Best stair gates for dogs in the UK: three picks by dog size
The short answer
- Our pick
- For a dog above knee height, the Savic Outdoor Dog Gate: 95cm tall, 84-152cm wide, screwed into the wall, £62.59 on zooplus in November 2026. It is the only gate in this list whose product page says it is screwed into place.
- On a budget
- The Carlson Expandable Plastic Pet Gate at £36.89 (November 2026), for a small, calm dog in a doorway. It is 59cm tall and held by pressure, so it never goes at the top of stairs.
- Don't buy
- Anyone who wants one gate for both a jumping dog and the top of the stairs without drilling. The no-drill gates here are for doorways, and a 59cm plastic gate is a hurdle for any dog that can jump.
On this page
Most lists of the best stair gates for dogs are baby-gate lists with a dog photo on top. They rank on looks, reviews and whether the gate is white. What decides whether a gate works for a dog is how it is fixed, how tall it is, and where you put it.
So this list is ordered by dog size and budget, and each pick says what it does badly. I have not tested these gates, and nothing here is a lab result. The prices come from product pages I opened in October and November 2026, and they move.
One limit up front: every gate below is from one retailer, zooplus. The big names for dog gates, such as Argos and Tesco, refused automated page reads when I tried, and I will not put a price in print that I could not see. If you want a bigger spread, the general stair gates and dog-proofing guide covers what to look for in any shop.
The short version
| If you have | Pick | Price (checked) |
|---|---|---|
| A small, calm dog and a doorway | Carlson Expandable Plastic Pet Gate, 59cm high, 71-107cm wide | £36.09, November 2026 |
| A medium or large dog and a doorway | Savic Dog Barrier 2, Size 2, 107cm high, 75-84cm wide | £60.49, November 2026 |
| A wide opening, or a gate you want screwed in | Savic Outdoor Dog Gate, 95cm high, 84-152cm wide | £61.49, November 2026 |
| A tiny puppy and a freestanding barrier | Trixie Mesh Dog Barrier, 50cm high, 65-108cm wide | £51.69, November 2026 (see below) |
How I picked
Which? is plain about the rule that matters most. It says: “We always advise installing a screw-fix gate or screwing in a pressure-fit gate at the top of the stairs”, and that pressure-fit gates “shouldn’t be used at the top of the stairs.” Pressure-fit gates also usually have a bar along the floor, “which can pose a trip hazard”. Screw-fit gates are described as very strong with no rail at the bottom, though they “will leave holes when they’re removed.”
That gives two questions for each product. How is it fixed, according to the product page? And how tall is it, compared with a dog that can jump? Height is not covered by Which?, and I did not find a UK charity page giving a number, so treat my comments on height as judgement, not a standard.
1. Best for a settled small dog on a budget: Carlson Expandable Plastic Pet Gate
The Carlson Expandable Plastic Pet Gate was £36.09 when I opened the page in November 2026. It is 59cm high and fits openings from 71cm to 107cm. The page says it uses “special pressurised fittings”, needs no drilling or tools, and has rubber stoppers to protect the walls.
- Good: the cheapest gate here, it moves between doorways, and a renter can use it.
- Bad: 59cm is a hurdle, not a barrier, for a Labrador, a Border Collie or a keen jumper. It is pressure-fit, so it does not belong at the top of the stairs under the Which? rule above, and the page says nothing about a floor bar either way, so look at the photos before you buy.
This is a gate for a kitchen doorway and a dog that has no interest in the other side. If that describes yours, it is enough. If it does not, the £37 is wasted.
2. Best for a medium or large dog in a doorway: Savic Dog Barrier 2, Size 2
The Savic Dog Barrier 2 comes in two heights, and the zooplus page shows them like this in November 2026:
| Variant | Height | Width | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size 1 | 75cm | 75-84cm | £65.19 |
| Size 2 | 107cm | 75-84cm | £60.49 |
| 7cm extension, Size 1 | n/a | n/a | £9.69 |
| 7cm extension, Size 2 | n/a | n/a | £14.49 |
Yes, the taller gate is cheaper. Check the variant before you pay, because it is easy to click the wrong one and end up with the shorter, dearer gate.
The page says the barrier is installed without drilling into walls or door frames and comes with wall rings, about 4cm across. It does not say whether the gate is held by pressure or by the rings, so I cannot tell you if it is safe at the top of stairs. The Which? advice above says a gate there should be screwed in, and I would not use this one on a landing unless Savic’s own instructions say it is rated for it. The page also notes that the product may ship from outside the UK, so delivery can be slow.
- Good: 107cm is the tallest gate in this list, and the price is lower than the plastic gates once you count height.
- Bad: the width range is narrow, 75-84cm, so a wider doorway needs extensions at £14.49 each. The fixing method is not stated clearly. If it is a doorway gate you are after, it is the best of these. If it is a stairs gate, it is unproven.
3. Best for the top of the stairs or a wide opening: Savic Outdoor Dog Gate
The Savic Outdoor Dog Gate is the pick, with caveats, because it is the only product here whose page says how it is fixed: it is “screwed tightly into place”, with an assembly kit, instructions and a recommendation to use an electric drill. In November 2026 it was £61.49, one variant only, 95cm high and 84-152cm wide.
It is black metal with 1cm bars spaced 5cm apart and a small gate for people. The coating is weather-proof, so it works indoors or in a garden or on a patio. It cannot be delivered to Northern Ireland, according to the page.
- Good: screw-fixed, which is the type Which? advises for the top of stairs, and wide enough for hall openings that the 75-84cm gates cannot cover.
- Bad: it is named “outdoor”, and the page says nothing about stairs, so I cannot say the maker designed it for a landing. It is also 95cm, 12cm shorter than the Size 2 Savic. The 5cm gap between bars is wide for a toy-breed puppy, so measure before you assume a small head will not fit through. And you will leave holes in the wall or frame when you take it down.
I would use this one in a wide hall opening or garden-side doorway, and ask Savic directly before putting it on a landing.
The one I would not buy first: Trixie Mesh Dog Barrier
The Trixie Mesh Dog Barrier was £51.69 in November 2026. It is 50cm high, fits 65-108cm, and has anti-slip rubber feet. The page does not describe any screw, bracket or pressure fitting, and it is meant for doors and stairways.
At 50cm it is the shortest gate in the list, and at £51.69 it is only about £10 cheaper than the 107cm Savic. A very small puppy might respect it for a few weeks. After that you have paid £51.69 for something a dog steps over. If your puppy is tiny and your need is short term, the Carlson gets you further for £15 less.
What the gate does not need to be
- A matching gate for every doorway. Gate one room, the one the dog actually lives in. The stairs are out of reach already, so you need one good gate instead of two. That argument is spelled out in stair gates and dog-proofing a British home.
- A gate sized for the puppy you collect. My Boxer, Bóris, went through a growth spurt between eight and ten months, and a gate that is the right height at ten weeks has a short life. Buy for the dog you will have in six months. The crate size guide uses the same logic for boxes.
- A gate that makes the dog feel locked away. Dogs Trust and PDSA both suggest gates in place of a closed door because the dog can still see you. A gate is the middle step between a crate and the whole house, and playpen or crate goes into when each wins.
What I would not spend extra on
Extensions you could avoid by measuring. The 7cm Savic extension is £14.49. Measure the opening at the top, the middle and the bottom before ordering, because Which? warns you may need extensions and older British houses have doorways that are not square.
The shortest gate because the puppy is small. The price gap between the 50cm Trixie and the 107cm Savic is £8.80, for more than twice the height. Height is the part you cannot add later.
A gate where a closed door would do. If the room has a door, shut it.
Who should not buy a gate
If you live in a flat with no stairs and a dog that stays where you put it, you may not need one. A closed door does the job and costs nothing.
If your dog is an adult, calm and past chewing, a gate is a convenience, not a safety item. Don’t pay £60 for a problem you don’t have.
And if the plan is to leave a dog behind a gate for a working day, the gate is not the answer. Blue Cross and PDSA both cap crate time at about three hours, and a bigger space does not change how long a dog can be left. Leaving a dog alone covers building up to it.
What to do next
Measure your doorway at three heights, then decide whether the gate is replacing a crate or sitting alongside one. The puppy checklist sorts what to buy before collection day from what can wait, and the first night guide covers where the puppy sleeps once the gate is up.
Prices and product details were checked on zooplus.co.uk in October and November 2026 (Carlson £36.59 in October, £36.09 in November; Savic Dog Barrier 2 Size 2 £61.49 in October, £60.49 in November; Savic Outdoor £61.49 in November), and they move often. Argos, Tesco, The Range and D for Dog could not be read, so nothing here covers them. Fitting guidance is from Which?, with Dogs Trust, PDSA and Blue Cross quoted for separation and time limits. I have not tested these gates. Nothing here is veterinary advice — if your dog has been hurt in a fall, call your vet straight away.