# Puppy playpen / crate or both..



## Mandamoo (Jul 7, 2012)

Hiya, this is my first posting on here, I have read and read lots of threads and pieces on the Internet and although I have found them all really informative in their own ways they have left me confused to say the least about the best way to house train a puppy!
I will be getting a 12 wk mini schnauzer / bichon frise cross in a few weeks and have bn trying to plan ahead so there is the least stress on our new family member.
With regards house training, I know my young man is still a baby, but I'm confused as to the best way to help him with his toileting.... Some post say keep him in a crate with just his bed and chew toys, others say in a play pen with his bed, chew toys an news paper ...... Now although I dont like the idea of cooping him up soley in a crate whilst I am out at work (4 hours max ), I don't really like the idea of newspaper either, I don't want him to get in to the habit of doing his business indoors..... I have set in place for ppl to come in every hour to take him out to toilet, so am I best keeping him soley in a crate so he will learn hopefully to hold his bladder or should I use a playpen too?? I just don't know what would be most beneficial for him and don't want to confuse him ( 
Any views would be great fully received ( and sorry it's such a rambled post haha )


----------



## Phoolf (Jun 13, 2012)

I think it depends on your house, mine just wouldn't permit for a playpen unless I threw out some furniture so I just went with a crate and toileting has been fine. My pup was always watched like a hawk so we had very few accidents. I would put her in her crate, take her out every hour and if she went to pee then I would play with her for 30 mins or so before putting her back in the crate, rinse and repeat.


----------



## hayleyth (May 9, 2012)

With all my pups they would only go in crate at night an when we were not in house. They went out toilet every half hour and after sleep, exercise, food etc. i dont think it works very well keeping them crated


----------



## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Mandamoo said:


> Hiya, this is my first posting on here, I have read and read lots of threads and pieces on the Internet and although I have found them all really informative in their own ways they have left me confused to say the least about the best way to house train a puppy!
> I will be getting a 12 wk mini schnauzer / bichon frise cross in a few weeks and have bn trying to plan ahead so there is the least stress on our new family member.
> With regards house training, I know my young man is still a baby, but I'm confused as to the best way to help him with his toileting.... Some post say keep him in a crate with just his bed and chew toys, others say in a play pen with his bed, chew toys an news paper ...... Now although I dont like the idea of cooping him up soley in a crate whilst I am out at work (4 hours max ), I don't really like the idea of newspaper either, I don't want him to get in to the habit of doing his business indoors..... I have set in place for ppl to come in every hour to take him out to toilet, so am I best keeping him soley in a crate so he will learn hopefully to hold his bladder or should I use a playpen too?? I just don't know what would be most beneficial for him and don't want to confuse him (
> Any views would be great fully received ( and sorry it's such a rambled post haha )


Personally I have never used paper or pads, it can confuse the issue as the association with the paper can give the cue that its acceptable to go in the house same with pads especially if they were doing it indoors at the breeders on paper or pads.

I always take mine in the garden as soon as I get home carrying them through so that they dont pee on the floor, usually they really need to go, so usually you get instant success.

Ive always been home with mine, so it is easier, I take them out every 30/45 minutes at first, when they start to go use a word of choice for toileting, eventually used every time from the start they associate the word with going, so later once learned you can use it as a toilet cue. When finished lots of praise and treats, to re-enforce that its what you want. They usually need to go too after drinking, eating, play and sleeping so pop them out then.
If they have accidents dont tell them off as it can make them nervous about going in front of you and more likely to sneak off and do it. Also cean accidents up with a special pet stain/odour remover as smells left can encourage repeats in the same places. At night I used to sleep down stairs for the first couple of weeks so that when they woke or stirred I could pop them out, you should over the couple of weeks find that they need to go less and less until they go through until early morning. Some people have them in a crate in their bedrooms so they can pop them out. Others set and alarm if they are no within sight and sound of them and pop them out that way. it is a lot of work initially but by constantly taking them out and praising when they get it right it pays off. Look out for circling sniffing and scratching at the floor, thats usually a sign they are looking for somewhere to go, so get them out quick, you dont often see this at first though as when small they often dont recognise the need to go or realise too late. When small pups their bladders are small so they havent got great capacity to hold big amounts for long periods, but with time as they grow they can then hold larger amounts for longer times. Also with four meals a day obviously they will defeacate more too for the same reason.

If you are going to use an enclosed crate, you will need to introduce the crate and crate train her, if they have never seen one, or been in one, some can freak badly and done wrongly they wont take to it and you will have an ongoing battle, some get on better with it earlier then others, so it can take a bit of time to get them happy and settled in the crate. Obvious same with a puppy pen although as its not so confining you may find that may be quicker especially as she is going to be left for 4 hours even though someone will be popping in. Obviously you will need one big enough and high enough so she cant jump out as she gets bigger too.

if you are going to use a crate especially and havent used one before then seek crate training advice.


----------



## leaky5 (Jul 11, 2012)

We are using a playpen for Penny, we have put a pad in one end and she does use it some times. She has an iorn bladder for an 11 wk old !. We only she her go a few times a day.
We leave the gate open during the day, unless she is sleeping. Also if she falls alseep somewhere else, we put her into the pen. Trying to get her more used to it for when we have to leave her. I am working from home this week, so have retreated to an upstairs room for a couple of hours.


----------

