Best Location For Daytime Puppy Pen?

[vegemite_toast]

We are getting the house ready this weekend for our new pup, which we will pick up on Thursday.

We have a pp40 crate for nighttime in our bedroom, and (thanks to suggestions from dol!) a Bunnings compost pen for a daytime puppy pen. But we are unsure of the best location for it. Should it be somewhere off to the side in a quiet area, or closer to a main living area? Our two choice locations for it at the moment are a corner of the dining room, or out in the family room near tv, and lounge? Both areas are ceramic tiled, but we will be getting a lino offcut to put under it to help protect the floor and to make it easy to give a it a good clean outside when needed.

[Stitch]

IMO a young puppy should always spend time near the busiest and noisiest place in the house, which is usually the kitchen.

That way they get used to the loud noises and not being the centre of attention. They also get to amuse themselves in this location.

Then they also need time with you to relax in the loungeroom, so they learn to accept affection and to be quiet and calm.

Then they need a sleeping at night place.

So, bearing all this in mind, you decide what is going to work for you and then fit the pup into your lifestyle.

[ellz]

Definitely in the main part of the house where they can experience all of the sights and sounds of a regular family life.

My puppies are all whelped and reared within sight and sound of EVERYTHING that occurs in the family. They are part of the action from birth. I find this makes them more readily accepting of everything that goes on for the rest of their lives.

It is also easier to toilet train a puppy that has a pen in the main part of the house. You are better able to watch body language and take them outside to their toilet spot when they are showing the usual "signs" of wanting to go, which also reinforces the toilet training issues that rely so much upon timing.

[vegemite_toast]

Thanks stitch and ellz

We've set the day pen up in the area between the kitchen and family room (it is open plan). Maple will be visible from kitchen, dining room, and family room, so it should work out well, but if not then we have a couple of other spots in mind that we can try that are where Maple can see and be seen. They would mean rearranging some very large, heavy pieces of furniture though, and oh would prefer to avoid that if possible.

Edited June 28, 2009 by vegemite_toast