[QuackXP]

We just got a 8 week old puppy last week. We decided to crate train her and that has been going well. We have also got her to stop yelping at night while she was in the living room, in her crate (no dogs in the bedroom, is the rule in our house).

Anyway. Our plan was to crate her at night and when we left and supervise her when she was at home and out of the crate. Well that is becoming harder than it looks, especially as my wife has been sick and in bed since Thursday. My wife has some health issues for where this is a more common occurrence than the average person. I'm a bit worried that after her blood work Monday she might get admitted.

Then I asked myself "what do I do with our new pup"? It does not help we just moved and know few people (let alone dog people) and she is not old enough and up to her shots for doggy-day-care.

I hate to leave her in her crate more than I have to.

I figure an x-pen might be a good option so she has more room than the crate but cannot have the run of the house and destroy it or get hurt.

During housebreaking she has gone on the carpet a number of times but only on the kitchen tile once, she also went on puppy pads at the breeders, so I think she will at least go on those in the x-pen.

I still plan on taking her out to potty on her normal schedule, and she will still sleep in her crate. But I think I can get more done and our puppy will have a bit more freedom in an x-pen. Also if I had to leave for the day I think the x-pen will be much better than leaving her in her crate especially as she could not hold it all day.

Does anyone else use a x-pen and a crate separately? If so how do you manage it?

Also do you put the crate in the x-pen or should they be two distinct places?