How to Make a DIY Dog Gate at Home

By: Kelli Rascoe

If you’ve been spending more time at home, you may notice your puppy can get into things rather quickly. It can be helpful to add small pet-friendly features to your space, regardless of your house size. In this installment of our DIY pets at home series, we dive further into more projects that you can create to help elevate your home with your pets in mind.

Fortunately, an item like a DIY dog gate can help you keep your furry friends safe when they’re at home. Naturally, a pet-friendly home is ideal to help keep your pets happy and healthy whether you’re home or away. Read on to learn more about how to create a DIY dog gate and tips to help maintain a pet-friendly space.

White Scottish Terrier stands behind a dog gate

How to create your own DIY dog gate at home

Steps to build a DIY dog gate

A DIY dog gate can come in many shapes, colors, and sizes. Also, if you choose to create your own gate you can personalize it to your pet’s size, gender, and breed. Further, if you have multiple pet’s it may be even more important to have a flexible gate that can be used for multiple purposes.

According to This Old House, it may be best to start with a plan in place before you start your project:

Create your plans.
Cut your pieces.
Dry-fit the gate.
Mark the spindle locations.
Glue and fasten the spindles and legs.
Secure the panel.
Install the rails.
Cut and install the trim.
Mark and install the feet.
Attach the feed and connect the sections.

Of course, depending on your fence size, some steps may take longer, while other steps may be skipped. Naturally, make sure your supplies are pet-friendly and non-toxic for your furry friends. For some additional tips, check out this how-to style video from The Hallmark Channel.

White Scottish Terrier with his owner in the kitchen

The benefits of a DIY dog gate

Whether you have a puppy, adult dog, or multi-pet household, a DIY dog gate may come in handy. From introducing new pets to your home or keeping your puppy-in-training in a secure area, a DIY dog gate can help with a variety of factors that may come up around the house. Also, whether you're a new or seasoned pet owner, a dog gate may be an essential staple to include on your new puppy checklist when you bring home your new furry family member.

Consider the following:

Space for your puppy to play, sleep, train, and roam.
Plan on having company over? A DIY dog gate can help keep your pets contained in their own space away from people, kids, and other pets.
If you’re bringing a new pet home, it can help with introductions and help maintain a common safe area.
A room divider! This may be helpful if you need to keep your pets contained with cleaning or organizing around your home.
It can help keep dogs in and out of certain spaces of your home with their safety in mind. This can be helpful when you’re away from home, or during the night.
There are no set rules when it comes to pet gates, the purpose is to help keep your pets safe and happy. Fortunately, you can try out a variety of sizes and see what works best for your family.

One of the biggest perks is that you can personalize your gate to your home's style or your pet's personality. For additional ways to make a DIY pet gate, consider this source from K9 of Mine.

White Scottish Terrier dog walking in the living room

Tips for a pet-friendly home

A pet-friendly home can be beneficial for one puppy or multiple pets. Also, if you puppy-proof your home, it may help keep your puppy safe, happy, and healthy while they relax at home.

Make sure when you're creating your own DIY projects, that all materials are pet-safe.
Keep tools, big or small, out of reach from your furry friends.
Allow a separate space for your pet to relax in, especially if they’re afraid of noises.
Make sure all nails, screws, and glue are out of reach.

A DIY dog gate may help you keep your best friend safe at home

What’s unique about this project is your entire family can join in on creating the gate. From an idea, plans, and building, this DIY dog gate is something that can help keep your entire family organized and safe. By taking your time, planning your project, and keeping your furry friends in mind, your best friend will have a pet-friendly space ready in no time at all.

For more on DIY pets at home, read How to Build a Dog House for Your Pet Space.

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