Puppy playpen - ideas?

[Elizabeth M.]

I'm trying for an alternative to crating my puppy when I am gone to work. Abbi is now 12 weeks old and I have had her for 3 weeks. Has anyone used the puppy playpen idea suggested in Ian Dunbar's book? I am wondering about the "indoor toilet". What have you used? I tried several layers of newspapers, but my pup-girl just chewed it. I have also tried the training pads that have puppy "attractant" on them. The first time, a 4 hour stretch, she did well and piddled on the pad. The second time for 6 hours, she did not go at all - and did have water. Yesterday I tried a whole day. She peed on the pad and also around the area on the ceramic floor. I'm thinking of taping a couple pads to cover a larger area. Is there anything else that would be absorbent and a good "potty" liner? My other concern is that I am making this place in the house OK to eliminate. This morning I discovered a puddle in the potty area apparently done while I was getting ready for work. How does Abbi know when it's OK to pee in the house and when it's not? Maybe we just need some more time? I just want to make sure I am not confusing her. I appreciate any comments and advice!

 

[charlieinnj]

How does Abbi know when it's OK to pee in the house and when it's not?

One answer: She doesn't.

I would not be a fan of the puppy playpen idea. With regard to house-breaking, using the crate (if it's properly sized) makes it a bit easier because she will not want to soil where she sleeps. You want to keep her 'crate area' small enough so that she doesn't tend to go to one end to potty while keeping the other end, clean. For a while, you're going to have accidents but it will get better.

 

[Shel]

Personally, I prefer to use an outdoor pen. The pup can be left with food, water, shelter, shade, toys, a wading pool, etc... and she can enjoy the sights and sounds of the neighbourhood. Being a tad paranoid, I always padlock my kennel/pen to ensure no one lets her out. The pup can get exercise and move about while you're gone and you don't have to worry about getting home in time to let her out. Little puppies have little bladders.

 

[twright1231]

One answer: She doesn't.

I would not be a fan of the puppy playpen idea. With regard to house-breaking, using the crate (if it's properly sized) makes it a bit easier because she will not want to soil where she sleeps. You want to keep her 'crate area' small enough so that she doesn't tend to go to one end to potty while keeping the other end, clean. For a while, you're going to have accidents but it will get better.

I'm with Charlie on this one. If you make it really inconvenient for her to eliminated in her own area, she will learn to wait. Then, when you let her outside and put her where you want her to go, then have a great big potty party everytime she gets it right, she'll learn in no time.

Boaz did not like the crate at all. I was fortunate to work from home 3 days per week so I could attend to him. Sure, he had mishaps, but now he will hold it until whenever. With traffic and unplanned late work hours, he's held it for 11 hours (not something we commonly do).

We got Ty when he was 14 months, and he was used to being outside in the kennel all the time, roaming in a good sized enclosed area. He never had to think about where it was ok to eliminate, so he did it when ever, where ever he wanted to. This did not transition well to learning to be an inside dog. We got through it though, with persistance.

Good luck with your new baby!

 

[NewfK9]

When Piper was a baby, I was still working, I paid a babysitter to come in 2-3 times a day to let him out, she enjoyed the time with him and he with her wards. Might give that a try.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

How does Abbi know when it's OK to pee in the house and when it's not? Maybe we just need some more time? I just want to make sure I am not confusing her. I appreciate any comments and advice!

She needs more time in the crate. Crate training really works to house train. Newspapers and pads only reinforce that it is ok to go in the house, so getting her to go outside when you want will be difficult and will be cofused. How many hours do you work? Pups that age still need to go out every few hours. Can you come home at lunch time or have someone come in during the day? You are better off doing that and having her safe in a crate.

 

[Elizabeth M.]

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts. You've supported what I was thinking. Abbi does not mind her crate. She has graduated into the next size, so she can lie on her side and stretch out. I will scratch the "indoor toilet" idea and keep working with her on going outside. She knows to go outside, but not yet clear on NOT going inside. Puppy class begins next week. She is already learning "sit" and "down" - as opposed to "off" which she hears plenty! EAT is her favorite word, though. :nod:

 

[dumainedogs]

The issue for me on this question is the amount of time the puppy is being asked to hold it. With Obie, I used both a crate and a puppy pen with a newspaper/potty area as options related to his age.. and the length of time he would have to go between potty breaks. At first, when he was young, I would use the pen on occasion, but I still had my neighbor letting him out every 2-4 hours. As he got older and could hold it longer, he moved to the crate but was still being offered an opportunity to go out at 2-4 hour intervals. 6 to 8 hour stretches might be asking a bit much of a 12 week old.

 

[Garden_girl]

Yesterday I tried a whole day

What is a whole day? If it means 8 hours, Abbi will not be able to hold it in her crate for a whole day.

 

[NewfMom]

When we had our first newf I couldn't come home at lunch so I put her crate in our laundry room and put papers on the rest of the laundry room floor. Maybe I was lucky but she didn't have any trouble picking up potty training and as she got older would wait until I got home.

I did come home one day and find her on top of the dryer looking out the window though :lol:

 

[Bojie]

When Bojie was a wee baby, and I was housebreaking him, I crate trained him, and had a dog sitter come in so that he was taken out every four hours. I never wanted to train him to go inside the house, although that might make it easier for you now, it definitely will not be in a couple of months. These dogs have ginormous bladders, which make for what seems like gallons of urine, and along with that GINORMOUS poop, which should be done outside. Although it's hard to imagine at your pups age now, they grow so quickly, and along with their bodies everything else grows too. I'd advise you to keep her in the crate while you are not at home, as long as she gets a break during the day at least once or twice. Its what's safest for her. If I put Bojie in a puppy play pen, he would've ripped it to shreds! And God only knows what he could've gotten into! Safety is number one at the age your pup is at. I used this book, as though it was my bible for training Bojie when he was a pup: It's called the Art of Rasing a Puppy, by the Monks of New Skete. It was wonderful! http://www.walmart.com/ip/471581?sourceid=1500000000000003260340&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=471581