DIY Dog Gate

So one of my dogs is nine years old and for most of that time I've used those crappy plastic and wood tension baby gates. For a few months when I first got that dog I used a 4 foot tall piece of plywood that hung on hooks on the door frame to keep her in my kitchen. She just jumped baby gates. Eventually, I graduated down to stacking two of them, and fast forward to now when I can just lean a baby gate across the door and she mostly won't cross it. The problem with the gates was me, and how I always assumed I could clear the baby gate because moving it was too annoying. It was of course just that extra inch too high for my second foot to clear easily, and I tripped over it a number of times, but notice it never made me move it. My other dog was also terrified of them and panicked if one hit the floor and wouldn't come near the door if they were there.

Then a few weeks ago someone (miraculously not me) went over one with a bucket of water and spilled it all over my living room. I'd just taken apart an ikea bed frame at my cousins and saved the boards that made up the mattress support because why not. They were just about perfect. I added one on each side to anchor the gate to and spent two hours fiddling with some others to make the gate. I knew I wanted it tall enough that I'd have to open it, and it had to be easy to open. I also spent some time making sure it was level so unlike every door in my house it will stay open or closed without being latched. I added a small barrel lock to keep it closed, but the dogs aren't super interested in pushing it. I may paint it white, but I really like the look of it. And I get to throw out my bent baby gates now. Ignore the foam in the background, it was also from the bed deconstruction and the dogs are getting more comfortable beds out of it.