# Playpen for standard pup ?



## SAS (Jun 16, 2013)

Puppy is home! Yay! She is wonderful. She is fast, she is curious, she is here, there, everywhere! And i am not going to get anything done for the next six months if i dont have a way to confine her sometimes. I have a crate upstairs for sleeping. For downstairs, i think i would like something like a playpen where she can romp a little, nap etc and also see me. I am considering a wire crate but would prefer something with more of a play pen feel.

Anyone have any suggestions of things they have used? It has to be pretty tall. I put her in the box her crate came in today and in seconds, she was staning on tiptoes on bed, with elbows over the sides ready to climb out, lol.


----------



## Jennigma (Sep 6, 2013)

Two suggestions. One: get an "ex-pen." Like this. 42" should be sufficient. You can fold it down to a smaller square or rectangle, connect it in a circle, or use it to gate across an area to limit a puppy to part of a room. 

Second, consider umbilical leash training. If you puppy-proof a 6' circumference around where ever you're working, you can keep the pup with you and out of trouble while keeping your hands free and using only a fraction of the attention the pup would need if they had the run of the house. Plus it's a much faster way to start understanding the pup's signals when they have to go out. The recommendation is generally to use a waist belt, but I find looping the leash handle around my ankle works well.

I'm currently on day 1 of the umbilical stage with Caprica. We're on about a 2hr cycle. I open her crate and clip her leach on while she's inside, then carry her outside to do business. Then about 15 minutes of romping as hard as I can get her to play. 

After that we come back inside, have a drink of water, and I loop the leash around my ankle while I sit down to work or in some cases while I prepare food in the kitchen, keeping an eye on her. I have a pile of toys on my desk, and cycle through them as she starts getting bored. Never more than three toys on the floor at a time.

When she starts getting drowsy I take her out for another break, and then put her in the kennel for an hour, or until at least 30s after she stops whining if she wakes up and cries. 

Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

This lets us both use cues to communicate needs and expectations. She knows where the water bowl is, and is learning if she tugs that way when she is thirsty I'll notice and get up to take her to the bowl. She has also started signaling towards the door outside, and this last cycle she even signaled towards the bedroom where her crate was when she was getting drowsy. 

So far no accidents, which is pretty good for an 11 wk old on her first day home. I'm crossing my fingers hoping I can keep it that way. I want to prevent my two cats, who are pretty damned disgruntled already because my lap is generally in range of a teething playful pup, from over-marking any accidents she has. Or as I generally refer to it, to keep them from engaging in chemical warfare. ;-)


----------



## SAS (Jun 16, 2013)

Jennigma said:


> Two suggestions. One: get an "ex-pen." Like this. 42" should be sufficient. You can fold it down to a smaller square or rectangle, connect it in a circle, or use it to gate across an area to limit a puppy to part of a room.
> 
> Second, consider umbilical leash training. If you puppy-proof a 6' circumference around where ever you're working, you can keep the pup with you and out of trouble while keeping your hands free and using only a fraction of the attention the pup would need if they had the run of the house. Plus it's a much faster way to start understanding the pup's signals when they have to go out. The recommendation is generally to use a waist belt, but I find looping the leash handle around my ankle works well.
> 
> ...



Thanks. I see a lot to borrow from your schedule. 

We have been doing pretty well and she seemed ok in her crate last night. But this am, i put her in the crate while i took a shower. Before i finished, i heard such yelling i thought maybe she had gotten stuck somehow. Nope, just wasnt happy about being alone in the room. Still first 24 hours though so she ismdoing pretty well.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Don't reward crying in the crate or it will quickly become a habit. She is a smart spoo pup. I cry, mom comes running and makes a big fuss over me will reinforce itself before you know it if you aren't careful.

I agree about an expen, but can tell you I found a 36" high one to be sufficient if you want to try to save a $ or two. Jennigma's explanation of umbilical leash training is excellent.


----------



## SAS (Jun 16, 2013)

lily cd re said:


> Don't reward crying in the crate or it will quickly become a habit. She is a smart spoo pup. I cry, mom comes running and makes a big fuss over me will reinforce itself before you know it if you aren't careful.
> 
> I agree about an expen, but can tell you I found a 36" high one to be sufficient if you want to try to save a $ or two. Jennigma's explanation of umbilical leash training is excellent.


So far, crying in crate has always meant she really has to go potty or threw up. Except the yelling when i left the room. When i did see she was all right, i made her wait til i got dressed to get out and go down stairs. She is sort of doing the umbillical training herself following me everywhere. I like the idea though of scheduling her play time and nap time.


----------



## outwest (May 1, 2011)

I have an xpen which is perfect for a standard poodle puppy. Plus, it will come in handy throughout his years. We have one that we have had for 20 years and used numerous times for all kinds of things.


----------



## SAS (Jun 16, 2013)

outwest said:


> I have an xpen which is perfect for a standard poodle puppy. Plus, it will come in handy throughout his years. We have one that we have had for 20 years and used numerous times for all kinds of things.


Sweet pictures!

Is an expen a brand? Can you recommend a brand? I was concerned they would tip over if usd in the house. Is there any with a floor? I have been googling but many seemed designed for small dogs.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

No, expen isn't a brand. Midwest makes exercise pens in varying sizes. I think the big pet chains may also have their own brands. When you buy a new one they come with small rubber/plastic feet that you attach along the bottom that will protect your floor and stabilize the shape of the pen. You get an assortment of feet that let you set it up as a square, rectangle or octagon. Also they have a step through gate that is secured with a leash clip (also come with a new one). 

I suppose if you are concerned about your pup knocking it over (ps Lily has done that, but we were at an agility class and I was running Peeves. She was very excited and jealous.) then you can try putting it in a corner or putting something against the side you are most concerned about. You should also plan to spend some training time teaching your pup to relax and entertain herself quietly while confined there as Outwest's pictures show.


----------



## SAS (Jun 16, 2013)

lily cd re said:


> No, expen isn't a brand. Midwest makes exercise pens in varying sizes. I think the big pet chains may also have their own brands. When you buy a new one they come with small rubber/plastic feet that you attach along the bottom that will protect your floor and stabilize the shape of the pen. You get an assortment of feet that let you set it up as a square, rectangle or octagon. Also they have a step through gate that is secured with a leash clip (also come with a new one).
> 
> I suppose if you are concerned about your pup knocking it over (ps Lily has done that, but we were at an agility class and I was running Peeves. She was very excited and jealous.) then you can try putting it in a corner or putting something against the side you are most concerned about. You should also plan to spend some training time teaching your pup to relax and entertain herself quietly while confined there as Outwest's pictures show.



Thanks, good tips. Yes, it should be in a corner. I should have thought of that.


----------



## outwest (May 1, 2011)

That's Jazz, my standard poodle, as a baby in his pen. It made housetraining very easy. He used it for several months, about 5 months? He won't jump over it now, either. He has one for showing.


----------



## SAS (Jun 16, 2013)

outwest said:


> That's Jazz, my standard poodle, as a baby in his pen. It made housetraining very easy. He used it for several months, about 5 months? He won't jump over it now, either. He has one for showing.


Bautiful! Is that his mum on the outside?


----------



## Jennigma (Sep 6, 2013)

lily cd re said:


> Don't reward crying in the crate or it will quickly become a habit. She is a smart spoo pup. I cry, mom comes running and makes a big fuss over me will reinforce itself before you know it if you aren't careful.


I do make a distinction between "I need to go out now" vocalizations in the crate and the unconsolable racket of a puppy having a tantrum. I want her to yip a little when it's get my attention or soil the crate.



lily cd re said:


> I agree about an expen, but can tell you I found a 36" high one to be sufficient if you want to try to save a $ or two.


My BSD will vault over anything she can get a nose over. I once bought a 36" trying to save money and she hopped out immediately- as soon as I walked away. I am anticipating the potential for a similar level of athleticism from standard poodles.  

I guess my opinion on dogs and fences is that I never want them to succeed at crossing one, because I don't want to have to worry about fences getting challenged. I had an escape artist dog as a kid and in hindsight I know we made him that way by starting with inadequate fences, and progressively increasing the challenge. We made it into a game for a bored dog to play when he was left alone. I don't want to make that mistake again!


----------



## Jennigma (Sep 6, 2013)

SAS said:


> Sweet pictures!
> 
> Is an expen a brand? Can you recommend a brand? I was concerned they would tip over if usd in the house. Is there any with a floor? I have been googling but many seemed designed for small dogs.


I've had a number of brands. The one we're using now for our BSD when we leave the house has a spring handled gate that latches in the top, bottom, and middle, rather than having to fuss with clips. It's a "Precision" brand:

Precision Pet - Detail

Though it looks like they don't make the spring latch any more, the new version still has three latches.

I've been at this for a while, and the only time I've ever seen an ex-pen go over is outdoors on uneven ground. If a dog tries to jump up on it the pen slides on the floor, which makes them less likely to try that trick. These things are pretty heavy, so when a dog pushes them there's a lot of mass behind whatever point they're pushing. I guess if you had one folded down to a small size it might be more apt to fall over, but as long as it's wider than it is tall I think gravity is going to keep the pen standing.

I HAVE had dogs who would deliberately slide the pen across the floor so they could get to something outside the pen through the bars. She got a cinder block added to the inside of the pen as an anchor.


----------



## outwest (May 1, 2011)

SAS, No, that is my other standard Bonnie. She like to babysit him. She was so sweet and gentle with him.  

If you want something on the floor of the xpen (is it going to be on carpet?) you can get an outdoor tablecloth (the thick plastic kind). I put mine on tile so if he peepeed it was easy to clean up. He used to shred the papers for fun.


----------



## SAS (Jun 16, 2013)

outwest said:


> SAS, No, that is my other standard Bonnie. She like to babysit him. She was so sweet and gentle with him.
> 
> If you want something on the floor of the xpen (is it going to be on carpet?) you can get an outdoor tablecloth (the thick plastic kind). I put mine on tile so if he peepeed it was easy to clean up. He used to shred the papers for fun.


Great idea! Thanks.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Of course you need to respond to cries that are alarming like I'm sick, hurt or really need to go potty right now. But do watch that you don't slide into responding to the other attention seeking whining. These days Peeves seems to have decided to have a hard time settling himself at night. I think the best course of action is just to tell him to go on his bed and then send him back if he gets up and starts rattling around. BF thinks he is trying to say he has to go out for potty, but I am sure he is just doing it for the attention. He never comes to my side of the bed since he knows I am not going to give in, get up and let him out just to wander about and see if there is a cat in the yard. BF often does exactly that. Peeves has trained him very well.


----------



## Jennigma (Sep 6, 2013)

Haha! I hear that! Our BSD gets whiny at night when she wants attention. Only to my sweetie, though. she goes through phases with it that inevitably end when I insist she stay crated for a week or so to break the habit.


----------



## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I keep telling him to ignore Peeves and that he will give up and settle down, but so far he doesn't seem to want to believe me. So at the moment it is getting worse, not better. This pattern comes and goes though so I am sure the cycle will start trending the other way soon. We are like the good cop/bad cop family. BF is all fun and games. I am the enforcer of rules and the trainer in chief. Both dogs love and enjoy both of us so I guess no harm no foul.


----------

