(Part 3) Best dog doors, gates & ramps according to redditors

Here you go fren: https://www.amazon.com/PETMAKER-Pop-Up-Playpen-Deluxe-Carrying/dp/B00SNNI7PQ/ref=pd_sbs_199_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00SNNI7PQ&pd_rd_r=TZEH2Y3HKMZM10G3G3KR&pd_rd_w=XiDhb&pd_rd_wg=53Vm2&psc=1&refRID=TZEH2Y3HKMZM10G3G3KR

I had one of these. It's just a little playpen for pets, but flipped upside down and filled with plastic balls. I regret I did not think of this and just got rid of mine when I moved...

This looks like the one I have for my cat when we first got her because we were unsure how she would be with chinchillas when he left. (Turns out she's terrified of them)

Peeing and pooping on grass probably seems weird to him. If he weren't from a puppy mill I'd say he sounds like a dog who has been punished for accidents in the house. I know it can be frustrating, but make sure no one gets upset with him when there's an accident.

Sadly I have a lot of experience with a dog going in the house. I have a rescue boy who was likely kenneled 24/7. For the first year and half he was too afraid to go outside. Hell, he didn't leave my kitchen for 6 months. I used an x-pen to give him a little more room. Instead of using puppy pads I bought cheap, rubber backed bathmats from Walmart. I had 10 of them. I bought a stack of bar towels from Sams Club. I also bought Natures Miracle by the barrel. In the beginning he only had room for his crate (which was open) and the bathmat. It left him little choice but to go there. Once that become his habit I got a second x-pen to increase the amount of room he had. When I got home. I'd bag the poop, toss the mat in the laundry and wash the floor in the x-pen area with Natures Miracle using the bar towels which then also went in the wash. I'd then spray a little Odiban in the room and that seemed to kill any lingering smell. Coming up with a system to clean up quickly and easily removed a lot of the stress. Since I didn't have a yard I sodded my garage so he'd have time to get used to the feel of grass. He was terrified of even being near the door go outside. I used to sit outside the door with his brother and sister on long leashes so they could play and I would leave the door open so he could hear us. Then one day I saw him laying in the background. A few days later he came charging outside to play. I have no idea what clicked for him, but it did. After a year and a half almost to the day. 8 years later I'd like to say he's perfectly house broken, but that's not the case. He hasn't pooped in the house since the day he joined us outside. I'd say about once every other month he has an accident. I keep a bathmat right in front of the door so if he can't hold it he goes there.

https://smile.amazon.com/Pet-Trex-Panel-24-30/dp/B0052HL3U2

I would keep him tethered to you 100% while you're in the house. The times where that is not possible put him in the x-pen. It does not feel like a crate and will give him space, without access to the whole room. Then I'd start potty training all over again from the beginning like you would with a puppy. Old dogs can still be trained, it just might take a little longer.

I don't know what you can tell your husband, but if you can speed up the cleaning time with an x-pen and bathmats it might buy you more time while the training is rebooted. You might want to look into a doggie daycare or dog walker so there is less mess to deal with.

Looks like you have a good list going, remember to update your pups microchip with your address and get him/her a tag with your details.

We got a 36 inch crate and it's plenty big for our boy (he's around 30 pounds).

Puppia harness is a great starter harness, it's soft and doesn't have a bunch of metal jingling pieces which our puppy HATED on his harness our breeder gave us.

Kibble, check out dog food advisor for reviews and ratings of foods content, we were using grain free salmon and sweet potato from chicken soup for the soul, it's decently priced and well rated I can't find it anywhere atm so we're switching him back to their normal kibble.

Salmon Oil is a lifesaver in the winter, our pup gets terribly dry skin and extremely itchy without it.

Start out with a puppy kong, they sell kong fillers that are cheese and peanut butter flavored, our puppy was pretty picky at first and only ate the cheese one, didn't like frozen kongs either.

I'd start with a Basic Collar here's a Dog Tag Silencer and a Break-away collar for outdoors or dog park. A dog was choked unconscious at our park so I typically just keep our guys ID tags on his harness and don't use a collar, but if you do I definitely recommend a break-away if you are primarily using a harness with it.

Items we found useful: Bed Liner, Crate Fence, Kong, Stainless Steel Bowls (highly reccomend US made do not buy any made in China for health reasons), Zippy Paws Hide and Seek toys, Potty/accident cleaner, Potty Bells, Anti-chew Bitter Apple spray, 50 ft Leash, Retractable Leash, Soft stop Leash extender, Car Seat Belt, Car Booster Seat, Gentle Shampoo, Comb, Travel Water Bottle, Flirt Pole, Special Treats, Chew Stick, Greenies

Sorry for the HUGE list lol, feel free to ask any questions!

They make electronic locks that can be triggered by a fob that you attach to the dog's collar. The doggy door remains locked until that fob gets close enough to trigger it to unlock. Something like this.

I set mine up like this. I used a tray of woodchips for pottytraining, because that was what the breeder used (and I didn't want to use paper/potty pads that might have similar texture to other objects in our house).

I just used clips to attach the pen to the crate. It kept my golden retriever puppy pretty well enclosed except for once when I didn't secure it properly and she ran around the house.
I ordered the exercise pen from Amazon for about $40. I got the crate second hand from a friend.

They’re very similar but the difference is they the metal bars are horizontal on the critter nation and vertical on the ferret nation. The horizontal bars allow the ferrets to climb up it which is not ideal and can potentially be dangerous.

The best playpen I’ve seen is from clearly loved pets but it is very expensive. I’ve used the ones you can buy on amazon that are like plastic rectangles that clip together. They don’t work and have killed other ferrets in the past. Mine learned how to push their heads through until the clips popped, it’s happened to other people that it crushed the ferrets neck though. I have this one now which isn’t exactly open and what I would like but it works for temporary situations Parkland Pet Portable Foldable Playpen Exercise Kennel Dogs Cats Indoor/Outdoor Removable Mesh Shade Cover, Medium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E7PHXR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6iuIDbE8T3EQV

If a pro does the installation, they typically do all of it themselves. Digging, setting posts, cleanup, everything. BUT, if the ground is frozen, good luck finding one that will do it. Most in my country (US), won’t. Maybe they’re different up there?

As for a temporary solution for your pup, if you can’t get it done in time, try garden fencing. You drive stakes into the ground, and it can be pretty secure. Another option is something like this it’s also portable if y’all travel a lot. I hope this helps!

If it’s a sliding glass door at the back they make inserts for the mesh part that acts as a doggie door. Here’s one. As well as a cheaper one you can cut into the mesh directly, here. Hope these help :)

EliteField 2-Door Soft Pet Playpen, Exercise Pen, Multiple Sizes and Colors Available for Dogs, Cats and Other Pets (62" x 62" x 36"H, Beige+Green)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4O1A6A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.5HQCbCSXFXTP

This one, but I haven't received it yet, so I can't speak to the quality.

HELLO OP! It could be a combo between her not knowing and the snow? Potty training isn't something that is learned over night - It takes a couple months, especially since your pup is only 11 weeks. She can barely hold her little bladder for 2 hours rn.

You should use the bell method. Works wonders and Heelers are so smart that she may even pick up hitting the bell in 2-3 days.
We purchased this one : https://www.amazon.com/Zacro-Doorbells-Training-Housebreaking-Dispenser/dp/B01LXBX7X7/ref=sr_1_6?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1518472123&sr=1-6&keywords=dog+training+bells&dpID=411jpOf3otL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Buy a dog bell from amazon. You'll need to train her to hit the bell first. Get her acclimated to being around the bell, let her lay on it, play with it, eat around it etc. Rewarding with her favorite treats when she successfully hits the bell with nose/paw when its in your hand, then slowly move it to the door. After that, connect the bell to every time she has to go to potty break. Use a phrase that will be easy for her to remember like "bell" so that she can hit it on command. Also, while walking her to go potty you should associate "let'S go potty". Repeating that so that its a familiar phrase and when she finally does go potty YOU PRAISE THAT LITTLE PUPPERS LIKE CRAZY. IM TALKING FULL ON DANCE PARTY PARADE WITH CONFETI, HOLLERING, BALLOONS AND TREATS.

I'm in Chicago so i understand your snow issue. I would shovel a good portion of snow to where she can go potty comfortably as she is so young. Take her to that spot or walk around for a good amount of time. Its not easy potty training but the reward is the best!

Our heeler is 6 months and we've only had accidents in the beginning of training her and in the middle of the night to where we're passed out and don't hear the bell. Only has happens a handful of times. Other than that, we have 0 issues. She will be snotty and hit the bell numerous of times tho to just go play outside after being taken already but that's her being a brat lol. I can tell when she really needs to go because she will look at me dead in the face and make a loud breathe followed by a bark lol. Shes the cutest.

Any ways, if you need any more tips, feel free to PM me!

My frenchie puppy learned how to use bells for potty time. We got a super affordable training kit from amazon and the seller even provided instructions on how to use them: Zacro Set of 2 Dog Doorbells for Dog Training and Housebreaking Your Doggy DB022 Doorbells with One Clicker and One Dog Waste Bag Dispenser with 15 Count Bags

Good luck!

Could you get a pen as a temporary fix? There are even larger ones too.

Insecure dogs want to pee on the bed because the bed smells like you and they want to add their scent to yours (that's what I was told when I had a dog that would pee on the bed years ago). I tried everything that I could think of, including not letting her have unsupervised access to the bed (but she would still pee on it right in front of me). It got so bad with her that I could not let her into the bedroom any more (I ended up buying a new mattress set and there was no way she was going to have access to it). But hopefully your dog will return to normal once she feels secure in your yard. It seems that she should since she was doing alright before.

I'd focus on making a safe space for her outside with pens if possible. Of course if she is small and you have coyotes or other predators I wouldn't leave her unsupervised out there. But I also wouldn't leave a large dog unsupervised in one of those pens because I don't think they're very secure. I'd at least be peeking out a window. If setting up a pen isn't possible then I'd line the bathroom with potty pads and close her in there until she pees on one (remember to close the toilet and make sure medications are safely put away where they cant get to them). It's going backwards in potty training and I'm sure I'll get downvoted for it but it's better than peeing on the bed. I had another dog that had major surgery and while he was recovering he couldn't get in or out and that's what I did, I put potty pads in the bathroom. I had noticed that he went in there and peed once when he couldn't get to the door (I think because he knew that's where we go) so that's why I chose to put the potty pads in there. It worked while he recovered, and then he returned to his normal potty training afterwards. So it's not the end of the world to regress a little if you have to.

Anyway, it sounds like you need to provide a safe-feeling space for her to go in.

It's this one but it doesn't look available now. [Chicken Pens Crate Rabbit Enclosure Pet Playpen Exercise Pen] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OVUBOAK/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_.oq7wbAWFZ9M9) I only paid $75 for mine. I bought it in May 2015.

Not sure if it's the same... a friend has one made my Oxgord that looks close to this .. they make everything... even car parts :) This one on amazon.

Have you considered getting a larger play pen as opposed to a kennel, like this or something? I know people do kennel dogs for that long regularly, but I didn't like to with mine at least once they were old enough to trust through the night.

Also, are you looking at a puppy, or potentially an adult rescue? With your schedule, an adult would be a better fit I think.

Edit - Also, every dog is different. My ACD is more than happy to be lazy and nap through ~80% of the daytime, as long as she gets some good solid play for the other 20%. My Border Collie is another story... I think he would play until he was no longer physically able to move if I let him

One of our dogs, Daphne, is the same. We have a sliding glass door and bought [one of these](http://www.PetSafe.com/ Freedom Aluminum... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PB5FPI?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf).

It took a little training, but it's great. One of our dogs loves the freedom and will go lay in the sun for long stretches of time. Daphne often only goes out if one of us goes out with her. Especially when it comes to peeing. Dogs are great (cats too). :)

That's insane

We had to get a gate like this to prevent our cats from getting to the bedrooms (because otherwise they'll sit outside the door at 5:30 AM and mewl nonstop until someone gets up to feed them). The gate is only 44 in tall, (a height they can jump to with ease), but for whatever reason they never have. I was amazed, I thought for sure I'd be ordering a duplicate of this one a week later and lashing them together

You can just buy retractable gates and mount those. I used to have two in a previous home. They are soft and don't hurt when you bump into them. There is a tiny bit of give but not much, and they work fine for old dogs and cats that won't be trying to barrel or bash through.

https://retract-a-gate.com/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DY15QR8/ref=s9_acsd_al_bw_c_x_3_w?th=1


Evenflo soft and wide gates:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJSJFYA?th=1

That's gonna be a handful, but I'm sure they can handle it! I highly recommend purchasing something like this playpen so that when they start being more mobile, they can stay out of trouble and the mom can get some rest when she doesn't want to be near them. Also, using an old tablet with google hangouts running pointed on the puppers is good, so that they can be checked on when your friends are away. If their vet thinks they can do it, I'm sure they can and will have a very rewarding experience.

You should get a puppy playpen for times you can't watch him.

My concern here is that you have a dog who has growled and snapped consistently, and you're still letting the children around her, without doing any training. This is setting the dog up to fail, and setting the children up to get hurt. Kids that little should never be around a dog unless it's completely handled and trained for small children prior to the meet. Until you have this under control, you need to keep them separated, except for 100% supervised, controlled sessions. Something like an indoor pen would be a great solution, so she can still be around the family, but safely contained.

I would really recommend seeing a professional trainer, who's dealt with aggressive dogs before. Even if you only see them once or twice, they'll be able to give you tips specifically for your dog and situation, and get you jump-started on a plan to handle this as soon as possible. This is the best way to keep an accident from happening.

I have a shitzu and a pitbull so the one I installed is larger. It's been well used for the past 3 years, a bit drafty in the winter but it's on a sheltered side of the house in the laundry room so its bearable. The cat figured out how to use it in his own, the dogs needed incentive....

Trixie Pet Products 2-Way Locking Dog Door, Medium to X-Large Dogs, White https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0055QZFOU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apap_M2rDGNyPoPyf3

It was this pen from Amazon. Pricey (cost more than my cot or tent) but absolutely worth it, it made my life so much easier!

We either shut the door or use a tall baby gate. Our cats could probably jump it if they tried hard enough but they don't seem too determined. One our cats is very very clingy with me and won't let me sleep. Even he doesn't jump it. I would definitely try a tall gate. We use one like this:

MidWest Wire Mesh Pet Gate, 29 Inches to 50 Inches wide by 44 Inches Tall https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CZOZ8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RFqmybXGT16QC

We used these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G2ZFSOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Highly recommend a potty bell. I recently adopted a 7-8 week old Aussie and within 4 days he totally knew what the bell did and would ring it when he had to go outside. He’s hasn’t gotten to the marking stage yet (hopefully he won’t) but he was fully potty trained at 8-9 weeks old.

I have something like this. We called him to the door and rang it whenever it was time to go outside. Within 4 days he understood what it did and was ringing it to go out. Only thing is, even if he/she bumps it you HAVE to take them out https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G2ZFSOE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_m-J6BbBGT8VF4

If you can get her in a kennel. Vets use big towels and big thick gloves and sedative drugs to sedate in carriers often. Maybe a carrier with a very big opening might work. Good luck.



https://www.amazon.com/Parkland-Pet-Portable-Foldable-Removable/dp/B01E7PHXR6/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?keywords=soft%2Bdog%2Bcrate&qid=1573442976&sr=8-14&th=1&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/Petnation-Port-Crate-Indoor-Outdoor/dp/B0018MM8RC/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?keywords=soft+dog+crate&qid=1573442976&sr=8-13

If you have a little cash, go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy a couple rolls of this rug/carpet stuff. Looks kinda like what you might have by the pedals in your car, except black and rubber on bottom. Really cheap. I think in the flooring area, but forget where exactly we got them.

Then on Amazon buy one of these http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Trex-Premium-Quality-Exercise/dp/B0052HH5UE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1377990277&sr=8-4&keywords=pet+pen

My wife and I have been through this all before. Couple very happy rabbits at our (not totally destroyed) house. PM me any questions you might have if you ever have any. I love rabbits and love helping people give them the best care they can.

Like others have suggested, you can hang bells from the door knob/handle. We have a curtain covering the door, so I got our dog a wireless doorbell. The receiver plugs in, so I put it by our bedroom to wake me up if she needs to go at night.

Amazon sells [Mesh baby gates] (https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Soft-and-Wide-Gate/dp/B00AJSJFYA/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1496957823&sr=8-1&keywords=mesh+baby+gate) that can work since the holes are tiny and harder to get a foot hold on. A towel or blanket draped over and secured via zip ties or anything else could be a DIY makeover version for your existing baby gate.

I also ordered one of [these] (https://www.amazon.com/Carlson-Extra-Wide-Through-44-Inch/dp/B000JJDI0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496957998&sr=8-1&keywords=baby+gate+with+pet+door) for my house since a dog I frequently watch can jump a regular baby gate like an agility champ. I don't know how large your pup is going to get or how large they are now but I really love my gate. My cats can come and go if need be and my dogs don't bother it.

I have a regular 2x5, but I needed a cheap summer cage for my bedroom (where the AC is) so I bought a foldable, moveable dog cage on Amazon for about $40 and use that.

I use fleece as the bedding (with towels underneath) and you can always put another absorbant layer or protector down ( such as an old sheet, shower liner, etc.). The cage just sits on top, with the fleece and towels tucked under each side so the piggies can't dig.

The way I have mine folded, it's 2x4, but you can put it into different shapes, make it longer or shorter, etc.

Edit: Here's the one I purchased, but there's other options available.

My rabbit likes to dig like a gopher and eat EVERYTHING in the enclosure. Nothing grows and I have lots of structures to play on and tubes to run through so that he doesn't get bored and dig. That being said, it would depend on what kind of trouble your rabbits have a tendency to get into. I also don't let then out in the run when it rains, but the ground here in California soaks up the rain pretty well, so I usually don't worry about it. I saved myself the trouble and bought this, best decision I have made in a while.

May not be in your price range, but it's the best one I've found for my uses.

Removable sections. A door. Quality build.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MU2F3GM/ref=twister_B01LMPLNE8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I don't know if its available in the UK though.

Unfortunately, I can't offer any advice about that. We had a direct flight from Narita to San Francisco. I would say that your best bet would be to maybe harness train kitty? People would for sure get a giggle out of seeing a cat on a leash walking around an airport terminal--my cats would not cooperate, their harnesses somehow manage to paralyze them, and the effect remains until the harness is removed. If you wanted to be super crazy, you could totally get one of those pop-up pet playpens (like this). Best of luck!

I'd suggest getting an exercise pen to put around the tree to keep it out of reach! You can get them pretty cheap, like this one on Amazon - ex pen

You can teach a dog to respect a fence even if they could easily jump it. As long as there is a physical barrier that the pup can see they can learn to respect it.

My golden learned to respect decorative garden fencing that wasn't even a foot high.

For a lab I would use something a little more substantial since it's also going to be the perimeter fence. Something like:

This kind of fence

Would be fine until the teenage months when your pup might push the boundaries and maybe even jump the fence or push it over.

In my opinion one shouldn't leave a young dog unsupervised in the yard so you'll have lots of opportunity to reinforce proper behaviour when it comes to the fencing. Never lift or carry your pup over the fence. Never encourage your pup to go to the other side of the fence. If you do the idea will form in their head that they can go back there.

If they've never gone there they have a much stronger chance of never trying to go there.

A friend of mine was in a similar situation with her small yard and Maltese. She ended up buying pet fence panels that can be strung together to any length or configuration you need.

My brother has a dog that is an escape artist. She has found a multitude of ways to escape the fence and gets in fights with the neighbor's dog. They finally had to resort to a wireless containment system. Rather than have to bury a cable that shocks the dog when they cross it, this is a fence that goes off when the dog gets too far away from the base receiver. So say you set the base by the back door, the dog can go up to 90 feet away from the base before being buzzed.