I'm trying to raise a pup in an apartment. I never thought I'd need a crate (I had no clue what I was doing to be honest) but after a week of free reign in the living room, I decided to order a pen. It got to the point I couldn't take a shower without her chewing a power cable. She's taken to it pretty well, a few minutes of crying (which went unrewarded) and she now seems to be sleeping more. I think I was giving her too much freedom (so disciple was becoming a problem as she got more confident) and she was able to just walk out on to my patio at will most of the day so she wasn't learning any bladder control. It's helping to reduce my stress levels too, which will help me be more patient when we do interact. I'm just wondering if anyone has gone this route before, what are the pitfalls to avoid?
Hi, I think pens are great for safety and for encouraging down, chill out time. All my dogs have had a smaller area in the house where they can be left safely unsupervised whistle you have to get on with life. Personally, I don’t think they work for long periods where it includes toileting arrangements but for short spells throughout the day they work a treat. Pop a stuffed kong in there and she will be happy. I don’t let mine have the run of the house until much, much older. Crates are definitely worth the effort though, toilet training is much quicker. Good luck.
I think I made a big mistake there, trying to correct that now. I do think the pen has helped with potty training. It's small enough to be almost like a crate in that regard. She's learning to signal and I think starting to develop a little more bladder control. That wasn't happen with free access to the pads all day. I think it's a great management device. Sometimes I just need to get stuff done quickly and she can't be trusted yet to roam freely. She always complains but then sometimes will fall asleep a few minutes after. It's help my sanity a lot too.
