I only let kizzy out on a leash. Then I am usually with her or I might tie her leash to the step bannisters for a few minutes and walk into the house for something but I am at right back out there. But that was before today. We bought her a folding training kennel. Its like 4 feet high and 42 inches square and has a slide out bottom in it for cleaning. We didnt get it to train her in, we just put it on the deck so I can put her in it during the day for play and exercise since she loves playing out so much, altho she still wont be on the ground she can have more fresh air and see everything. I told hubby, I will not leave her out there in it during the day over an hour at a time then only on cool days. When summer gets here and its hot, she will find herself in the house all time except for walks and outside pottying. I would be to scared a bigger dog could come up (altho we rarely see big dogs here lately)but just as scared of a hawk swooping down on her. So I will still be taking her out of it to potty every hour or so and bringing her inside after she pottys. I like her being in the house with me anyway. I am alone during the day and she has been so much company to me. She was 3 months old yesterday and she seems to learn pretty fast. she already knows no bite, sit, roll over, speak, and I got the idea from someone on here to teach her to lay on her back and put up her paws when I point my finger and say bang, and now she does that too. So to me she seems smart for her age. I am proud of her anyway. But I admit, I do have lots of time with her but I've never trained her to do any of this more than a few times in a day and she remembers it.
I will still train her to potty outside, but this way she can at least be outside for a while longer when I dont want to stay out that long. So i suppose its like a playpen for her. lol. Love her too much to take chances with her.