11 best dog gates to keep your pooch safe and in place

While your furry best friend is at her happiest when bathing back-first in mud puddles, bounding for her favorite ball and frolicking in fields with her fluffy buddies, there will always be those unavoidable moments when pet parents need to keep them safe and in place at home. 

Whether you’ve got builders, toddlers or distant cousins paying a visit, or you simply want to make life easier for your dog sitter, finding the best dog gate to suit your pooch and home is high-up on the list for many pet parents. So, let’s take a look at the different types of dog gates to keep your canine companion contained, secure and out of harm’s way.

Things to consider when choosing a dog gate

• Transportability. Do you want it to be a permanent feature or something you put up and take down, as and when you need it? 
• Height. How far can your dog jump? Make sure the dog gate you choose is tall enough to keep your pooch just where you need them.
• Budget. Like with all dog kit, the prices of dog gates vary massively, so set yourself a budget when you’re looking for the right one (and take a look below for our budget-friendly dog gate).
• Style. Are you going for style as well as practicality? If the dog gate you choose is going to be a permanent feature and you consider yourself a dab hand with interior design, it’s worth thinking about the material and color.
• Adjustability. Would you like it to be adjustable? If there’s a chance that you’re moving home or that the gate will be moving home (around your house), it’s worth finding an adjustable dog gate to make sure it can fit nice and snug wherever you need it.

Overall best dog gate 

Narrowing down all the dog gates out there was no simple feat. And while we can confirm there are a fair few decent features to this dog gate, you might find better out there! Simply use our suggestions below as a handy guide when considering what to look for in the best dog gates for you and your pooch.

Regalo arched dog gate

Drum roll please! Our top pick goes to… the Regalo arched dog gate! Why? Well this chic safety gate is a bit of an all-rounder. Take its strong, steel construction that’s made to stand the test of time, its adjustable width to fit snug in your home, and its easy walk-through door that makes moving around while keeping your pet safe super simple. The list goes on: it’s designed with a convenient pressure mount, which makes it easy to install and needs no drilling or nasty holes. And at the reasonable price of $49.99, this one’s a bit of a winner in our books.

Best indoor dog gate 

We’ll be honest, it wasn’t easy, narrowing down all the best dog gates for indoors out there. So, we’ve chosen this little number which you can find from Chewy. It’s a great example of all the things we’d look for in an indoor dog gate, but we can assure you that there are many similar on the market!

Wood and metal dog gate

The first thing that struck us about this gate was its stylish design. Okay, we know that the best dog gates need to be a lot more than pretty, but can you blame us? Aesthetics aside, the gate is built to accommodate most doorway openings, so should fit snug almost anywhere in your home. It’s also completely mountable, so don’t worry if you don’t have any spare drills laying around at home. While keeping your pets safe and secure, you can also get through this gate with ease - juggle life’s daily tasks while opening the gate with its handy one-hand function.

Best outdoor dog gate

If you’re planning an outdoor party or you’ve got new fluffy friends coming over and you’d like to keep your pooch safe in a fixed area,  you’re probably on the lookout for the best dog gates suitable for outdoors. Just check out the design on this one!

Metal leaf design gate

If you’re one for hosting an outdoor dinner party or you’re famous for your summer barbecues, feast your eyes on this stylish yet practical (and adjustable) outdoor metal dog gate. Gating off a part of your garden isn’t the simplest thing to do - the dimensions are less predictable than inside your home. Luckily, this leaf design gate folds three times and when fully extended, it’s 53 inches long. And don’t worry, you won’t have to attempt to attach this elegant piece onto any walls or fences - it’s completely free-standing so no need for drills or tools. And maybe you don’t want to keep your fluffy best friend enclosed in the same space every time - this gate’s handy, lightweight design means it’s easy to fold away or move to another spot in your garden.

Best free-standing dog gate

So the leaf design gate is the perfect outdoor free-standing dog gate, but we thought you might want to know about an indoor option, too. One of the key benefits of a free-standing dog gate is that you can maneuver it into any area of your home, keeping your pooch safe and secure wherever you need.

Wooden free-standing gray pet gate

While it doesn’t quite have the elegance of the leaf design, this gate comes in a neutral gray color, blending into any area of your home with its non-invasive shade. Made entirely of wood, this handy free-standing dog gate will look far more stylish than a plastic gate, not to mention it’s much more environmentally friendly. And at a relatively affordable price point, you can keep your pooch safe while visitors are around in any area of your home.

Best dog gate for larger dogs  

When it comes to dog gates for large dogs, it’s not always easy to find something that’ll keep them safe and secure. While your larger than life pooch might be well-trained, there’s always a chance they’ll get over-excited and attempt to make their way over (or through!) the gate you bring home. So, let’s take a look at a gate perfect for bigger pups that’ll keep them safe and in the right place.

Bettacare extra tall pressure-installed dog gate

Bettacare’s extra-tall dog gate for your lofty pooch is made to be relied on. When we say it’s made of steel, we mean it literally - this gate is ideal for even the tallest of dogs, giving you peace of mind that they’re safe and just where you need them. It’s pressure-fitted which means it’s designed to budge not an inch, despite any pressure from your heavy pup! And to make life easier, no screws are needed to keep it in place, so don’t worry if you’re no DIY expert. And to save any faff, it’s built with a one-handed operation, making it simple to open and close when you need to get through.

Best budget dog gate

While not all of the best dog gates are made equal, sometimes pricier doesn’t mean better. Keep the price point fair with this handy, folding pet gate from Pet Parade at a reasonable $41.99.

Pet parade folding pet gate

This extra-wide, folding gate for dogs is great bang for your buck - block off even the wider areas of your home and rest in the knowledge your small or larger pooch is out of harm’s way. Another thing we love about this folding gate is its versatility - move it around your home with ease (just check out that lightweight design) and boom - your pup is safe and exactly where you need them. Plus, no wall attachments are needed, so have no fear of marking your immaculate paint work! While you don’t need to fully extend this bargain-buy every time, it does stretch to 54 inches when you need it to. And when you’re not using it? Simply fold flat and store away until next time. 

Best dog gate with a door  

Sometimes you don’t want to have to take the entire pet gate down to let your furry best friend trot through. So, of course the clever peeps in the world of all things gate design have made dog gates with a small pet door, allowing you to let your pooch through when it’s safe.

Top Paw extra tall pet gate

This extra-tall gate for dogs from Top Paw is ideal for not only pups with extra-long legs, but also the springy kind who just love to jump! Life is made easier with the handy one-touch walk through door, as well as the child-proof safety handle if you’ve got little ones about. And if you’ve got more than one pet (say, a larger dog and a fluffy feline or iddy pup), the small door at the bottom allows those fluffy friends to pass through, while containing your larger pooch. Durability shouldn’t be something you worry about with this gate, either. It’s made of steel, so it’s made to last.

Best walk-through dog gate

It’s not always practical to completely fence-off your pooch, so check out the walk-through gates out there that allow you to wander about your home while keeping your pet safe and sound.

Regalo easy-open walk-through gate

This easy-open gate from Regalo is the perfect addition to your home if you need a way to keep your furry friend safe while making sure each room is easily accessible for you and any other Sapien sidekicks. Find the convenient walk-through design so that you can easily pass through, while keeping your pup safely where you need them. Made of steel and easily pressure-mountable, your pooch won’t be getting past this one (at least, that’s the aim). And the peeps at Regalo clearly appreciate that not all homes, doorways and pups are created equal, so adjust the size of the gate with its handy extensions on each side. While it’s maybe not the prettiest dog gate we’ve seen, it sits at the reasonable price of $44.99, a great deal for a gate with so many practical features to make life easier and keep your pooch safe.

Best metal dog gate  

When it comes to the types of gate to look for if you’ve got a large or strong pooch, or you simply want something that’s going to last a lifetime (or thereabouts), a metal dog gate could be the way to go. They’re often significantly more durable than wooden or plastic gates, and might just stand the test of time. Plus if your pooch is prone to scratching or biting furniture, a metal gate can withstand a lot more than plastic or wooden pieces, meaning you’ll be replacing this one a whole lot less!

Easy mount door frame gate

Sitting at the reasonable price point of $49, this metal door frame is designed to stand strong and hold even the bulkiest of pups behind it. And this might be one stubborn dog gate, but you can rest assured that it’s easy to assemble. Make life easier with the easy-mount design, so no faff while you’re putting it up! 

Best dog gate for stairs

Especially in the puppy years, sometimes the most important place to keep your pooch away from is your staircase. Whether they’re chilling upstairs and you can’t risk them braving the stairs themselves, or you’d like to keep upstairs a dog-free zone, a dog gate for your stairs is definitely going to come in handy.

Retractable dog gate

Sometimes, keeping your pup away from the blocked-off area is to limit how much of it they can see. Make sure there’s less desire to work their way through (or over) your dog gate with a solid gate that blocks their view.  This handy gate for dogs from Walmart is not only on the more affordable end, it’s also easily retractable which makes walking through it simple for you. Plus if you’ve got little ones at home, you can rest assured that this gate is not only pet-friendly, but perfect for toddlers. While it might not be the case with all stair-safe dog gates, don’t install this one at the top of your stairs, and make sure you take care to read the drilling instructions.

Best mountable dog gate

Not everyone has time for drilling holes in walls, and to be honest, it adds extra work when the time comes to take down the gate. The most practical solution? Find a mountable dog gate that fixes onto your wall simply by holding pressure onto it. 

Harper Dog Gate

This wrought iron and steel gate from Harper is a handy solution if you’re looking for a heavy-duty gate that’ll keep your pooch safe and sound behind it. And it’s not just this gate’s height or its strength that we like. It’s complete with an easy-to-use walk-through door to make moving around your home easier, while keeping your pup safe and secure. And while home interiors come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, this gate is expandable, meaning it’s more likely to fit into the specific contours of your home. How to secure? It’s pressure-mountable which means it’s easy to assemble and doesn’t leave any nasty holes in your door frames.

On the lookout for more sturdy, pooch-worthy accessories?

Keep your furry best friend comfortable in a lasting bed, even for the most chew-prone pups out there. Find an indestructible dog bed that’ll stand the test of time and guarantee a great night’s sleep for you and your pooch.