Have a Fenced Yard and a Dog? Here's How Your Robot Mower Gets Through the Fence
One of the most common things we hear from new robotic mower owners goes something like this: "It's great, but it only mows the backyard." The fence that keeps the dog in also keeps the mower out of half the lawn. So you end up carrying the mower from one yard to the other, or propping the gate open and hoping the dog doesn't notice.
The Segway Navimow MowGate was built to fix exactly that problem. We've been installing them for customers across Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, and it's quickly become one of the accessories people thank us for most.
A doggy door, but for your mower
Think of the MowGate as a small, smart pet door that sits at the bottom of your fence. It's a heavy steel frame with two swinging panels, sized for the mower to drive through. The panels stay locked until your Navimow pulls up to them.
When the mower approaches, a sensor in the gate picks up a magnet on the mower. But the gate doesn't just open. First, the mower does a full 360-degree scan of the area to make sure no pets are nearby. Only once the coast is clear does the gate unlock and let the mower through. After it passes, the gate swings shut and locks itself again.
For pet owners, that sequence is the whole point. Your mower gets access to the entire property, and your dog doesn't get a new escape route.
What changes day to day
With a MowGate in place, your mower can move between zones on its own schedule. It can mow the front yard in the morning and the back in the afternoon without you touching anything. It can also head back through the gate to its charging station when the battery runs low, even if the station is on the other side of the fence.
The gate runs on four D batteries and lasts up to about nine months, which covers most of a mowing season. There's no wiring, no outlet, and no trenching. A light on the gate tells you when the batteries are getting low.
Will it work with my fence?
Most likely. The MowGate is designed for the three fence types we see most: wood, metal picket (aluminum or steel), and wire mesh like chain link or welded wire. It needs a flat, level spot along the fence line, with some open space on each side so the mower can line up.
Installation means cutting a roughly 37 × 22 inch opening at the bottom of the fence and securing the gate into it. On wood fences, we build a simple wood frame that gets set into the ground and leveled first, so the gate sits square even if the fence isn't. On aluminum fences, we cut the pickets at the top of the gate and bolt the gate to what's left, which gives a clean, factory-looking finish. Wire fences use Navimow's included feet and braces.
If you're handy, you can do it yourself. We've put together a free step-by-step installation guide with diagrams and photos from real installs. If you'd rather not cut into your fence, that's what we're here for.
Which mowers work with it?
The MowGate works with most current Navimow models: the X4 series (X430 and X450), X3, i2 AWD, i2 LiDAR, i1, H2, and Terranox. On the X4 and Terranox, the magnet is already built in. For the other models, a small magnet holder mounts to the underside of the mower, and it comes in the box. The older H1 series isn't supported.
Quick answers to common questions
Can my dog push the gate open? No. The panels stay locked unless the mower is right there and has finished its pet scan.
What happens if my dog is standing next to the gate when the mower arrives? The mower waits. It won't trigger the unlock until the area is clear.
Does it hold up to weather? Yes. The frame is high-strength steel, and the gate is rated IPX6 for rain and moisture.
Do I need Wi-Fi at the gate? No. The gate talks to the mower directly. You set it up once in the Navimow app by guiding the mower through, and after that it just works.
Is it hard to maintain? Not really. Swap the batteries when the light turns red, brush off the dirt now and then, and lube the frame once a season.
Get the whole yard mowed
If your robotic mower is stuck on one side of the fence, the MowGate is the upgrade that makes it feel finished. Zippy Lawnz is an authorized Segway Navimow dealer and service center. We can add a MowGate to a new mower installation or retrofit one for a Navimow you already own.
Download our free MowGate Installation Guide
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