North States Father's Day Shop

The size of your pen will depend on factors like whether you require an outdoor or indoor dog pen, the size of your pet, whether or not the pen will be used for exercise and the average time that your pup will spend there. An indoor dog pen typically won’t need to be as big as an outdoor pen but will need to be slightly larger if you plan to keep supplies like toys, pee pads or water inside. It should have enough room for your dog to circle and move comfortably—but not so big that they have space to take a running leap over the pet gate. Finding the right size for your dog could involve some trial and error.

A puppy pen isn’t an essential pet solution but can be beneficial to pet parents who don’t have the time to watch their new dog constantly. Young dogs can be curious and will likely want to sniff—or possibly mark—everything in your home. Before you’ve trained your dog to know where they’re allowed to go and good behavior indoors, a North States pet gate can make a good dog pen to help you keep an eye on your energetic pup.

While many puppy pens and dog gates are made of either metal, plastic or wood, they can often be cleaned similarly. Before you begin, keep in mind that cleaners with ammonia can irritate your pet’s eyes, nose, and throat. Weak bleach solutions can clean a plastic dog pen but will likely corrode metal and stain wood puppy pens. Baking soda can make a great natural cleaning agent, and vinegar is commonly used as a pet-safe disinfectant—if the smell of vinegar bothers your pup, you can add lavender oil to help mask the scent.

You can start by rinsing off your North States pet gate or indoor dog pen. If you don’t have yard space to rinse it off outside, you can do so in a shower. Next, be sure to thoroughly scrub and clean the pen with your cleaning agent and disinfectant. Give it another rinse to make sure all of the cleaners are gone, and give it a thorough drying with a towel or cloth. It’s recommended that you perform dog pen cleanings like this at least once a week to ensure that yours is free of harmful bacteria.