The 6 Best Puppy Pens Australia: Tested & Evaluated 2023

You may think of a dog crate as an essential part of the dog owner’s toolkit, but rarely do we have the same associations with the unassuming puppy pen.

A puppy pen is the larger cousin of the crate, with many of the same features but way more space and slightly different uses. We think it is equally essential as a puppy crate and in this article, we will show you why!

Today, we break down the qualities of a great puppy pen and then give you our top recommendations for puppy pens in Australia. To do so, we teamed up with veterinarians, dog behaviour experts, and pet parents to test our the most popular puppy playpen Australia offers. After months of research and several dozen playpens put to the test, we were finally able to agree on our puppy pen favourites. We hope this article helps you find the right option for your pup!

Australia's Best Puppy Pens Reviewed

Quite a few factors to think about aren’t there? Well, not to worry dear reader. We’ve got you covered! Whether you need a super durable heavy-duty puppy pen, or a lightweight, portable puppy pen, our team of independent experts have chosen the selection below specifically for you.

We aim to always give a range of price points and styles so you can find the best one for you. We hope this round up is helpful for you in your search!

Sometimes, it’s the simplest of solutions that work the best, and that’s certainly the case with this playpen for puppies from PaWz. This puppy pen is made from plastic panels, very similar to the sides of a common plastic crate. Nothing too fancy, but it turns out, it’s pretty much exactly what you need for a functional puppy pen.

This version consists of six panels, but PaWz also offers versions with four and eight panels that are otherwise exactly the same. Members of our expert panel found that the six panel version is pretty much the perfect size for most situations. While the pen might look small in the pictures, each panel is 86 cm wide and 67 cm high, which is quite large.

If you arrange the six panels in a rectangle, you’ll get a playpen that is 172 cm long and 86 cm wide. This should be enough for several puppies of any size.

The panels are connected with hinges which means there is almost no assembly required. Simply arrange the panels into any shape you like and connect the panels at the end together if needed. When not in use, this playpen simply folds down flat which is perfect for storage.

As a plus, being made from plastic this enclosure is much more lightweight than other options, like our second choice ahead. In fact, I personally found that it was great for taking along on outings or camping trips, for example.

Finally, there is a small, lockable gate on one of the panels that you can use to let your puppies walk in and out of the enclosure. Truth be told, we’ve found the usefulness of the gate to be limited as it’s much easier to simply lift a puppy to help it over the fence. Still, it’s a cute addition and doesn’t hurt the functionality of this awesome puppy enclosure.

Sometimes it’s the simplest of products that pack the most punch. This exercise pen is the perfect puppy pen for your needs. No bells and whistles. Just a traditional dog exercise pen that you can fill with plenty of toys and treats to keep your pup entertained.

Similar to our number one choice, it comes in three heights so you can purchase the one that would suit your puppy and your space the best. On all of the models, the panels are 79 cm in width. The small size has panels 61 cm in height. The medium model has panels 76 cm in height. Finally, the largest size has panels 101 cm in height. It is, therefore, suitable for puppies and dogs of a good range of ages and breeds.

There are eight panels with each model enabling you to fully customise the shape of the pen. Maybe you want to make more of an L-shaped enclosure to suit the room they will be in. Or perhaps, you are using the pen outdoors and want the maximum amount of space - the hexagonal configuration is ideal in that case. The flexibility is fantastic and definitely a sign of a good product that is fit for purpose.

Some notes that our team of researchers shared is that the opening has two latches for extra security and the fences are not harmful at all to your dog. The rounded edges ensure there are no sharp joints that can scratch and injure your playful pup. They are made of a rust resistant, black lacquered metal that is durable and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

As for portability, this wouldn’t be the best for travelling, but it does fold down incredibly easily. Assembly and disassembly are also simple, so you can whip it out whenever you need it inside or outside the home.

It is a pretty average price point for the size ranges and the style of the pen. The good reviews also attest to the quality and great customer service the manufacturer provides. To top it all off, the manufacturer also offers a one year warranty should you have any issues or concerns with the product. A winner all rounds!

If you don’t want or need a puppy pen that can contort into crazy shapes like our first two choices, then the TOPET is a nice little option with a slightly more appealing look to it.

The previous KUP Living model may be a bit cagey for you, so this one is the antidote to that. The TOPET very much looks like a baby cage, complete with white-lacquered aluminium alloy.

This time the size range is measured by panels. Each panel is 45 cm in width and 70 cm in height. The packs can include 8, 10, 12 or 14 panels depending on the size you would like. The cage comes as a flat pack that you simply unfold into a large rectangle and secure. No-tool assembly is always a thumbs up for us!

The gate side has two latches that keep the playpen secure. Our expert team also loved how you can even latch this gate onto the side of your dog’s crate to create an even larger enclosure. An area for sleeping and an area for playing.

This playpen is perfect for puppies up to 60 cm tall. If your pup is a small dog breed, they can even keep using this exercise pen well into the future. A great investment.

We would love for the shape to be more flexible but if you want a rectangular exercise pen that will do the job and do it well, you can’t go wrong with the TOPET model.

This is another simple exercise pen from KUP Living, which manufactured our number two option, but at a much more economical price.

If you don’t want to pay over $100 for a puppy pen, and don’t mind forfeiting the flexibility and quality a bit, our team of independent experts say that this is not a bad choice.

This exercise pen comes in one size with eight panels. Each panel is 61 cm wide and 76 cm tall, so it is quite large overall. There is some flexibility in the shape, but it is not quite as bendy as the top choice we mentioned before. You can form it into a perfect square or an octagon.

As for the looks, the caging is slightly closer together with thinner poles in between the joints. It makes the exercise pen look a bit more cagey than the first few picks here. Not nearly as attractive as the TOPET, but certainly a good simple, black exercise cage.

The black iron wire is durable and safe for your dog. There are two latches on the gated side for extra security as your puppy plays.

I appreciated that this is another no tool assembly puppy pen, as it folds down completely for easy storage. We would still say this isn’t the best for travelling. We have other recommendations for playpens on the go, like our number five choice next.

The manufacturer offers a one year warranty on the product should you have any issues with it at all. As an economical exercise pen, this is a fabulous choice.

We have mostly focused on at-home puppy playpens so far, but what about playpens for when you are travelling? Perhaps you love to camp with your pup and want somewhere secure for them to play. Maybe you are taking a cross-country road trip and want to make sure you have breaks for your puppy to exercise safely on your route.

Whatever your reasons for wanting a portable puppy playpen, our team of independent experts agree that the Zampa is the ideal choice for you.

This soft-sided exercise pen is completely designed with travel in mind. To start, the heavy-duty fabric material is much more lightweight than the metal playpens we have already mentioned. This makes it so much easier to carry around.

You then have the storage. This playpen comes with its own soft carrier bag that it completely folds into for easy portability. No tools are required for assembly or disassembly. This is the perfect travel companion.

Onto the quality and durability of the product. The Zampa is one tough cookie. Despite not being metal, like our number two, three, and four choices, the manufacturer has taken great care to use hardy, water resistant materials for use both indoors and outdoors.

This is an eight panel playpen that comes in four sizes. The extra-small is 73 cm x 73 cm x 43 cm. The small size is 92 cm x 92 cm x 60 cm. The medium is 114 cm x 114 cm x 60 cm. Finally, the large is 155 cm x 155 cm x 76 cm. So, as you can see, the size range is very impressive!

Zampa also offers this playpen in four cool colours! The main sides are a tan canvas colour but there are different coloured trims to choose from. You can choose blue, brown, red and light pink.

Overall, the Zampa portable puppy playpen is economical, durable and well reviewed. The perfect trifecta. We are happy to recommend it!

If you are after an extra-large puppy pen, the largest Zampa is pretty impressive. The next best thing is the AUSWY Extra-large Soft Pet Playpen.

Let’s start with sizing. This measures 120 cm x 120 cm x 60 cm which offered plenty of space for my pups to run around. It is also the only puppy pen on this list that is almost completely circular, which maximises the space your puppy has to play and exercise inside.

Like our number five choice, this is a highly portable playpen that completely folds down into a handy storage bag. The storage bag is made of the same durable Oxford nylon fabric as the main playpen itself. We mention nylon a lot here as it is imperishable, long lasting, water resistant and heat resistant.

There are two large storage pockets on the sides of the playpen should you need them to hold treats or toys.

The base is completely removable making it easier to clean. The roof is removable too in case you want a completely open-air experience for your pup. The playpen is very well ventilated whether the roof is on or not though. There are mesh “windows” all the way around the walls of the circular pen.

For security, the AUSWY model uses two zippable doors to let your dog in and out of the playpen.

Every member of panel of pros stated that the cons of this product would be the assembly. It is not quite as easy or as clear as the others on this list. For extra support, you are provided with fibreglass rods that insert in certain locations to maintain the shape of the playpen. These are a little tricky to insert and not very clear. But once they are in, they hold up the shape of the product perfectly for use. A bit fiddly? Yes, but certainly worth it.

If you are in the market for an economical, large puppy pen, this is a great option for you!

When To Use A Puppy Pen

When you think of cages to house your darling puppy, you may immediately think of dog crates.

Crates are fabulous inventions - just ask our team of independent experts. They are great for housetraining your puppy. (1) They are also just a fantastic refuge away from the world. (2) A place of solitude and calm for your puppy to call their own. These are fantastic qualities of a crate. But what a crate doesn’t have is ample space for your puppy to safely play and exercise without the fear that your puppy will run away or cause mischief behind your back.

Therefore, instead of (or addition to) a crate, you need a puppy pen. Puppy pens are fantastic enclosures that give you the security of a crate but ample space to play and exercise. It’s very much like having a baby cage or playpen that your toddlers play in safely when your back is turned.

Puppy pens are perfect for when you need to leave your puppy unattended, but they are wide awake and wanting to have fun. Puppy pens can reduce separation anxiety by providing a safe and stimulating environment. (3)

What I Look For In A Puppy Playpen

Though crates are similar to puppy exercise pens, there are slightly different factors to consider when choosing the right one for you. Starting with...

Durability

Of course, you want a decent return on your investment when it comes to the right puppy pen. They aren’t the most inexpensive of dog gear, so you’ll want them to stand the test of time. Not only that, but puppies can be quite rough when they play. Particularly if you're like me and have more than one pup! (5) They may even look like they are fighting. Your playpen has to stand up to being bashed around a bit.

It also needs to be sturdy enough not to collapse if they lean on or bump into the sides.

Most heavy-duty puppy pens are made of steel or iron wiring that is rust resistant and waterproof. Soft fabric playpens are typically made of nylon as these have the same durable qualities.

Ease of assembly

The ease of assembly depends on what you are using the puppy pen for.

If you intend to set up the playpen and have it permanently fixed somewhere in your back garden or the house, the ease of assembly is not quite as important. Of course, it is great to have an easy assembly in all circumstances, but if it is a fiddly job that requires tools, it’s not a big deal if you only intend to do it once and always keep it in the same spot. 

For most puppy parents, however, playpens are not in place all of the time. You might bring one out at specific times, have the flexibility to move it around your home, or take with you travelling. Maybe you want an indoor puppy pen predominantly, but to also have the option to set it up outside when you need to. What then?

Our panel recommends a pen with a no-tool assembly for your ease of use. You’ll be glad to hear that most puppy pens are foldable. You unfold them to set them up and fold flat again to pack them down. Easy peasy!

Ease of storage

This follows on nicely from the foldable nature of most puppy pens. If you are intending to use the exercise pen only at certain times, you’ll want it to be simple to tuck away when you don’t need it.

After all, some of these puppy pens can be quite large and cumbersome. If they are left standing when you don’t need them, they can take up a lot of valuable living space. You can also end up tripping over them which is a hazard for you, your family and any house guests.

So, a foldable mechanism that is simple to store is very useful.

Again, only apply this to your own life as it suits you. If you want an outdoor puppy pen that will have a permanent home in your garden, storage is less of a deciding factor.

Portability

You may think that ease of assembly and ease of storage are the key factors to portability.

And in a way, you are right. It is much easier to transport a puppy pen that completely flat packs and sets up without any tools.

But we would be glossing over a major component of a product’s portability. That is the weight.

As I mentioned, many puppy pens are made of metal. It may not be a particularly heavy metal, but after you have folded up eight panels of steel, it’s still not a pleasant experience to cart around.

Not to mention the inherently bulky nature of how metal cages pack down.

So, the portable puppy pens tend to be of the soft fabric variety. They may even come with their own storage bags. You can start using them on the go straight away.

Shape & size

Finally, we have sizing and shape. When it comes to sizing, the size of your puppy is less of a factor than with crates. For example, a Chihuahua puppy and a Labrador puppy could happily use the same size puppy pen. It just depends on how much exercise room you are giving your pup.

If you have more than one puppy, you’ll want a larger size too.

The height of your puppy is more important to measure as you don’t want to buy a puppy pen that your dog could easily jump over and escape. Defeats the purpose entirely.

In the same vein, the shape of the puppy pen you choose is completely down to your preference. Some models have flexible panels, enabling you to create your own shape that will best suit the space you are using. It might be worth deciding where you are going to locate the puppy pen before you purchase one. Then you’ll know the best shape and size to go for.

My Final Verdict

As you can see, the humble puppy playpen comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes and materials. The best one for you is definitely the one that best suits your purposes.

For a great all-round at home puppy playpen for indoor and outdoor use, our team of independent experts all agree that the KUP Living range is ideal. They have a great selection of sizes and the shape flexibility is unbeatable. You can really customise this product, despite how simple it may seem from the outside.

If you intend to travel with your puppy and want an exercise pen for them during your adventures, the Zampa is the best portable playpen we could find. Durable, lightweight and easy to assemble, it ticks all of the boxes!

References

1. Scott, D. December 5, 2022. “Crate Training A Puppy: 6 Easy Steps”. Dog Naturally Magazine. Retrieved June 10, 2023. https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/crate-training-a-puppy/
2. Leigh, P. November 30, 2015. “Crates are Forever – Not Just for Puppies”. American Kennel Club. Retrieved June 10, 2023. “https://www.akc.org/canine-partners/crates-are-forever-not-just-for-puppies/  
   
3. "How to help a dog with anxiety". Humane Society of The United States. Retrieved June 10, 2023. https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-help-dog-anxiety
4. Madson, C. February 1, 2020. “Puppy Zone: How to Set Up a Long–Term Confinement Area”. Preventative Vet. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
   https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/how-to-set-up-puppy-long-term-confinement-area
   
5. Shojai, A. August 6, 2022. “All the Ways a Puppy Likes to Play”. The Spruce Pets. Retrieved June 10, 2023. https://www.thesprucepets.com/puppy-play-how-puppies-play-2804905
6. Madson, C. May 2, 2021. “Crate Training Your Puppy or Adult Dog: Everything You Need to Know”. Preventative Vet. Retrieved June 10, 2023. https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/everything-you-need-to-know-about-crate-training-your-puppy-or-adult-dog
   
7. Sharpe, S. November 5, 2021. “How to Crate Train Your Dog in Nine Easy Steps”. American Kennel Club. Retrieved June 10, 2023. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-crate-train-your-dog-in-9-easy-steps/