Dogs are lively, energetic creatures who need plenty of exercise to prevent them going stir crazy at home.  A bored dog can cause all sorts of mischief, from barking and whining all the time to chewing precious objects around the house.  However, if you go to work every day it is very hard to ensure that your dog isn’t stuck in the house or his dog kennel for days on end.

One way to help prevent undesirable behaviour is to invest in a dog exercise pen.  These pens are made from metal and can be of two varieties: chain link or modular.  Chain link kennels are easier to put up, cheaper and can be moved while modular are heavy and more permanent but are also stronger and longer lasting.  Ideally the pen should be large enough for your dog to run around a little and play, thereby getting rid of some pent up energy.

If you start with a puppy exercise pen when your dog is very young he will become used to it very quickly and, with the addition of plenty of fun toys, will love spending time in there.

A bed or kennel for your pet to sleep on when he’s tired will also help to make the pen an enjoyable place to be and will help him to feel that it is his home.  You can also buy pen covers to give him shade from the heat of the sun or protect him from the rain.

Just remember that exercise pens for dogs should not be used as a substitute for a good long walk at least once per day as, even a large pen with lots of interesting and varied toys, will start to become boring if that is all there is to a dog’s life.