Hey leerburg! Puppy thing update.
Got lots of toys.
A couple of wire crates. Hoping they will be the correct size.
Im not sure what crate puppy will fit. Will I need to buy a crate cover or will a blanket over crate do?

How many toys does a puppy or dog need?
I have a nylabone toy. Rope toys. Rope toys with balls and hard chews on them. Kong type food toy. Imitation antler chew. A round rawhide chew. Little rawhide snacks/chews. A few snack sized bully sticks. Little round sweet potato snacks/chews. A few soft toys. A few food dispensing toys. Bull horns for chewing.
I think that's it for now.
Looking to pick up a kong toy with a ball in it. A crunchy plastic bone type chew toy. Himalayan chew, I think its cheese? A real anter chew. A trachea. And more larger bully stick type chews/treats.
These chews and treats are all bought with both puppy and dog in mind. They need to suit my puppy AND my adult/hard chewing dog. They will be sharing via daily toy rotation. Dogs in my house only get toys in private, while confined to area.
Toys and chews are not sitting around available to start fights.

Im hoping the toys will keep puppy safely occupied in his pen. Until hes done with vaccinations. And doesn't have to be so...isolated. And can start coming along more places.

I am worried.
I have carpets. Im thinking of buying some sort of easily clean surface to go under xpen. Because accidents DO happen.
Maybe a tarp? Are they waterproof? Or maybe I should by some vynal flooring? Or rubber matting? Maybe those little mats they put down in kid play rooms?

Oh, I just realized. Its Halloween today! Happy Halloween!

Myself, Im a fan of newspaper, but lots of people aren't .

If it gets wet the newsprint can stain a pups feet and track up a carpet, but it's free, biodegradable, sterile. It's not real absorbant but it's not dreadful either. 10 sheets thick you can roll up the trashed part and put down new.
You could buy a vinyl remnant to put under there and throw it away after. It would protect your carpet , unless he pees near the edge, then it could run off.
I think you'd hate a tarp.
A low kiddy pool could work too, the X pen inside it.

A blanket cover will be fine with one suggestion.

Put a piece of plywood on top that is 3-4 inches larger then the crate both directions. That keeps the pup from dragging the blanket in or at least shredding it.

A dog can have to many toys IMHO. Soft toys, fabric toys and toys with squeakers or bells in them are NOT recommended. To easy to rip and tear and swallow the bell/squeekers.

A kong that you can put peanut butter in to keep the pup occupied when your not around.

For reward and a great bond maker is a tug toy BUT I don't use it except for reward.

A reward that includes you is WAY better then rewarding with a ball. Once the dog has the ball you are no longer needed. the game of tug is all about the dog AND you.

A dog with an excellent retrieve or a natural retrieve would be the exception to rewarding with a ball.

You always want to be a part of the reward as opposed to being just a vending machine for rewards.

With a puppy in the ex-pen I would used thick layers of newspaper. A better idea would be to NOT let the pup have the option of going anywhere other then outside. A tarp can be used under the papers.

That can be controlled by keeping the pup tethered to you when in the house. That's another bond maker.

Puppys don't make mistakes. They do what comes natural and they do whatever they are allowed to because they haven't correctly learned not To. Owners make mistakes!

I missed Betty's post.

Ditto on her thoughts on the tarp. The vinyl would be much better under paper if that's the way you go.

http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/rubber-roll/8mm-rubber-roll.html?gclid=CJr8oJHT18ECFc1Z7Aod0isAGQ

Hey guys! Look at this! This is what what the ring is made of in one of the training facilities I work at.
I wonder if I bought this and put it down in the puppy pen?

I also like the idea of the kids pool!
But is the pen really that small it can fit in a kid pool?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_190850-42870-L90216X9_4294648483__?productId=3018903&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=
I googled vinyl remnants and got this...
This aint bad either. I could wipe pee off this for sure.
Then like betty said, toss it out. Or keep it for dog training equipment or something.

Yeah, I probably would hate a tarp. Annoyingly loud.
thanks leerburg.


I don't want to confuse anybody. This is for accidents and making it easy for immediate clean up.
Been a long time sense I had a puppy. And carpets are not a great combo.

http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/interlocking-tile/foam/12-eco-soft-tile.html
Win.

The interlocking -tile/foam would trap urine in the seams where they interlock.

The first pad would do but being flat you would still need some sort of container underneath

Many crates can be purchased with a metal pan in the bottom.

They sell plastic drop cloths in thick enough weights to last as long as pup can't get to them. They'd be fine under newspaper and are fairly cheap. You could just pitch them when pup is house trained.

Oh! A drop cloth!!! Derp!