Soft Dog Pens - Advantages and Challenges

Soft-sided dog pens are, of course, more flexible than a wooden or wire dog pen and give your pet a more cushioned surface to rest on.

Most are made with mesh panels on the front and sides and allow your dog to have ample ventilation while inside of them.

They also come with padded floors and close with a zippered door.

The best feature might be the way that soft dog pens act as space savers.

When they are not in use, they can be folded and put away like a small suitcase. Usually, soft-sided pet containment is used for indoor pet pens.

Using them outside exposes them to damage in inclement weather and allows them to pick up more dirt than they would inside a house.

The soft pen is also at risk if your dog is a chewer or clawer.

Rowdy dogs that pull continuously at the material inside of a soft pen can be expensive, if you have to replace the materials or the pens that they destroy.

If this sounds like your dog, you might consider purchasing a sturdier kind of pen.

Soft-sided, folding dog pens, just like all other pens, should be chosen to accommodate the size of your breed or individual dog.

The dog should be able to turn around comfortably and stand on all four legs with a little room left above his head. He should also be able to stretch and lie down.

You should be careful not to buy a pen that is too large, though. If a dog that is not housetrained is placed in a pen that is too big, he may tend to go the bathroom in this area because there is space enough for him to do so.

If you purchase a pen that is slightly too big, you should be sure to adjust the space by blocking off the back with a piece of wood, cardboard or a pre-fabricated divider.

When shopping for soft dog pens, make sure there are storage pockets.

You will need these to store accessories. You can also purchase soft pens that have wheels, which make it a breeze to move around.

Be very aware of how large your dog will grow when you are purchasing a dog pen. Larger dogs will certainly require larger accommodations. Always make sure yours is the right fit.