15 Best Playpens for Dogs in 2024

Some pet gates can be used as a dog playpen.You can always have a dog playpen somewhere in the house or backyard, and your pup will keep calm and glad to see you around.

Like those playpens for baby toddlers, a good dog playpen is designed to provide our pets with a safe and secure area to play and exercise when we cannot monitor them.

A dog playpen is often referred to as a dog exercise pen.

As the name implies, this item is constructed to provide a good alternative for your dog's crate.

A dog playpen is a perfect option if your dog does not like being in a crate, especially after some veterinary studies came out showing that it's unhealthy to keep your dog in there for too long.

The below-mentioned dog playpen brands do not have the negative side effects of crates, and some dogs will often prefer them over crates.

However, not every pet playpen is the same.

It's always important to consider building quality and the materials used; some can be easily knocked over or destroyed.

Finding the best dog playpen might prove to be a challenge.

For some of these top-rated playpens for dogs that also work as pet gates, we recommend you watch a video of Samantha's comparison of pet gates here to see how they work.

Below is a list of the best playpen for dogs brands that we recommend.

Top 5 Best Dog Playpen Brands

1 Richell 3-in-1 Convertible Elite Pet Gate for Dogs

It's important to mention that this product is not advertised as a playpen but as a dog gate, which it is. We've even tested it as both a dog gate and pet playpen before (and made a video).

However, this being a pet gate from Richell, we know it'll have more features than your average dog product, and it does – it turns into the canine playpen you can currently purchase for your home.

This expensive Richell best playpen for dogs is available with 4 or 6 panels that measure 197-1/2 by 31-1/2 by 13/16 inches when fully extended.

This is by far the best option for any small or medium-sized dogs, bar none, if you can afford it.

Priced as a high-quality premium pen, Richell's 3-in-1 convertible elite pet gate that turns into a pet pen is exactly what most dog owners will be looking for.

Its stylish hardwood design will look amazing in your living room or hallway.

A lockable door on the gate will allow for easy movement when you're using it either as a gate or a playpen, and the special caps provide extra stability when it's in the playpen construction.

You also have the option to choose a different panel setup for custom configurations and use it in three different ways: a pet playpen, a room divider, or a sturdy, freestanding pet gate.

2 Richell Convertible Dog Playpen

Richell has been known to dominate the field of dog gates of premium quality, and recently, they started manufacturing and making them more affordable.

It seems like with all the effort to keep their dog products at a lower price, Richell continues to stay on the higher end of pricing, but you also get the quality that you expect from a company like Richell.

You can use their convertible dog playpen both indoors and outdoors, and like most of their other playpens – it can be used as a gate, too.

Richell's playpen for dogs is designed outdoors and indoors in mind, with completely water-resistant construction.

You can get these with 4 or 6 panels, which are 29 inches in width and 35 inches in height.

Like other playpens, Richell's playpen can also be either combined or broken down to make larger or smaller playpens for dogs.

One problem with some other items like this one is the wide gaps, which smaller dogs can often use to their advantage, but not in this one.

Gaps in here are approximately 2 inches, so your Fido will not be able to stick out more than a nose.

Customers overall seem to be very happy with this purchase; however, given its higher price, when it comes to the cost-for-value ratio, it's possible that the best option would be to go either slightly cheaper (#3) or somewhat more expensive (#1) for the best result.

3 IRIS 4-Panel Dog Playpen with Door

IRIS USA currently has the most popular playpens on Amazon. For this price, its cost-to-value ratio is almost unbeatable. This dog playpen has either four or eight sides, including a small door for your dog on one of the panels, which is extremely convenient.

One downside of this containment pen is that it's made out of plastic rather than metal.

Nonetheless, this product is made of commercial-grade plastic, and if used with small to medium-sized dogs, there will be no issues with them knocking it over or breaking down the playpen.

The item is currently very well rated on Amazon, with positive reviews recently having climbed over 2,500.

Although the pen itself is made out of plastic, the door is held by double steel door latches, which will ensure that your pooch doesn't get out whenever you don't want it to.

Assembly of this pen for dogs is easy and hassle-free and takes minutes, and you can use it both indoors and outdoors.

If needed, you can even purchase an additional mesh roof for this best playpen for dogs (it doesn't come with the original dog product).

All panels are 36 inches wide and 23 inches tall each, and they can be folded flat for easy transportation and storage.

All the panels can also be adjusted, so if you purchase the 8-panel one – you can set it up in whatever way you see fit.

4 MidWest Foldable Metal Dog Playpen

As always, Midwest has something to offer to its loyal based of dog owners. 4th on the list of the best dog playpen brands is their E-Coat dog exercise pen, a trendy and highly rated item on Amazon and known for its high number of square feet.

This dog playpen is normally available in multiple sizes, but it's often limited to whatever they have in stock.

Overall, you can find any size pet exercise pen you need for your pooch at a very affordable price.

Considering its value price, this is definitely one of the best options on this list!

Midwest's dog playpen is made out of metal and is often used with different pets and even children.

There is no need for any tools to set it up, and the whole procedure will take no more than a minute.

While it's just as portable as the playpen mentioned above, this seems to be sturdier and more reliable while also being cheaper.

Midwest promises that their E-Coat finish is durable and will last for a long time, and customers who purchased this dog playpen seem to agree.

With this animal pen set, you get 8 pieces of a playpen, all of which are measured 24 inches in width, and there are no ground anchors.

There's no built-in door, but you can assemble a door-like entrance by clipping 2 ends (clips are provided).

Storing is also very simple: fold it in seconds and store it flat anywhere in the house or even in the car.

5 Toddleroo North States Superyard Colorplay 8 Panel Pen

A dog playpen from North States Industries is often advertised as working well with both pets and kids. If you're not on the lookout for a dog-specific playpen (with additional small doors and extra pet safety), this can be a great and affordable option.

This dog playpen is a double win if you have toddlers.

North States Superyard pen has 6 panels made out of plastic.

It's 26 inches in height, each panel is 32×25 inches, and the whole set comes with a carrying strap.

This type of dog playpen is straightforward to set up and usually takes seconds, but that also means that knocking it down will be somewhat easier, especially because of the light plastic build.

Although we've tried listing more sturdy pet playpens in here, this one comes close to being more of a lightweight and portable dog pen.

Depending on your needs, this could either be a good thing or a bad thing.

You can use additional panels to build out this pen, but remember that adding more of them will weaken the structure itself.

In terms of its sturdiness, this playpen, while lightweight, isn't easy to pull apart or break down, so you shouldn't worry about your dog destroying it quickly.

10 Best Playpens for Dogs as Alternatives

The above list contains the top-quality items we could find, buy, and test.

Richell's product proved to be one of the top quality of them all after testing and reviewing it; however, it's also much more expensive than a typical dog playpen.

That said, you may either be unable to afford the best dog playpen or the cheap dog pens do not fit your criteria.

So here are ten alternative options.

6. IRIS Exercise 8 Panel Pen Panel with Door(8 panels measuring 24.6″W x 34″H each)

Another option from IRIS is a high-quality dog playpen that's one of the best products in terms of value for the price.

The plastic survives most dogs from small to medium, but some owners found that big dogs can break through this fairly easily.

7. ESK Collection Exercise Pen Kennel (8 panels measuring 48″W x 24″H each)

A good alternative to IRIS's exercise dog pen, this one is made of sturdy material.

It's only best used indoors. However, it's also an attractive-looking dog playpen, provided it fits your interior.

ESK pen doesn't look cheap, and the materials feel and appear of high quality compared to some other material-made playpens.

8. Pet Trex Eight High Panels (8 panels measuring 24″W and 30″H each)

this one is about the same price as MidWest's metal exercise pen; it is from a new company but has gained a lot of positive reviews from pet owners over the last 6 months it's been out.

The design and quality are also very similar to MidWest pens, so you need to compare the value-to-price ratio here.

9. PETMAKER Foldable Dog Playpen (many different measurement options)

PETMAKER's fencing is an established manufacturer of animal pens, gates, and crates, and this is a fairly affordable metal one.

The best part is that they offer a ton of different measurement options for you to choose from.

It's also important to note that the manufacturer has outstanding customer support.

10. ToysOpoly Cage (8 panels measuring 45″W and 25″H each)

This dog playpen brand is a trendy item made of sturdy material, similar to ESK's option. The two are pretty much identical in terms of measurements and how they're made because I guess that the manufacturer is the same supplier from China.

This is not to say the quality of this or ESK is poor, only that you need to compare their prices and customer service when picking.

11. Ruff N' Ruffus Portable Foldable (8 panels measuring 36″W and 36″H each)

A different material design; this one is smaller but sturdier. It's great for very active small breeds who may hurt themselves in metal crates or chew through other material pens.

They also have a smaller (medium) option for small dogs, which is slightly cheaper if that's what you need.

12. Parkland Pet Portable Foldable (several different measurement options)

One of the cheapest dog playpens made of material, this is a good choice for owners on a budget.

Surprisingly, most pet owners found this to be sturdy enough that it lasts them a long time.

Because of its simplistic design, the main pro of this cheap puppy playpen is that it's super easy to set up.

13. Prevue Pet Products Multi-Color Small (8 panels measuring 13″W and 9″H each)

The Prevue dog playpen is probably the least attractive product on this list; it's also the cheapest one you can find.

At $10, it's probably worth a try to see if it works for your dog before splurging on anything more expensive.

However, most pet owners found that the price is reflected in its quality, with poor design and unattractive look.

14. Tespo Portable Large Plastic (12 panels measuring 63″W x 63″H each)

This option is an original design from Tespo with transparent panels.

While the idea is great and unique, it appears that it doesn't always work for every dog and every pet owner.

Personally, I would hold off on this one until the manufacturer perfects the design.

While it looks cool, it's not very functional.

15. FXW Aster Dog Playpen for Camping/Yard (9.47″ L x 26.72″ W x 31.52″ H)

In contrast to conventional door latches, the enhanced integrated door latch keeps your pet safely inside and prevents it from accidentally opening the door.

The poles allow you to combine the pet playpen panels frequently in a matter of minutes.

It can be arranged in various ways to suit your requirements and your yard.

What to Consider When Shopping for Dog Playpens?

Type

This is one of the most important factors to consider when researching the best dog playpen for your pup.

Do you need a portable pen for easy mobility? Maybe a heavy duty for extra sturdiness?

How will you use it, where will you store it, and how often will you need this playpen?

Many factors come into play when deciding your best option, which is why this list of best dog playpens might not be the quintessential answer to your question.

Nonetheless, if you do your research and find out what type of playpen is best for your home and your pet, making the right choice will be easier.

Size

Another critical aspect to consider is the size of your dog. Not every playpen will work for every dog.

In fact, most playpens are designed for small dogs, and there are a few of them made for medium-sized dog breeds, and very rarely will you be able to find a canine playpen that's good for large breeds such as Great Dane, for example.

Playpens for dog breeds of that size are usually known as a room in the house.

Ensure that you double-check the size of your soon-to-be dog playpen and choose accordingly.

Consider that your dog might want to move around a little, and you will also want to put some toys in there, possibly your pet's food bowl and a few other items.

Build quality

Finally, the build quality of your playpen is no less important.

Usually, this comes down to one thing and one thing only – price.

The higher the price, the higher the build quality (at least on this list).

You'll notice that cheaper playpens are often made out of plastic or skinny metal wires.

Playpens of average build quality will often come in commercial-grade plastic, occasionally in thicker metal or even wood (rarely).

Lastly, good-quality builds for the outdoors are usually made out of thick metal materials, and for indoors, hardwood will be used to keep the playpen stylish and sturdy.

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