Home / Dog Gear & Reviews / Best Tall Dog Gates
The 5 Best Tall Dog Gates of 2026, Researched & Compared
By Michael Probert · Published October 2026
The short answer
Use a hardware-mounted gate at the top of stairs, and keep pressure-mounted gates for doorways and hallways. Regalo's page for its pressure-mounted gate says, “To prevent falls, never use at top of stairs,” and North States' FAQ says only a hardware-mounted gate is approved for stairway use.
Honest, reader-supported picks. We may earn a commission from some links on this page, at no extra cost to you — it never changes which gates we recommend. Our picks are research-led; see How We Research & Choose. We don't test the products we cover.
At Honest Hound, we read the maker pages for five tall gates, plus the Chewy page wherever we could read one, and compared height, opening range, mount type and door. Below: pressure versus hardware mounting, the five gates side by side, where height stops helping, how to size an opening, and what we left out.
Pressure-mounted, hardware-mounted or free-standing?
| Type | What the maker pages we read say |
|---|---|
| Pressure-mounted | Regalo: “Easy set up with pressure mounts,” with wall cups required and never for the top of stairs. North States (Riverstone FAQ): not for the top of a stairway; the mounting cups should be used. |
| Hardware-mounted | Regalo 1255B: mounting hardware included, mounted at least 6 inches back from the front edge of the stair. North States: only a hardware-mounted gate is approved for stairway use. |
| Free-standing | Carlson Design Paw: no wall mounting or drilling; suited to hallways, doorways and the bottom of stairs. |
“Walk-through” describes the door, not the mount: four of the five gates below have one, and they differ in how they mount. Quotes are from the named maker pages as we read them on October 23, 2026.
At a glance: all 5 picks
| Pick | Height (in) | Opening range (in, as published) | Mount | Door | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Regalo 1255B top of stairs | 36 (38 installed) | 24–40.5, no extensions | Hardware | Walk-through; swings both ways with third locks off | $25–75 |
| 2. Carlson 36-inch 0941 PW | 36 | 29–31 as shipped; 34–36.5 with 4-inch extension | Pressure, wall cups | Walk-through 16.5 in, plus small pet door | $25–75 |
| 3. Frisco Steel Extra Tall 40-inch | 40 | 29–32 as shipped; 36–38 with 6.9-inch extension | Pressure, wall cups | Self-closing walk-through | $25–75 |
| 4. Regalo Easy Step 1166B | 36 | 29–31.5 as shipped; 34–36.5 with 4-inch extension | Pressure, wall cups | Walk-through 16 in | Band not confirmed: check the listing |
| 5. Carlson Design Paw 2870 | 28 | 40–70, no extensions | Free-standing | No door | $75–150 |
Price bands, not exact prices. Tap any pick to jump to its write-up.
The picks
1. Regalo Extra Tall Top of Stairs Gate (model 1255B) — Hardware-mounted, made for the top of stairs
Regalo's page gives a 36-inch gate that stands 38 inches tall once installed, for openings from 24 to 40.5 inches, with a 2-inch gap between bars and a walk-through door that swings both ways when the third locks are off. It is hardware-mounted: the mounting hardware is included, and the page says the gate must be mounted at least 6 inches back from the front edge of the stair and notes that the door swings away from the stairs. Regalo says no additional extensions are available. The page is written for children from 6 to 24 months and adds that the gate can be used for medium to large dogs; it gives no dog weight or force limit. Chewy's retailer listing for the same gate says it requires hardware mounting and gives a one-size width of 40.5 inches and a height of 36 inches.
$25–75 · Check it at Chewy → · Regalo's page →
2. Carlson 36-Inch Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate with Small Pet Door (model 0941 PW) — Pressure-mounted, with a small pet door
Carlson's page gives 36 inches tall, 29 to 31 inches wide as shipped and 34 to 36.5 inches with the included 4-inch extension, and says it does not fit spaces between 31 and 34 inches. It adds a 16.5-inch door, a small pet door of 7.5 by 7.75 inches (Chewy's retailer listing gives 8 by 8), a 2- to 2.5-inch gap between bars and an all-steel frame. It is a pressure mount with wall cups, and Carlson says hardware is included for the required wall mounting. Carlson calls it ideal for larger or active dogs and says the height suits taller dogs or any pet that tends to jump over traditional gates; that is the maker's claim, with no jump-height figure behind it.
$25–75 · Check it on Amazon → · Check it at Chewy → · Carlson's page →
3. Frisco Steel Extra Tall Auto-Close Dog Gate, 40-Inch — Self-closing, with a one-line jump warning
Frisco is Chewy's own brand, and Chewy's listing gives 40 inches tall; 29 to 32 inches wide as shipped and 36 to 38 inches with the included 6.9-inch extension; and an all-steel frame with a double-lock release and a self-closing door that stays open when pushed past 90 degrees. It is a pressure mount, and Chewy says the wall cups must be installed for proper use, with the included screws or the double-sided foam tape. The same page puts the bar spacing at 1.8 to 2.5 inches and says determined pets may be able to jump over the gate.
$25–75 · Check it at Chewy →
4. Regalo Easy Step Extra Tall Walk-Through Gate (model 1166B) — Pressure-mounted, with a never-at-the-top-of-stairs warning
Regalo gives 36 inches tall; 29 to 31.5 inches wide as shipped and 34 to 36.5 inches with the included 4-inch extension, up to three extensions in total; a 16-inch door; a 2-inch bar gap; and an all-metal frame. It is a pressure mount, and the page's warnings say, “You must install wall cups to keep gate in place” and “To prevent falls, never use at top of stairs.” Like Regalo's other page here, it is written for children from 6 to 24 months and adds that it can also be used for medium to large dogs. We could not read a retailer page for this model, so the link goes to Regalo.
Band not confirmed: check the listing · See it at Regalo →
5. Carlson Design Paw Extra Tall Extra Wide Freestanding Gate (model 2870) — Free-standing and extra-wide, but only 28 inches tall
This is the no-drill, extra-wide option, and the shortest gate here. Carlson gives 28 inches tall and 40 to 70 inches wide, with no extensions, a wood-finish frame with black metal bars, non-slip rubber feet and a folding design. The page says the freestanding design eliminates wall mounting or drilling, that it suits hallways, doorways and the bottom of stairs, and that it accommodates small to large breeds. At 28 inches it is 8 to 12 inches shorter than the other four (our arithmetic from the published heights of 36 to 40 inches), so it is the pick for width, not height.
$75–150 · Check it on Amazon → · See it at Carlson →
Where height stops helping
Height is the reason to buy a tall gate, and it is also the claim we can least check. Carlson says its 36-inch gate's height suits taller dogs or any pet that tends to jump over traditional gates. No page we read gives a jump height, a dog weight or a force limit for any gate, so we treat height as the figure most worth comparing for a dog that jumps, and as no guarantee: Chewy's Frisco 40-inch page itself says determined pets may be able to jump over it.
Two of the five maker pages are written mainly for babies. Regalo's 1255B and 1166B pages say “Made for children 6-24 months” and then add that the gates can be used for medium to large dogs. The warnings on those pages are child-gate warnings, and we found no dog-specific instruction on either page.
How to size an opening
1. Measure the opening, then compare it with the published ranges, not just the minimum and maximum. Three of the five publish two separate ranges, one as shipped and one with the included extension, so an opening between them fits neither. Carlson states the gap for the 0941 (31 to 34 inches). For the Regalo 1166B and the Frisco 40-inch we worked the gap out from the two published ranges: about 31.5 to 34 inches and 32 to 36 inches. That is our arithmetic, not a maker statement.
2. Follow the maker's installation notes. Regalo's 1166B page says to make sure the gate is resting against the floor before you begin, and that the gap between the gate and the wall should not exceed 2.5 inches. All three pressure-mounted makers here put wall cups in their instructions, as above.
3. Know what you can add. Regalo's 1166B accepts up to three extensions in total, its 1255B page says no additional extensions are available, the Frisco includes one 6.9-inch extension, and the Design Paw has none.
4. Check the bars. The bar gaps on these pages run from 1.8 to 2.5 inches. Compare that with your dog's size before you buy, particularly for a puppy that will grow into the gate.
What we left out
Two Toddleroo gates from North States, the Riverstone Extra Tall & Wide (36 inches, 29.75 to 52 inches wide) and the Tall Easy Swing & Lock Series 2 listings we read, showed as out of stock on North States' own store when we read it on October 23, 2026, so we did not rank them. We took no figures from pages we could not read, so some well-known gates are missing. This guide will be revisited when stock or specs change.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a pressure-mounted dog gate at the top of stairs?
Not according to two makers' own pages. Regalo's page for its pressure-mounted Easy Step gate says, “To prevent falls, never use at top of stairs,” and North States' FAQ for its Riverstone pressure-mounted gate says only a hardware-mounted gate is approved for stairway use. Regalo's hardware-mounted 1255B page says to mount it at least 6 inches back from the front edge of the stair.
How tall should a gate be for a dog that jumps?
None of the pages we read gives a height rule by dog size. Carlson says its 36-inch gate's height suits taller dogs or any pet that tends to jump over traditional gates, and Chewy's page for the Frisco 40-inch says determined pets may be able to jump over it. We treat height as the figure most worth comparing for a dog that jumps, not as a guarantee.
Will these gates hold a large dog?
The makers make claims, not measured limits. Regalo's 1255B and 1166B pages say the gates can be used for medium to large dogs, Carlson calls its 36-inch gate ideal for larger or active dogs, and its Design Paw page says it accommodates small to large breeds. None of the pages we read gives a dog weight or force limit.
Do pressure-mounted gates need drilling?
The pressure pads do not, but the instructions we read still put cups on the wall. Regalo's 1166B page says you must install wall cups, Chewy's Frisco page says the cups must be installed and can use screws or double-sided foam tape, and Carlson says hardware is included for required wall mounting. Carlson's freestanding Design Paw gate needs no wall mounting.
Can I add an extension kit?
It depends on the model. Regalo's 1166B page says the gate can use a maximum of three extensions and includes one 4-inch extension, while its 1255B page says no additional extensions are available. Chewy's Frisco page says one 6.9-inch extension is included, and the Design Paw gate has none. Check the published ranges first, because the gap between the as-shipped range and the extension range fits neither.
How do I clean and maintain a gate?
Chewy's Frisco page says to wash it with mild detergent, avoid abrasive cleaners and bleach, and check regularly that all hardware and mountings are tight. Regalo's pages for both gates list a wipe-clean feature (“Wipe clean” on the 1255B, “Wipes clean” on the 1166B).
How we chose these picks
We started from current maker pages for tall pressure-mounted, hardware-mounted and free-standing gates and kept models whose pages gave an exact height, an opening range and a mount type, and that we could read on the review date. Specs and instructions come from the named maker page or Chewy page. Bands reflect observed selling prices at our last review. Offers change; check the listing. We don't test the products we cover — see How We Research & Choose for our process and its limits.
Gates are one part of keeping a new dog contained. Our guide to crate training a puppy and the best dog crates cover the other part, and the Dog Gear & Reviews hub rounds up our research-led picks.