FXW Homeplus Dog Playpen for Indoor Use – Stress-Free and Safe Play, Heavy Duty 24 Inch 16 Panels Dog Pen with Connectors (Pack of 2) for Puppies and Small Dogs, Black│Patented

Pros & Cons below.I especially wanted to say, I have a C section breed, and I’ve always loved the look of the outdoor version used as a whelping pen, but the door on that version would require my short momma fresh outta surgery to leap over the threshold (or me picking her up repeatedly which can be just as bad), so I had held off, hoping they would eventually make a version without such threshold, I’m so glad they did! I had been waiting for soooo long I had just about given up hope, but they finally came thru for me!PROS:Favorite Feature:No threshold - C Section mommas don’t have to jump!Packaging:All panels and pieces were packaged properly, nothing arrived damaged, each piece was protected. Came with a few spare pieces as well.Assembly:Easy to set up! No tools. Done it myself without any help. Didn’t need instructions. I built it to where the door would swing inside, perhaps a bit odd because of the latch, but this way I could walk in with the door so momma couldn’t get a gap to make a run for it. She actually never tried to escape it, so probably not necessary, but completely possible to do this, and could be handy depending on your room size.Details:This pen (double check me here) comes with muffler tubes already installed, whereas with the outdoor version they needed to be purchased separately. I had no issues with rattling or clanging noises, except the sound of the door latching, but that’s acceptable.Pretty Factor:Looks great! Wires are thick enough that it doesn’t give me those “chicken wire” vibes like some of the other manufacturers pens. I chose black, to contrast against my lighter color wall.Dog’s Opinion:My little momma loved it, keep in mind, she loves her crate for bedtime, but she had never been contained by anything other than her crate, and this pen was set up in the spare bedroom she doesn’t visit but maybe twice a year, so I was concerned that she would be afraid of it, especially after anesthesia, hormones, and these little “aliens” crawling towards her, but no, she absolutely loved it. She really enjoyed it. I had let her watch me build it (being careful not to cling the panels together cause I didn’t want to startle her) and began letting her visit the pen and I would hang out inside the pen with her beginning about 4 days prior to her c section. Soon as we walked in the door with the puppies, she led the way to the pen.Size & Configuration Options:I got the 32” 16 panels.Plenty big enough, I created a whelping square on one side, then instead of squaring it off I bowed out the other side to an octagon for me to sit, mom to eat/drink/chill. (I wanted mom to potty inside the pen on pads, so I wouldn’t have to risk her bringing in germs from outside but she wouldn’t potty inside, yet she would walk out the pen door to a pad and potty, that worked but I didn’t think to get a waterproof floor protector large enough to accommodate for that, so just keep in mind you may want to go much bigger for floor protectors. You can make a long run, L shape, complete hexagon or octagon, rectangle, and square. With enough panels you could make shapes within shapes. Additional sets of panels will connect, if it’s the exact same size & model. I do not think the outdoor version would connect well with the indoor version.Cleaning:I was pressed for time, didn’t want to spot test and wait, so I used chlorhexidine to clean it, safe for humans, dogs, puppies, and metals.CONS:Packaging:Box is HEAVY. I had this for weeks sitting in the garage waiting on my dude to help me carry it in, he never got around to it, FIX: open box where it sits and carry each panel to designated area. I could carry 3 panels at a time, although it was a bit cumbersome.Design:The 32” inch has 2 locks on the door, my momma dog is easily contained by only a top latch on her crate, so I’m accustomed to only one latch and found the 2 latches to be annoying.FIX: I zip tied the bottom one to where it wouldn’t catch. Easy to remove the zip tie if necessary later on.I would like to see a single latch in the center of the door to replace the 2 smaller latches, perhaps functioning similar to the old plastic crate types.Assembly:Once you have your shape created, the panels are easily bumped and shifted, I could envision a large rambunctious dog completely rearranging your shape. The pen does rattle if bumped enough to move significantly.FIX: zip ties! I zip tied the top twice and bottom once, I would zip tie inside the indent at the top and then force it to slide down an inch which made it extremely tight & sturdy. Then I zip tied the indent again in case one came loose I could just slide the other down. I used neon zip ties so that I could quickly notice if any were missing in the event mom or pup chewed one loose, plus easier to locate a missing zip tie inside the pen for quick retrieval before an animal swallows it. Mom nibbled on a few of them curiously but then left them alone. You could use black to blend in. Once all panels are zip tied tightly together, this pen doesn’t budge, but you can lift and slide as needed to change out whelping pads.I had heard that closet shelving brackets would snap onto the panels and lock it into place, this may work for the outdoor model (I don’t have the outdoor model so I can’t be sure) but these brackets do not work on the indoor model, plus they’re $6 each, so I highly recommend zip ties.Cleaning:I read in a comment after I ordered that the indoor has a different coating than the outdoor, I still haven’t researched, but I would think the outdoor would have an anti-rust coating, and now I’m assuming that perhaps this one does not. This could be a big flaw when you consider potty training, slobbering dogs, humidity, and even cleaning the pen.Whelping:Drafts. I had put a pool will tall-ish walls inside but still, drafts.FIX: Heavy blankets thrown over the panels, use clips to keep in place, keep checking that blankets don’t slip. Cardboard zip tied could work as well.You will want to create a bumper pad situation for pups so they can’t try to get out and get stuck.FIX: 6” cardboard and or wood (attached on the outside) will work.Whelping pads are easily dug up by mom, this pen has tiny feet, so the whelping pad is not held down securely by the entire panel/pen.FIX: cast iron doorstops sitting on the edges of the whelping pad outside the pen. I considered cutting holes the size of the feet into pads and stitching to reinforce then the pen would absolutely hold a pad still, but that seemed like way too much work and could compromise the integrity of the pads, threads could unravel and become a hazard to puppies.I had ordered pads to fit the layout I envisioned, but after building the pen, and having it larger than envisioned, my pads were too small, so I had to overlap them. Don’t do this, get a massive whelping pad cause you may very well build larger than you expected.Least Favorite Feature:The feet on the panels. I know they’re to protect the floors, but for my whelping purposes, I would really rather the pen help hold pads in place instead. Maybe if the manufacturer could remove the feet design but add a velvet or rubber bottom lining to each panel it could protect floors and hold down pads.I don’t believe the outdoor model has these feet.Puppies can get their paws under the panels because of the floor protecting feet. If you’ve got whelping pads and fleece down (so there’s some “give”), I can’t imagine a puppy’s paw actually becoming stuck, but thought I should mention that. Using a cardboard bumper will prevent all but a paw and eventually only a toe from being able to fit under the panels.Final Thoughts:I’ll buy another. Very happy with this pen.These cons aren’t a dealbreaker for me, I was able to fix each con quickly and easily.This pen is basically a dupe for a big name whelping pen at only 25% the price, without side covers/accessories, hint-hint.

We love this pen and have had it for about eight months. I have two miniature dachshunds, one of whom had figured out how to jump over her previous 24” black wire Xpen (you know the ones). I leave them in an enclosed area in our apartment while we are away and to sleep at night. I have always battled with setting up one of those crappy black ones from Petsmart in a way I actually liked, and then would have to fold it in and out every time I wanted to let the girls out of their area, which was at least twice a day. Then, to get into the area with them, I’d have to straddle the pen. Well I got pregnant and pretty soon it wasn’t safe to do that anymore— So I spent the pretty penny for this bad boy and I am sooo glad I did. First and foremost, it’s taller, so no more jumping— easy fix there. Secondly, it’s made of premium materials, the coating is wipe-able and actually ceramic-like. In just a year and a half my Xpen had rust, and the connectors were all falling off. This is built with modularity in mind and I LOVE the rod system to put it together. I love that if I still feel like I need more panels, I can buy and add them. Vice versa if I decide I need to put my girls in a smaller area. No more folding up the Xpen so one side is bulky and awkward. The rubber feet on the bottom of each panel keep it from sliding around too!! (That is another complaint I had about the Xpen). It’s actually quite study, can withstand being jumped against, and the (separate) wall connectors make this pen basically permanent where you put it. As an added bonus it looks classy (at least the white one is, can’t speak for the black but I assume it’s the same). Guests have complimented this thing, and that’s perfect because I never take it down and it’s part of our home now. And the gate— having an actual door on the pen saved my life. Now I have a newborn and I am SO happy to have to straddle that damn pen.The one and ONLY gripe I have is that the door requires either two hands or, if you’re me, a hand and foot. I lift the bottom with my toes/side of my foot and the top with my hand to get in, especially because I am usually also holding baby in the other hand. I wish FXW had considered making a door adapter for one handed operation. I’m sure I can Jerry rig something in the future, but for now I’ve just suffered with it. It’s mainly just a huge pain if the door closes behind me while I am inside, then I have to bend over and open from the outside. Not super accessible but that tradeoff is worth it for me.In the end, I bought a second 8+Door set to combine with my current set for when we take a two week holiday this winter. We will be at a cabin, and I want to set up a yard for the girls to run in while I’m mildly distracted with the baby and can’t watch them as closely as I normally do. Seriously considering buying a third or some extra panels so that I have a huge area/options.To me, worth every single penny, HANDS DOWN!!! I wish I had found this BEFORE I got them as puppies, would’ve saved me money on those crappy Xpens, and a ton of headaches. (Same with those damn collapsible wire crates but that’s a different review LOL) If it’s in your cart, pull the trigger, you probably won’t regret it.

*****This is an amended review.I originally gave a negative review on this product because the panels did not align with a play pen I had purchased from another pet focused website. The Amazon listing did not indicate different configurations. Only the number of panels offered. The company immediately responded to my review and offered to resolve my issue. I provided the information they requested, including photos and within hours received notification that the correct panels would be shipped to me. The panels have now arrived and are installed and work perfectly. I have had this playpen since my puppy was new and now that he has grown, the additional panels provide the needed space in the playpen. The design is outstanding, and the quality is excellent. I highly recommend this company and this particular playpen design.