This is a specific conversation about Pet gates — containing dogs safely — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
A 9-month-old Alaskan Malamute — you're already in serious containment territory. Gate choice comes down to three things: your dog's size and jumping ability, the width of the opening, and whether you can wall-mount it. Pressure-mounted gates aren't safe for top-of-stairs use, and for a young Malamute they're frankly not safe anywhere — these dogs can pop them out like a cork. What's the breed and current weight, where are you installing it (stairs, doorway, between rooms), and is drilling into the wall an option for you?
He's about 38kg already and still growing. I need it at the bottom of the stairs to stop him getting upstairs at night. Yes, I can drill into the wall — I'd rather do that than have him smash through something.
inparticular.ai
38kg at nine months is a big lad, and Malamutes genuinely lean and push rather than just nudging — a lot of gates that claim to be dog-proof simply aren't built for that kind of sustained force. Before I point you at something specific, can you measure the width of your stair opening? And roughly how tall is he at the shoulder right now?
The opening is about 78cm wide. He's around 65cm at the shoulder, and honestly he doesn't try to jump it, he just leans on things until they give way.
inparticular.ai
That's exactly the Malamute way — patient, methodical destruction. For your situation I'd go with the Safetots Extra Wide Wooden Stair Gate. It's a hardware-mounted gate, fits openings from 75cm up to around 136cm with the extension bars, and the wall fixings are genuinely robust — you're bolting into the frame, not relying on spring tension. The bar spacing is tight enough that he won't get leverage on it, and at 80cm tall it's not something a 65cm dog is going to clear casually. It comes in white or oak finish if that matters to you. The key thing is to mount it into the actual stair newel post and the opposite wall stud — not into plasterboard — and it won't budge. Fitting takes about twenty minutes and the instructions are clear.
That sounds ideal. Is there anything I need to watch out for when fitting it, given how strong he is?
inparticular.ai
Two things. First, use the wall cups that come with it and make sure every screw goes into solid timber — stud or newel post — not plasterboard. If one side is plasterboard, use a wall anchor rated for at least 80kg pull. Second, once it's up, physically lean your full weight against it before you trust it with him. If it flexes at all, add a second fixing point on the side that moved. Malamutes have a sixth sense for the weak point in anything. Get those fixings solid and this gate will outlast his interest in testing it.
Perfect, thank you. I'll measure up and order it today.
inparticular.ai
Good plan. Search for Safetots Extra Wide Wooden Stair Gate on Amazon UK — it's usually fulfilled by Amazon so delivery is quick. Measure twice before you buy any extension bars, and if your opening is right at 78cm you may not need one at all. Good luck with him — Malamutes are a lot of dog, but they do settle down.
