Advice on preparing for puppy

Ann said:
I use plain old wire ex pens and have for years. I have one on my back deck that gates off the steps down so if a dog gets out there they can't escape. The wire pens stay outside through all kinds of weather, including winter and snow with no problem. I like them because if you need to, you can pick them up, fold them (to mow, shovel etc) and put them right back. These are the ones I use. They're the three-foot tall size. Puppies can't jump over them. If you have a climber, some can get out of the two-foot size. I've had some that can escape anything.

I don't advise leaving puppies alone outside in them, they can catch paws or noses in the openings. Also never leave a collar on a puppy in a wire crate or ex pen, tags can get caught, and I know people that's happened to.
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Thank you so much for the suggestion. There are so many options on the market and knowing where to start is a help truthfully.
 
I have the taller version of what Ann showed. Got them with our doxies, they've rusted a tiny bit from being left out on occassion, but still in great shape many years later. I have 2 sections of them which can clip together. We could never use the small plastic pens that some have been successful with. Our younger doxie would flip them up with his nose to get in for potential food he thought must exist in with puppy. In the process, he'd let Brodie out. If he couldn't get in, he'd push the pen all around the floor. After a few days we gave up on plastic. You can check Facebook market place for pens as well.
 
Piper's mom said:
The one thing I’d suggest is getting the book The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete. This book was instrumental in the housebreaking. I had the book for Piper and it was very helpful as it’d been 14 years since I’d had a puppy. By the time I got Blueberry I’d forgotten about this book and I played it by ear…that was a mistake so I bought the book (again…this time on kindle lol) and it made such a difference! Aside from accidents when she was 1 1/2 she was pretty much trained at 4 months. At least until the teenager phase:ROFLMAO:.
Good luck with whatever you get, whether it’s a puppy or a young dog!
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The Art of Raising a Puppy is the gold standard for raising a puppy. We followed it with all our puppies, and the result was well-behaved, well-socialized, healthy Shelties!!
 
Bailey's Mom said:
Thank you so much. I really appreciate the advice.

Is there a "better" choice for ex pen than another? In the north east the snow can be hard on outdoor stuff and I'd like to be able to set one up and leave it outside so its available for those as needed trips. Dh has been shoveling paths for the dogs for years so a path and clean out for the ex pen so we can carry the dog out to use the facilities shouldn't be an issue for snow storms. However, if I can't leave one outside setting it up and carrying the dog could get to be a catastrophe waiting to happen.

It's not something we are going to need forever as we hope once the dog is trained that he/she will have full used of the fenced in yard but I do want it to last for the potty training journey.

I remember Bailey loving the chase me game as a puppy and dog school was such a welcome gift to teach him recall.
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I have an Iris Ex pen (I purchased off of Facebook marketplace when I was getting Blueberry) and I love it. It’s plastic and you can add to it to make it bigger. Each section is I believe 3 feet long and they connect with plastic dowels. I have 12 sections so I had one 8 section Ex pen outside and the smaller one inside. I actually still use the ex pen for Blueberry when I work (I like to give the other two a break from her and I don’t trust her not to chew). If you can find this one used online it can be a great buy (I paid $100 for mine with 3 door sections)
https://www.amazon.ca/IRIS-586680-C...locphy=9001183&hvtargid=pla-569917550611&th=1
 
Chris said:
The Art of Raising a Puppy is the gold standard for raising a puppy. We followed it with all our puppies, and the result was well-behaved, well-socialized, healthy Shelties!!
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I couldn’t agree more…I used it with Piper and (with the help of obedience trainers) he is the most sociable dog I own! Absolutely loves everyone!
 
Ann said:
I use plain old wire ex pens and have for years. I have one on my back deck that gates off the steps down so if a dog gets out there they can't escape. The wire pens stay outside through all kinds of weather, including winter and snow with no problem. I like them because if you need to, you can pick them up, fold them (to mow, shovel etc) and put them right back. These are the ones I use. They're the three-foot tall size. Puppies can't jump over them. If you have a climber, some can get out of the two-foot size. I've had some that can escape anything.

I don't advise leaving puppies alone outside in them, they can catch paws or noses in the openings. Also never leave a collar on a puppy in a wire crate or ex pen, tags can get caught, and I know people that's happened to.
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I block off areas with a metal Ex pen. I’ve currently got one blocking off the port window (the dogs don’t like me for that haha). They do work good and just a metal snap (the kind on leashes) or a carabiner can be used to keep them closed tight.
 
We used crates, and gates to isolate the pups when we could not directly supervise them but we have a lot of carpet as well so I bought a spot carpet scrubber vacuum cleaner and it has been one of the best things I did..not only for properly cleaning the carpet but also for stains from poop and vomit etc. The pups will have accidents and getting the fluid up and smell out is a matter for enzyme soaps and my little vacuum cleaner. We also took ours outside for a while after each meal, supervised until they went to the bathroom. Even in a fenced in yard you can't leave a small pup outside with out watching them.. yeah it is a chore to begin with and often frustrating but positive rewards and patience will out-- then as Pipers mom said you will go thru round 2 in the teenage years but it will be shorter. Snow will be another problem they love it but need to have a nice clean space dug out to do their thing.. I always dig out a potty coral for them and let them do their running thru the deep parts-- which we are due for tonight- dogs will be happy, floors will not..
 
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