Well, here is a pleasant surprise: A company that offers support for dog-related products that were purchased years ago – even more than a decade ago!
I bought this gate a long time ago. It was for sure more than 10 years, because I have been living in my current northern California town for more than 10 years, and I bought it (and used it for at least a few years) in my old rental home in the San Francisco Bay area. And it’s easily the best dog or baby gate I’ve ever had, which is why I brought it with me when I moved.
But I didn’t install it in our new house after I moved. We didn’t have a dog who needed gating at the time. And by the time we did need a gate, I couldn’t find the hardware I needed to install it properly. D’oh! So I have been making do for YEARS with pressure-mounted gates and exercise pens.
So has my sister, who borrowed one of my exercise pens to prevent her dogs from going from her deck, which is accessible through a dog door from her house, into the unfenced front yard. I was there recently and said, “You know, what you need here is a gate like the one I used to have in Alameda…and I think I still have that gate somewhere!” I came home and easily found the gate (in a storage shed), and then quickly remembered the hardware issue. Perhaps, like so many great things today, I could find replacement hardware on the Internet?
I looked all over the gate for a name brand or model number. I found the brand, Kidco, and went straight to the Internet. And lo and behold, at Kidco.com, I found a link for replacement parts, and very easily found a model with the same type of hardware as my dream gate. All the pieces were illustrated, so I could see exactly what parts I needed, and which I did not. The only thing that could have made the process easier was an online order form; instead, I printed out the order form. One can either mail it to the company with a check or fax it to them with a credit card number. For about $15, I will be able to install this terrific gate at my sister’s house (and borrow back my exercise pen!).
The thing that makes this particular gate so great is the hardware. The hardware secures it VERY well- no dog of any size was EVER able push it open, and many tried! It also swings very smoothly and easily, and flattens nicely against the wall when not in use. And it was easy to unlatch and open with one hand; it didn’t require two hands in order to unlock.
I look forward to receiving the replacement parts and fencing my sister’s little dogs in more conveniently and securely. Thanks, Kidco! And thanks, Internet!
