Play Pen !!
 

We just got Zoey a week ago and she is 13 wks and very small. My breeder reccomended a metal playpen and not a crate which she has her pooch pads and blankets has anyone kept their yorkie in playpen instead of the crate ? She doesn't like the crate. HELP !!

A small playpen works great! I would put her in there with food and water and wee pad. Bella is 1 yr and she has been really sick so she stayed in the playpen at night in case she had to go. They are a great help. You can find used ones for a great price. They list like baby pack and go or something similar.Good Luck!

I had Bailey in a playpen for the first 6 months for the pure convenience of the wee wee pads but then he started peeing everywhere but the wee wee pads so we now have him in his crate and trained to go outdoors now. I think the pen is a great idea tho and will use it again when my new girl comes home next month. Good luck.

I have two Yorkies, 3 & 4 months old and I have the pen attached to the crate, so they can go into the crate at any time for a nap, and since I work all day, they can play in teh pen and when they're tired, just go into the crate. I have a wee wee pad in the pen and since we've had them aslmost 3 weeks, they basically only go on teh pad. At night I shut the door on their cratre os they stay in it and sleep, so there's no playing at night. They need to saleep through the night like we do, asnd for the most part they do.

Oh wow that is a super idea with attaching the crate to the pen, can you tell me how you went about doing that? I don't see anyway you can hook them together.

I had the black metal folding pen and when you unfold it, then I attach the pen to just where the the front piece folds up and clicks top gether. I put the end of the pen there and it clicks together with the crate. It's really easy. Even if you don't have the folding crate, you can get the keyrings that attach to your belt loop.....use that to attach the pen and crate. It's great so they can play and nap all day while I'm at work. They seem to really love it. Also, when it's about bedtime, they go into their bed all by themselfs, since the door is always oopen.....It's a rgeat idea!! Good luck and if you want to know the exact brand of each I will get them and write again tomorrow.

Do you have the availability to send me a picture of your set up so I get the full idea? Do you use a plastic crate or a metal pen type crate for your lil guys?

Yes, I can take a picture for you so you can see the set up. Will this website let me send a picture? I'll try to take it night, and send it to you tomorrow. No problem.

We bought an actual playpen at target. Logan loves it. He does go freely in there though. So we bought an absorbant crib sheet thing (it actually goes under the sheet) and a crib sheet. We then wash this bedding every week. This keeps the bottom of the playpen from soaking up bad oders.

When we got Sailor, we used a playpen to keep the girls separated when we weren't watching them....she slept in there and stayed there when when we were gone as well!! It worked great for several months until the girls were 100% comfortable with each other and Sailor was more potty trained....I would defintely recommend using a playpen as it gives them more room to play and sleep and have a separate place to potty!!!

Wow That is a great idea, thanks so much. We are still working on the crate idea she loves her play pen. She pees on her blankets and bed in the playpen sometimes like she forgets I don't know why tho.

The playpen has saved me many headaches I am sure! It is a regular mesh sided playpen so I keep waiting for her to climb out but so far, she just climbs everything else. She seems quite content in there.

Mine just loved the play pen. But when I would move them to a crate it was like I was doing something terribly wrong, so back to the play pen they went with their pee pads. I also use the play pen for my females who are about to whelp. That also worksd great for that although I did have one female that would get in and out of this play pen by herself. I couldn't figure out how in the world she was doing it till I watched her one day when she didn't see me looking....Oh my she would jump up on the side of the pen then jump out on the floor, scared me so bad as I thought she was really going to get hurt so I put the play pen next to the couch and the doggie couch next to my couch so she could go in and out when ever she wanted and I didn't have to worry about her getting hurt........learn something new all the time. ;)

:thumbup: Playpan works great!! Make sure the one you get is tall enough thought. Yorkies are tiny but they sure can climb. When mine was 12 weeks old at 2 lbs, she climb out of a 20" tall gate. We got a 24" tall playpan afterwards and she learned not to climb out as we don't like it when she did. I am certain she can do it just as easily if she really wants to. :D

Ooh, I am interesting it seeing pics of this, too!! :D

My personal experience with exercise pens.. AWESOME! Harley absolutely adores his play pen and man when any of my other dogs attempt to go near it.. Look out! It's his own little area where all his toys are hidden, where his bed is and where his food and water are. Basically, it's 'Harley Land'.. lol I don't know if other furbaby mommas and papas have had great experiences with them as I have but I definately say go for the play pen. I think mine cost about $90 or so and it was the smartest investment I ever made. It's where I can leave Harley while I'm at work and at class and I don't have to worry about him getting into anything that could hurt him (and he can't hurt anything either! lol) When I was potty training him I just left a pee pad in the pen with him and he would go potty on the pad and eventually he just decided to go outside and can now hold his 'business calls' for quite some time. I kind of feel like that's another plus of the play pen, I believe that by secluding him to his own little area, with his own toys, food, sleeping and playing area he doesn't want to potty in it. (he became fully outdoor potty trained around 6 or so months I think) And I also think the play pens are a better choice than crates for being left in for longer periods of time bc they can run around and play instead of having to sleep all day. I wish I had a little camera I could put up while I'm gone so I can tape and watch how nuts Harley is while I'm gone.. My mom has peeked in at him several times to see him grabbing his toys, tossing them into the air and chasing them over and over again until he's totally burned out.. lol Wow, I'm ranting.. I'm so sorry.. lol but I say go for the play pen! And if you do let us know how it goes! :D

how long will it take for my baby to not cry when in it. Cooper is so pitiful when he cries in it but we have to put him in it while we work. Any advice how to get him to like it.

To Salbug12
 

Are you putting him in the crate for the entire day or in the pen? Since I have the pen attached to the crate, they can play for a while, then go to bed to rest. It took them a little while to get used to when I locked the crate while they slept. I covered it with a blanket and that seemed to help at night. Just be patient and don't give in......they need to learn that THEY are not the boss, otherwise it'll be difficult in training him. Let him bark for a few minuyes and he shoul;d stop. Just last night the older one barked on and off for a few minutes because, just like a child, he judt didn't want to go to sleep. I attached a picture of my crate and the pen that I attached. They are 4 & 5 months old now and the 5 month old 95% of the time makes on the pad, but the little guy is still gettign there....He was GREAT in the beginning, but took a few steps backward, but now is going in the right direction. Good luck!!

he is in the pen most of the day. Hubby comes home from work occasionally and lets him out to play but he has to stay in it. I feel he is safer in it and can get more exercise in it. Just cant stsnd to hear him cry. Maybe after a few days he will get used to it.

We're out of the house for about 10 hours a day, so they are in their pen with their toys and when we get home they get fed, then, since they are better with teh weewee pads, we let them run around until bedtime. It's sad to see their little faces when they're crying......because they just want to be with you. They do get used to it after a few days....you'll see. ;)

That looks like a GREAT set up! I just got my yorkie last week and she is doing suprisingly well! She is 9 weeks old and stays in her crate while I am at work, I go home on lunch to let her out to pee and play for a bit, but i feel so bad leaving her in her crate while I'm gone. I've read all of these books about crate training and I'm training her to go to the bathroom outside, which is going suprisingly well. Do you think it will confuse her if I get a play pen and attach it to her crate during the day? I think she might like it b/c this way she can play and then go to sleep when she wants. I just don't want to confuse her by putting down the weewee pads since she's doing so well going outside???? :)
Thanks
Marlynn & Bella

Since she is doing that well going outside, I would try not to put the pad down and see if she still continues to do that well. Teh crate and pen set up might work out great for you so she can play and stuff while you're not home. At night I would continue to lock the crate......

I want to start training my littel guys to go outside now.....I'm hoping they're ready.

Let me know what happens....good luck!!

I have my new baby Mia (16weeks) in a playpen, we started from day one. The bottom is covered in puppy pads (2), her bed is in one back corner and food/water in the other. She is starting to go potty more on one side of the pen then the other. She sleeps all night and has since the 3rd night we got her (never wakes us up). My brother trained his dog like this, the only draw back for them was their dog didn't want to go potty outside. That isn't an issue for me, if Mia will only go on the potty pads that is fine. I have had the hardest time house training my older girl and we still have issues there (2 years old). She hates going out when it is cold or rainy. In ways Mia is already better and has less accidents then Zoe. I have an xpen with potty pads (gate open) in the family room. She already goes in there to go potty, she took to it immediately. She has an occasional pee pee accident but never a poo off of the pad. It has worked out great for me during the day because of us working and no one there to take her out. Zoe is crate trained and stays in there while we are gone. I highly recommend it.

I love the xpen & crate set up. I am going to incorporate that in with my two girls. Thanks for the great idea.

Telea, Zoe' and Mia :aimeeyork