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01-02-2011, 04:30 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: New York NY
Posts: 29
| Sport's playpen -- should it stay? Hi YTers, Sport is my first baby so I am a little uncertain about some things and would appreciate any advice! We live in a Manhattan studio apartment and since Sport's first day with us he has had his little playpen where we keep his bed, food/water, lots of toys and pee pads (which he does still use to pee on although he mostly prefers to go outside now and he hasn't pooped on the pads for months). He will be one year old on Jan. 21. The playpen is an x-pen configured as a rectangle behind our couch. It is large enough that he has plenty of room in there to run around. Until about a month ago, we would leave him in the playpen when he was home alone. We then gradually started experimenting with short periods of free roam in the apartment. He now always gets free roam when we leave him on his own. (He spends about 3 hours alone each morning, his daddy comes home for 30 minutes at lunch and they play and cuddle, and then Sport has another ~3 hours before daddy gets home from work. He is doing great with the free roam. Zero accidents, chewing issues or the like. Of course our home is also puppy-proofed! He mostly naps all morning and afternoon.) So, while he now does spend some limited time in his playpen (snoozing, eating, peeing, or just grabbing toys to play with on the living room rug), we really aren't using it at all to keep him penned up and he doesn't really hang out in there any more like he did when he was a tiny baby. My question is, should I just fold it up and move it down to our basement storage (leaving his bed, food, pad etc in place but just not with the pen around them)? Or does it give him a feeling of security to go in there and have his own space? I don't want to unwittingly create a situation where he feels less secure for any reason. We are basically used to living with the pen at this point, so there isn't an acute need to move it out. But, we always assumed that at some point Sport would no longer need it, and it does limit access to certain things we need (like one particular lightswitch and some storage in an IKEA cabinet). As I mentioned, we live in a small NYC apartment so every square foot is precious! Thanks in advance for your thoughts and experiences! |
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01-02-2011, 04:45 PM | #2 |
My little Shadow Donating YT Member | I had a playpen for Bella @first. She is now 3 & I no longer use it. Maybe it would be a good idea to get something smaller like a collapsible crate. That would give him his own space for comfort & would come in great if needed to contain him for his safety for any reason like having guests over, etc.
__________________ Bella Ganma-ma to ColeRIPNoahRIP |
01-02-2011, 05:22 PM | #3 |
Living My Yorkie Dream Donating Member | I agree that at almost 1 year and with your confidence of Sport being accident free and your apartment puppy/doggie proofed, you can definitely pack the xpen away. I think that Sport will be fine with just his familiar bed and toys and food/water left in the same area as they've always been, but the previous posters' idea of a small crate might be helpful also; however is Sport is not used to going into a crate he may not want to start now.
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01-02-2011, 06:11 PM | #4 | |
I ♥ Armani & Chloe Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,895
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I am just now moving out of manhattan, so I understand the space issues... I have a collapsable crate for mine... this way they still have a place to call there own but I am easily able to move it with ease if needed.
__________________ Armani & Chloe | |
01-02-2011, 06:45 PM | #5 |
Donating YT 5000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MD
Posts: 10,908
| We have a pen set up as well and Hot Rod has slept in it since the 2nd or 3rd week after he arrived here. Maggie has been it ever since she arrived. I have tried to take it down and leave them loose thru the night but unfortunately they start to bark in the middle of the night. I have also left the gate open so they could go into the pen to their beds and the same thing happens, they start to bark. While space isn't an issue with me, I would just like to have the floor space back. It's weird because I stay up pretty late and while I am awake, they will sleep on whatever, be it on the pillow on the chair or sofa but once I go to bed, they seem to need to be in their pen all tucked away. If I leave the door open so they could roam they find something to bark at. I suppose being locked in makes them feel secure.
__________________ www.kissecollar.com Soft Cone Collars for Post-surgery and much more! 10% (non-food) - Discount code YT10 Last edited by Mom to Hot Rod; 01-02-2011 at 06:47 PM. |
01-02-2011, 07:19 PM | #6 | |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posts: 12,693
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__________________ Littlest JakJak We miss you Kaji | |
01-02-2011, 09:40 PM | #7 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Alabama
Posts: 941
| I have a playpen (actually two) for mine. I use it when I'm not at home not just because of pottying issues but to protect them from things that I may have missed that are out in the house. Sadie is 2 1/2 and Beemer is 1. I just feel safer with them in it when I can't be with them. These are the first dogs I've ever done that with though.
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