How did we ever live without Xpens?

I'm not sure how I ever lived before without Xpens (exercise pens)... We at TLC prefer the ones from Dig It because they are coated with epoxy and therefore easy to clean, don't destroy your floors and don't rust... But also because they are economical from that particular website...

I personally prefer the type that has a walk-thru door, but that's really a matter of taste more than anything else...  I tend to buy the 10-panel versions because you can easily fold them back into an 8-panel, 6-panel, etc. when space is at a premium.

And when you don't need them?  They readily fold up and slide underneath your bed or couch, behind a dresser, in the back of the closet, etc.   If you are headed off to the beach or a park, it's a quick item to throw into your trunk and then you don't have to worry about your pet and other unleashed dogs charging them...

We STRONGLY recommend the purchase of this item to those who have adopted from TLC, especially with puppies who are already Xpen-trained while they are our fosters... Not only does this establish a space of safety for them, it also keeps your home from being destroyed as you go through the potty-training period with a new puppy... Pitty pads are easily put down inside an Xpen, it keeps puppies from exploring and causing harm to themselves by chewing on electrical cords, eating foods they weren't supposed to, etc.  It only takes a second for something bad to happen while your eyes aren't on them, the phone rings, your attention is pulled away - it happens to the best of us!

We also use them to introduce new dogs to old ones... We set up an Xpen in the backyard ("their" territory) and put the new foster inside, as the dogs have the opportunity to meet each other by scent and not physically... Gives the new guy a sense of security while introductions are going on too...

Doggie gates are a great thing, but they aren't quite as mobile as Xpens are - you have to have a space you can stretch a doggie gate out across... With an Xpen, it is self-supporting and so can go just about anywhere... I have even taken the panels apart that the hinge seam (easy to do), then stretched it around my tomato plants in the summer so the dogs weren't able to go digging in the fresh soil underneath them!  Worked wonders!

Again, what did we ever do without them before???