Pens for Puppies?
 

Hello,

I've got five week old puppies, they are currently living in a 110 quart storage container that mom can jump in and out of. They are outgrowing it and I need to get something bigger.

Any ideas for something that mom can jump in and out of but still keeps the puppies in?

Thanks,

Whitney

We bought the Puppy pen from Petedge.com. But if they are already 5 weeks old, how about an expen that has a door to let mom go in and out?

I used a fence with a gate when Lexie's puppies out grew their whelping pen. We call it "the gated community" Here is a picture.

We just purchased a Play Yard....they have them at Walmart. I believe it is the XT Playyard. It is plastic, not metal and has a door. Are pups are only 2 1/2 weeks, so we haven't started with it yet....but we are anxiously waiting.

I thought this pen was pretty neat...
http://www.dog.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=192194

Hi,

Thanks for the advice guys.

I went to Petsmart and couldn't find much to choose from, so I got an xpen. I got the really tall version so they I can use it outside later and not have to worry about them getting out, but I've got the door open and it partly blocked off so mom can jump in and out and it still keeps the puppies in.

Thanks again.

Whitney

I use an e-pen as well. i put the whelping box in the end and as soon as some of the babies start to scramble out, I take it out and put peices of cardboard around the sides of the x-pen that reaches about half way up. if I don't use the cardboard, i have babies toddling everywhere because they can get thru the holes in the x-pen and especially the corners.

Hi,

Sugar's Mom, mine are five weeks old, they can fit their heads through but their shoulders won't fit. I was worried about it, but the first thing they did was try to get out. They like to stick their heads out and bite at their mom when she comes up and checks on them.

They are smart little guys, I've got them a bed and a play area, and a potty pad on the other end, and they go off to the potty pad already. Or wait until I let them out to play, they'll get right outside of the pen and potty. At least it's not in their cage.

Whitney

We use a octagon playpen and welping box (with heating pad under a blanket or something similar) when they are born. The pen is lined with wee pads outside of the welping box. This set up allows mom to get in and out of the box when she is warm and also allows her to be with her babies. When the babies are large enough to move around, they quickly learn to use the wee pads to relieve themselves and get back into their welping box (one side is open) to sleep.

Once they get too big for this set up, we use an x-pen that we place on a piece of linoleum (Ollies has 6 X 9 sections for like $18). The pen is set up with a crate at the “door” opening and wee pads at the other end. The puppies understand to use the pads to relieve themselves and then they go back to the crate to sleep. This set up offers many huge advantages:

1) The puppies are more or less wee pad trained at this point. It makes it much easier for new owners to continue the training.
2) The puppies are crate trained since they are used to being in the crate and know it is not a punishment.
3) The linoleum allows very easy clean up. Make sure to get a piece without a lot of grooves. Liquid doesn’t seep through and its easy to wipe up any messes. Plus at $18 or so, you replace it for each litter so there is no chance of germs or other contamination.