Dog Pen Vs Free Range Puppy

[LisaCC]

My pup had free range of the backyard, backyard was safe and puppy proof.

He had supervised free range of a few rooms of the house; dining, lounge and hall.

When I was not home or not able to watch him he was placed safely outside. If it was shorter periods of time (shower, bathroom or cooking etc) or over night he was crated. This was so he wasn't getting into anything while I wasn't watching and so he wouldn't have the chance to toilet inside.

With the above routine we had one accident inside in his entire puppy hood, a poop explosion on the night I bought him home as I was holding him and rushing him out! Never a shoe or anything chewed.

By 4 months I stopped crating him for those short periods. By 8 months I left his crate open at night and by 9 months he was able to be trusted all day and all night unconfined, unsupervised in the house if I wanted him to be, or outside. He's content, calm and happy where ever I want him to be.

[The Spotted Devil]

It definitely depends on the individual - Em is 4.5, trains hard, plays hard, runs hard, competes hard and is about to have her own babies but I still have a baby gate to stop her accessing cat toys, shoes etc and I have to "puppy proof" the living area. A leather wallet has a very short half life in this house...

[Riley James]

I live on acreage so it's prob a fair bit different

But we have a puppy pen up near the house for when pups first come home (we have Ridgebacks also)

With crate training at night until they are a little older

Then when a few months have passed they get moved down to the dog runs.

I like them to learn to be confident when alone and not to have to rely on the other dogs to be happy.

They're allowed out to free range when we are home so we can keep an eye on them and make sure they're safe and not into mischief.

And being locked up when we are not home stops anyone accusing them of chasing livestock when we are out.

We know they're safe and sound when we are gone.

Our latest puppy (ridgeback bitch) also has a crate as her bed in her she'd in her dog run

She loves her crate and when I take her to shows it's no hassle crating her when needed as she is used to it.

And out of the 7 acres we live on the 3 dogs spend most time when out of the run lying at the back door near where we are.

Good luck with your new family member

Cheers Janet

[MAZNAT]

Thanks for everyones replies. He is going really well in his crate. He still isn't loving his outdoor area too much, but I guess these things take time.

[aussielover]

I'm renting at the moment so if I got another puppy I would invest in a dog pen or dog run setup in the garden. Also I wouldnt want the puppy annoying the crap out of my older dog. She is overly tolerant and wouldn't discipline the puppy so would be up to me to make sure she had her own space.

I also wouldn't want the puppy to bond more with my dog than myself which I've seen all too often when people get a second dog.