Where To Put The Dog Door And Puppy Pen?

[Tint]

Hi everyone! We are slowly getting closer to getting our puppy so I'm starting to plan. I'm a bit stuck about where to put the dog door. I have two options...

1. In the external laundry door. This will involve removing the screen door and replacing the laundry door with a wooden one (it is currently all glass). Our laundry leads to a small grassed area which is perfect, but the clothes line is also here. Our laundry is also located in a part of the house which I plan to block off initially when we get pup, so I can see problems down the track with access when I go out.

2. In the glass door leading to the deck. This side of the house leads to a large yard. I am a bit worried about pup having access to so much yard unsupervised (should I be concerned?), and if I put the door here it will be harder for me to contain pup inside as it's an open plan area.

I'm very much a 'start as you wish to go on' person. I plan to use a puppy pen inside and also crate train. What is the best way to toilet train pup if I have to go out for a few hours? Leave her in the crate, or leave in the pen with some puppy pads/fake grass toilet? Do I only introduce her to the dog door once she is used to toileting outside?

Also where would be the best place to put the crate and puppy pen? Do people put them in a quieter out-of-way place, or pop it where there is more foot traffic/kids playing to get pup used to the house noises?

Thanks in advance for your responses, any advice appreciated xxx

[Loving my Oldies]

Having battled for years with wanting to block off parts of the house at various times and for various reasons (cleaning, weather, sickness, etc) and being a multiple dog owner, my feelings would be to have two doggy doors: the laundry one for when she is a baby and the one to the deck for when she is older and you can supervise. Having the door in the laundry will be good for nighttime when you (perhaps) don't want her wandering around the house or wanting to keep her in a confined area forma short time for whatever reasons.

Go over each of the outside areas with a fine tooth comb to ensure there are no danger points for potential injury/harm/escape.

Exciting :thumbsup:

[The Spotted Devil]

I don't have dog doors - mine learn to ask to go out. Some pups can take a while regardless so it's a good idea to keep a close eye on them. I have a crate with pen attached in the living room - if I can't watch pup in they go with toys and chews or a stuffed Kong. They also are in there when I leave the house. Make sure they have toileted and have some good training and exercise, give them something to munch on and they tend to sleep very peacefully until I return home. I try for a maximum of 4 hours in the pen. I also have a crate in the bedroom for night time - next to my bed so they are close to their pack and I can hear if they are restless - usually means they are cold or need to toilet. I have baby gates to stop pup going down the hallway to the bedrooms and another to the laundry to keep them out of the cat litter tray. As they get older, set ups change - in fact the only thing that stays the same for my pups is change :laugh: which means they are very adaptable when we travel. I hope that helps!

Edited July 7, 2016 by The Spotted Devil

[Tint]

Thank you both :) This is our first puppy, so I'm tending to overthink things lol

[The Spotted Devil]

Thank you both :) This is our first puppy, so I'm tending to overthink things lol

Very exciting! The more pups I have the more chilled I get....was such an anxious head with my Dalmatian :D I've cared for and trained a couple of pups for friends (about 4-6 weeks each) and had 3 of my own plus raised a litter. The pup I kept from my litter took AGES to toilet train compared with her Mama - partly because I was just so, so busy, then I sustained an injury that meant I wasn't on top of things properly - but also she was a super busy pup and it was miserable weather so she was indoors quite a bit. No matter - they figure it out. Just get some Urine Off (puppy) spray and have paper towels on hand :)

[Scottsmum]

Is option 2 a glass sliding door by any chance? If so - I'd probably go with that.

My folks have always had a bolt lock in their glass doors for pets to come and go. You can always "fence off" smaller sections in the large yard for when the pup is out there unattended.

The laundry is also an option if its only when you're not home - access to a small contained area + the laundry would be my ideal set up if I could swing it (we used to have this set up - it was great)

[Eza]

I have a crate in my room for night sleeping, a mat in the lounge room for supervised time only and a baby gate on my hallway do pup will be confined to a back entrance area.

We plan to toilet train for outside so will be crated or outside when we arent home (once older).

[Dogsfevr]

what month are you getting puppy

[Tint]

End of August :)

[~Anne~]

I had the glass panels replaced in our glass sliding doors so that we could have a dog door inserted. They cut the glass with the hole in it ready. I used one of these dogs doors.

Your puppy won't be a puppy forever so I'd thnk more long term use and look at temporary ways of containing him while he's a Bub.

[Papillon Kisses]

Sorry

We keep thinking of putting in one of those Anne but I'm worried my little guy will be too small / scared to push it. What sort of dog so you have and how heavy is the flap?

[Loving my Oldies]

Thank you both :) This is our first puppy, so I'm tending to overthink things lol

Overthinking goes with first puppy!! You haven’t been on DOL for very long, so I will attempt to educate you. Talking about a puppy means that we have to know:

1. Breed

2. Colour

3. Photos

4. Countdown to when puppy arrives

5. Photos

6. Photos

7. Anything else you can think of

:rofl:

Sorry

We keep thinking of putting in one of those Anne but I'm worried my little guy will be too small / scared to push it. What sort of dog so you have and how heavy is the flap?

I have a doggy door in a glass door. One of the mistakes I did make was to have it inserted a couple of inches too high and one of my dogs now has a little problem stepping over it, but he is very old and blind. I have little dogs it is hitched open most of time, but it has little knobs on each side to enable it to be locked closed. It has been in for over 11 years, so can’t remember brand. Over those years, I’ve had many dogs (being involved with rescue) and no dog had any problem with it. Because it swings, some dogs would have had a tap on the nose following another dog out, but they are quick learners and it wouldn’t happen more than once or twice. :)

[Tint]

Lol DDD. She is a Field Spaniel, either liver or liver and tan, depending on temperament and which ones are going to show homes. Hopefully liver and tan :) Pups are only a week old. We have had our name on a waiting list for quite a while, can't believe it is actually happening. Still tossing around names... Over our long wait I have pretty much accumulated most things we will need, it just a few bits and pieces left and fingers crossed!

[Tint]

Thanks for the advice and pic Anne xx

[~Anne~]

Sorry

We keep thinking of putting in one of those Anne but I'm worried my little guy will be too small / scared to push it. What sort of dog so you have and how heavy is the flap?

Mine have all been pugs, but I've also baby sat a few other swfs. All of them have been fine with it.... including the grandkids crawling through it!

I found it far less noisy than any other dog I've had and it's certainly far more aesthetically pleasing. They're certainly lighter than some of the bendable plastic type flaps and the hinges are really light and noiseless.

As DD has said, you need to consider the height of your dogs because once the glass is cut, it's expensive to replace. The rim of the Perspex on mine has a crack from the grandkids but I can easily replace it. It's the glass that is costly, not the dog door.

And yes, again as DD said, the dogs following the lead dog through the door get a smack in the face and they soon learn to duck! :laugh:

I'd certainly get another installed if I ever get another dog and move houses. In fact, as another cat is more likely on the cards, I will potentially get one put into a window leading into an enclosure. I think they're a great dog/cat door.

Edited July 7, 2016 by ~Anne~

[Loving my Oldies]

Lol DDD. She is a Field Spaniel, either liver or liver and tan, depending on temperament and which ones are going to show homes. Hopefully liver and tan :) Pups are only a week old. We have had our name on a waiting list for quite a while, can't believe it is actually happening. Still tossing around names... Over our long wait I have pretty much accumulated most things we will need, it just a few bits and pieces left and fingers crossed!

How exciting . Lots of fun and activity ahead.

[Dogsfevr]

End of August :)

So the weather will be on the improve by then so set your home up for a summer prep and plan,toilet training will be easier with at weather so make the most it it before the heat sets in

[Tint]

Thank you :)