Best pet gate for Belgian Malinois

A Belgian Malinois at eight months — you've already got a lot of dog on your hands, and that's only going to increase. Gate choice for a Mal comes down to three things: the dog's size and jumping ability (Malinois can clear a standard gate without breaking stride), the width of the opening you're blocking, and whether you can wall-mount it — because pressure-mounted gates are not safe at the top of stairs, and frankly a determined Mal will pop one out of a doorframe anyway. So: how big is your pup right now, where exactly are you installing the gate, and is wall-mounting a possibility?

Good — wall-mounting is the right call for this breed full stop. A 90cm doorway and a young Mal who's still growing means you need something tall, steel-framed, and properly anchored. Before I point you to a specific product, does he jump yet? Some Malinois at this age are already clearing 1.2 metres, others are still figuring out their legs.

That's exactly what I needed to hear. Ramming and jumping together rules out anything with a plastic frame or a basic pressure fit — he'll destroy those within weeks. My recommendation is the Cumbor Extra Tall Dog Gate, the 104cm height version with a steel frame and wall-mount kit. It's 76–104cm adjustable in width so it'll fit your 90cm opening with room to spare, the gate itself is 104cm tall which gives you a real margin over a jumping Mal, and the double-locking mechanism is robust enough to handle an impact from a dog his size. Wall anchors are included and the installation is straightforward. It also has a walk-through door with a one-handed release, which matters when you're carrying things in and out of a kitchen. It's available on Amazon UK, usually around £45–55 depending on timing. For a working-line Mal, this is the minimum I'd go to — it won't be a pushover.

A few things. First, check the wall anchor bolts every couple of weeks for the first month — a high-drive dog repeatedly hitting a gate will work at fixings over time, and catching any loosening early is much safer than waiting for a failure. Second, make sure the gate swings away from him rather than toward him; if he's ramming it and it can swing his way, he'll learn that pressure opens it. And third — this isn't a gate issue but it matters — a Malinois this age needs serious physical and mental output. If his containment is failing it's often a sign he's under-stimulated rather than that the gate is wrong. Good luck with him; they're an extraordinary breed when they get what they need.