I have changed my setup so many times but I think I am sticking with what I have now. When the puppies were 3 weeks old, I moved them out of the whelping box into a lil kiddie pool (it is the SMALLEST size you can get)... so that didn't last long b/c at 4 weeks they were able to get out but not back in (it was very shallow)... so I changed to this set up. I have these little wire squares (kind of like an expen) that I have connected. I like these much better b/c I can have a tiny area or a HUGE area and in whatever shape I want. I have several left over that I haven't even touched. I have a little divider that separates Molly from the puppies (but she can still get to them). This was a week ago (they are now 5 weeks) so I have upgraded them to a bed (woohoo! b/c I can now trust them to not potty on it) and I have made their little area "one square" bigger which equals 3 square ft bigger (if that makes sense. I have also changed it a big to make it easier for Molly to get back and forth... but every now and then I will find a pup on her side
so I need to keep an eye on it... The thing is, she is not a huge jumper so I need something she can get over but not the pups, who are now throwing their wee bodies through the area in hopes of going over the "fence" haha.. its a riot! I plan on making their area another square bigger each week to gradually give them more space and room. If I see that they are failing in potty training or in other areas, I will wait a few weeks before expanding. Hope this all makes sense!