How to Choose a Dog Playpen (and Set It Up Safely)

We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Learn more

A dog playpen, also called an exercise pen or x-pen, is a set of connected panels that makes a small fenced area indoors or out. It gives a puppy or small dog more room than a crate while keeping them out of trouble. This guide covers the types of playpen, how to pick the right height, size and door, how to set one up safely, and the one pen in our catalog.

How we wrote this: the types, materials and safety advice come from the American Kennel Club, checked on 31 October 2026. Hands-on notes come from CNN Underscored, whose writer tested eight playpens with her 30 pound border collie mix puppy for a guide published in November 2024. Product facts come from the maker’s own pages. We did not test these pens ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

What a playpen is for

The AKC describes a playpen as a way to contain your dog that, unlike a crate, gives them room to move around and play. Most are made of connecting panels that fold flat for storage. The AKC suggests them for puppies, who need close watching in the house, for giving a dog their own space when you have guests, children or other pets around, and for travel and the yard.

A playpen can also work alongside a crate. CNN Underscored‘s tester set a pen around her puppy’s crate, so the dog could still reach her crate but had room to play while she was out. If you are just starting out, read how to crate train a puppy and our best dog crate picks.

Types of dog playpen

• Metal wire pens: the AKC says metal is the most common material. You can see your dog from a distance, and most fold flat. CNN Underscored notes metal resists chewing better than plastic, though a dog trying to jump out can bend the panels.
• Plastic pens: the AKC says plastic suits adult and senior dogs but is not the best choice for puppies, who may chew it while teething. Plastic pens are often expandable.
• Soft-sided mesh pens: light, pop-up pens that fold small, good for travel and small or toy breeds (AKC). CNN Underscored’s puppy chewed holes in the mesh of one, so these are not for chewers.
• Outdoor and staked pens: some pens have stakes so you can secure them in the ground. CNN Underscored found pens with full-length stakes held better outdoors than ones with small anchors, and notes the stakes could scratch indoor floors.

How to choose a dog playpen

Height

Height matters most. CNN Underscored says to make sure the pen is tall enough that your dog cannot jump out. In its test, the 30 pound puppy could easily jump a 26 inch plastic pen but could not clear a 40 inch metal one. If your dog jumps or climbs, choose a taller pen, or one with a top: the AKC notes tent and covered pens exist, and CNN Underscored found a covered mesh pen a good choice for a jumper that does not chew.

Size and number of panels

CNN Underscored suggests a pen big enough for your dog to move around, play, lie down and reach water. It also warns that too much space can let a puppy who is not yet house trained go to the toilet at one end and play at the other. Panels let you change the size, and the AKC says pens with dividers help when you have several dogs or a puppy getting used to more space little by little. Check the maker’s limit on extra panels. North States, for example, does not recommend joining more than 8 panels, as the pen could collapse (North States).

Door

Many pens have a gate. The AKC says gated pens make it easier to get your dog in and out. CNN Underscored’s tester found that some pens only have a small pet door, which meant climbing over the panels to reach her dog; she preferred a door a person can walk through, with a top and bottom latch and an extra safety clip for a dog that learns to open latches.

Material and chewing

For a chewer, CNN Underscored recommends metal over plastic. For teething puppies, the AKC says to avoid plastic pens. Soft mesh pens are the easiest to damage.

Indoor, outdoor and travel

For indoor floors, look for rubber or non-slip feet. For outdoors, look for stakes. For travel, CNN Underscored found pop-up pens that fold flat with a carry bag the easiest to take to a hotel or a friend’s house, and accordion-style pens that unfold in one piece quick to set up and store. If your dog uses a dog door into a fenced yard, see how to choose a pet door.

How to set up a playpen safely

1. Stay nearby. The AKC says someone, ideally you, should be nearby when your dog is in a playpen, especially with puppies or several dogs in one pen.
2. Lock it properly. The AKC says to make sure the pen is set up and locked into place, and that a tent pen cannot cave in or fall on your dog.
3. Check for gaps and sharp edges. CNN Underscored checked that wire spacing could not trap a head or paw, and that there were no sharp edges or parts that could be chewed off and swallowed. Its puppy did get a paw stuck in one pen’s slats while trying to jump out.
4. Pick the spot. CNN Underscored suggests a hard floor rather than carpet, in a place where your dog has some privacy but is not isolated. Outdoors, the AKC says to give shade and plenty of fresh water.
5. Keep it clean. The AKC says you can line an indoor pen with newspaper or blankets and swap them when dirty, or use a playpen mat.
6. Watch for escape attempts. A dog that jumps at the sides may need a taller or covered pen, and a chewer a metal one, going by CNN Underscored’s test. The AKC says your vet can help you choose the right playpen for your dog’s size and use.

The playpen we list

The North States MyPet Petyard Passage is a folding plastic pen. Its panels come pre-connected and unfold with no tools. It is 26 inches high, and comes in 4, 6 and 8 panel sizes; the 8 panel version encloses up to 34.4 square feet. A small 9.5 by 8 inch pet door swings freely or locks shut, and non-slip pads protect floors (North States).

In CNN Underscored‘s test, it needed no assembly, could be shaped as you like and was reasonably sturdy, but was larger and heavier than the winning pen and cannot be staked down outside. At 26 inches, the tester’s 30 pound puppy could easily jump it, and being plastic, chewing could be a problem. Our view, based on those notes and the AKC’s advice: it suits adult small dogs that do not jump or chew, not teething puppies or jumpers.

Other pens tested, not in our catalog

These pens were in CNN Underscored’s test, but we could not confirm a current maker page, could not match the tested model to one, or they are not sold on Amazon, so we name them without links.

• Frisco Wire Dog and Small Pet Exercise Pen: CNN Underscored’s top pick. A metal accordion pen in five heights, with a walk-through door, two latches and a safety clip. It is Chewy’s own brand.
• Amazon Basics Foldable Metal Exercise Pet Playpen: a very close second, almost the same design but with no safety clip and fewer heights.
• Yaheetech Dog Playpen: a heavy 40 inch metal pen with stake rods. The tester’s dog could not jump it, and the door locked securely, but it takes some setup.
• FXW Rollick Dog Playpen: heavy and sturdy, sold in several heights, but built for outdoor use with stakes.
• EliteField 2-Door Soft Pet Playpen: a covered mesh pen with two doors that pops open, good for a jumper but not a chewer.
• IRIS USA Dog Playpen: easy snap-together plastic panels, but the tested version had only a pet door, and the plastic seemed chewable.

Want to check on your pet while you are out? See the best pet camera for dogs and cats, with RSPCA advice on what a camera can and cannot show you.

FAQ

How tall should a dog playpen be?

Tall enough that your dog cannot jump or climb out. In CNN Underscored‘s test, a 30 pound puppy cleared a 26 inch pen but not a 40 inch one. Many metal pens come in several heights.

Is a playpen better than a crate?

They do different jobs. The AKC says a playpen gives your dog more room to move and play than a crate. Some owners set a pen around the crate so the dog has both.

Can I leave my puppy in a playpen?

The AKC says someone should be nearby when a dog is in a playpen, especially puppies. Make sure it is locked in place, and check it for gaps and wear.

Are plastic playpens safe for puppies?

The AKC says plastic playpens are not the best choice for teething puppies, who may chew them. Metal is more chew resistant.

Where should I put a dog playpen?

On a hard floor, somewhere your dog has privacy but is not cut off from the family, according to CNN Underscored. Outdoors, give shade and fresh water.

For more, read the dog beds and crates buying guide, our best dog gate picks and the dog crate size chart.