# Should I do an x-pen for my pup?



## x3ro (Apr 29, 2009)

Right now I leave him in the crate when I go to work. He's about 12-13 weeks old. 

I come home at lunch to let him out but by that time he's peed his crate once or twice. He's usually crated til lunch for about 4.5 hours. 

Would an x-pen be a better option? I don't want him learning that it's ok for him to potty in his crate. But I also worry about him jumping out of an x-pen.

What's the consensus?


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

I leave my new pup in the bathroom with a potty pad if I'll be gone too long, with the crate open.


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## x3ro (Apr 29, 2009)

I don't want to leave him in any room. Too much stuff he could get into and hurt himself with, especially the bathroom. Thanks, though.


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

That's what puppy proofing the room is for. He has to be in some room unless you're talking about leaving the x-pen outside.


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## DogsforMe (Mar 11, 2007)

http://www.dogstardaily.com/videos/puppy-playpen-housetraining


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

I've used an ex-pen along with a crate successfully when I've had to leave pups for longer periods of time. Things to remember are to not put the crate right against the edge of the ex-pen if there's a chance the pup will climb on top of the crate to escape the pen. If your pup's a climber you can get an ex-pen with higher sides, a style of pen that's more difficult (I never say impossible, lol) to climb, or get a top for the ex-pen.


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## Bird-Dog (Dec 24, 2008)

skelaki said:


> I've used an ex-pen along with a crate successfully when I've had to leave pups for longer periods of time. Things to remember are to not put the crate right against the edge of the ex-pen if there's a chance the pup will climb on top of the crate to escape the pen. If your pup's a climber you can get an ex-pen with higher sides, a style of pen that's more difficult (*I never say impossible*, lol) to climb, or get a top for the ex-pen.


Ah, truer words have never been written.

To the OP, don't know how big your dog is but Hershey was climbing out of her x-pen at 8 weeks (3lb puppy, 36in pen ) so now she has a two-room "condo" - a crate big enough for a small horse. I cut a hole in the divider panel, put a shower curtain around her litter box, and she has her bed, toys, and food/water in the other "room".

One problem we ran into before moving from the x-pen to the condo, was that she could climb out of the pen (and away from her litter box) but couldn't get back in. So for about a week she was eliminating all over the house. THAT regression in house training took two whole months to correct.


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## x3ro (Apr 29, 2009)

I guess my biggest question is,

if I keep crating him while I'm gone to work, and he pees in his crate, will he learn that that's OK to do?

I want to do the right thing for him!


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

x3ro said:


> I guess my biggest question is,
> 
> if I keep crating him while I'm gone to work, and he pees in his crate, will he learn that that's OK to do?
> 
> I want to do the right thing for him!


yes, he will.


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## x3ro (Apr 29, 2009)

jesirose said:


> yes, he will.


So how do I successfully use an ex-pen and also housetrain him at the same time?


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

I have done through the years a lot of crate-breaking. We always spread paper in crate and when accidents happened fresh papers back in crate. Starting pups at 7 weks of age you will have accidents, not much during day because we were here but at night as we did not do the up every 2 hrs to take pups out routines. Last takeout 11:00 and 5:00 in morning 1st takeout. In the morning accidents were cleaned up, crate scrubbed, fresh newspapers added. As the puppies got older accidents get less and eventually stop. Mother nature helps with this as the majority of pups do not want to dump where they sleep. That being said, is this a 100% foolproof method that is going to work with all pups. No, it is not. With us kennel business and home together meant we had more control during day to dump pups. I would hazard a guess and say we had a 95% success rate. out of probably 50 pups. A guesstimate only on amounts as I really don't remember exact amounts. This is not advice to do this but just another view to confuse issue.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

wvasko said:


> I have done through the years a lot of crate-breaking. We always spread paper in crate and when accidents happened fresh papers back in crate. Starting pups at 7 weks of age you will have accidents, not much during day because we were here but at night as we did not do the up every 2 hrs to take pups out routines. Last takeout 11:00 and 5:00 in morning 1st takeout. In the morning accidents were cleaned up, crate scrubbed, fresh newspapers added. As the puppies got older accidents get less and eventually stop. Mother nature helps with this as the majority of pups do not want to dump where they sleep. That being said, is this a 100% foolproof method that is going to work with all pups. No, it is not. With us kennel business and home together meant we had more control during day to dump pups. I would hazard a guess and say we had a 95% success rate. out of probably 50 pups. A guesstimate only on amounts as I really don't remember exact amounts. This is not advice to do this but just another view to confuse issue.


Basically you do the same thing using the crate-expen combination. Here's what I've done in the past and will probably be doing this next time.

When you are not going to be home for a longer period of time than you you know your pup can hold it, put up the ex-pen in a room such as the kitchen that's easy to clean, spread newspapers over the area of the ex-pen (if your pup's a news eater, you can eliminate the papers (or puppy pads if you use them), and put the crate inside the expen with crate door open. 

When you get home, take puppy out to do its business. Then take down the ex-pen and clean up any accidents with an enzyme cleaner. Some say to not let puppy watch you clean up but I never had any problems whether or not the dog saw me clean. The main thing is to not make any big deal about it. just be matter of fact and clean thoroughly with an enzyme cleaner.

When you're home and can supervise the pup, use your normal routine of taking the pup out to do its business on a regular schedule and crating when you can't temporarily watch the pup.

This double routine may delay complete housebreaking success somewhat but, as long as you are as consistent as possible, the pup will be completely housebroken eventually.


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## x3ro (Apr 29, 2009)

About what age do pups gain more control of their bladder/bowels?


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## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

Use this method. http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/errorless-housetraining , I've use this to dual train my puppy for pads and outside.

Since you are not home, I would make the ex-pen so small that he he has to either go on the pad or his crate. Hopefully, it will be the pad.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

x3ro said:


> About what age do pups gain more control of their bladder/bowels?


It varies somewhat with the individual pup but generally they gain control around 6 months of age or a bit older. You'll probably find that, like human babies, the pup will hold it overnight before it's able to hold it during the day.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

skelaki said:


> Basically you do the same thing using the crate-expen combination. Here's what I've done in the past and will probably be doing this next time.
> 
> When you are not going to be home for a longer period of time than you you know your pup can hold it, put up the ex-pen in a room such as the kitchen that's easy to clean, spread newspapers over the area of the ex-pen (if your pup's a news eater, you can eliminate the papers (or puppy pads if you use them), and put the crate inside the expen with crate door open.
> 
> ...


Excellent reply. I've never used an x-pen and puppy pads weren't available when we were more involved with housebreaking etc. I can see the common sense involved especially the make x-pen small enough so pup has a choice but keeps the area small. I have always been spoiled as we have owned our kennel in rural area for 37 years which opens up and makes easier choices for this work. The x-pen and pads for urban living sounds like a very good program. It's funny I have read this on other replies but your's was 1st one I read that mentioned the shrinking of the x-pen to narrow pup choices.


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