Max had an xpen in my bedroom and the living area for his first year. He slept in the xpen and insisted on having the gate shut. Teddy also started in the xpen.
It is very possible to train them to accept sleeping in just their bed afterward. There are great advantages in having a dog accept both an xpen and a crate. Although we never really used our crates for more than very brief periods, the boys accept them. They are good for emergencies and for the dogs when they have to stay at the vet for any time.
__________________ Kristin, Max and Teddy
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