The Best Dog Gates

Dog gates ensure that your pooch and home remain safe when you're gone. People use dog gates as an alternative to crating the dog when housebreaking, to restrict certain parts of the home from four paws and to keep the puppy or small dog away from stairs. Kidco, Evenflo, The First Years, Cardinal, Dream Baby and Safety 1st make the best safety gates, according to Galtech, an online buyer's guide.

  1. Retractable

    • Retractable gates are attached to one side of the wall (or stairs) and latch on the other side when locked. Most gates stand at 34 inches high and come in 52-inch or 72-inch widths. The polymer mesh gate retracts into a semi-concealed cylinder attached to one side of the entrance. If you prefer to have the gate out of sight when not in use, a retractable gate might be the answer. However, if you are not dexterous, retracting the gate may be difficult.

    Swing

    • Swing gates expand like an accordion from approximately 24 inches to 60 inches wide. Most swing gates stand at about 32 inches high and easily swing in either direction, using one hand. They are hardware mounted and fold down to about 24 inches for storage, unlike many other dog gates. Some swing gate brands add a safety feature that prevents the gate from swinging out too far, which has been a safety concern in some models.

    Pressure-Mounted

    • An extra-tall pressure-mounted gate by Kidco gets high marks for its durability and easy installation. Pressure-mounted gates install without tools, unlike the retractable and swing gates. It's constructed of tubular steel and squeezes inside a doorway, using pressure to hold it in place. The basic kit stands at 42 inches high -- ideal for confining large dogs or those that jump high -- and fits openings from 29 inches wide to 37 inches wide. You can extend that width with extensions sold separately.

    Brand Names

    • Galtech recommends The First Years Hands Free Gate as the No. 1 swing gate for its "walk-through" style. This product is pressure-mounted, so it installs without additional tools. The swing mechanism is foot-pedal operated. Evenflo's Soft and Wide Gate ranked second. In the retractable gate category, Galtech gave Retract-a-Gate top marks for its convenience. This gate also works with a child-safety lock that needs additional installation for use near stairs. Some dogs are just clever enough to figure out how to open locks. If your pooch likes to play Houdini, the safety lock is a wise investment.