# What bottom to use in pen for puppy?



## Phaz23 (May 31, 2020)

Its a little pricey but you could get a large, heavy rubber gym mat that extends past the x-pen boundaries. I use similar flooring in my house to protect my wood floors and the dogs from slipping.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Do you have any friends with any rugs they don't need and willing to part with for free?

We're using a hand-me-down runner (the gray thing) and an ikea rug I got for free.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Phaz23 said:


> Its a little pricey but you could get a large, heavy rubber gym mat that extends past the x-pen boundaries. I use similar flooring in my house to protect my wood floors and the dogs from slipping.
> 
> View attachment 474713


. That looks like a great option. This isn’t something he can dig or chew?


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

I've seen these used for whelping boxes, but he might also chew this.. https://www.amazon.com/✅Washable-Gr...hild=1&keywords=dog+mat&qid=1615997065&sr=8-8

another option https://www.amazon.com/Non-Slip-Abs...ild=1&keywords=dog+mat&qid=1615997097&sr=8-11

One more : https://www.amazon.com/Kluein-Pet-W...ild=1&keywords=dog+mat&qid=1615997097&sr=8-39


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Basil_the_Spoo said:


> Do you have any friends with any rugs they don't need and willing to part with for free?
> 
> We're using a hand-me-down runner (the gray thing) and an ikea rug I got for free.


. I’m afraid of using carpet because I don’t want him learning it’s okay to potty on carpet if he has an accident. I was looking for something smooth and waterproof so I could easily wipe up and properly clean and oopsies.


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## Phaz23 (May 31, 2020)

Skylar said:


> . That looks like a great option. This isn’t something he can dig or chew?


Nope 😊 the ones Im thinking of are just like anti-fatigue mats for offices. They’re thick heavy rubber built for taking on friction.

And speaking of, you could also use the large anti-fatigue mats that go in workshops and garages.



https://www.lowes.com/pd/Rhino-Mats-Black-2-ft-x-6-ft-x-1-in-Diamond-Plate-Anti-Fatigue-Mat/1002750608


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Ava. said:


> I've seen these used for whelping boxes, but he might also chew this..


 thanks Ava, I had seen those too, but they are absorbant which means if he pees, it sinks in and to clean I have to machine wash them and hang it to dry. I didn’t think they would work.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Phaz23 said:


> Nope 😊 the ones Im thinking of are just like anti-fatigue mats for offices. They’re thick heavy rubber built for taking on friction.


 excellent, I think this will work then. Thank you for suggesting it.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

I used rubber garage tiles from home depot. With pee pads underneath in case of accidents. They smell terrible when you first open the box but the smell fades. They are tough and cannot be chewed. A tough rubber mat should work as well.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

I was going to suggest what Raindrops said. "Revolution" Interlocking Flooring Tiles Here's where to buy kennel floor mats.


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## JDagno (May 15, 2019)

This is what I used, it was my son's Paw Patrol play mat from Walmart. It is plastic so if there was an accident it did not go through.


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## RL13 (Nov 25, 2020)

I really recommend this one, it's been a lifesaver!









Amazon.com: ULIGOTA Washable Dog Pee Pad Large 65"x48" Reusable Whelping Pads, Waterproof Dog Mat Non-Slip Puppy Potty Training Pad Playpen Mat for Dogs, Rabbits… : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com: ULIGOTA Washable Dog Pee Pad Large 65"x48" Reusable Whelping Pads, Waterproof Dog Mat Non-Slip Puppy Potty Training Pad Playpen Mat for Dogs, Rabbits… : Pet Supplies



www.amazon.com


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Have you looked at the vinyl sheet remnants at Home Depot? Those are my plan for the next dog.


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## a2girl (Oct 4, 2020)

I have been looking at this as a possiblity (I am picking up my puppy in 10 days!). Buyers seem to be using it for their furry children:

https://www.amazon.com/WOMUMON-Wash...ld=1&keywords=splat+mat&qid=1616013547&sr=8-7


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## Starla (Nov 5, 2020)

a2girl said:


> I have been looking at this as a possiblity (I am picking up my puppy in 10 days!). Buyers seem to be using it for their furry children:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/WOMUMON-Wash...ld=1&keywords=splat+mat&qid=1616013547&sr=8-7


I wish I had found this when I was looking for something to put under our crates! I do think it might pose the same problems as the current solution in this situation of a puppy determined to chew on the flooring.


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## kathy09 (Jan 14, 2009)

We use a clear computer chair mat the kind that has a smooth back


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

For Want of Poodle said:


> Have you looked at the vinyl sheet remnants at Home Depot? Those are my plan for the next dog.


^^Best option yet!
Linoleum flooring comes in 12 ft wide rolls, at about $5/yard. So a brand new 12'x6' piece (enough for 2 - 6'x6' pieces) would be about $40. Remnants would be more affordable.


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Vinyl remnants was my thought too. As an example:








Natco Assorted 6 ft. x 8 ft. Vinyl Unbound Remnant 7208GA - The Home Depot


Protect your floors with this economical yet fashionable vinyl flooring. It is durable and will resist stains and fading. Loose lay or adhere for a more permanent flooring solution.



www.homedepot.com


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

My foster dog chewed through our Vinyl flooring


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Thank you to everyone. We found our solution. 

We went to Home Depot and bought a 6' x 8' vinyl remnant as some of you suggested. It was cheap - about 23$ and a good size so we can configure the pen area in different ways and it will always have a safe bottom.

Ava, I hope my little puppy won't chew through the vinyl, but I don't think he will. he used to go after any creases in the plastic and bite at them. I don't think he will bite at a flat floor.

There's a slight plastic odor which I hope will dissipate soon.Torn bath curtain is now in the garbage.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Ava. said:


> My foster dog chewed through our Vinyl flooring


Oh my! Were edges lifted? I certainly wouldn't expect that!


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Diamond Deck 5 ft. x 6 ft. Charcoal Textured PVC Pet Pad/ATV Mat 86056 - The Home Depot


The RoughTex Diamond Deck 5x6' charcoal mat offers a simple solution for areas that need protection for your flooring, such as a waterproof pet pad or a storage solution for your outdoor toys. Made of



www.homedepot.com





What about something like this. I've seen people use the rolls of this type mat on their garage floor. Perhaps you may have a 2nd use for it when puppy no longer needs it? or maybe you can find a small left over piece. Both Home Depot and Lower will sometimes have extra. Or you can use a piece of linoleum. I actually used this for my tortoise floor to help protect the wood floor in his house. I went to one of the local floor companies and asked for remnants. I actually got a pretty big roll for $20. in fact I have a nice piece left over but it would probably cost more to ship than you can find some for.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

oops didn't see your post.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Mufar42 said:


> oops didn't see your post.


That’s okay, and I do appreciate the advice. You never know when the solution you chose and hope will work well, doesn’t.

I‘m glad I went with the vinyl remnant. It’s thin and lays flat on the floor so it’s less likely to be a tripping hazard compared to those gym mats. And there’s nothing for him to chew which might have been a problem with those whelping mats.

edited to fix typos caused by autocorrect


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Oh my! Were edges lifted? I certainly wouldn't expect that!


Nope, it was in the kitchen. Flat floor. It wasn't even in the corner (his kennel WAS in the corner, but he didn't start chewing in the corner, theres a hole about 5 inches away from the corners). To get to the vinyl, first he chewed through the plastic crate bottom.

Oh, and it took him less than a hour to do this


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

When Zoe was a puppy I put down a space blanket (shiny side down, plastic side up) because it is 5' square, so big enough that a 4' x'4' ex pen fits nicely with extra outside the pen. Then I put newspaper on top. I put her crate in a back corner with the open door clipped to the side of the ex pen and her water and food bowls attached to the door of the crate so they could not be turned over. I set this up in the den because we are there most of the time. At night she had another crate in our bedroom to sleep in. She was 11 weeks old when I got her and she was house broken to using the dog door by the time she was 13 weeks old. Typical smart poodle!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Eek. I didn’t put anything down in Peggy’s pen. I’m thinking now we dodged a bullet! Our floor sure wasn’t happy when our Christmas tree stand leaked.

Would love to see a photo of your set-up if you feel like sharing, @Skylar.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

The vinyl is a grey faux wood. You can see Theo sleeping in his crate and part of Babykins snoozing on the couch. The white mat is a bath mat in front of couch so Babykins has a safe take off and landing spot because wood floors are slippery. Theo’s travel crate is sitting on top of his crate but I have to move it somewhere else. He’s in Babykins original crate which is technically too large for a puppy. He has never soiled in there.

PtP you were lucky.

I wish is had a doggy door like Zoe has. That does make life easier.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Ava. said:


> Nope, it was in the kitchen. Flat floor. It wasn't even in the corner (his kennel WAS in the corner, but he didn't start chewing in the corner, theres a hole about 5 inches away from the corners). To get to the vinyl, first he chewed through the plastic crate bottom.
> 
> Oh, and it took him less than a hour to do this


Well that's a real bummer! And hear I am thinking the kitchen floor (vinyl - linoleum) is a nice safe, waterproof, place for him. How in the world can he do that? Gotta have teeth pointing at an odd angle to get a grip, no? Hope he's gotten over that phase.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

94Magna_Tom don’t worry. Poodles can be destructive if they are poorly raised, but they are not talented enough to chew a plastic crate bottom followed by a vinyl floor.

edited to add the word “not”.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Great set-up. Brings me right back to Peggy’s puppy days! For such relatively small creatures, they sure take up a lot of real estate. 

You’re lucky Theo doesn’t have accidents in the crate. We had to partition Peggy’s and leave only enough space and bedding for sleeping. Those first couple of months, she had a real affinity for pottying on soft things. Aside from that _minor_ detail (lol), she was pretty much housetrained from day 1.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

PeggyTheParti said:


> You’re lucky Theo doesn’t have accidents in the crate. We had to partition Peggy’s and leave only enough space and bedding for sleeping. Those first couple of months, she had a real affinity for pottying on soft things. Aside from that _minor_ detail (lol), she was pretty much housetrained from day 1.


We’ve been very diligent about getting him outside to potty. Even in miserable weather. I caught him circling on the wood floor looking for a Grassy texture and got him out to potty quickly. I think he knows grass is where you potty. Can’t wait till the neuromuscular control kicks in at 6 months.


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Well that's a real bummer! And hear I am thinking the kitchen floor (vinyl - linoleum) is a nice safe, waterproof, place for him. How in the world can he do that? Gotta have teeth pointing at an odd angle to get a grip, no? Hope he's gotten over that phase.


I have no idea. He did it because he was a foster with anxiety, but If he can do it, despite the reason, any dog could probably do it.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

I like the set-up! I hear you about bringing puppies home in cold weather. Gracie came home in January- she probably housebroke easily from sheer survival, lol! IOW, if I figure this out, they’ll stop bringing me out in ten degree weather every hour


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