to use this without a door. Even the 20inch model could get to be a pain reaching or climbing over every time you needed to access the inside. Would buy again but no need to as this will last.
227 people found this helpful
Rated 1 out of 5
Jennifer V –
Had To Return
I bought this for my growing corgi puppy, who at 6 months, was able to climb out and escape from previous smaller gates. I had hoped that this would help keep her in and prevent escapes, but was rather disappointed. It was extremely flimsy and difficult to stabilize indoors. Upon setting up, I realized that there were many hazardous components regarding this gate. There are pieces that are “supposed to” help with stabilizing the gate that can come off very easily and be a choking hazard if your dog ever got a hold of it. Also, if your dog is the type to try and climb to escape, there is a high chance their paws can get stuck/pinched, or even worse, have the gate collapse on them.
143 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
CurlyG 2412 –
More wobbly than I would like
I’m not thrilled with the product overall. First off, I bought it due to the picture that has the pen attached to the dog crate. Turns out that would be impossible for me to do, because it puts the pen door against the wall. So I have to put the crate inside the pen, making the floor space of the pen smaller. Second, it is very wobbly. It comes with “supports”, so that it doesn’t fold up on itself. These can only be used if you arrange it in a square, not a “circle”. They don’t do anything to steady the pen though. Luckily, this is for a rabbit, so it should be fine. I’ve never tried using the ground stakes, as this is used indoors. I gave it a full star more than I would like for that reason, and because I have nothing else to compare it to—this is my first xpen.
2 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
jesus aguinagajesus aguinaga –
Not great for inside
Not great for indoors when you can’t use the steaks to secure it into the floor. Walls are very flimsy/wobly. The connectors they provide do nothing to hold the shape. Any decent sized dog would be able to push this thing around on tile/wood. We ended up getting some pvc pipes cut to about a foot and zip tied them to each spot the panels connect, top and bottom, and this helped make it less flimsy. Panels no longer bend at slightest touch and it keep the square shape. We used it as an alternative to a kennel for a beagle. Want him to be comfortable/safe when we’re not home. It’s doing the job so far. But would NOT have worked for us at all if we didn’t get creative with it.
18 people found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
Neli M.Neli M. –
Great for large breed puppies, just make sure to secure it well!
We purchased this pen ahead of getting our puppy. His breed is known for being escape artists, aggressive chewers, and they get pretty large. This play pen has done very well in keeping him contained. He is now almost 50 lbs and very tall, so when he stands up his paws are at the top of the pen, but he has not knocked it down or been able to get out of it yet. We have the pen in one of our bedrooms, on carpet. We purchased one of the plastic floor mats you get for the office and it covers most of the area underneath, and it’s been great while he was potty training since it made clean up much easier.Now, here’s a word of caution: make sure that you really secure the area where the pen connects! We used duct tape and it’s been great. As our pup has been getting bigger, he was able to break a few pieces off and one time his paw got stuck and he got hurt. Luckily we were home at that time, so it didn’t get to where we had to take him to the vet.
21 people found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
WaterscapeWaterscape –
Finish is Rough
This is my fourth purchase of a MidWest Homes Zinc/Gold playpen for my dog. All three previous purchases have been good quality. The fourth purchase has inconsistent color and finish. I have provided a picture of an earlier purchase and a photo of the last purchase. The color of the new one is inconsistent and the finish in spots is rough to the touch. It functions just the same, but the quality is not the same as my three previous purchases.
4 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
Just Me –
Cheaply made but usable
I ordered three to connect (with zip ties) and make a larger space. I’m sorry I didn’t pay more and buy the ones with framed individual panels that you hold together with the long metal rods. (My daughter has one of those, so I’m familiar with them.) But I need a pen now and don’t want to go to the trouble of a return and wait for a different one.These panels themselves are not actually flimsy, but they are connected by flimsy plastic pieces. It does allow the pen to be configured into different shapes, but unless you cut the plastic pieces off and then use zip ties or some other way to connect them you can’t reduce or expand the size.The plastic ‘stabilizer’ pieces are a joke. Don’t bother. I suppose the stakes for outdoor use may be ok, they are neither flimsy nor short but I am currently using this indoors.This is of course shipped flat and you make the final end-to-end connection. Ridiculously, this is done with a clip that is clearly not designed for the purpose and gives a really ugly diy look to the pen.Overall I can say it serves my purpose because I have three very small dogs. The most positive comments I can make are it’s relatively inexpensive (but you get what you pay for) and the gate has two closures, which it needs to be secure.I just find the cheap look of it very unappealing and add that if you have a larger or active dog/s I think there is a good possibility they could break this down.If you will be using a pen long term do yourself a favor and invest in a nicer one. I don’t think you will regret it.
3 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
ertigersertigers –
Works for My Use
This is working great for my dog. He is able to run around in the back yard without a chance of escaping the yard since the yard where I am staying is not entirely closed in. I have also used the pen on the concrete while I am cutting the grass to keep him out of harms way.
208 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
JDJD –
MidWest Foldable metal dog exercise pen
I like it. I can use it in a number of ways. The picture on the front porch is because my dog I cannot take out in the rain to potty because he has a drinking problem and won’t potty so I had to come up with an alternative. My cemented patio is the only place that won’t get wet. I can’t take him outside because all he’ll do is look for a place to drink. He won’t focus on his business.I’ve also had it in the house an added the universal panels. I have two universal panels and each panel comes with two 24 x 24 so a total of four 24 x 24. Very easy to connect together and take apart. And whether you take the panels or the entire exercise pen it is very easy. It folds up like an accordion and fits nicely in the carAnyways using both universal panels which again is a total of four 24 x 24 was very large area for him.He’s difficult to potty train so the other picture you see is my house looking so messy because of the stuff on the floor but I use the two extra panels Which is 96 inches. I don’t even use the corner stabilizers. The hooks aren’t the strongest but for the most part they’re pretty good and if I needed more I would just go to the hardware store. I also use hair ties and make a slipknot for added security.I’ll try to get a pictureAlso the one picture I have the universal panel the start of it connected to his crate.I’ve also taken the two extra universal panels with me in the car to my fathers to block off two entrances. You can see the picture of my dog so we can’t jump it. I do recommend it.Having it on the porch with a piece of turf really has helped plus I can play with them out there without a leash.I planned on putting it outback to make it 4‘ x 8‘ but I never did that however it can be done. AnywhereAnyways on the cement it does not move around.Oh And I see there is reviews about the Door latches. Well they work just fine you just have to make sure you actually have it closed properly. It’s not the gates fault it’s the humans fault
Rated 5 out of 5
Mary Harms –
Keeps our puppy contained
We have used this for traveling while staying at our son’s house. We also have kept it in our living room and put her carpet on it so that she is contained when we are leaving for awhile, or have company over for dinner. As she has gotten older, it is nice to still have for her to be inside rather than outside when it is hot or rainy outside and we are leaving for a bit and she isn’t ready to be trusted to have the run of the house. She enjoys being in there with her toys fine and it is so much better than crating her. We use her crate at night while at home, but on the road this is a good alternative when we are visiting others. We are in the process of training her and she is only 5 months old. She will be a large dog, so hopefully she will be able to be without it or will be calm enough not to tip it over when she realizes she is strong enough to do that if she jumps up on it. So, for a very large dog that jumps up and will push against it enough, it may tip over. But, for just containing puppies up to about 50 pounds, it is really a great thing. I have used it outside for her as well as inside. It has 3 handy clips to clip it shut. When she was littler, we just opened it out 3 sides in front of the stairs and that kept her contained in the living room. I highly recommend it. Looks just like the pictures. We never had any sharp edges on it, so others have complained about that. We did not have that issue.
Rated 5 out of 5
Michigan Dan –
worth their weight in gold!
We bought two of these to use camping with our two Golden Retrievers. These things are worth their weight in gold! Our Goldens hate tie up leashes (so do we). Two of these together gives them walking around room and a place to lie comfortably. We love using it as a spot where they can chill and dry off after a hard day of romping around in the lake at our campground or an area where they can lay near the campfire with us and not worry about them wandering off unsupervised (park employees frown on that, haha)Our friends use super long leashes for their dogs and it is so annoying!! They constantly wrap around everything…feet, picnic tables, camper wheels, chairs…ARGGHH. We have used these pens for a few years now and they are still in great shape. These units are very durable, stand up nicely and when made circular are surprisingly stable. We never bothered using the stakes that were included. The door is very nice also. I recommend using two together for large dogs unless it is just a very temporary holding area.
31 people found this helpful
Rated 1 out of 5
Dimochka –
Watch out for return shipping fees!
I regret this purchase. Amazon wants $14 to return the item. (So much for being a Prime member.) I wanted a pen I could move around as needed. It is possible to move this pen, but it is cumbersome and unwieldy. Prepare to pinch your fingers. I cannot risk this on the hardwood floors even with the plastic clips on the bottom. Those might be useful for stabilization but they seem like a big damage risk to me. This will be going outside and the search for an indoor pen continues.
20 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Christina G.Christina G. –
Perfect for (non-jumping) bunnies!
Crazy bunny mom checking in here! After much deliberation, we decided to expand our bunnies play area for when we are out of the house. She is a bigger bunny but not much of a jumper. If you do have a jumper (of any animal) I’d recommend a little more height. The fencing material is of nice quality and the size/height is just perfect for us. My bunny has room now to romp around and also leaves room for us to put her boxes/toys while we’re gone. It does come with small clips but our rabbit is not incredibly mischievous so we typically just leave it against her cage and let her believe she’s trapped..which, to our advantage, she does. It should also be noted that while she is only 4-5 pounds, she is a hard flopper. Thankfully, this pen can withstand her brute bunny strength which I think we both appreciate. We “attach” it to her XL dog crate so she has her home still! It’s a bit heavy, but that is probably just a personal problem of mine. 🙂
557 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
~ XLNTMOMMY ~ –
MidWest Homes 42″ Folding Metal Pet Exercise Pen/Playpen Gold
this review is for the MidWest Homes Folding Metal Pet Exercise Pen/Playpen .. I purchased the 42″ height in Gold .. I hav to tell you this was for a bunny but my GSD went inside of this once time (we pick it up and take it outside and sit it in the grass over the weekend sometimes for our bunny ..) and it would hold her, its that sturdy . but then my GSD (German Shepherd Dog) is is exquisitely trained (pre-shutzhund) and includes the little bunny as part of our “pack” .. but she was wonderful with both the cage and the bunny . This versatile cage is sturdy, flexible, well-made, easily handled (2 people is best but one can do it) and all for an incredible price point .. I got the taller because I knew I would hav cardboard boxes inside for the little bunny rabbit and was told she would hop on top of those and gain easier access to jumping out over the cage, though she never attempted to do this .. maybe in time, but in time the idea is to hav her litter box trained (almost there !) and open this pen up for access to the rest of the main area of the downstairs of our house .. but as far as this cage/pen, it is made of a durable metal, there are stabilizers included which go at the the top folding ‘joints’, as well as some gold clasps which help stabilize the area just adjacent to the door of the cage .. overall, this was a tremendous buy for me because the price was under $50 .. you cant go wrong with the quality of this product .. all day long, 5 Stars .. !
Rated 1 out of 5
Gnarlythotep –
Pointless, worthless… opens easily with a few bumps because of design flaw
The pins to lock the door are very short. There isn’t a little hook to keep the latches closed.So, it just takes a little bumping, and the door pops open. My dog is only restrained for about 15 minutes, then is free.The whole point of the pen is to keep the dog inside.The manufacturer cheaped out on a tiny detail, making the product worthless. All it would have taken was a hook on the end hat keeps the pin from sliding out, standard on pretty much anything else… But, no. Not here.If your dog has two brain cells to rub together and wants out, this pen will not do a thing for you.
35 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Mariah JMariah J –
Best purchase ever made.
UPDATE:I have had this produce for almost 2 years. we use it EVERY DAY like every single day. it is probably the best purchase we have ever made, we added another fur ball to the family and we don’t like to confine them to there kennels (Except at night for bed they are kenneled) we went to the local flooring store and got a scrap piece of laminate for $10 (it did have one hole but we just duck taped it and its not a problem) they have stayed in this playpen for 14+ hours when i have to pull double shifts at work. it makes me feel a little less guilty because they can run and play have a dedicated potty spot and all. if you have the room for this. buy it. don’t even hesitate. we not only use it to keep them put up while at work but we also use it to fence off 1/2 the house when we are home. it moves easy and it is SO much easier than baby gates.I seriously LOVE this I have a morkie puppy who has to stay kenneled all day while I’m at work. (From 8-5) I wanted to buy one of these but the ones I was finding were over a hundred dollars. So when I found this one I was SO happy I wasn’t sure on the size I thought I might need two, but I attach it around her Kennel and it is the perfect size if I were just going to leave it by itself I feel I would need two. It comes with four clips that keep it together. They are like the clips on the end of a leash they get the job done. It also come with 8(?) steaks to secure it to the ground if it were outside. They are good sized so I feel they would work well. I was worried about her being able to tip this over. If it were standing alone and she were a bigger dog say a lab puppy I’m sure it would. But since it’s Secured to her Kennel it dosent move. It folds up nicely when we don’t need it and can clipped to stay folded up. I would buy it again and recommend it for anyone with a small dog. I think anything bigger than a 20-25 pound dog would need two.
96 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Poop –
If you have a big dog, go for at least the 48 inch tall. Consider linking two of these together to make a sizable area.
quite high. I have the 48 in one. 48 inches is about the height of children that are allowed to get on six flags rides. That’s quite tall. 48 inches works pretty well for our pup that is now the size of a small dog. He will grow to be 70or so lbs and this may no longer contain him well if he learns that the kennel is not super steady if its knocked far enough. The wire is adequate enough to keep his tiny paws inside so itll work for dogs no problem. It comes with a neat plastic connector to link the ends together. You can always keep the gates overlapped to make the area smaller OR link multiple together to make the area bigger. The door is alright and is open at the top so you can walk in and out easily. All in all this was a pretty great purchase. Now I dont have to feel bad about leaving my dog in the kennel all day because hes a little s*** and gets into everything.
10 people found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
Lena –
We love it!
Well its easy to fold and open for sure, great for potty training and No easy to assemble required, we used it to enclose our ground floor patio with 2 sets works perfectly, I just keep looking out each morning to see if anyone stole them #LOL, We got 2 x 9 weeks old shih tzu and dont want them in grass out back or to meet with other pets until fully vaccinated , so we have a 4 month old pitbull puppy who was very mad at us for putting up the fence, totally got the side eyes as she lay outside the gate looking in on the pups she can not play with:(, however she tried to jump on the fence so we had to use 2 pole/ stake to reinforce the brace ( one in-front and one behind and it worked, I’ll add picture soon as I can, I really wanted the pink ones:) but am sure they would steal those for sure:) blacks was at great sale so I got 2 and so happy we feel so secure within our little space:) we’ll also use to host doggie daycare for small dogs:) so looking for fake grass now:)
Rated 2 out of 5
Sarah –
Probably Okay for Placid Dogs, But Not for Active Pups
Our golden retriever puppy is only eight, nearly nine, weeks old. We’ve had him for a week and a half We bought this pen to train our dog to enjoy prolonged isolation and to serve as his holding pen until he’s old enough to be vaccinated and old/well-trained enough to not destroy our patio furniture or hurt himself in our huge back yard by keeping him in it for gradually longer periods. With the included plastic closures, he got out of this pen after about 12 total (non-consecutive) hours of being in his pen. Once he knew how to get out of the plastic closures, he just kept at them until he could get out in just a few minutes of being left alone. We tried holding it together with paracord, and while the cord held the pen shut and he didn’t chew on the cord, his jumping and running around inside caused the whole pen to pinch from and octagon into a bowtie shape, trapping and confusing him in a too small space. Fortunately, we were watching him on camera or he might have been stuck like that for an hour or longer. This pen might work outside with the included anchors driven into the ground, but as a standalone pen, it’s just too flimsy to contain an active or intelligent and determined dog for more than an hour. It is easy to fold and assemble, and it did come with all of the necessary parts. It does not suit our purposes, but as I said, if you have a really calm and small dog (maybe a yorkie or a maltese) you’d be fine with this. We’re building an outdoor pen for him now, but wish that we hadn’t wasted our money on what proved to be a VERY temporary puppy containment solution.
One person found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
jo1008 –
It’s pretty good
It does the job, only problem is that we wish the part that has the “door” is in the middle rather than it being in the front or the first piece when you unfold it. We use it to block the kitchen and create a fence around his half bath, therefore the door part for him to exit and for us to use to go through is usually used against the wall and so we have to leap over and it’s a bit tall so if you don’t have long legs, it can be annoying. It’s pretty sturdy and heavy to keep out 8 month old cavalier in place. And it’s perfectly big to give him an “ 1 bedroom apartment attached to his 1 bath” when we have to leave him by himself. Overall, this product is a great buy and great for the price. Really wish the door part was in the middle or at least in the 3rd or 4th piece to be able to use it.
75 people found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
wkuri –
Nice Pen
I purchased the 36″ height pen. I felt it was a fair price given the alleged quality and the fact that it had a latched door that opened and closed. Upon arrival, it came in a skinny square cardboard box. My hubby said it was easy to assemble and I like that it can be shaped in different ways. It’s good for small to medium dogs- maybe bigger dogs if they’re mellow and well behaved. The pen seems to hold up so far for various dogs that we have as pet sitters. One thing is that is does have a ‘lip’ or step at the door opening, so its easy to trip on. We had an older dog that had a problem with it so we had to carry her over the step each time because she couldn’t see it or get over it. Overall, I’m happy with this purchase. I researched for quite a long time for a fair value pen with a door that I needed as a feature because it’s so hard to decide when you can’t touch or feel anything, and I think I made a good choice.
15 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
Mat –
works with some adjustments
The pen was nice but needed some modification to work for me. So to put this in some context this is for a 20lb dog and used it inside.If the dog jumps on the side this will move around if it’s on a floor. If you use it outside and stake it into the ground this shouldn’t be an issue. I mounted it on a piece of plywood which solved this issue. So my dog wasn’t use to being in a pen so she wasn’t happy to be in this. She jumped on the side a bunch and broke a few of the dog leash style clips. I went to the store and got some zip ties and connected each section using three. They worked a lot better for my use. I can’t break it down but I have no plans to do that anytime soon. There are two bolts that slide over to keep the door closed. The problem is if you shake the door they will slide over and open up. I used two of the dog type clips to put through the bolt handles. This keeps them from popping open.
471 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Froggy D. –
Great puppy playpen/potty training area!
We bought this to make a puppy area in our living room & it works great. We have two almost 3 month old chihuahuas & they learned to enjoy their space in 1 day. The 1st day was odd because they had been in the living room freely which required 1000% vigilance on our part. Now we can relax, while they play or rest. We also change the configuration at times & open it up more like a fence so that our sofa chair is inside and we are there with them. We also fold it up and use it as a fence in our backyard so that the puppies can not enter a certain part of the yard. We live on a hill and literally just fold it up and carry it down stairs and back up when we are done. This has been a GREAT purchase. I really recommend this product if you need to have a space for your dog to play and need to work. Obviously they cry if we leave the room, but little by little we are training them to be alone a bit. This is great because the living room is carpet & we covered their area with rugs..and then put up their fence or play pen. Now we can relax in our living room once again without wondering where they will go next, what they magically found at put in their mouths, etc…
30 people found this helpful
Rated 3 out of 5
Mom2gr8tkid –
DIDN’T WORK FOR US
Sadly, this kennel / play pen didn’t work for us. I bought the 42″ high version and my 2 year old Maltipoo climbed it like a cat. Ugh, he is new to our home and I knew he could jump high, which is why I chose the higher pen, but I didn’t know he was a cat-dog. LOL Like other reviews, it is very lightweight and not ideal for indoors as there is no way to stabilize it. Jumping anywhere near it in the slightest will knock it over. This seems more ideal for outdoors with the ground stakes that are provided. Never tried it outdoors because I need it for indoor. May be better for an inactive senior or brand new puppies that won’t be jumping or climbing on it.
9 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Chris –
Read if you are getting a new puppy like we were – a helpful plan (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (up to 20lbs) review
We have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy (now 4lbs later 10-17lbs), and so we were endlessly debating on if we could work with the 24-inch one (cost concerns). After talking to the breeder, we decided to do the 30-in high pen to avoid additional purchases later on. To prepare this for our puppy, we got inspired online and bought at Lowes a pre-cut linoleum ($27 for 6x9Ft). We duck-taped it to the floor (we have both carpet and hard wood flooring) and put the pen on this. Since we are renting – let me tell you – this takes a load of stress off your shoulders when raising a puppy. It’s stressful as it is so this makes it accident free. The pen covers about half of the linoleum. You can cut it to a shorter size, but we have the room, plus also we decided to attach our dog crate to the pen to extend the amount of play space (this crate comes with handy clips to attach it all together instead of having to put the crate INSIDE the pen and limit the play area. Not sure if this helps but we’ve read so much before purchasing it all that we’d have initially appreciated a review of this type ourselves:-). We might buy another, same pen later, if we’ll find our dog needs more space, but this solution is for now perfect and he’ll have plenty of space to play.
206 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
DreamchaserDreamchaser –
Perfect Solution For Puppy (Or Other Furry Friends) Containment . . .
I have 2 sizes of this pen, and they have been a godsend for my puppy!! I bought the 30″ (no door) for using in motel rooms, as I traveled cross-country with my pup, and it worked just perfect!! I folded it to be six-sided, instead of all 8, placed it on a cheap, plastic tarp, and covered the tarp with newspapers. He was happy to have his own secure space; put his food and water dishes in with him (plus toys) and no chance to have any ‘accidents’ on actual motel floors. One place waived their extra pet fee when they saw my set-up. These are handy, convenient, easy to fold up and move; PERFECT for so many things with a little puppy. I take it with me wherever I take him, just in case he needs his own little exercise spot.My guy has grown, so I now have the 48″ size, with a door and has all the same great portability features as my 30″.
9 people found this helpful
Rated 1 out of 5
Charlie –
Very practical. It serves the purpose.
I have two different reviews in Amazon. One is for the Midwest no door and one is for the Midwest with a door. This review is for the Midwest Foldable Play Pen (without the door) The gate is perfect for the intended purpose. You can position it from a small square to a large octagon etc. I ordered a second one so I can attach them together. After you purchase a different set of hooks to keep the gate closed it works really well. My dog is small no more than 4 lbs. But the hooks provided are cheap and will break after several uses. All of ours were broken within 3 months of daily use. The clasp on the hook will break. I ordered the COUNTRY BROOK SILVER HOOKS from amazon. Works like a charm. One thing to note about the playpen. It is a bit heavy and you should fully fold it before trying to relocate it from room to room. I have tried to short cut it and pinched my fingers more than once. But that’s my fault. So be smart, don’t be lazy. Lol
105 people found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
S.L.N.S.L.N. –
Two to modify into large enough rectangle to fit with Comfort Design Mats
Easy to arrange. Purchased two sets to modify it to create a rectangular area, just enough to fit a Comfort Design Mats. Used one full gate, then took apart two panels from the second gate to attach to the first. We had to flip it upside down because our daughter, and myself, tripped over the bottom section of the door and got scratched up. So the little kids have to crawl in the door and taller ones step over the gate for safety. It has some minor chipping, but still happy with purchase because we wanted a rectangular shape to fit the mat underneath and it is stable. We used zip ties to modify them and used the stakes along the edges of the panels to help keep them straight and not zig zag.
11 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
MeganMegan –
Excellent Outdoor Run for a Fraction of the Price (plus bonus Catio)
I just got a 22 lb dog with lots of energy we have previously had 2 of these fences for our other 2 dogs (11 and 7lbs) as an outdoor run to go to the bathroom. Well, Zander, our new dog needed a place to run and get his energy out and an indoor game of fetch just wasn’t going to cut it. In came this fence we bought 4 more fences for a total of 6 and for a fraction of the price (and we made it bigger than you’re average “run”) we made a run for Zander to well run and it works almost perfectly we just had to add some supports to keep it all upright those hooks for potted plants that we had lying around worked well. And on top of it all, I counted my steps and multiplied by 2.5 to get the linear feet of my fence but it turns out that measurement is for average sized men, I am a short woman so I ended up with an extra fence which I used some extra chicken wire I had, some zip ties, carpet tiles, cement blocks, and a tiny cat tree to make a catio and come spring the cats will love it since they loved going out in a harness to sunbathe last summer. All in all, it is a win from me and instead of paying 1000 dollars to buy a run which I would have to bring him back and forth from the run we were able to hook it up to our back door and build bigger for cheaper. This is probably not how the designers meant for this playpen but it worked well for our needs.
10 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Todd L. Owens –
Fantastic dog gate/kennel
I got this kennel/gate on somewhat of a whim but, it was a needed whim due to have a 20 year old dog.You did not read that wrong he is a 20 year old bishon.Understandably, he has some accidents and with this item I can either contain him to an area where accidents are easily cleaned by opening it up fully to divide a room or turn it into a makeshift kennel by making it a square or rectangle.This is very sturdy and I am super pleased with the different ways I can deploy this.My old guy is happy that he has some space to move around and I don’t have to worry that with his poor eyesight he will fall down steps and I didn’t have to worry about cleaning up a mess on carpets, etc because he was contained in a certain area.My only regret is not finding this sooner!
Rated 5 out of 5
Mokelumne JonesMokelumne Jones –
Removable Dog Containment System
Price at our local pet discount store was $89.99. Needed two and paid $59 for each on Amazon. I needed a solution to keep my new Queensland in the garage so drilled some holes in the concrete and used rigid gas pipe and Velcro to attach the fence material. The whole thing pulls out and folds up to pull my vehicle in. I plan on adding more holes inside the garage to allow both my dogs to come in through the side door and keep them contained while pulling in and out. Gate work as expected and the strength of the fencing is excellent.
40 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Beach Girl –
Good Price for a House Rabbit exercise pen
I purchased two of these to create a large exercise pen for my two rabbits. I’ve set it up in the basement with a comfort mat underlay, and it provides a large and secure area for them to play. Since rabbits can jump – high – I opted for the 30″ height, which is still comfortable enough for me to reach over. There is the possibility that they will climb it, but that hasn’t happened yet, and the 30″ height should be enough of a deterrent. It is sturdy without being unmanageably heavy, and I can dismantle and move it easily without help. My only complaints – which were not material enough to knock off a star – are the latching mechanisms and the inability to easily reconfigure by removing panels. Both are easily remedied however; I use carabiners to close the “gates”, and the panel connectors could be removed with a snips or wire cutter and reattached using zip ties, similar to what I use with the buns’ old x-pens. The rabbits have the run of the house, so if this becomes unused in the future, I can see a new life for it encircling my veggie bed. One solution keeps the rabbits in, the other keeps them out. Good purchase, multi-purpose.
2 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Amz CustAmz Cust –
Great for big dogs/puppies
I love this pen!! I got the this pen because the foundation I foster for said it was great to have. I bought the taller one only because these puppies like to jump. It gives the puppies plenty of room to play sleep whatever. It keeps them contained so I know they are not getting into things or going potty everywhere lol. The pen has a heavy weight to it so it does not knock over but is also lightweight enough for 1 person to handle by themselves. I have travertine floors so I put a sheet on ground for accidents. Best part is it’s indoor/ outdoor play pen . I folded it and put it outside with the stakes. It is so secure, I’m not worried about them getting out. It’s great to let them be outside in fresh air, playing on the grass and not have to worry they will slip thru fence or get into something. I have a 65 lb bull in a china shop dog as well as (2) 16lb pups and it was able to handle all 3 of them with plenty of room for them to move and play.
2 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
N. GarrisN. Garris –
So good for small dogs I bought 2!
I am super impressed with this pen, for several reasons. But note that I have really small toy dogs (5lbs) full grown. This pen is:1) extremely easy to assemble and set up2) very easy to fold and transport3) can be flexibly assembled (more on this later and see photo)4j is reasonably priced.We installed one of these permanently in a square configuration, affixing two ends to the walls, which gave our pups much more room. (To do so, we put anchors in the wall and used the supplied hooks to attach it. We also took the gate panel off and re-affixed it in a different position.). This can work for small dogs but not for heavier or strong dogs without reinforcement At the corners.Two things we did to make this product better:1) we have wood floors, and this product will move around and scratch them, even with the supplied protectors. We glued black felt to the supplied protectors..and problem solved.2) we made a hook out of a paper clip to keep the gate fully open when the pups are out3) we use one of these pens when we travel. We took a old duffle bag strap and attached it to the folded pen, and this makes it much easier to carry.Downsides (not for me, but maybe for others):1) might move around inside on hard floors with larger or stronger dogs.2) problems with door latches and supplied hooks pointed out by other reviewers.
34 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
K. NgoK. Ngo –
Yoga mat for puppy proofing
I was racking my brain how to make this playpen safe for my floors and my pup’s paws Before I pup proofed it, she cut her paw trying to get out. I bought a yoga mat from Walmart and some zip ties and proofed the top and bottom. It works really well. Doesn’t scratch my floors anymore and she stopped trying to get out
13 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Customer824 –
Works great to introduce new pets
This gate worked great for us while we were introducing a new dog to the “pack,” especially since our pit bull was not ready to accept the new dog. We used two of these – one downstairs and one upstairs, and moved them wherever needed. They’re heavy enough to use in accordion fashion to block off our pit bull. Even if a pit bull wants to have an “I’m the alpha” fight, their jaws are too strong and they could seriously hurt a new dog. To make them understand the gate is a boundary, we had to discipline the dogs with loud a loud “No” and hand clapping, and other loud sounds. It only took one day of reinforcing the command and now they abide by it. But we also don’t leave them alone behind it. If people complain that their dog is climbing the fence, they obviously don’t know how to train a dog, and they think they can just leave it alone behind a portable fence. My husband folds the gate and takes it out to the deck so he can have the put bull separate – but right beside – the other two and enjoy a meal outside. I do wish we had gotten the one with the “gate.” Otherwise you have to slide one end in and out from a secure spot to step beyond it (unless you have really long legs and don’t mind risking the family jewels). 🙂
Rated 5 out of 5
R Crosier –
Awesome pen, kind of large for house-training puppies, too much room to keep them from peeing.
Although I love this pen, and it was easy to set up, VERY flexible shape and easy to manage, it’s not really what I would consider something to be used to house-train the puppies ONLY because they have so much room to lay down one area and pee/poop in another area.We put piddle pads down on one side and blankets/rugs down on the other side, but inevitably they pee/poop in there on/off the pads.We also put a waterproof 6′ x 6′ dog pen pad under the entire thing, and the combination of the two works EXCELLENT! We simply fold the pen out of the way, off to the side, pull up the waterproof pad and toss it in the washer/dryer, then put it back at night, whenever necessary to wash it.The door locks are nice, have a nice anti-unlock feature, so the dogs can’t accidentally open the door.Excellent overall pen.
Rated 5 out of 5
SupaMom –
PeeWee’s house is EXCELLENT. Must-have item!
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By far the most important thing I purchased for my new rescue furbaby last summer! We call it his home, and when we say “go home PeeWee” he races right in there willingly. We use it primarily when we are going out, and occasionally if he’s feeling wild or amorous when we have company over with small children. He is a Maltese/Shihtzu mix, and this is a very comfortable size for him to spend a few hours whenever needed. We don’t use it often overnight, but we certainly could if we felt he needed to be confined.As you can see from it video, it comfortably fits a bed, a full sized puppy training pad, food and water bowls and some toys. And ample room for PeeWee too, which is also critical. He seems to prefer sleeping on the floor rather than the bed, so there’s plenty of room for him to do that too. ;)There are little plastic pieces that clip on to the bottom of the cage to protect our floors from any scraping of metal on our vinyl flooring. Which is fabulous. Those clips are plastic, not rubber. So they will not prevent movement of the cage, really. I imagine if one wanted better prevention of cage movement, one could probably affix rubber stickers to the bottom of said plastic clips to create a little friction. We haven’t needed to do that though, as he does move the edges of the cage around a bit and we’ve had zero floor damage though.I saw very few reviews which mentioned sharp edges; I don’t know if those customers got a flawed product. Ours has zero sharp edges, and we are very pleased with the quality of construction and reliability of his home.The cage is secure, and PeeWee cannot open it. For his protection, and also for the early days of potty training, this cage was critical for him to have his own personal space and know where his food, water and pee pads are. We leave the cage open whenever there is no need for confinement, and he routinely goes in there anyway, to use his pee pad or sometimes just for a siesta.I’m home most of the time, but he loves his home and is quite comfy in it. We were very careful not to confuse discipline with his home. He has never been wary of either going in there on his own or being sent in there if we are going out. It’s never been used as a time-out place or a “naughty corner”, which was important to me. I feel that it helps if they love their little home and consider it a positive place.Sturdy and well built, I have no hesitation in recommending this product. A definite must-have item if you’re getting a puppy. Great value for money too!
55 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Amanda H –
The 2nd one we’ve bought! Fits so many different needs.
We bought a 2nd one for our vacation home because of how useful this was for our Cavachon puppy. We use it for everything — penning him off when we leave him for a few hours, blocking certain rooms/rugs off, etc. Right now we’re actually using it cordon off the Christmas tree because he wouldn’t stop nibbling on it! We’ve taken this on multiple trips, banged it up a ton, and it still looks and works great.Only 2 things I don’t like is: 1) a few times I’ve gotten my fingers pinched in between the metal when I’m closing it up but not exactly the product’s fault 2) sometimes when you set it up as a “wall” it can be unstable. We or our puppy have knocked it over a few times & it’s scared him. Just make sure to always have part of it at an “angle” to keep it more secure.
Rated 4 out of 5
InvaderRoxInvaderRox –
Great for a chillax/non-jumping dog
Overall, this pen has been super helpful for my small adult dog. She has severe separation anxiety and was constantly peeing in the house, but as soon as I got her this pen, she stopped entirely because she felt a lot more secure and had her own space (her “room”, jokingly).Pros: Easy to set up and fold. I’m using indoors on vinyl flooring and there are no issues with stability or scratching the floor. Attaches easily to crate (even though my crate is a different brand). The shape can easily be moved around, and I ended up putting it around a dresser (using the dresser as one side of the enclosure) because it made more sense in my space, and this pen worked fine to do that. The 30″ pen is just barely low enough for me (5’6″) to step over.Cons: If you have a very jumpy dog, I don’t think this would be secure enough. Mine doesn’t climb or jump, so this pen (30″ high for a 10lb dog) is excellent. The panel that includes the door isn’t readily moveable and is one of the end panels when the pen is not attached together, so if you’re putting the pen against a wall or around an existing piece of furniture, this could be awkward. I think it would be possible, though not very easy, to remove the clips and move the panels around with a pair of pliers, but you’re definitely going to scratch off the coating (making them look ugly) and potentially make them have sharp protrusions (making them dangerous) by doing so.
One person found this helpful
Rated 4 out of 5
NicoleNicole –
Exactly What I Needed
Recently purchased a new home and have been trying to decide what to do with my 8yr old Pit w/SEVERE separation anxiety when I need to leave the house. He was never crated trained as a puppy (he was a stray who was hit by a car and was a year old by the time I rescued him) and has NEVER liked his kennel. In the summer months he goes to my mom’s when I leave for work but with winter approaching I needed a better option.I ordered the tallest pen available and as you can see it is MUCH larger than my dog – side note my dog is super short. But i plan to foster and adopt more large breed dogs so it seemed like the best use of my money. The panels come already connected and it stands straight up right out of the box. One thing I do have to note is I do have it upside down. I took it out of the box that way and did not notice until I already had it attached to my dog’s kennel and at that point I was too lazy to change it. It stands straight up by itself (again, I have it upside down so just keep that in mind) but I attached it to my dog’s kennel (which is Top Paw brand – this will connect to ANY metal kennel) for extra stability. My dog has arthritis in one rear leg and a bad hip on the other side so he is not a jumper or climber in any way but he is a bully and will push & knock things over to get where he wants to be. I can definitely say with it attached to the kennel there is no way he can knock it over. Also, he has pushed the panels pretty hard and they do not fall over or cave in so I’m not worried about them collapsing on him if he get’s too rambunctious. I have it attached to the open kennel door just to give him as much space as possible (also please know he is left with a bed, blankets, pee pads and toys – not just the few things you see him with in the photos. These were taken right after assembly.) and it is still very sturdy. My dog is a chewer. He has chewed through ceramic dog bowls, blankets, towels, bras and the kennel you see in the photos. The kennel is the only thing that has stood the test of time (I purchased it right before I brought him home 7 years ago) and even it is separated in certain areas or caved in due to him trying to chew his way out. I’m not really worried about that with the pen. He has chewed through all the pee pads I’ve left him with but the pen has stayed intact so far.The pen does not come with “stabilizers” like I’ve seen with some others but I didn’t have a problem keeping it upright. It comes with stakes to be used in the ground if you’re using it outside. If you’re opting for indoor use and have hardwood floors, like me, I have not seen any scratches or damage to my flooring even with my dog constantly pushing and moving the panels around. (My floors are actual hardwood, not laminate – if that makes a difference.)This pen also doubles as a great makeshift gate. I have a very large yard and can easily gate off sections I don’t want him getting into or place it at the bottom of the porch stairs (there are only two stairs, I am not worried about him falling down) to keep him out with me without a leash.This was a pretty decent price so I’m very happy with my purchase!
10 people found this helpful
Rated 5 out of 5
Arnell –
This a great portable/permanent gate option…
I have 6-8 of these gates in varying sizes. They’re made of a “good-sized gauge” of wire that is substantial enough to stand on its own, take abuse, secure your pets, and light enough to carry. The painted surface is durable enough for outdoor use such as camping where the surfaces can vary outside of grass, concrete, or any other surfaces you would see at home. They’re portable and can easily be stacked on top of each other or leaned on each other for transport. It is easy to assemble, as there isn’t any assembly required outside of clipping one side to the other with the included clips.We use these primarily for our two nearly 100 pound dogs while camping. They’re trained dogs and this is important on how you use this product. We set up a large perimeter utilizing 6-8 sets of gates together to create a visual barrier for them. They’re large dogs and they can easily push through or jump over these if they wanted to or if we asked them too. This would include securing the gate down to the ground with the supplied stakes. For smaller dogs within the 50 pound range, I believe these would be substantially enough to stop them from getting out, but the height option used will play a big role. Generally we use the 30″ height option. This is important because we use these simply to keep my dogs corralled as they’re very friendly and would potentially wander to see new people. They’re also trained to not go past this gate unless we let them even if the gate door is open. It is also used as a visual barrier for others who don’t like dogs to know our dogs are secure. That being said, this gate system (IMO) is NOT a security system. This system is not robust enough to secure larger dogs. I would go with a different option that better fits your intended use. For smaller dogs that cannot use their wait or jumping abilities to escape, this may be an option. Be mindful of these.Overall, the build quality, portability/weight, and price point, this a great portable option, especially for how we use use this in our family. I would recommend.
sea1125 –
While this pen is a great value for the price, there is a flaw in the door opening and its flimsy. Regardless of price, I sort of regret buying it. I have a small dog (10 lbs Chihuahua – terrier mix), the bottom at the door opening is a bit too tall for him. He can leap over the ledge just fine, sometimes, if he is not paying attention or excited, he bumps his knees or shins on it when jumping out. Wish I would have bought a pen with a lower ledge, if you have a small dog, or a breed with short legs, you might want to consider this. Also, if your dog jumps or stands on back legs, I would go with a taller height than recommended. The recommended height for my dog was 24″, but I got 30″ instead. Also, it is a bit flimsy, if your dog is laid back and won’t jump on it or paw at it, it should hold up, but if your dog is high energy and repeatedly jumps or pushes on it, it might not work. Also, if you have back problems or opening the lower latch might be difficult for you, you might only be able to use the top latch or look for a pen with only one latch.
63 people found this helpful
Dektolia –
I would have given this 5/5 stars (or more) if the door wasn’t on the end panel. This could be a super versatile tool if the door weren’t on an edge panel. There have been a number of times I want to make the pen smaller or use it or use it to block an open doorway, but I can’t use the door in those situations. The dogs leave it alone if I fold back the last panel on each side to prop it like a gate across a wider than average door opening, but then no gate.I also have the Petco Animaze version and the only significant difference is this one has corner stabilizers (that I haven’t used yet).I haven’t seen a company with a door as a middle panel yet, but if you find one I’d recommend that one. Overall this has been a very useful product and I use it all the time, especially with greyhounds that can’t be staked out. I’ve used it as playpen for the dog during family pictures so she could be in some but not all, at a family party so the dogs could be outside with us without a full fenced in yard (while supervised), on my parents deck to block off the deck steps while visiting, just off my parents deck to make a little “fenced in” yard using two of them (while supervised), to block off the entryway from the rest of the house to leave the dogs safely in an unfamiliar house, to make a traveling sleep “kennel” by throwing a blanket over the top for a dog who prefers to sleep kenneled (it’s significantly smaller than a kennel yo travel with), etc. I’ve used it for a ton of things, and ended up keeping two of them when the Petco one didn’t arrive during the delivery timeframe specified when ordered.
California Dreamer –
It amazes me how many people don’t understand the function of an X-pen, and therefore leave 1 star reviews. It was never designed to be a heavy duty kennel for an untrained adult dog, especially a large breed dog and yes, even small puppies and dogs can learn to climb out of one if one buys the wrong height and doesn’t supervise and train their pup/dog.An x-pen is not a replacement for proper crate training or an actual kennel. Originally, show dog people used them so their mostly trained and socialized dogs had a confined space at a show ground in which to potty and stretch their legs. Today, people at campgrounds use them for the same purpose. I know of Irish Wolfhound breeders who use these pens in the house and out doors without incident for both pups and adults.Their dogs are TRAINED to use these pens.One can’t put an adult dog without training (simple obedience like “place”, “down”, “sit”, etc.) in these pens and expect them to stay there if left unsupervised. That is what crates and heavy duty kennels are for. For a puppy, same thing. Even if one is cooking dinner, one can encourage puppy to stay quiet in the x-pen by offering a special treat that will keep them quietly occupied (stuffed Kong toy, pig ear, etc.). Don’t reward your dog for jumping up on the sides! And for heaven’s sake don’t put your human toddler in there. (WTF are people thinking these days?)If the pen slides across a tile floor, put a pad or blanket or a piece of plywood under it and secure it with some zip ties after drilling a few holes. If you think it is too flimsy standing on it’s own , configure it into a square or rectangle, take some 1×6 boards cut them to fit the length, drill holes in them and zip tie them to the bottom. If you have a dog that messes with gates, you can set the pen up with the gate facing inward or just buy some heavy duty spring clips (not carabiners) to lock the gate securely.OK off my soapbox.They are a great tool for raising litters of puppies (as long as one gets the right height and provides the proper amount of space for the litter (often two or three individual pens linked together). They are super flexible to arrange both indoors and out if one uses a little imagination and some zip ties.I really like the Midwest products in particular because they seem to have consistent quality control at an affordable price.
119 people found this helpful
Michael A. –
Wanted to use for an inside the house cage for when I was away. The cage was super easy to put up and unfold, and was built like any other cage crate, so was fine in that respect.The BIGGEST problem and the reason I returned the product, was there was no true stability. The manufacturer provided 4 latch hooks to attach the sides to each other, which did the trick, but without any appropriate top or bottom support for the cage, I feared the cage would collapse in on my dog when she jumped up on the cage.Dogs jump up, and when my 11 week old Doberman jumped up on this cage, the whole thing moved and did not maintain its shape. The manufacture provides “supports” for the corners of the cage, to maintain stability and prevent collapse. TRUST ME, those “supports” did nothing to maintain the octagon shape and the “supports” repeatedly fell off. I even tried to tape them by the use of electrical tape, and that didn’t even work.I really wanted to keep the cage, but when it came to the safety of my dog, there was no way I would feel comfortable with this cage not collapsing in on it self and hurting or killing my dog when I was not around, just to unsafe.My thought is that this cage would work fine with other non jumping type animals, that would not be able to push the cage around when jumped upon. As for a medium or large dog, which they advertise on the product container itself, ABSOLUTELY NOT if the dog is going to jump up onto the cage. If your dog never jumps up, then this product would probably be ok for your dog.I purchased the 4 foot high cage, which was the large cage. Just not safe for dogs in my opinion!
3 people found this helpful
OtakusChaos –
This is metal and durable, but not too heavy and great for any use I put it to. I purchased 2 and frequently connect them together and make a giant area, and I am seriously considering getting 1or 2 more. Right now they are guarding my newly planted garden beds until the plants are established enough that the dogs won’t trample them. They also go camping with us to keep the hooligans out of trouble in the camp grounds, their lightness and adjustability (not to mention the door humans can also walk through) is perfect. We also used it to keep one dog with a broken leg contained and not moving too much. And the children love the little door and go in and out all the time (but some of the edges can be sharp, so be aware). The little extras like the stakes for the yard to keep them in one place and the clips to keep the edges straight are great, but I will never have a need to use it. The little security clips to keep the door secured shut and the gate together are a little flimsy and will probably break before we can loose them, but we have the habit of losing them and replacing them with cheapo replacements anyways, so that was not even a concern for us. The gate even has a nifty little clip/ hook thing to keep it collapsed and together (perfect for when you drag it around on road trips or camping or store it). These gates have been sitting outside in the sun and rain, sprinklers, snow and hail for months at a time with not a single sign of the daily abuse that it receives. This is a great purchase that I have not regretted and will buy more without hesitation if we need more space or if these ever succumb to the trials and rigors of our life. We got the black 24 inches tall one because we have short and fat dogs that can not jump and do not challenge the gate. If you have big dogs or dogs that are truly unafraid of anything, bigger and more sturdy might be better. But for us and our situations these are perfect.
6 people found this helpful
Anna Baker –
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We are on our third order of the MidWest Exercise Pen, and our puppy is a small breed who is only 12 weeks old.We started out with the 30″ and thought that would be generous. Then he figured out how to get on top of his crate and jump out.We moved his crate to the center of the playpen and ordered the 42″, thinking that would be generous. Then, before the new playpen came, he figured out how to extend his body from the top of his crate in the center of the playpen to the top of the rail and jumped out. So, we cancelled the order for the 42″ and ordered the 48″.We’re just hoping that the 48″ will be tall enough to keep our little Houdini safe inside his fortress. This is a great pen, but the manufacturer’s suggestions for sizing are modest at best and do not take into account a determined puppy. I can only imagine if he were a bigger breed!
36 people found this helpful
Amy T –
This serves its purpose as to have somewhere to keep the puppies while i am busy around the house. I am trying to train them so this is going to be their area. My husband did add some more support to them by adding some beams on the bottom of it, just because i feel the puppies will get big and eventually try to jump up on it but it isnt going anywhere. I would suggest that if you were to keep them in there for long periods of time to maybe get some kind of baby bumpers on the bottom. Just my thought. But overall i am pleased. Will add a second review after using this for a while.
4 people found this helpful
MSB –
I purchased the 36″ for a Pomeranian puppy who is about 5 lbs right now.Just wanted something larger for him to be in indoors other than his crate when I couldn’t keep my eyes directly on him since he’s still potty training. There were so many positive reviews for this product so I figured I would take a chance.Things I liked:Price pointEase of set upSizeThings I didn’t like:Not very sturdy at all once set up.All 5 lbs of him was able to move it about on the floor (was on tile). Not by much but enough that it made me nervous.The stabilizers that come with it, don’t really click on well. And they still allow a lot of movement of the panels as far as the shape.I had to put a crate inside against the side and also place the other side of this pen against the wall to give it enough stability to give it a try.If you have a dog that likes to jump or climb, or even just stand on their hind legs against the side of this, you could end up with a problem as far as the stability goes for this pen. I think maybe outside use with the stakes might be decent but I didn’t try that to be able to comment.I can’t say I would recommend this despite all the positive reviews it has.
8 people found this helpful
CleanHouseCleanHouse –
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I got the 3.5 ft tall option and this has worked amazingly for me!1. FLEXIBILITY: this is lighter than the 42 in crate, which makes transporting it easier. It will bend into different lengths which is great for if i want to section off my dog from certain areas of the house. OR it can be put together like the picture and become a make-shift crate/ containment area.2. SIZE: I got the recommended 8 panels and it is quite large when opened up and put together like the picture. 50 lb lab/retriever puppy and her full grown mom at 80 lbs fit comfortably in it. Also when mom was still nursing all 9 puppies, she and her puppies could fit in this. About the size of two large crates when folded into a square or rounded out.3. DURABILITY: I have had this outside (in rain) and inside for about 6 months now. I have not had any problems with rust yet. This is not truly a crate so, yes it is a little less sturdy and secure. However, I also feel that it is important to note that when dealing with dogs at a certain weight and age, if they want out, they will find a way out. The 50 lb puppy is capable of escaping and has, but I believe this issue to be a training issue and not a product issue. Puppy is now 6 months and doesn’t try and escape anymore. Overall, this is pretty sturdy and I would definitely recommend to people with puppies.
342 people found this helpful
Louis A. Cook –
I don’t think it’s a bad product, but I do think there are important considerations for some dog owners.1. Despite seeming to be an appropriate size, my small, 10 lb papillon jumped almost out of it, enough to fall and get stuck hanging by her leg which was pinched in the seam where the whole thing clips together. I found her hanging there upside down in pain but luckily, uninjured. Go big and/or get the lid.2. This product does not fit smoothly on the midwest crate I bought as I hoped. I bought both after much reading intending to use them together. You can sort of clip them together but it’s sloppy, and my dog could easily jump onto the top of the crate, which is shorter than the pen. The lid would not help this problem.
31 people found this helpful
MightyDwightyMightyDwighty –
Pros:- Solid construction and weight- Fully Collapsible to allow for easy storage or travel- TWO door latches to better protect against bends from your dog pushing against just the top or bottom of the door- Fully painted and coated without exposed rough edges, etc- Easy to customize shape of exercise pen to allow for multiple setups for your particular room or purposeCons:- Included hardware is slightly flimsy (the plastic edge supports can pop off fairly easily with enough pressure)- Welding clamps that connect consecutive panels provide some sharp edges that could potentially cause injuryPersonal Experience:I have a rat terrier puppy and wanted to find a quality and reasonably priced exercise pen to create what I consider to be the perfect indoor setup for a puppy still learning to be crate trained and potty trained. Essentially, I wanted my puppy to be able to stay in a safe and confined space indoors during times when I am unable to be at home, and for use for travel when we make our frequent road trips to visit our extended family’s home. But I’ll describe this a little more later, and I have included pictures to show this setup.First impression:Our puppy is expected to be approximately 35lbs, so I purchased the 36″ size just in case. After doing some research, I found a couple of comparable models that had similar measurements, features, and were reviewed highly, but ended up deciding to get the MidWest Exercise Pen because of the overall strong reviews and relatively reasonable price. It came in a pretty flat box and was extremely easy to setup. The exercise pen arrives collapsed (obviously), but is already assembled when shipped. All I had to do was un-collapse it and stand it up to the shape I desired. It includes plastic edge supports that hook over successive panels to reinforce the structure (think of it as a plastic guard that prevents two consecutive panels from collapsing past a certain angle). It is not too heavy, so it is definitely manageable to travel with as well. The coating and paint covers all areas and I did not see any exposed steel or rough edges (unlike some other reviews). I also particularly like that it has two door latches to ensure that the door is not bent from your dog pushing on either the top or bottom of the door. Also, the design allows the exercise pen to easily be customized to form different shapes to accommodate the space in your room (i.e., octagon, large rectangle, etc).After using the exercise pen for approximately a month, I am still very satisfied with all aspects of it. However, my biggest complaint is that the hardware used and the welding clamps (used to hold consecutive panels together) are not as sturdy as I initially thought. The plastic edge supports can pop off fairly easily if enough pressure is applied, and the welding clamps are a little rough and provide some sharp edges that could hurt an unsuspecting puppy. However, I have not had any particular issue with either of these things since my puppy does not push against the walls, nor has she been injured by the welding clips. I’m just making observations.Conclusion:I am very satisfied with the MidWest Exercise Pen and do not regret the purchase at all. It has quality construction, it is easy to “assemble” and collapse for easy storage and travel, it is easily adjustable to form customizable shapes, and all at a reasonable price. My only minor complaints are that the included plastic edge supports are rather flimsy and the welding clamps provide some sharp edges that could potentially cause injury.**I also purchased the AmazonBasics Single Door Crate to create what I consider the perfect indoor setup for puppies when you’re away from home (the MidWest crate should work the same). I position the crate so that its door faces inside of the pen, and I have the pen encapsulate to each side of the crate door with the rest of the crate protruding out of the pen (the picture shows the setup). The Exercise Pen is secured to the crate by simply using your standard swivel keychain hooks (these actually came with the Exercise Pen). This setup allows my puppy to sleep and enjoy her crate, but also walk around a safe enclosed area when I am not home. I also leave a puppy pad in the far corner of the pen area to allow my puppy to potty there if she really needs to. I have included a few pictures of the set-up =)
994 people found this helpful
ohioapprentice –
Our little 3 month old boxer puppy could not be contained by some plastic gate apparatus that is wedged between two walls. Nope, not Jack Dempsey’s Daughter! She found a way to escape the first time we set her up in the hallway. Ok, maybe that first time was a fluke….but on the second attempt to do the same thing, Dempsey just rammed it and knocked the whole thing down. This was not a cheap gate, mind you, just not something that could hold our Dempsey doodle down for any time longer than a few minutes. Thank goodness I had this pen on order which was what we were waiting for but had to come up with something temporary until it came. Yesterday, it came and Dempsey has a new challenge to figure out how to escape from. Very easy to put together, extremely easy to relocate, a nice, sturdy structure. I think it is going to do the trick from watching her trying to find a way out. My only concern is that she gnaws of the metal gate and I fear that her little baby teeth might get prematurely removed as a result of the gnawing. We are planning upon ordering another section of pen to add to give her more space as this is also a fantastic advantage. The pen can grow with Dempsey! You can’t go wrong with this purchase.
Alex ShvartsmanAlex Shvartsman –
Although this playpen folds into a fairly small box, it is quite sizable. (See photo with an 8 lb puppy for size perspective.) It took under ten minutes to assemble. And it only took that long because we couldn’t figure out what to do with an additional set of metal hooks not seen here (turns out, they’re for outdoors and are meant to stick into the ground and hold the playpen in place.)It’s very easy to adjust the shape of the playpen to suit your needs as well as to attach a crate.Most dog trainer recommend the playpen + pee pads method over the crate method to potty train your puppies, and this is an excellent playpen for this purpose.
49 people found this helpful
SiobhanSiobhan –
This product has worked wonders training my small breed puppy. It comes already assembled and it’s super easy to maneuver and fold. I love how versatile it is too. As you can see from my photos, it can fold into obscure shapes to fit in essentially any space with most configurations. It can be purchased in several different sizes with many different accessories. The hinge door works great and it comes with stakes to secure it to the ground outside if needed. Terrific crate, fence or playpen – the options are abundant. My puppy loves being in it and it’s big enough that I don’t feel bad leaving him in it for longer hours when needed. The only thing I didn’t like about it are these small plastic tubes that come with it to secure the panels together and are supposed to help it stay rigid. They are hard to put on and don’t stay easily especially if there on a bend where you need to put it. I personally just choose not to use them and it still functions great and feels very sturdy without them. Very durable and secure product, I highly recommend!
5 people found this helpful
Robert A. Hulsman –
Perfect! Contains my 8 month old pup with plenty of room to play, put water and food bowls into (if necessary, but usually eats in kitchen with other dog)..so I now know he isn’t eating the house down. I was told he was 2 yrs. old at pound upon adoption. but per our vet he is about 8 months old…hadn’t even shed his baby teeth yet! Small short legged doxie-chi mix and cute as a button, but destructive as all get out. Now he can spend time with us (retired) when we are in the living room outside this pen, but inside it when I’m cleaning house in diff. rooms and my hubby is outside working in garage/yard. What a wonderful invention and is saving him from eating batteries (yes he will try to eat anything!) and from eating our blinds, sofa pillows, shoes, shoe laces, and even the special toys that are his brothers (a 9 yr. old sweet and patient chi.) Thanks Amazon for this wonderful product!! We got the 30″ inch one = he can stand on the rungs, but cannot push over or climb out..Amazing – our new piece of mind in keeping everyone safe!
15 people found this helpful
Becky Douglas –
I bought this pen to attach to another one that I previously purchased in order to make a larger penned area for the dogs while camping. These pens are heavy and well built. The first pen has held up nicely to two large dogs and a lot of traveling and I wanted to make a larger area for them to move around. They pens attach together easily and they come with ground stakes to help keep them stable in case the dogs jump up on the wire. There is a door that opens and closes easily and allows human access quite easily. The pens are well built and very stable but they are meant to be a temporary pen and are best used when a human is close by. My dogs are older and don’t try to jump up on the wire but I would not leave them alone and trust the pen to stay put if they did jump on it, even with the stakes in the ground. I primarily use the pen when I am working around the campsite and can keep an eye on the dogs. It is great to have them with me and not have to lock them up in the camper when I am busy.
29 people found this helpful
TinaTina –
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Way beyond amazing! We love this product. Our puppy came at 8 week old and he like his crate not as much when locked the door – with this play pen I can leave the door open with his food water bowls inside the playpen, chew toys and port pad also inside it’s spacious with all this and a big pillow like bed the puppy has room to move around and sleep on the open surface if he wants.The pan attaches well to the crate just make sure to attach the plastic tube like part on the joints of it. The door is nice to have to open and close when we take puppy out and in the pan.Our 7 year old golden lab wasn’t comfortable around the puppy so when in same room sleeping at night I donot have to worry of her growling or hurting the puppy as the puppy is inside the pan happy and she out but in the same room!It’s sturdy now puppy is 9/10 week old and healthy weight and even he cannot budge it, he stand with two legs on the play pans support whinnying at us when want to be out. And it stay put not flimsy at all very sturdy. I waited 2 weeks to write this review to see how it works for us and it great!!Wonderful and helpful for new puppies when potty training as then they do it have access to the whole house so no accidents all over the house. Our puppy never goes in it was trained to go out in grass and I take him every hour and then he stay free open in the house and then in the pen during nap times and night sleep time. During the day also he likes to be in it without complaining chewing his toys or treats!! Buy this without hesitation you will love it!I posted on three golden retriever groups that I’m member of on social media. Many of my group members have ordered this play pan and are happily using it.
5 people found this helpful
H. MartinH. Martin –
Our intentions for this was to use this for our Giant Flemish Rabbits who are just babies right now, but have grown real fast and big. I was looking for something that we could put them for them to run and jump outside on the grass.This MidWest pen with gate was PERFECT, until I realized that “Wow, these rabbits are loving this and we need it bigger!”No problem there…………I also found from this seller the same size but with no gate. AWESOME I though, and I bought that too!What I love about this pen, is:1) It folds down to a compact size and can be stored just about anywhere2) It is very well made3) You will received clips and stakes to tie down4) Sturdy and not flimsy at all when fully upright5) Perfect for our bunnies6) Super easy to set upThe four pictures that I have included are of the extra pen attached to this pen listed here with the gate. Adding the extra pen without the gate made it huge! I did order another section, to make it even bigger!I highly recommend this pen. If you get this one, this would be suitable for a smaller dog such as a Yorkie or small Poodle, Schnauzer etc. Getting another section would be great for any larger dog.If you feel my review has helped you in any way, please be so kind and hit the “Yes” box below this review. Thanks!
1,907 people found this helpful
AmazonCustomerAmazonCustomer –
I woke up in the middle of the night because of piercing screams coming from my 3 pound netherland dwarf bunny. It was the scariest sound ever and I thought my bunny was dying. I ran to his playpen to find his head was stuck between the wires. It was stuck so tight I couldn’t free him with my hands. I had to use tools to bend the wires to get him out. He was screaming the whole time from the pain. His eyes are red and he is still shaken and afraid. I think had I not woken up, he would have died for sure. I DO NOT recommend this playpen for bunnies, especially dwarf bunnies. I never write reviews, but I feel compelled to share my story because my bunny almost died. He is 3 pound netherland dwarf. He never got his head stuck in other playpens before. This play pen’s wires are too far apart.
54 people found this helpful
O. MirandaO. Miranda –
Super easy to set up and very sturdy (only reasons I gave it two stars): unfortunately, my 8 week old Maltipoo can climb out due to the horizontal bars being so close together. I bought this in hopes of not using a crate; I ended up having to buy a crate after all. I will be sending this back after I find another solution. I’m including a photo with my review.
103 people found this helpful
Cindy R –
Item itself would be great if all the parts were included and I was actually able to assemble them. Dog had emergency surgery and I needed to find a solution for containment with very little notice. Item arrived quickly which I thought was a life saver. Then to my surprise I noted there were NOT 4 thumb snaps as stated would be included and did NOT receive all the corner stablizers as stated as well. I can not for the life of me figure out how the corner stablizers are suppose to roll on – I can not get them on no matter how I tried. The instructions are very vague and customer service was not helpful at all. I called customer service to inquire how to utilize them and also to report the missing items. They stated they would ship them to me; but it will be approximately 10 days before they arrive. I am very disappointed in this situation that I am now confronted with as I truly needed a fully functioning set-up due to my situation; thus have to rate only 3 stars – –
5 people found this helpful
JnetJnet –
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I bought this for my puppy and mom but didn’t quite work for whelping.. so I set up for puppy just to have moving room and mom to be in there together.. it is Flimsy so I bought a pegboard and I zip tied it to the bottom and put a blue tarp on top of it just to keep it in place then I bought the top and it of makes it more sturdy to use indoorsUpdate to pet pen: I added pegboards underneath with zip ties… then I also added a tarp … it works very well.. my puppy is. Is 5months 30lbs English bulldog and holds her in pretty well..
4 people found this helpful
HeatherHeather –
I love this!!! I put it around my Christmas tree so my dogs can’t mess with it!!!!
1,228 people found this helpful
Jasmine –
For the most part, this gate has been a life saver for our family and our new puppy! We have his little area gated off nicely HOWEVER it is not exactly as I had hoped. I ordered the taller one with a door. I assumed the door would be a walk-through but unfortunately it is not. Had I know this, I would have purchased the shorter gate I could step over. I am short (5’4) and it makes it very hard for me to get in the area to clean or whatever else needs to be done. I have to take the entire gate apart and open it that way. Pretty disappointing because I was hoping I would be able to walk through the door and still keep him inside. Anyways. My other complain is with the little round tubes that are intended for keeping two pieces of the gates straight. They don’t work. Period. So if you intend on making the gate into a square or rectangle… think again. My dog just leans on it and they pop right off and the gate ends up shaped like a house, triangle, hexagon etc. that is my biggest issue with it. I’m hoping to be able to find an alternative that will actually work. Otherwise, the gate is sturdy, very easy to fold and unfold. I like it. Just wish those two things could be corrected.
3 people found this helpful
ANDREC –
I ordered two of these for my two big dogs (70lbs +, Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Black lab) to make it easier to let them be outside when camping and not trapped in the camper when I need to work. Unless your dog is actively aggressive or an escape artist you do not need the 48″ fence. This thing looks like I’m setting up a FOB to storm the campground lol. They are strong, well made, but I wish I had gotten the 36″ or 42″ at most.
3 people found this helpful
Emily –
I never leave reviews on Amazon but this was amazing and I wanted to share. This is exactly what I needed.. I work full time but wanted a puppy, we all know puppies are a lot of work, I ordered this so on the days I don’t have friends over and helping with the puppy she has more space and I feel better about leaving to work. It gives them plenty of space and I’m so happy I ordered it. I highly recommend it for anyone who hates leaving their puppy in the crate.
87 people found this helpful
Tom in South Dakota –
The pens are well made, the price was good, and they were delivered on time. The Midwest Homes for Pets packaging of the pens was very good. We ordered two pens and they came in one Amazon box that was too large for the two pen boxes and it was almost torn in half. And, unfortunately, one of the manufacturer’s boxes had been torn open and then taped together. Upon opening the box it appeared that it may have been a return as the clips were spread around and the ground anchors were missing from their plastic bag. Fortunately, one call to Midwest Homes for Pets customer service solved the problem and within a few days I received replacement ground anchors. We have had the pens for several weeks, they are very easy to setup and take down, and we are using one in the bunk house or the horse trailer at night and then moving it outdoors and connecting it with the other during the daytime. The two pens put together make a great area for our very young Blue Healer to safely stay and play in when we are not around.
One person found this helpful
anonymousanonymous –
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House training was once a nightmare. Pup lunged at everything. Sniffed/dug/ate instead of getting busy. If video posts, you’ll see how distracted she can get. Pen keeps her contained and there’s no need for leash. Artificial grass (Goasis Lawn 35 mm height. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07HT4JR3L?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title ) helps her focus. She’s finally getting the idea she’s out there to do business.Have had for less than a month. Small areas of rust developed quickly, within days, but pen has always been outside. Also, 2 clips broke. Not sure of the material, but it is brittle and not metal. Easy enough to replace with cable ties, but still slightly disappointing.
9 people found this helpful
StephyLyanneStephyLyanne –
***UPDATE***We put up this kennel/cage/playpen on Sunday. We’re Wednesday and the dogs already figured out how to open the door with their paws. My boyfriend spent pretty much the entire night corralling all 3 dogs back into the playpen. We had to make it smaller by removing/folding the side with the door out and it really made a big difference. I found an old collar and made a makeshift lock with it by connecting the door to the side so if the dogs do happen to unlock the door again they won’t be able to push open the door enough to let themselves out. If your dogs paws aren’t small enough to reach through the playpen then you’ll be good, but if they have small paws expect them to figure it out eventually.First off, when we opened it one of the clips was dented and my brother in law had to try to bend it back in shape. (I will add pictures) Second, when we opened it and put together without our dogs kennel it was kind of small. Maybe for 1 dog it would be okay by itself, but we have 3 shihtzu mixes and I wanted more space so we connected it to their kennel. If you aren’t going to use their kennel I recommend buying more than 1 hate at a time. Third, it is a little flimsy so my 3 year old is able to go and push the gate around and fold it/drop it if we aren’t looking at him. I don’t really see this holding up well against a bigger pup or bigger dog as I can see them knocking it over and probably hurting themselves on the process, it maybe that’s just me and my overthinking. Fourthly, if you have a climber I really do recommend getting taller than what you would think. We got the 42” high gate because our older pup Pixie likes to climb the baby gate we have and we expected that she would try to jump/climb the shorter one as well. We did put a nonslip mat under the gate and kennel to protect the floor from doodoos and scratches from the gate.Overall, I do totally recommend this especially for inside pups as it gives them some more space out of the kennel. If I could go back and get this sooner I totally would. I hope this helps and please let me know you have any questions.
3 people found this helpful
Ms. TMs. T –
This has been a lifesaver for our family. I absolutely recommend you buy this so your pet can have his or her “mini apartment.” This is perfect when you need to put your puppy in a safe place while you do things around the house. My puppy has also gotten use to sleeping in here. We set up an area for potty, eating, a play area with 2 of her 3 beds. She decides which one she wants to sleep in at anytime lol. If you decide to buy this, please purchase the pad that goes under the playpen. Also, consider buying 2 of the pads for underneath to have a stand by when one has to be cleaned. It will save your carpet or hardwood floors from accidents and prevents sliding as much. So, set up a few blue pads to make a potty area and you are good to go! I forgot to mention before we set this up, my puppy would not go on the blue pads to poop only pee. She is a picky girl. Well now she has been going on the blue pads with no issues. This works miracles!! You won’t be disappointed and there were no sharp edges on the one I have.???? If you want pink they have instead of blue. We had this previously. I attached with the matching crate for extra room even though she mainly goes in there to eat and sniff around. It gives her more room to roam safely. Just buy it! I’m extremely satisfied with this purchase. ????????Update 7/27/2020I am overall happy with my purchase but my 3month old yorkie has learned to jump over the gate several times. She jumps on top of one end, climbs up some more and jumps over.????????♀️ She will still sleep in here at night but I guess you win some and you lose some. ???? We will have to figure something out if we have to lock her in and want to keep her safe from getting into things or just use the smaller attachment. ( She loves to get into tissue)
2 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
Worst pen ever. I was excited when it arrived, took it out of the box and it looked great. Then as I go to open it and put it where it needed to go, I picked it up as my hand slid under the second row and a metal piece sliced a chunk of skin off my finger!! I inspected the horizontal metal pieces and they were all sharp metal pieces. I thought to myself if my 2 dogs would have sliced there paws or adorable faces I would be doing more than writing a review!! I was so angry I have to return this item because it should go straight in the trash. Whatever happen to quality control! Shame on this company for putting our animals in danger! Buyer beware. I always read reviews, but I was in a hurry and didnt read any. I should have, lots of people have said the same thing.
99 people found this helpful
Tiffany –
We initially bought the 30″ option to hook to a Midwest crate inside for an area for our puppy to play without destroying our home. We liked it so well we ended up buying 5 sections of the 42″ option to hook together in our backyard as a makeshift fence. It’s too flimsy to stand on its own when that many are hooked together, but we bought garden stakes to zip tie to it for additional support. Turns out one of our neighbors had the same idea and did the same thing with the same product. Great fence solution without having to pay thousands for an actual fence. We plan on moving within the next year or so, so wanted to solution for our pup to have some room to play without losing too much money.Like another reviewer said, this will slide on the ground inside if the dog jumps on it or even just leans against it when it’s set up inside. It’s not a big deal to us to just move it back and I’m still satisfied with the product.I will add that I get nervous about the doors not being very secure for the outside fence, so I use one of the hooks that came with it to hook the door shut as well.There is some minor rusting on the outside pen already around the door hooks, but that also doesn’t bother me. It does what we bought it to do: keep our puppy contained.
One person found this helpful
Siajkk –
I bought this for our toy Aussie puppy to be in during the times when he is in the house and I am unable to watch him. He was not potty trained at the time and I didn’t know what he would chew up when left unattended. This has been fantastic! I didn’t want him in a crate for extended periods of time. For potty training this probably wouldn’t be ideal if you are looking for a “crate training” type of training, as they have quite a bit of space to move around. This was big enough to put a puppy pad holder in, a bed, some toys and a small bowl of water. He is fully house trained now and even though I was looking forward to getting this big thing out of my house…it is his room and he loves it! He puts himself in there to nap and I only shut the door overnight and when we leave the house. The only thing I will say is you NEED to order the separate wire top for it and I was so thankful I ordered it at the same time I ordered the playpen. I originally didn’t think I would need it. I immediately needed it! Even a Toy Aussie can climb up out of this thing in 3 seconds! Other than that it’s perfect!
84 people found this helpful
D. GregorD. Gregor –
Very good item for the price. Coating is very nice, wire is a little thinner than heavier models but at this price point there are no complaints. One thing we did to increase rigidity even after crimping the metal band was add a strip of wood to each side and secure with the wraps. This simple mod has strengthened the sides significantly and is ready to remove when needing to break down the pen. Also added some simple tie wraps at the corner and is night and day better and strong.We got the 36″ high model with a door as we didn’t want our 7 week old puppy to outgrow this quickly. That size is perfect and should last the duration until she is large enough to use the dog door on her own.One note, get it with the door. I can’t imagine being able to use this without a door. Even the 20inch model could get to be a pain reaching or climbing over every time you needed to access the inside. Would buy again but no need to as this will last.
227 people found this helpful
Jennifer V –
I bought this for my growing corgi puppy, who at 6 months, was able to climb out and escape from previous smaller gates. I had hoped that this would help keep her in and prevent escapes, but was rather disappointed. It was extremely flimsy and difficult to stabilize indoors. Upon setting up, I realized that there were many hazardous components regarding this gate. There are pieces that are “supposed to” help with stabilizing the gate that can come off very easily and be a choking hazard if your dog ever got a hold of it. Also, if your dog is the type to try and climb to escape, there is a high chance their paws can get stuck/pinched, or even worse, have the gate collapse on them.
143 people found this helpful
CurlyG 2412 –
I’m not thrilled with the product overall. First off, I bought it due to the picture that has the pen attached to the dog crate. Turns out that would be impossible for me to do, because it puts the pen door against the wall. So I have to put the crate inside the pen, making the floor space of the pen smaller. Second, it is very wobbly. It comes with “supports”, so that it doesn’t fold up on itself. These can only be used if you arrange it in a square, not a “circle”. They don’t do anything to steady the pen though. Luckily, this is for a rabbit, so it should be fine. I’ve never tried using the ground stakes, as this is used indoors. I gave it a full star more than I would like for that reason, and because I have nothing else to compare it to—this is my first xpen.
2 people found this helpful
jesus aguinagajesus aguinaga –
Not great for indoors when you can’t use the steaks to secure it into the floor. Walls are very flimsy/wobly. The connectors they provide do nothing to hold the shape. Any decent sized dog would be able to push this thing around on tile/wood. We ended up getting some pvc pipes cut to about a foot and zip tied them to each spot the panels connect, top and bottom, and this helped make it less flimsy. Panels no longer bend at slightest touch and it keep the square shape. We used it as an alternative to a kennel for a beagle. Want him to be comfortable/safe when we’re not home. It’s doing the job so far. But would NOT have worked for us at all if we didn’t get creative with it.
18 people found this helpful
Neli M.Neli M. –
We purchased this pen ahead of getting our puppy. His breed is known for being escape artists, aggressive chewers, and they get pretty large. This play pen has done very well in keeping him contained. He is now almost 50 lbs and very tall, so when he stands up his paws are at the top of the pen, but he has not knocked it down or been able to get out of it yet. We have the pen in one of our bedrooms, on carpet. We purchased one of the plastic floor mats you get for the office and it covers most of the area underneath, and it’s been great while he was potty training since it made clean up much easier.Now, here’s a word of caution: make sure that you really secure the area where the pen connects! We used duct tape and it’s been great. As our pup has been getting bigger, he was able to break a few pieces off and one time his paw got stuck and he got hurt. Luckily we were home at that time, so it didn’t get to where we had to take him to the vet.
21 people found this helpful
WaterscapeWaterscape –
This is my fourth purchase of a MidWest Homes Zinc/Gold playpen for my dog. All three previous purchases have been good quality. The fourth purchase has inconsistent color and finish. I have provided a picture of an earlier purchase and a photo of the last purchase. The color of the new one is inconsistent and the finish in spots is rough to the touch. It functions just the same, but the quality is not the same as my three previous purchases.
4 people found this helpful
Just Me –
I ordered three to connect (with zip ties) and make a larger space. I’m sorry I didn’t pay more and buy the ones with framed individual panels that you hold together with the long metal rods. (My daughter has one of those, so I’m familiar with them.) But I need a pen now and don’t want to go to the trouble of a return and wait for a different one.These panels themselves are not actually flimsy, but they are connected by flimsy plastic pieces. It does allow the pen to be configured into different shapes, but unless you cut the plastic pieces off and then use zip ties or some other way to connect them you can’t reduce or expand the size.The plastic ‘stabilizer’ pieces are a joke. Don’t bother. I suppose the stakes for outdoor use may be ok, they are neither flimsy nor short but I am currently using this indoors.This is of course shipped flat and you make the final end-to-end connection. Ridiculously, this is done with a clip that is clearly not designed for the purpose and gives a really ugly diy look to the pen.Overall I can say it serves my purpose because I have three very small dogs. The most positive comments I can make are it’s relatively inexpensive (but you get what you pay for) and the gate has two closures, which it needs to be secure.I just find the cheap look of it very unappealing and add that if you have a larger or active dog/s I think there is a good possibility they could break this down.If you will be using a pen long term do yourself a favor and invest in a nicer one. I don’t think you will regret it.
3 people found this helpful
ertigersertigers –
This is working great for my dog. He is able to run around in the back yard without a chance of escaping the yard since the yard where I am staying is not entirely closed in. I have also used the pen on the concrete while I am cutting the grass to keep him out of harms way.
208 people found this helpful
JDJD –
I like it. I can use it in a number of ways. The picture on the front porch is because my dog I cannot take out in the rain to potty because he has a drinking problem and won’t potty so I had to come up with an alternative. My cemented patio is the only place that won’t get wet. I can’t take him outside because all he’ll do is look for a place to drink. He won’t focus on his business.I’ve also had it in the house an added the universal panels. I have two universal panels and each panel comes with two 24 x 24 so a total of four 24 x 24. Very easy to connect together and take apart. And whether you take the panels or the entire exercise pen it is very easy. It folds up like an accordion and fits nicely in the carAnyways using both universal panels which again is a total of four 24 x 24 was very large area for him.He’s difficult to potty train so the other picture you see is my house looking so messy because of the stuff on the floor but I use the two extra panels Which is 96 inches. I don’t even use the corner stabilizers. The hooks aren’t the strongest but for the most part they’re pretty good and if I needed more I would just go to the hardware store. I also use hair ties and make a slipknot for added security.I’ll try to get a pictureAlso the one picture I have the universal panel the start of it connected to his crate.I’ve also taken the two extra universal panels with me in the car to my fathers to block off two entrances. You can see the picture of my dog so we can’t jump it. I do recommend it.Having it on the porch with a piece of turf really has helped plus I can play with them out there without a leash.I planned on putting it outback to make it 4‘ x 8‘ but I never did that however it can be done. AnywhereAnyways on the cement it does not move around.Oh And I see there is reviews about the Door latches. Well they work just fine you just have to make sure you actually have it closed properly. It’s not the gates fault it’s the humans fault
Mary Harms –
We have used this for traveling while staying at our son’s house. We also have kept it in our living room and put her carpet on it so that she is contained when we are leaving for awhile, or have company over for dinner. As she has gotten older, it is nice to still have for her to be inside rather than outside when it is hot or rainy outside and we are leaving for a bit and she isn’t ready to be trusted to have the run of the house. She enjoys being in there with her toys fine and it is so much better than crating her. We use her crate at night while at home, but on the road this is a good alternative when we are visiting others. We are in the process of training her and she is only 5 months old. She will be a large dog, so hopefully she will be able to be without it or will be calm enough not to tip it over when she realizes she is strong enough to do that if she jumps up on it. So, for a very large dog that jumps up and will push against it enough, it may tip over. But, for just containing puppies up to about 50 pounds, it is really a great thing. I have used it outside for her as well as inside. It has 3 handy clips to clip it shut. When she was littler, we just opened it out 3 sides in front of the stairs and that kept her contained in the living room. I highly recommend it. Looks just like the pictures. We never had any sharp edges on it, so others have complained about that. We did not have that issue.
Michigan Dan –
We bought two of these to use camping with our two Golden Retrievers. These things are worth their weight in gold! Our Goldens hate tie up leashes (so do we). Two of these together gives them walking around room and a place to lie comfortably. We love using it as a spot where they can chill and dry off after a hard day of romping around in the lake at our campground or an area where they can lay near the campfire with us and not worry about them wandering off unsupervised (park employees frown on that, haha)Our friends use super long leashes for their dogs and it is so annoying!! They constantly wrap around everything…feet, picnic tables, camper wheels, chairs…ARGGHH. We have used these pens for a few years now and they are still in great shape. These units are very durable, stand up nicely and when made circular are surprisingly stable. We never bothered using the stakes that were included. The door is very nice also. I recommend using two together for large dogs unless it is just a very temporary holding area.
31 people found this helpful
Dimochka –
I regret this purchase. Amazon wants $14 to return the item. (So much for being a Prime member.) I wanted a pen I could move around as needed. It is possible to move this pen, but it is cumbersome and unwieldy. Prepare to pinch your fingers. I cannot risk this on the hardwood floors even with the plastic clips on the bottom. Those might be useful for stabilization but they seem like a big damage risk to me. This will be going outside and the search for an indoor pen continues.
20 people found this helpful
Christina G.Christina G. –
Crazy bunny mom checking in here! After much deliberation, we decided to expand our bunnies play area for when we are out of the house. She is a bigger bunny but not much of a jumper. If you do have a jumper (of any animal) I’d recommend a little more height. The fencing material is of nice quality and the size/height is just perfect for us. My bunny has room now to romp around and also leaves room for us to put her boxes/toys while we’re gone. It does come with small clips but our rabbit is not incredibly mischievous so we typically just leave it against her cage and let her believe she’s trapped..which, to our advantage, she does. It should also be noted that while she is only 4-5 pounds, she is a hard flopper. Thankfully, this pen can withstand her brute bunny strength which I think we both appreciate. We “attach” it to her XL dog crate so she has her home still! It’s a bit heavy, but that is probably just a personal problem of mine. 🙂
557 people found this helpful
~ XLNTMOMMY ~ –
this review is for the MidWest Homes Folding Metal Pet Exercise Pen/Playpen .. I purchased the 42″ height in Gold .. I hav to tell you this was for a bunny but my GSD went inside of this once time (we pick it up and take it outside and sit it in the grass over the weekend sometimes for our bunny ..) and it would hold her, its that sturdy . but then my GSD (German Shepherd Dog) is is exquisitely trained (pre-shutzhund) and includes the little bunny as part of our “pack” .. but she was wonderful with both the cage and the bunny . This versatile cage is sturdy, flexible, well-made, easily handled (2 people is best but one can do it) and all for an incredible price point .. I got the taller because I knew I would hav cardboard boxes inside for the little bunny rabbit and was told she would hop on top of those and gain easier access to jumping out over the cage, though she never attempted to do this .. maybe in time, but in time the idea is to hav her litter box trained (almost there !) and open this pen up for access to the rest of the main area of the downstairs of our house .. but as far as this cage/pen, it is made of a durable metal, there are stabilizers included which go at the the top folding ‘joints’, as well as some gold clasps which help stabilize the area just adjacent to the door of the cage .. overall, this was a tremendous buy for me because the price was under $50 .. you cant go wrong with the quality of this product .. all day long, 5 Stars .. !
Gnarlythotep –
The pins to lock the door are very short. There isn’t a little hook to keep the latches closed.So, it just takes a little bumping, and the door pops open. My dog is only restrained for about 15 minutes, then is free.The whole point of the pen is to keep the dog inside.The manufacturer cheaped out on a tiny detail, making the product worthless. All it would have taken was a hook on the end hat keeps the pin from sliding out, standard on pretty much anything else… But, no. Not here.If your dog has two brain cells to rub together and wants out, this pen will not do a thing for you.
35 people found this helpful
Mariah JMariah J –
UPDATE:I have had this produce for almost 2 years. we use it EVERY DAY like every single day. it is probably the best purchase we have ever made, we added another fur ball to the family and we don’t like to confine them to there kennels (Except at night for bed they are kenneled) we went to the local flooring store and got a scrap piece of laminate for $10 (it did have one hole but we just duck taped it and its not a problem) they have stayed in this playpen for 14+ hours when i have to pull double shifts at work. it makes me feel a little less guilty because they can run and play have a dedicated potty spot and all. if you have the room for this. buy it. don’t even hesitate. we not only use it to keep them put up while at work but we also use it to fence off 1/2 the house when we are home. it moves easy and it is SO much easier than baby gates.I seriously LOVE this I have a morkie puppy who has to stay kenneled all day while I’m at work. (From 8-5) I wanted to buy one of these but the ones I was finding were over a hundred dollars. So when I found this one I was SO happy I wasn’t sure on the size I thought I might need two, but I attach it around her Kennel and it is the perfect size if I were just going to leave it by itself I feel I would need two. It comes with four clips that keep it together. They are like the clips on the end of a leash they get the job done. It also come with 8(?) steaks to secure it to the ground if it were outside. They are good sized so I feel they would work well. I was worried about her being able to tip this over. If it were standing alone and she were a bigger dog say a lab puppy I’m sure it would. But since it’s Secured to her Kennel it dosent move. It folds up nicely when we don’t need it and can clipped to stay folded up. I would buy it again and recommend it for anyone with a small dog. I think anything bigger than a 20-25 pound dog would need two.
96 people found this helpful
Poop –
quite high. I have the 48 in one. 48 inches is about the height of children that are allowed to get on six flags rides. That’s quite tall. 48 inches works pretty well for our pup that is now the size of a small dog. He will grow to be 70or so lbs and this may no longer contain him well if he learns that the kennel is not super steady if its knocked far enough. The wire is adequate enough to keep his tiny paws inside so itll work for dogs no problem. It comes with a neat plastic connector to link the ends together. You can always keep the gates overlapped to make the area smaller OR link multiple together to make the area bigger. The door is alright and is open at the top so you can walk in and out easily. All in all this was a pretty great purchase. Now I dont have to feel bad about leaving my dog in the kennel all day because hes a little s*** and gets into everything.
10 people found this helpful
Lena –
Well its easy to fold and open for sure, great for potty training and No easy to assemble required, we used it to enclose our ground floor patio with 2 sets works perfectly, I just keep looking out each morning to see if anyone stole them #LOL, We got 2 x 9 weeks old shih tzu and dont want them in grass out back or to meet with other pets until fully vaccinated , so we have a 4 month old pitbull puppy who was very mad at us for putting up the fence, totally got the side eyes as she lay outside the gate looking in on the pups she can not play with:(, however she tried to jump on the fence so we had to use 2 pole/ stake to reinforce the brace ( one in-front and one behind and it worked, I’ll add picture soon as I can, I really wanted the pink ones:) but am sure they would steal those for sure:) blacks was at great sale so I got 2 and so happy we feel so secure within our little space:) we’ll also use to host doggie daycare for small dogs:) so looking for fake grass now:)
Sarah –
Our golden retriever puppy is only eight, nearly nine, weeks old. We’ve had him for a week and a half We bought this pen to train our dog to enjoy prolonged isolation and to serve as his holding pen until he’s old enough to be vaccinated and old/well-trained enough to not destroy our patio furniture or hurt himself in our huge back yard by keeping him in it for gradually longer periods. With the included plastic closures, he got out of this pen after about 12 total (non-consecutive) hours of being in his pen. Once he knew how to get out of the plastic closures, he just kept at them until he could get out in just a few minutes of being left alone. We tried holding it together with paracord, and while the cord held the pen shut and he didn’t chew on the cord, his jumping and running around inside caused the whole pen to pinch from and octagon into a bowtie shape, trapping and confusing him in a too small space. Fortunately, we were watching him on camera or he might have been stuck like that for an hour or longer. This pen might work outside with the included anchors driven into the ground, but as a standalone pen, it’s just too flimsy to contain an active or intelligent and determined dog for more than an hour. It is easy to fold and assemble, and it did come with all of the necessary parts. It does not suit our purposes, but as I said, if you have a really calm and small dog (maybe a yorkie or a maltese) you’d be fine with this. We’re building an outdoor pen for him now, but wish that we hadn’t wasted our money on what proved to be a VERY temporary puppy containment solution.
One person found this helpful
jo1008 –
It does the job, only problem is that we wish the part that has the “door” is in the middle rather than it being in the front or the first piece when you unfold it. We use it to block the kitchen and create a fence around his half bath, therefore the door part for him to exit and for us to use to go through is usually used against the wall and so we have to leap over and it’s a bit tall so if you don’t have long legs, it can be annoying. It’s pretty sturdy and heavy to keep out 8 month old cavalier in place. And it’s perfectly big to give him an “ 1 bedroom apartment attached to his 1 bath” when we have to leave him by himself. Overall, this product is a great buy and great for the price. Really wish the door part was in the middle or at least in the 3rd or 4th piece to be able to use it.
75 people found this helpful
wkuri –
I purchased the 36″ height pen. I felt it was a fair price given the alleged quality and the fact that it had a latched door that opened and closed. Upon arrival, it came in a skinny square cardboard box. My hubby said it was easy to assemble and I like that it can be shaped in different ways. It’s good for small to medium dogs- maybe bigger dogs if they’re mellow and well behaved. The pen seems to hold up so far for various dogs that we have as pet sitters. One thing is that is does have a ‘lip’ or step at the door opening, so its easy to trip on. We had an older dog that had a problem with it so we had to carry her over the step each time because she couldn’t see it or get over it. Overall, I’m happy with this purchase. I researched for quite a long time for a fair value pen with a door that I needed as a feature because it’s so hard to decide when you can’t touch or feel anything, and I think I made a good choice.
15 people found this helpful
Mat –
The pen was nice but needed some modification to work for me. So to put this in some context this is for a 20lb dog and used it inside.If the dog jumps on the side this will move around if it’s on a floor. If you use it outside and stake it into the ground this shouldn’t be an issue. I mounted it on a piece of plywood which solved this issue. So my dog wasn’t use to being in a pen so she wasn’t happy to be in this. She jumped on the side a bunch and broke a few of the dog leash style clips. I went to the store and got some zip ties and connected each section using three. They worked a lot better for my use. I can’t break it down but I have no plans to do that anytime soon. There are two bolts that slide over to keep the door closed. The problem is if you shake the door they will slide over and open up. I used two of the dog type clips to put through the bolt handles. This keeps them from popping open.
471 people found this helpful
Froggy D. –
We bought this to make a puppy area in our living room & it works great. We have two almost 3 month old chihuahuas & they learned to enjoy their space in 1 day. The 1st day was odd because they had been in the living room freely which required 1000% vigilance on our part. Now we can relax, while they play or rest. We also change the configuration at times & open it up more like a fence so that our sofa chair is inside and we are there with them. We also fold it up and use it as a fence in our backyard so that the puppies can not enter a certain part of the yard. We live on a hill and literally just fold it up and carry it down stairs and back up when we are done. This has been a GREAT purchase. I really recommend this product if you need to have a space for your dog to play and need to work. Obviously they cry if we leave the room, but little by little we are training them to be alone a bit. This is great because the living room is carpet & we covered their area with rugs..and then put up their fence or play pen. Now we can relax in our living room once again without wondering where they will go next, what they magically found at put in their mouths, etc…
30 people found this helpful
Mom2gr8tkid –
Sadly, this kennel / play pen didn’t work for us. I bought the 42″ high version and my 2 year old Maltipoo climbed it like a cat. Ugh, he is new to our home and I knew he could jump high, which is why I chose the higher pen, but I didn’t know he was a cat-dog. LOL Like other reviews, it is very lightweight and not ideal for indoors as there is no way to stabilize it. Jumping anywhere near it in the slightest will knock it over. This seems more ideal for outdoors with the ground stakes that are provided. Never tried it outdoors because I need it for indoor. May be better for an inactive senior or brand new puppies that won’t be jumping or climbing on it.
9 people found this helpful
Chris –
We have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy (now 4lbs later 10-17lbs), and so we were endlessly debating on if we could work with the 24-inch one (cost concerns). After talking to the breeder, we decided to do the 30-in high pen to avoid additional purchases later on. To prepare this for our puppy, we got inspired online and bought at Lowes a pre-cut linoleum ($27 for 6x9Ft). We duck-taped it to the floor (we have both carpet and hard wood flooring) and put the pen on this. Since we are renting – let me tell you – this takes a load of stress off your shoulders when raising a puppy. It’s stressful as it is so this makes it accident free. The pen covers about half of the linoleum. You can cut it to a shorter size, but we have the room, plus also we decided to attach our dog crate to the pen to extend the amount of play space (this crate comes with handy clips to attach it all together instead of having to put the crate INSIDE the pen and limit the play area. Not sure if this helps but we’ve read so much before purchasing it all that we’d have initially appreciated a review of this type ourselves:-). We might buy another, same pen later, if we’ll find our dog needs more space, but this solution is for now perfect and he’ll have plenty of space to play.
206 people found this helpful
DreamchaserDreamchaser –
I have 2 sizes of this pen, and they have been a godsend for my puppy!! I bought the 30″ (no door) for using in motel rooms, as I traveled cross-country with my pup, and it worked just perfect!! I folded it to be six-sided, instead of all 8, placed it on a cheap, plastic tarp, and covered the tarp with newspapers. He was happy to have his own secure space; put his food and water dishes in with him (plus toys) and no chance to have any ‘accidents’ on actual motel floors. One place waived their extra pet fee when they saw my set-up. These are handy, convenient, easy to fold up and move; PERFECT for so many things with a little puppy. I take it with me wherever I take him, just in case he needs his own little exercise spot.My guy has grown, so I now have the 48″ size, with a door and has all the same great portability features as my 30″.
9 people found this helpful
Charlie –
I have two different reviews in Amazon. One is for the Midwest no door and one is for the Midwest with a door. This review is for the Midwest Foldable Play Pen (without the door) The gate is perfect for the intended purpose. You can position it from a small square to a large octagon etc. I ordered a second one so I can attach them together. After you purchase a different set of hooks to keep the gate closed it works really well. My dog is small no more than 4 lbs. But the hooks provided are cheap and will break after several uses. All of ours were broken within 3 months of daily use. The clasp on the hook will break. I ordered the COUNTRY BROOK SILVER HOOKS from amazon. Works like a charm. One thing to note about the playpen. It is a bit heavy and you should fully fold it before trying to relocate it from room to room. I have tried to short cut it and pinched my fingers more than once. But that’s my fault. So be smart, don’t be lazy. Lol
105 people found this helpful
S.L.N.S.L.N. –
Easy to arrange. Purchased two sets to modify it to create a rectangular area, just enough to fit a Comfort Design Mats. Used one full gate, then took apart two panels from the second gate to attach to the first. We had to flip it upside down because our daughter, and myself, tripped over the bottom section of the door and got scratched up. So the little kids have to crawl in the door and taller ones step over the gate for safety. It has some minor chipping, but still happy with purchase because we wanted a rectangular shape to fit the mat underneath and it is stable. We used zip ties to modify them and used the stakes along the edges of the panels to help keep them straight and not zig zag.
11 people found this helpful
MeganMegan –
I just got a 22 lb dog with lots of energy we have previously had 2 of these fences for our other 2 dogs (11 and 7lbs) as an outdoor run to go to the bathroom. Well, Zander, our new dog needed a place to run and get his energy out and an indoor game of fetch just wasn’t going to cut it. In came this fence we bought 4 more fences for a total of 6 and for a fraction of the price (and we made it bigger than you’re average “run”) we made a run for Zander to well run and it works almost perfectly we just had to add some supports to keep it all upright those hooks for potted plants that we had lying around worked well. And on top of it all, I counted my steps and multiplied by 2.5 to get the linear feet of my fence but it turns out that measurement is for average sized men, I am a short woman so I ended up with an extra fence which I used some extra chicken wire I had, some zip ties, carpet tiles, cement blocks, and a tiny cat tree to make a catio and come spring the cats will love it since they loved going out in a harness to sunbathe last summer. All in all, it is a win from me and instead of paying 1000 dollars to buy a run which I would have to bring him back and forth from the run we were able to hook it up to our back door and build bigger for cheaper. This is probably not how the designers meant for this playpen but it worked well for our needs.
10 people found this helpful
Todd L. Owens –
I got this kennel/gate on somewhat of a whim but, it was a needed whim due to have a 20 year old dog.You did not read that wrong he is a 20 year old bishon.Understandably, he has some accidents and with this item I can either contain him to an area where accidents are easily cleaned by opening it up fully to divide a room or turn it into a makeshift kennel by making it a square or rectangle.This is very sturdy and I am super pleased with the different ways I can deploy this.My old guy is happy that he has some space to move around and I don’t have to worry that with his poor eyesight he will fall down steps and I didn’t have to worry about cleaning up a mess on carpets, etc because he was contained in a certain area.My only regret is not finding this sooner!
Mokelumne JonesMokelumne Jones –
Price at our local pet discount store was $89.99. Needed two and paid $59 for each on Amazon. I needed a solution to keep my new Queensland in the garage so drilled some holes in the concrete and used rigid gas pipe and Velcro to attach the fence material. The whole thing pulls out and folds up to pull my vehicle in. I plan on adding more holes inside the garage to allow both my dogs to come in through the side door and keep them contained while pulling in and out. Gate work as expected and the strength of the fencing is excellent.
40 people found this helpful
Beach Girl –
I purchased two of these to create a large exercise pen for my two rabbits. I’ve set it up in the basement with a comfort mat underlay, and it provides a large and secure area for them to play. Since rabbits can jump – high – I opted for the 30″ height, which is still comfortable enough for me to reach over. There is the possibility that they will climb it, but that hasn’t happened yet, and the 30″ height should be enough of a deterrent. It is sturdy without being unmanageably heavy, and I can dismantle and move it easily without help. My only complaints – which were not material enough to knock off a star – are the latching mechanisms and the inability to easily reconfigure by removing panels. Both are easily remedied however; I use carabiners to close the “gates”, and the panel connectors could be removed with a snips or wire cutter and reattached using zip ties, similar to what I use with the buns’ old x-pens. The rabbits have the run of the house, so if this becomes unused in the future, I can see a new life for it encircling my veggie bed. One solution keeps the rabbits in, the other keeps them out. Good purchase, multi-purpose.
2 people found this helpful
Amz CustAmz Cust –
I love this pen!! I got the this pen because the foundation I foster for said it was great to have. I bought the taller one only because these puppies like to jump. It gives the puppies plenty of room to play sleep whatever. It keeps them contained so I know they are not getting into things or going potty everywhere lol. The pen has a heavy weight to it so it does not knock over but is also lightweight enough for 1 person to handle by themselves. I have travertine floors so I put a sheet on ground for accidents. Best part is it’s indoor/ outdoor play pen . I folded it and put it outside with the stakes. It is so secure, I’m not worried about them getting out. It’s great to let them be outside in fresh air, playing on the grass and not have to worry they will slip thru fence or get into something. I have a 65 lb bull in a china shop dog as well as (2) 16lb pups and it was able to handle all 3 of them with plenty of room for them to move and play.
2 people found this helpful
N. GarrisN. Garris –
I am super impressed with this pen, for several reasons. But note that I have really small toy dogs (5lbs) full grown. This pen is:1) extremely easy to assemble and set up2) very easy to fold and transport3) can be flexibly assembled (more on this later and see photo)4j is reasonably priced.We installed one of these permanently in a square configuration, affixing two ends to the walls, which gave our pups much more room. (To do so, we put anchors in the wall and used the supplied hooks to attach it. We also took the gate panel off and re-affixed it in a different position.). This can work for small dogs but not for heavier or strong dogs without reinforcement At the corners.Two things we did to make this product better:1) we have wood floors, and this product will move around and scratch them, even with the supplied protectors. We glued black felt to the supplied protectors..and problem solved.2) we made a hook out of a paper clip to keep the gate fully open when the pups are out3) we use one of these pens when we travel. We took a old duffle bag strap and attached it to the folded pen, and this makes it much easier to carry.Downsides (not for me, but maybe for others):1) might move around inside on hard floors with larger or stronger dogs.2) problems with door latches and supplied hooks pointed out by other reviewers.
34 people found this helpful
K. NgoK. Ngo –
I was racking my brain how to make this playpen safe for my floors and my pup’s paws Before I pup proofed it, she cut her paw trying to get out. I bought a yoga mat from Walmart and some zip ties and proofed the top and bottom. It works really well. Doesn’t scratch my floors anymore and she stopped trying to get out
13 people found this helpful
Customer824 –
This gate worked great for us while we were introducing a new dog to the “pack,” especially since our pit bull was not ready to accept the new dog. We used two of these – one downstairs and one upstairs, and moved them wherever needed. They’re heavy enough to use in accordion fashion to block off our pit bull. Even if a pit bull wants to have an “I’m the alpha” fight, their jaws are too strong and they could seriously hurt a new dog. To make them understand the gate is a boundary, we had to discipline the dogs with loud a loud “No” and hand clapping, and other loud sounds. It only took one day of reinforcing the command and now they abide by it. But we also don’t leave them alone behind it. If people complain that their dog is climbing the fence, they obviously don’t know how to train a dog, and they think they can just leave it alone behind a portable fence. My husband folds the gate and takes it out to the deck so he can have the put bull separate – but right beside – the other two and enjoy a meal outside. I do wish we had gotten the one with the “gate.” Otherwise you have to slide one end in and out from a secure spot to step beyond it (unless you have really long legs and don’t mind risking the family jewels). 🙂
R Crosier –
Although I love this pen, and it was easy to set up, VERY flexible shape and easy to manage, it’s not really what I would consider something to be used to house-train the puppies ONLY because they have so much room to lay down one area and pee/poop in another area.We put piddle pads down on one side and blankets/rugs down on the other side, but inevitably they pee/poop in there on/off the pads.We also put a waterproof 6′ x 6′ dog pen pad under the entire thing, and the combination of the two works EXCELLENT! We simply fold the pen out of the way, off to the side, pull up the waterproof pad and toss it in the washer/dryer, then put it back at night, whenever necessary to wash it.The door locks are nice, have a nice anti-unlock feature, so the dogs can’t accidentally open the door.Excellent overall pen.
SupaMom –
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By far the most important thing I purchased for my new rescue furbaby last summer! We call it his home, and when we say “go home PeeWee” he races right in there willingly. We use it primarily when we are going out, and occasionally if he’s feeling wild or amorous when we have company over with small children. He is a Maltese/Shihtzu mix, and this is a very comfortable size for him to spend a few hours whenever needed. We don’t use it often overnight, but we certainly could if we felt he needed to be confined.As you can see from it video, it comfortably fits a bed, a full sized puppy training pad, food and water bowls and some toys. And ample room for PeeWee too, which is also critical. He seems to prefer sleeping on the floor rather than the bed, so there’s plenty of room for him to do that too. ;)There are little plastic pieces that clip on to the bottom of the cage to protect our floors from any scraping of metal on our vinyl flooring. Which is fabulous. Those clips are plastic, not rubber. So they will not prevent movement of the cage, really. I imagine if one wanted better prevention of cage movement, one could probably affix rubber stickers to the bottom of said plastic clips to create a little friction. We haven’t needed to do that though, as he does move the edges of the cage around a bit and we’ve had zero floor damage though.I saw very few reviews which mentioned sharp edges; I don’t know if those customers got a flawed product. Ours has zero sharp edges, and we are very pleased with the quality of construction and reliability of his home.The cage is secure, and PeeWee cannot open it. For his protection, and also for the early days of potty training, this cage was critical for him to have his own personal space and know where his food, water and pee pads are. We leave the cage open whenever there is no need for confinement, and he routinely goes in there anyway, to use his pee pad or sometimes just for a siesta.I’m home most of the time, but he loves his home and is quite comfy in it. We were very careful not to confuse discipline with his home. He has never been wary of either going in there on his own or being sent in there if we are going out. It’s never been used as a time-out place or a “naughty corner”, which was important to me. I feel that it helps if they love their little home and consider it a positive place.Sturdy and well built, I have no hesitation in recommending this product. A definite must-have item if you’re getting a puppy. Great value for money too!
55 people found this helpful
Amanda H –
We bought a 2nd one for our vacation home because of how useful this was for our Cavachon puppy. We use it for everything — penning him off when we leave him for a few hours, blocking certain rooms/rugs off, etc. Right now we’re actually using it cordon off the Christmas tree because he wouldn’t stop nibbling on it! We’ve taken this on multiple trips, banged it up a ton, and it still looks and works great.Only 2 things I don’t like is: 1) a few times I’ve gotten my fingers pinched in between the metal when I’m closing it up but not exactly the product’s fault 2) sometimes when you set it up as a “wall” it can be unstable. We or our puppy have knocked it over a few times & it’s scared him. Just make sure to always have part of it at an “angle” to keep it more secure.
InvaderRoxInvaderRox –
Overall, this pen has been super helpful for my small adult dog. She has severe separation anxiety and was constantly peeing in the house, but as soon as I got her this pen, she stopped entirely because she felt a lot more secure and had her own space (her “room”, jokingly).Pros: Easy to set up and fold. I’m using indoors on vinyl flooring and there are no issues with stability or scratching the floor. Attaches easily to crate (even though my crate is a different brand). The shape can easily be moved around, and I ended up putting it around a dresser (using the dresser as one side of the enclosure) because it made more sense in my space, and this pen worked fine to do that. The 30″ pen is just barely low enough for me (5’6″) to step over.Cons: If you have a very jumpy dog, I don’t think this would be secure enough. Mine doesn’t climb or jump, so this pen (30″ high for a 10lb dog) is excellent. The panel that includes the door isn’t readily moveable and is one of the end panels when the pen is not attached together, so if you’re putting the pen against a wall or around an existing piece of furniture, this could be awkward. I think it would be possible, though not very easy, to remove the clips and move the panels around with a pair of pliers, but you’re definitely going to scratch off the coating (making them look ugly) and potentially make them have sharp protrusions (making them dangerous) by doing so.
One person found this helpful
NicoleNicole –
Recently purchased a new home and have been trying to decide what to do with my 8yr old Pit w/SEVERE separation anxiety when I need to leave the house. He was never crated trained as a puppy (he was a stray who was hit by a car and was a year old by the time I rescued him) and has NEVER liked his kennel. In the summer months he goes to my mom’s when I leave for work but with winter approaching I needed a better option.I ordered the tallest pen available and as you can see it is MUCH larger than my dog – side note my dog is super short. But i plan to foster and adopt more large breed dogs so it seemed like the best use of my money. The panels come already connected and it stands straight up right out of the box. One thing I do have to note is I do have it upside down. I took it out of the box that way and did not notice until I already had it attached to my dog’s kennel and at that point I was too lazy to change it. It stands straight up by itself (again, I have it upside down so just keep that in mind) but I attached it to my dog’s kennel (which is Top Paw brand – this will connect to ANY metal kennel) for extra stability. My dog has arthritis in one rear leg and a bad hip on the other side so he is not a jumper or climber in any way but he is a bully and will push & knock things over to get where he wants to be. I can definitely say with it attached to the kennel there is no way he can knock it over. Also, he has pushed the panels pretty hard and they do not fall over or cave in so I’m not worried about them collapsing on him if he get’s too rambunctious. I have it attached to the open kennel door just to give him as much space as possible (also please know he is left with a bed, blankets, pee pads and toys – not just the few things you see him with in the photos. These were taken right after assembly.) and it is still very sturdy. My dog is a chewer. He has chewed through ceramic dog bowls, blankets, towels, bras and the kennel you see in the photos. The kennel is the only thing that has stood the test of time (I purchased it right before I brought him home 7 years ago) and even it is separated in certain areas or caved in due to him trying to chew his way out. I’m not really worried about that with the pen. He has chewed through all the pee pads I’ve left him with but the pen has stayed intact so far.The pen does not come with “stabilizers” like I’ve seen with some others but I didn’t have a problem keeping it upright. It comes with stakes to be used in the ground if you’re using it outside. If you’re opting for indoor use and have hardwood floors, like me, I have not seen any scratches or damage to my flooring even with my dog constantly pushing and moving the panels around. (My floors are actual hardwood, not laminate – if that makes a difference.)This pen also doubles as a great makeshift gate. I have a very large yard and can easily gate off sections I don’t want him getting into or place it at the bottom of the porch stairs (there are only two stairs, I am not worried about him falling down) to keep him out with me without a leash.This was a pretty decent price so I’m very happy with my purchase!
10 people found this helpful
Arnell –
I have 6-8 of these gates in varying sizes. They’re made of a “good-sized gauge” of wire that is substantial enough to stand on its own, take abuse, secure your pets, and light enough to carry. The painted surface is durable enough for outdoor use such as camping where the surfaces can vary outside of grass, concrete, or any other surfaces you would see at home. They’re portable and can easily be stacked on top of each other or leaned on each other for transport. It is easy to assemble, as there isn’t any assembly required outside of clipping one side to the other with the included clips.We use these primarily for our two nearly 100 pound dogs while camping. They’re trained dogs and this is important on how you use this product. We set up a large perimeter utilizing 6-8 sets of gates together to create a visual barrier for them. They’re large dogs and they can easily push through or jump over these if they wanted to or if we asked them too. This would include securing the gate down to the ground with the supplied stakes. For smaller dogs within the 50 pound range, I believe these would be substantially enough to stop them from getting out, but the height option used will play a big role. Generally we use the 30″ height option. This is important because we use these simply to keep my dogs corralled as they’re very friendly and would potentially wander to see new people. They’re also trained to not go past this gate unless we let them even if the gate door is open. It is also used as a visual barrier for others who don’t like dogs to know our dogs are secure. That being said, this gate system (IMO) is NOT a security system. This system is not robust enough to secure larger dogs. I would go with a different option that better fits your intended use. For smaller dogs that cannot use their wait or jumping abilities to escape, this may be an option. Be mindful of these.Overall, the build quality, portability/weight, and price point, this a great portable option, especially for how we use use this in our family. I would recommend.
3 people found this helpful