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Puppies need a wide range of care and attention, starting from when they are just born to their teenage years. They require a lot of patience and effort from their owners, but in return, they give you love and sometimes even friendship.
However, when it comes to taking care of your puppy the best thing is to keep it in a playpen. The best puppy playpen can be best for protecting them or their living spaces from damages caused by your pet.
In this article, we will be talking about the best puppy playpens, what to look for in the best playpens, the benefits, and how you can best utilize these playpens for your puppy. We will also be looking at some of the best places to buy.
10 Best Puppy Playpens
- Best Overall: EliteField 2-Door Pet Playpen
- Runner-Up: IRIS 4-Panel Plastic Exercise Dog Playpen with Door
- Best Value: Ruff ‘N Ruffus Portable Foldable Pet Playpen
- Best for Smaller Dog Breeds: Parkland Pet Portable Foldable Playpen
- Best for Medium-Sized Dogs: Zampa Portable Foldable Pet Playpen
- Best for Larger Dog Breeds: Precision Pet Products Courtyard Wire Dog Exercise Pen
- Best Budget: AmazonBasics Plastic Pet Pen
- Best Outdoor Dog PlayPen: New World Foldable Pet Playpen
- Best Indoor Metal PlayPen: Midwest Foldable Metal Exercise Pen
- Most Outdoor Metal PlayPen: Frisco Wire Dog & Small Pet Exercise Pen
Best Overall: EliteField 2-Door Pet Playpen
Key Features:
- With a carrying case included
- Has 2 doors with locking zippers
- With plenty of storage
- Zip-off floor mat
- 100% washable
- 62″L x 62″W x 24″H
- Comes in 8 colors and 8 sizes
The EliteField 2-Door Pet Playpen offers your pooch his paw-fect place to rest while outdoors. It has plenty of ventilation and storage space for his essentials, comes with a carrying case for easy portability, and can be folded for effortless storage. There are two doors that you can zipper up in case you need to contain him and mesh windows to still allow him to see his surroundings while inside in his playpen.
Runner-Up: IRIS 4-Panel Plastic Exercise Dog Playpen with Door
Key Features:
- 8 square feet of room
- Made from durable, heavy-duty molded plastic
- With 4 panels that interlock securely
- Each panel has a non-skid rubber foot
- Comes in 3 colors
The IRIS 4-Panel Plastic Exercise Dog Playpen with Door can be used for both indoor and outdoor use. It offers plenty of room for your pooch to enjoy and is also big enough to hold a few puppies at the same time. Since it has interlocking panels and double steel door latches, you get to have that peace of mind knowing he stays inside the playpen as needed.
Best Value: Ruff ‘N Ruffus Portable Foldable Pet Playpen
Key Features:
- With a carry case
- Comes with a collapsible 16 oz. food bowl
- 8-panel design
- Made from water-resistant materials
- Removable zippered top
- Zippered door
- Mess Windows
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Comes in 3 sizes
You can buy the Ruff ‘N Ruffus playpen with confidence thanks to its 100% satisfaction guarantee. Its roomy and water-resistant 8-panel design comes with mesh windows, zippered door, and a removable top. You don’t need to worry about your next camping trip with your pooch since this playpen can double as his tent and already comes with a free carry case and food bowl.
Best for Smaller Dog Breeds: Parkland Pet Portable Foldable Playpen
Key Features:
- Made from hand-washable 600D fabric cover
- Removable zippered top
- Zippered door
- 8-panel design
- Mesh Windows
- 17 x 27 x 27 inches
- Comes in 2 sizes and in color Brown
If you are after a lightweight playpen for dogs that offer adequate space and ventilation for smaller dog breeds, then consider this Parkland Pet Portable Foldable Playpen. It is very easy to assemble and easily folds down for quick storage. This is one of those cheap playpen options for dogs.
Best for Medium-Sized Dogs: Zampa Portable Foldable Pet Playpen
Key Features:
- Foldable and portable
- 8-panel design
- With four stakes
- Has an attached floor protected seams, and reinforced corners
- 45-inch diameter and 24-inch height.
- With an exterior side pocket, water dispenser hole, and bottle holder
- Comes in 4 colors and 3 sizes
The Zampa Portable Foldable Pet Playpen is just the right size to keep medium-sized dog breeds happy while enjoying the great outdoors. it offers enough ventilation for dogs, folds flat for easy storage, and already a few side pockets to store a few essentials. It also comes with 4 stakes to secure the playpen on the ground.
Best for Larger Dog Breeds: Precision Pet Products Courtyard Wire Dog Exercise Pen
Key Features:
- Durable construction
- Made from galvanized steel
- 5-panel with step-through gate design
- 38 x 36 inches
This courtyard playpen for dogs is one of the most durable playpens you can find in the market. It boasts heavy-duty construction with no exposed pins, wires, or screws that can hurt pets. It is very easy to set up and can also be configured to attach to another pen if you need more space or have more dogs.
Best Budget: AmazonBasics Plastic Pet Pen
Key Features:
- 8 square feet play area
- 4-panel design with locking-latch door
- Expandable with additional panels
- With non-skid rubber
- With 1-year warranty
- 35.83 x 35.83 x 23.62 inches
- Comes in color White
If you are looking for a white playpen for dogs that your pooch can use both indoors and outdoors, then this Plastic Pet Pen from AmazonBasics can be a great pick. Its 4 panels are made from heavy-duty molded PP plastic and have interlocking panels with non-skid rubber feet. Your pooch will surely look cool and stylish while inside their cool playpen from AmazonBasics.
Best Outdoor Dog PlayPen: New World Foldable Pet Playpen
Key Features:
- With black rust-preventive e-coat
- With 4 stakes and 4 locking thumb snaps
- 62 x 24 x 62 inches
- Comes in 5 sizes
The New World Foldable Pet Playpen may look like a normal playpen, but it offers more than just that. It is fairly durable and comes coated with a black rust-preventive e-coat, making it rust-resistant. Your pooch can use as his new favorite playpen outside or as his exercise area during lazy afternoons.
Best Indoor Metal PlayPen: Midwest Foldable Metal Exercise Pen
Key Features:
- No-tool set-up
- With durable black E-coat finish
- With corner stabilizers and ground anchors
- With 4 swivel snap locks
- MAXLokck door system
- Ergonomic handle lock
The Midwest Foldable Metal Exercise Pen is one of those playpens you can trust to leave your favorite pooch in your backyard. It has many safety features that keep the pen in place. Even if you are alone, you can easily set the playpen up or fold it for quick storage.
Most Outdoor Metal PlayPen: Frisco Wire Dog & Small Pet Exercise Pen

Key Features:
- Easy-access doorway
- With metal anchors
- With double-locks and safety clip
- Easy-to-fold construction
- Made from sturdy metal wire
- Coated with black electro-coat finish
- Comes in 5 sizes
If you are after a safe and secure playpen, check out the Frisco Wire Dog & Small Pet Exercise Pen. It folds easily for quick storage and transport, assembles easily without any tools needed, and comes with 8 panels for that octagon configuration. You can use it both indoors and outdoors and has all the safety features you might possibly need in a playpen.
If you change your mind, you can always configure the playpen into a rectangular or square shape. The playpen is coated with durable black e-coating to make it look great and last longer. The one-step door gives your favorite canine in the world easy access in and outside the play area.
Benefits of Setting Up a Playpen for Your Pet Puppy
There are many benefits of setting up a playpen for your pet, some of which are listed below:
- It helps in potty training the puppy as they become more comfortable with the area where they have been kept
- It makes it easy for you to determine the safe areas of your home which you can let your puppy roam around without any restrictions
- Playpens also help in keeping your home safe as they prevent the puppy from entering certain areas which might be dangerous for them
- It keeps your puppy protected
Things to Consider When Buying Puppy Playpens
Size
When you are looking for the best playpens for your puppy, size is one of the most important factors to consider. Even though playpens are available in a large range of sizes, the best one for your home would be the size that allows your puppy to move around comfortably.
If your puppy is still young it might be difficult to tell the exact size they will grow into, so it would be best to go for a larger one. In case you have a smaller home, you might need to reconsider the size of the playpen before you think about going ahead with the purchase.
Since space is a huge factor in deciding on what size of puppy playpen to go for, you might want to take a look at your home and see which area would best work with a playpen.
Materials
Another thing that you should consider while buying a puppy playpen is the type of materials that are used in making them. The material which your pet playpen is made up of greatly depends on your personal preference.
Puppies are curious, so the best materials for the puppy playpen is one that is chew-resistant. The material should also be comfortable for your pet, so it would be best to check the quality of leather or cloth that the playpen is made up of.
Safety
Another important thing that you should be looking for when it comes to buying a playpen is safety. Make sure that the playpen is made out of materials that are non-toxic and do not contain any kind of harmful chemicals which might cause harm to your puppy.
Also, you should check whether the playpen has any sharp edges which might hurt your pet or not be safe for them.
Ease of Setting Up and Cleaning
When it comes to buying the best playpens, make sure to check how easy they are to set up and how easy it is to clean them. Keep in mind that cleaning the playpen regularly is necessary as they can become a place for harmful bacteria to grow.
Make sure that the playpen is easy to set up and can be folded easily if needed. This would greatly help when it comes to storing the playpen.
Customizability
Puppies like to indulge themselves in different activities, and if they do not get an outlet for most of their energy, they might become stubborn and moody.
It is important to give your puppy enough space to play and run around and this can be easily done with a customizable playpen that allows you to adjust it according to your needs.
Portability
If you move around a lot and take your puppy with you, it would be important to look for the best playpens which are easy to transport.
It would be best to look for a playpen that is lightweight and can be easily carried from one place to another when the time comes.
Warranty
Always ensure that the playpen of your choice comes with a warranty as it would give you peace of mind in case your puppy manages to damage the playpen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clean the puppy playpen?
The best way to clean the playpen would be to wipe it down with a damp cloth and let it air dry before folding it away.
You can also find puppy playpens that easily fold and come with a hanging bag to store them in.
How do I stop my dog from climbing over the pen?
Make sure that the fence is tall enough and there are no gaps which your dog might use to climb over it.
What playpen size should I get?
It is important to look for the playpen size which gives your pet enough space to move around and not feel caged in.
For puppies, it is best to choose the playpen size according to their future expected size.
Conclusion
A playpen is a great way to keep your pet safe and comfortable when they are at home alone. While most of the playpens come with a simple design, they can really make a huge difference in giving your pet more room to run around and play.
Before going ahead with the purchase, make sure to keep the factors mentioned above in mind.