Dog Gate Use Frequently Asked Questions

Once the Mounting Brackets are installed, snap the retractable safety gate into the brackets. The dog gate is interchangeable, so it can be attached to either side of the installation area as desired. The safety gate operates by pulling the handle out from the reel of the gate and hooking it in place to the mounting brackets installed at the opposite side of the installation. Once the gate is hooked into the brackets, push and turn the locking mechanism to lock the gate in place. You are now able to keep your dogs contained!

Our retractable dog gates are secured by a dog-proof push and turn locking mechanism. Because of this, the retractable gate can be locked at any width up to the maximum width of the gate. Locking the retractable safety gate prevents it from being pushed out or pulled down. When you want to pass through the safety gate, simply push and turn the safety locking mechanism to unlock it, unhook the handle side from the brackets, and then guide the handle back into the reel side of the dog gate.

Retract-A-Gate retracts utilizing an internal spring which automatically rewinds the mesh so no manual winding is required. The mesh can only be rewound when the lock has been turned to the open position; and the retraction is quiet, smooth, and steady. The mesh and handle are neatly contained in the reel when fully retracted. Retract-A-Gate is the ONLY retractable safety gate which retracts easily, quietly, and automatically. Because the operation of the dog gate is simple, it can be done with one hand, and only takes a few seconds to do. Our retractable safety gates were engineered and designed with both safety AND convenience in mind and we are confident that you will be satisfied.

Please refer to our Install and Specs page for use and installation instructions and visit our Dog Gate Videos and Reviews page to see Retract-A-Gate in action and hear directly from our customers how much they love their Retract-A-Gate.

Retract-A-Gate was designed from the ground up to offer our customers the best functioning and quality gate on the market. We have extensively tested the other retractable gates for dogs and have found that the main difference between the Retract-A-Gate and the other gates on the market is simply quality. Retract-A-Gate is priced very competitively when you consider the overall quality and value. No other safety gate is as easy to use while keeping your little ones safer. Many of our competitors have complicated parts that are difficult to use. Often times their gates will not stand up to extended use, or they even break easily. You get what you pay for and when it comes to safety, durability, and ease of use, look no further than Retract-A-Gate! Here is a quick list of why Retract-A-Gate is the best option:

• Other dog gates make a loud ratcheting sound when it is retracted; Retract-A-Gate is quiet.
• Retract-A-Gate automatically rewinds when retracted. Some of our competitors require manual rewinding of the mesh.
• Most other retractable gates cannot be easily operated with one hand. Retract-A-Gate truly has simple, one-hand use.

Watch our dog gate videos here!

• Other retractable gates for dogs use complex parts to install them; Retract-A-Gate mounting hardware is simple and easy to install.
• While retracting some of our competitor’s gates, pausing while opening or closing causes them to jam. Retract-A-Gate was engineered to avoid this cumbersome method of use and operates smoothly.
• Retract-A-Gate is made in the U.S.A. while most other gates are made cheaply overseas.
• The mounting hardware for other gates is obvious and stands out; Retract-A-Gate mounting brackets blend in to their surroundings, are clear in color, and extremely durable.
• Retract-A-Gate may be used indoors and outdoors for virtually any installation imaginable.
• The widest our competitors’ retractable gates can cover is 55 inches. The Retract-A-Gate extra wide retractable gate can cover openings up to 72 inches.
• Retract-A-Gates can be connected together to cover wider distances than 72 inches if used for non-critical applications (not for use at the top of stairs). No other retractable gate can do this.
• The mounting brackets for the Retract-A-Gate are universal which means that the doggy gate can be quickly relocated to another area.
• Retract-A-Gate is 34 inches tall which is one of the tallest pet gates available.
• The tough mesh material allows the gate to be used for more than your dog. Retract-A-Gate was engineered for use with both children AND pets.
• Many gates are not easy to use or are not safe. Retract-A-Gate is truly the highest quality, simple to use, retractable safety gate available.

When installing the Retract-A-Gate, there are a few measurements of your installation that you will need to know before you order.

The first measurement you will need to know is the width of the opening you want to install the gate. We offer two Retract-A-Gate models that are 52 and 72 inches wide. These widths are the total distance (gate and brackets) that the dog gate can cover if the gate is installed within an opening. The mounting brackets are about 2.5 inches wide so if you don’t have the 2.5 inches of surface area necessary to mount your retractable gate, the brackets can also mount around the corner of the doorway, either on the door molding or on the wall. If you install the gate on the outside of an opening however, the mounting brackets will not contribute to the maximum width of the gate.

The next measurement you will need for installation is the position of the brackets. The wall brackets must be mounted about 3 and 30.5 inches off the floor and require about 2.5 inches of flat surface to attach to. The positioning of the brackets can be adjusted about an inch up and down if necessary.

Some other measurements that are nice to know are the height of the mesh, the height of the lock, and the size of the gate when retracted. The height of the scratch resistant mesh is 34 inches and the total height to the top of the lock is less than 38 inches. When completely retracted, Retract-A-Gate is less than 4 inches in diameter. When the retractable dog gate is mounted within a doorway, most doors will still be able to close with the mounting hardware and dog gate in place.

The last measurement you will need is if there are baseboards where you will be installing your Retract-A-Gate. You must measure the height and thickness of your baseboard to determine if the bottom bracket needs to be installed to the baseboard. If this is the case, or if the baseboard is thicker than 0.25 inches, you will need a Wall Spacer Set. For more information on wall spacers, go to the Wall Spacer section on our Online Store page where all the information about whether you will need a spacer set or not is located.

For a normal doorway, hallway, or walk-way installation with the bracket screws attached into a solid wall or molding that is flush to the floor with no obstructions (no stairs or baseboard interference), no other accessories should be needed and the installation parts that come with each gate should be sufficient. For other installations where baseboards are present or for other more complicated installations on stairs, for example, we have several accessories available to make those installations easy. More information about each of our accessories and whether you need them can be found on our Online Store page.

Yes! Retract-A-Gate is certified and extensively tested for use at the top and bottom of the stairs and because of the safety gate’s engineering and design; it can withstand a push out force of up to 200 pounds. With many staircases, often-times you will need to install to a banister post one of two ways. The first is to attach the wall brackets directly onto your baluster or newel post (stair post). In order to install this way, your banister post needs to have a 3-inch-wide flat surface at about 3-4 and 30.5 inches from the floor for the mounting brackets to be screwed into. The second way is needed if your banister post is circular in shape or is less than 3 inches wide where the brackets need to attach, then you can use the Stair Banister Adapter Kit found on our Online Store. The brackets that come with each dog gate screw into the adapter, then that assembly straps to your stair post using the straps provided with the kit. The Banister Adapter can accommodate banister posts or spindles that are up to seven inches by seven inches in size. If attaching to smaller spindles, our Banister Adapters are designed with a groove in the back of the adapter that is able to fit around spindles or iron posts about 1 inch or less.

When installing at the top of stairs we recommend you mount the retractable safety gate a minimum of 6 inches back from the edge of the top step. Because the mesh of the gate is made of a flexible material, if installed at the edge of the top step, the mesh can be pushed out a few inches which will create a gap at the bottom of the gate. If this is a problem for you, the Retract-A-Gate can be installed diagonally away from the top step, which can help achieve the 6-inch requirement. See FAQ #6 for more information. If angling the retractable dog gate also is not an option, you may be able to block off near-by passage ways that would restrict access to the stairs.

When installing at the bottom of stairs, we recommend mounting the Retract-A-Gate on the floor in front of the steps to keep it at the lowest level. This helps to minimize the risk of falls from a higher spot. Some layouts may not be conducive to allow for an easy installation at the lowest level, however, due to curved steps or recessed walls. For those configurations, installing up a step can be done if certain safety considerations are taken. If you have a stairs configuration like this, contact us if you need help determining the best way to install Retract-A-Gate on a step.

If you are going to attach both sides of your dog gate to stair posts or spindles, you will need two Banister Adapter Kits (one adapter for each post). We offer 36 inch tall and 48 inch tall adapters. The 36-inch adapter will work for most installations, but we offer the 48-inch adapter if you are installing to a taller post(s). Some posts are rounded in different areas or are narrow in the middle. The adapter will span over narrow or rounded areas to provide a surface to install the brackets to. If the distance from the floor to the area of the post that the adapter must reach is greater than 36 inches, you will need the 48-inch adapter. If the adapter is too tall for your needs, it can be cut shorter (using a saw) to avoid standing taller than your stair post. If you cut your adapter, do not cut it shorter than 32 inches. More detailed information and full installation instructions can be found on our Install & Specs Page.

Yes! The Mounting Brackets that the gate hooks into allows the dog gate to pivot at any angle up to 180 degrees which will open up numerous mounting options. Most other retractable dog gates on the market do not have this ability. If installing at the top of stairs, the Retract-A-Gate can be angled away from the stairs to increase the gap between the gate and the top step in order to achieve the required 6 inch gap between the gate and the top step. If installing the gate for dogs at an angle, be sure to install the brackets so the opening of the brackets are facing away from the gate.

The Retract-A-Gate is versatile and therefore can be mounted virtually anywhere to virtually any surface. Other than installing to drywall, some other common installation surfaces are listed below along with what you need to consider for that surface.

Bookcase or cabinet: We recommend installing to a bookcase or a cabinet only if the bookcase or cabinet is stable (wall-mounted). The screws that come with the gate are 2 inches long so you may need to put a backer board on the inside wall of the bookcase (or cabinet) if the wall is thin. If the cabinet walls are thin, the backer board will allow the screws to bite into more wood, will help strengthen the wall, and will minimize screws poking through the wall of the cabinet or bookcase. If installing to a cabinet with a counter top overhang, the wall spacers or blocks of wood can be used under both the top and bottom brackets to push the brackets out from under the overhang and allow the safety gate to be attached.

Brick, stone, concrete, or mortar: The hardware that comes with the gate can only be used for wooden surfaces. If installing to brick, stone, concrete, or mortar, you will need appropriate masonry anchors which you can purchase at any hardware store. Just take our screws to your hardware store and have them size an appropriate masonry anchor for you. If you need to use different length screws than the ones provided, you will need a #6 flathead screw to fit the included finishing washers. When installing to stone or rough textured surfaces which do not provide flat surfaces for the brackets, another option for installation would be to fasten a board to the surface using similar anchors and then attach the brackets to the board using the wood screws that come with the gate.

Fiberglass: The mounting screws will not hold in fiberglass alone. We always recommend mounting the brackets to the support/stud behind the fiberglass if possible; otherwise you need to use appropriate anchors or a backer board that will work with your fiberglass.

Vinyl siding on a house: You cannot attach the brackets to vinyl siding alone, however, if there is solid wood sheeting/boards underneath the siding (this is normally the case) then you will be able to install the brackets there.

Of course! Our dog gate has been extensively tested in outdoor uses with flawless results. Our facility is in Dubuque, IA and we have also tested the retractable safety gate outside during a full Iowa winter, again, with flawless results. When installed outdoors, we do recommend you bring the Retract-A-Gate inside during freezing temperatures to help keep the mechanisms from being affected with snow or ice build-up.

We do have a disclaimer for outdoor use. Anything, including a Retract-A-Gate, which is left outside will have a shorter lifespan when compared to only indoor use. Retract-A-Gate has been designed to be UV resistant, however something to be aware of is that some fading or degradation due to extended sun exposure is possible, but overall, those effects should be minimal.

If you are installing to Trex or composite decking, the composite posts will normally have a 4×4 treated or cedar post inside them. If this is the case, we recommend pre-drilling the screw holes and using #6 flat head stainless steel screws the same size as the ones we provide. Stainless steel will hold up the best when used with treated wood which is normally used for outdoor decks, patios and other structures. You can also attach the wall brackets to your house siding if there is solid wood underneath.

Currently, we are unable to make a custom size gate. With that said, there are a few different options you can choose from to cover an opening wider than 72 inches:

Option 1: Your best bet would be to connect multiple Retract-A-Gates together using our Gate Connecter Straps. How this works is the safety gates are daisy chained together by connecting the handle rod of the 1st gate to the reel-side tie rod of the 2nd gate (and so on) as shown in the photos below. This daisy chain process can be repeated with all the gates you would need to make up the distance required. When using this option, the gates can still be retracted and locked using one hand. Just be sure to remember that you must lock all the connected gates so that none of the gates continue to retract out when the barrier is pushed on by a dog.

This solution is only for special situations such as non-critical applications or where only a visual barrier is needed. Hooking multiple gates together is not a certified use with children; it is just a special option if you are using the gates for a non-critical application like separating two rooms and need to span an extra-long distance. The Gate Connector Straps can be found on our Online Store.

Option 2: Another way to cover a wider opening would be to install one gate on the left side of the opening and another gate on the right side of the opening and connect the two gates in the middle using the S-Hook Set. This option can only cover distances up to 144 inches when using two 72-inch wide Retract-A-Gates. To connect the two gates together, an S-Hook would latch the two handle rods in the top and the bottom cutouts (where the brackets normally hook) as shown in the photos below. When using this option, you would need two hands to operate the gates and the process of retracting the gates in and out will be slower, but still very effective to cover a wider space.

This solution is also for special situations such as low traffic areas, non-critical applications, or where only a visual barrier is needed. Using S-Hooks to connect two gates together is not a certified use for children; it is simply a special option for non-critical applications like separating two rooms. If you decide to use this option, the S-Hooks Set is available for purchase on the Online Store page.

Option 3: A 3rd option would be to install a partition post in the center of your opening that the gates could be installed against. This would then allow you to cover the opening by extending in either direction from the post.

Retract-A-Gate has been successfully used with just about every breed of dog. With that said, some breeds of dogs like to burrow and dig. For these dogs, a metal dog gate may be your best option. Even when installed properly, there will be some amount of “give” to the mesh material due to the fact that it needs to be flexible in order to retract. If the dog gate is installed incorrectly there may be too much flexibility in the mesh. By following these guidelines, you can minimize most issues that could arise when using your retractable gate for dogs:

• Always ensure the gate is locked! The retractable safety gate can be locked by pushing and turning the locking mechanism which will prevent the gate from retracting further. Locking the gate will also keep the mesh taut and help prevent your pet from pushing the mesh out and slipping underneath.
• Be sure the base of the safety gate used for dogs is resting on the floor and is not mounted up off the floor at all. When resting on the floor, there should be no more than about 1/4″ gap between the bottom of the mesh and the floor.
• When installing at the top of the stairs, make sure the mesh is at least six inches back from the edge of the step. If the gate is installed right next to the edge of the step, the mesh could be pushed out past the edge which would create a gap that a small pet could squeeze through.
• Both the top and the bottom of the safety gate mesh should have no slack. If there is slack in the bottom of the mesh, it probably means the bottom brackets are too close to each other compared to the spacing between the two upper brackets. To fix this issue, create equal spacing between the two upper brackets and the two lower brackets. To help you do this you could make your own spacer from a block of wood or shim, or we offer Wall Spacer Sets on our Store page.
• You can also tighten the gate by adding additional tension before locking the mesh in place. To do this, turn the roll of fabric (1/8 of a turn clockwise) to tighten the mesh by hand and then, while keeping the tension, lock the gate.

Retract-A-Gate is one of the tallest available with a mesh height of 34 inches. When the gate is locked, the mesh is held in place and will not retract out any further making it difficult to push down. The mesh of the dog gate is thinly spaced which makes the gate difficult for dogs to climb over. Most dogs are unable to jump over the gate unless specifically trained or encouraged to do so. If your dog jumps over the gate, we do have an accessory Clip Set that can be found on the Online Store that allows you to install one gate over another gate. Otherwise, you will need to find a taller dog gate or use a training aid to discourage your dog from trying to jump over.

The mesh of the dog gate is made from a tough, non-toxic, reinforced polymer composite. None of the gate components contain Lead, Phthalate, Latex or BPA chemicals and is formaldehyde free. The safety gate is also UV and Mildew resistant. We have eliminated these chemicals in all our products to avoid putting those types of chemicals around your dogs. You can see through the mesh, yet the mesh is very durable and in other applications the mesh is used as truck tarps to hold down cargo.

If you would like a sample of the mesh, email us at info@SmartRetract.com and we will be happy to send you a fabric sample of the Café, White and Black Retract-A-Gate mesh. Just include your name and mailing address so we can send you the samples.

The dog gate can be cleaned with mild soap and water. If you are dealing with stubborn stains that will not come out with soap, you can use rubbing alcohol without damaging or degrading the integrity of the safety gate.

We’ve taken careful efforts to price our gates, barriers, and accessory items fairly, and because of that Retract-A-Gate offers the most value of any dog gate available – this is our pledge to you! We don’t churn promotions or discounts on overpriced items or do other marketing tricks that end up doing little more than filling up your inbox. Our focus is on bringing you the best retractable dog gate and the best support and service at a fair price – making Retract-A-Gate the best value of any gate in its class! On the occasions when we do have public specials or promotional drawings, we will announce those on our Online Store in Step 1 of the Check Out section. If we have a general discount or promotion to offer you, that’s where it will be.

Bow Wow Barrier is most frequently used on an outside door to stop your dog or pet from getting out of your house, or if you prefer, from getting into your home, when you open the door to leave or to greet someone. To set up the Bow Wow Barrier, first attach two brackets to the molding, wall, or door frame, and then attach two brackets to your door. After the brackets are installed, connect the barrier reel to the wall side and then hook the handle side into the mounting brackets attached to the door. The barrier mesh will pull out when the door is opened or retract automatically into the Bow Wow Barrier reel when the door closes. If you need to step through the door, simply unhook the handle from the brackets on the door, walk through, and then just let the mesh retract into the reel. You can also reattach the handle to the door to keep the barrier in place, and the door blocked, for the next time it opens. The Bow Wow Barrier is very fast and easy to use and does a great job of keeping your dogs or pets from running out the door when you open it.

Here are some of the similarities and differences between the two, to help you determine which product is right for you.

Similarities:

• The same durable, scratch resistant fabric is used for both products.
• The height of the mesh is the same at 34 inches tall.
• The mounting brackets used to install both products are the same.
• Both products come in the same color, White and Café (there is also a Black color option for Retract-A-Gate)
• Both products retract, automatically in the same fashion, into a 4-inch diameter roll.

Differences:

• The Bow Wow Barrier is for pet use only whereas the Retract-A-Gate is certified for use with dogs, pets, and children.
• The Bow Wow Barrier is only used when opening your door, so your dog is unable to run outside. Retract-A-Gate is used to block off an area in or out of the house for longer periods of time.
• Because the Bow Wow Barrier is only used when the door is opened, it does not need a lock; the Retract-A-Gate is equipped with a childproof lock to secure the gate in place.
• The Bow Wow Barrier opens and closes automatically when your door is opened or closed. Retract-A-Gate can do this too, but it has other features which aren’t needed for an intermittent door-opening type pet barrier.
• Retract-A-Gate is either 52 or 72 inches wide depending on the model; the Bow Wow Barrier is only for exterior door use and will open to a maximum of 28 inches wide.
• The screws used to install the Bow Wow Barrier to the door are 1-inch long; all Retract-A-Gate screws are 2-inches long so it can be installed anywhere in and out of the home.