Exercise Pens For For Your Pet

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Pet exercise is very important. Your dog needs a space in which to romp. With exercise pens, your dog has the opportunity to romp around without having the chance to escape and run amuck in the neighbor’s flowerbed.

A Definition of Exercise Pens

Dog pens, also called exercise pens, are portable fences that give your dog space to play but not space to escape and run amuck. Portable exercise pens are better than leashes because they are less stressful and dangerous for your pet. They are made of heavy gauge wire formed that is typically formed into eight hinged panels. The hinges make the exercise pen easy to put away or transport.

Sizes range from 24 to 48 inches in height, with length of most portable dog pens being around 16 feet. Some exercise pens have soft sides made of canvas or mesh. They aren’t as heavy and they’re more portable. If your dog is destructive, be aware that you’re better off with metal dog pens.

Exercise pens are suitable for indoor use, not just outdoors. Dogs prefer pens to leashes, and it satisfies their notion of territory. The hinges on your pen will allow you to configure exercise pens into whatever shape you want, and even use it as a barrier to section off your fenced-in yard, or keep your dog in the garage.

The Role of Exercise Pens in Training Your Pet

Exercise pens give you a means for managing the dog’s environment to your advantage. They create a comfortable area for your dog to play when you can’t supervise their every little movement.

Travel and Portability

If you are well prepared, you may enjoy traveling with your dog. A dog pen is a useful accessory for your trip, not only giving the dog a secure place to relax, but also making it so you don’t have to keep your dog on a leash all the time. Dogs prefer exercise pens to leashes generally.

Exercise pens help ease dogs’ transitions to unfamiliar surroundings. This helps you manage and avoid inappropriate behavior such as doing their business in the wrong place. A dog acting out can really compromise your relationship with your host. Large, comfy exercise pens help you avoid that risk and thus give your hosts a chance to appreciate your pet as much as you do.

Housetraining Applications

Exercise pens can be tremendously useful in housebreaking your dog. It will allow you to use a box or piddle pad, or keep your dog in a limited space until you can take him or her outside. If the dog perceives the space as his own, he may be less inclined to soil it. You will, however, need to remember to take your dog outside frequently to do his business.

Other Uses for Exercise Pens

Dog shows use exercise pens to keep the participants away from each other until it is their turn to walk. They are also used to keep your dog confined after your dog has returned home from surgery. A dog that has been recently operated on should not be allowed to roam free, but rather must remain where you can closely observe him.

Things to Bear In Mind

Be aware that exercise pens were never intended as full time dog housing and you should not leave the dog in there indefinitely. In spite of the name you’ll want to take your dog out of the pen and let him get some real exercise.

Teach your dog to accept the pen the same way you would to a crate: feed him in the pen, do not leave him alone in the pen until he’s used to it. Don’t leave his collar on when he’s in the pen, for his own safety.