A question came in on the same day from two directions: how do you set this up on concrete, when you cannot put the poles in the ground and there are no deck gaps? It is a fair question, and the answer is not the one we would like to give.
On a solid concrete pad, this fence does not anchor. Neither version does. We would rather you know that before you book the site than after you unpack the bag.
What each version actually holds onto
There are two anchoring methods and both need something to bite into.
The Basic Ver 2 stands on hexagonal alloy ground stakes, 18 per set, driven in to a printed guide line, with guy lines running off the top. Those stakes are the whole reason the wall stays put when a dog leans on it. Take them away and you have a fabric panel standing on its own, which will move.
The All-in-One 2-in-1 ships with deck clamps as well as forged stakes. The clamps grip the edge of a board, which means they need a gap between boards to reach through. That is exactly what a poured slab does not have.
Surfaces, one by one
Grass and soil. This is what the Basic was built for. Stakes go in, guy lines take the top, and the bottom hem sits flush to the ground.
Sand. Stakes go in easily. Holding power depends on how packed the sand is, so use the guy lines rather than relying on the stakes alone.
Slatted or planked decking. This is the All-in-One case. Clamps onto the boards, no stakes needed.
Gravel. It depends on what is under the gravel and how deep it runs. A thin gravel layer over soil takes a stake. A deep bed of large stone often will not let one seat properly. We have not tested this across enough sites to give you a rule, so treat it as check on arrival rather than count on it.
Poured concrete, asphalt, a solid patio. Neither method works. There is nothing to drive a stake into and nothing for a clamp to grip.
What to do about it
The practical answer is to check the surface before you commit to a site. Most campgrounds describe their pads, and the phrase to look for is what the tent area is made of rather than what the parking pad is made of. Plenty of sites have a concrete or gravel pad for the vehicle and grass alongside it, and grass alongside it is all you need.
If you are choosing between the two versions and you know some of your sites are decked, the All-in-One is the one that covers both surfaces, because it carries the clamps and the stakes together.
And if every site you use is a solid pad, we would rather say plainly that this is not the right fence for you than sell you one and have it sit in the bag.
Which one to look at
HOUT Pet Fence Basic Ver 2. Coated polyester on an aluminium-alloy frame, about 30 in (76 cm) tall, hexagonal alloy stakes and guy lines included. One set is 6 panels, roughly 29 linear ft, and sets zip together to grow. From $116.99.
HOUT All-in-One 2-in-1 Pet Fence. The same fence with deck clamps included alongside the forged stakes, for decking, patios with board gaps, and open ground. From $127.45.
Questions we get
Can I weight it down instead of staking it? We have not tested the fence that way and will not tell you it holds. What we can say is that the stakes and guy lines are what the wall is engineered around, so anything else is your own arrangement rather than ours.
Will the clamps damage my deck boards? They grip the board edge rather than screwing into it. On a finished deck we would still put them where a mark would not show, the same way you would with any clamp.
My site is half grass, half concrete. Does that work? Yes, as long as the run of panels you are staking sits on the grass. The pen does not have to be a square, so shape it onto the surface that holds.
If you are not sure what your site is made of, send us the campground page and we will tell you which version fits, or whether neither does.