Does that pen have a door on it?... or do you have to step over the sides to get into it? I have the plastic xpen and I am "how you say..... a KLUTZ!" ...
I sometimes fall in and out of it going over the top... and I am tall (no excuse).:D

you can open the pen in one spot it is held together with a thing like on a dog leash. I'm pretty klutzy too

I really like the way you've done this; sort of like a puppy apartment! :D

i litter train my pups... but i don't use an actual litter tray because they are so tall and difficult for the little ones to get in and out of (and dont want to cut down the side incase they hurt themselves) i actualy use plant potting trays... they are higher at the back and sides, but perfect puppy height at the front- it also means that the wood pellets don't go everywhere!!
you can buy them in most garden centers over here, but i'm not sure about other countries...

I have a similar setup.

I actually start the potty training as soon as they open their eyes. I put some brown wrapping paper in one side of the bed. It's amazing to see they crawl to go pee on the paper at 2 weeks.

Jeanie, I love what you've done! Very creative and effective!

In my nursery I set up xpens and put either crates with the door open or cut out tupperware inside those pens. The pups go in the crate/tupperware and moms can go into those crates to nurse, but can also have some alone time out in the xpen part and eat/drink in peace away from their babies when they want. As the puppies grow they obviously start coming out too, but by that time I let mom out of the nursery completely for a few hours at a time to have her breaks. Then I start crate training the pups at night by just shutting the door to the crate inside their xpen, and let everybody out in the morning into the big pen area to play. Once they've had first shots I start letting the pups out for a couple hours a day into the living room/kitchen/main area of the house with the adults to begin socialization, but at night they are back into their night time crate to sleep. I never hear a peep out of them because they have learned to be in that crate inside the xpen since they were newborns with their moms, and it's not a scary thing. They also know in the morning I will let them out first thing to run wild! :D

These pics are not the best with a camera phone but you get the idea.

You guys are very creative I like all the settings.

i really like this set up

I love this set-up! What a great idea! :thumbup:

omg i love your setup im going to save this page lol everyone has a unique way of doing things this is fantastic

I have used a large hard plastic childrens swimming pool in the past with our labs but this is my first litter of yorkies and they are 7 days old today. I'm thinking i will do the same so Lucy can leave the pool with no difficulties when she needs her mommy time. She delivered 2 girls and 1 boy they are all very healty and she is a terrific little Mom. I just found this site so I have been glued to my computer for 2 days now the amount of information is perfect.

A plastic pool gives them to much room to crawl around and the ability to become chilled. You also have to make sure that the bedding is pinned down so there is no change of them becoming smothered. Plastic pool is great when they are a bit older and bigger. They should be kept up from the floor and away from drafts, these wee ones have difficulty in retaining their body heat.

I'm so sorry I didn't make it clear that I used the pool after the pups were mobil and also with a piece of carpet cut to fit the bottom taped down with double sided tape. My little yorkie pups are in a whelping box my husband built the pool is for the future. I should realize just because I see it in my head doesn't mean you see the same thing if I don't describe it completly.