Quote: Webboard User

I've been searching topics on how to house my new puppy. I will be getting him in about a month and have already set up and outside kennel for him. I think to have him live outside though is not good especially at such a young age.

After reading this thread, I think I will go with an ex pen vs a crate simply for the eliminating factor. I dont have the schedule to let him out of a crate every so many hours. Im gone for at LEAST 8 hours of the day. An ex pen sounds like a better option for my schedule.

Anyone disagree? (I think Im opening a can of worms with this last statement LoL)

You mean to actually require that the puppy potty indoors? I would rethink that HARD. And I don't mean that he should live outside. What I do mean is that you need to work out a way for a dogwalker or someone to potty the puppy outdoors very frequently.

And before that, do you have time off work for a few days at least (preferably a week or two)?



eta
You do understand that forcing the puppy to potty indoors is training the puppy to go indoors, right? Boy, that is one road you do not want to go down. JMO, but it's a really really strong opinion.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (11/12/2011 06:56 PM)
Edit reason: eta

 Quote: Webboard User

I've been searching topics on how to house my new puppy. I will be getting him in about a month and have already set up and outside kennel for him. I think to have him live outside though is not good especially at such a young age.

After reading this thread, I think I will go with an ex pen vs a crate simply for the eliminating factor. I dont have the schedule to let him out of a crate every so many hours. Im gone for at LEAST 8 hours of the day. An ex pen sounds like a better option for my schedule.

Anyone disagree? (I think Im opening a can of worms with this last statement LoL)

Collin, I can only suggest that you reconsider getting a pup if your ONLY alternative is to leave him alone 8+ hours each day, prior to being fully house trained. Hopefully, you are able to hire someone to come in a few times a day to get the pup outside, so that you are NOT training him that going to the bathroom iside the xpen is what you want him to do.

Try to look at this from the pup's point of view. He is alone all day, inside the house (you are correct that he should not be outside alone, either) which leaves him the ONLY choice of peeing and pooping in his xpen. When you are home in the evenings and on your days off, you will then be trying to make him understand that "NO!!!! DO NOT PEE INSIDE THE HOUSE!" is the new rule, while allllll the other time that is his only option. Hmmm... so does this mean as he grows, if he is alone he eliminates inside the house as "normal" but if you are there and catch him in the act, he will try to go outside..??

Your puppy will have absolutely NO concept or understanding that what you are TRAINING him to do while you are at work, will magically become the "wrong" thing for him to do when you are at home. You provide him no option but to pee and poop in his xpen during the VERY important, formative puppy months, and YOU are TRAINING your dog to eliminate inside the house.

I'd personally think LONG and hard before I'd bring home a pup to this situation. Have you considered an older, house broken dog? Might be more fair for the animal.

This is actually my 4th Rottie in the last 12 years. None of my dogs are or ever will be in-house dogs. Im not looking to house train him.

In my old house, I had a little hall area where my other puppies have called home prior to moving outside. My work schedule has been the same all these years. In my new house I dont have a similar hall area so Im looking into an ex pen.

I dont know how it is on the mainland, but here in Hawaii, there arent many people who I can "hire" to dog-sit for me while at work.

All in all, I guess I'll stick to my original plan being that it's worked for me for the past 12 years... thanks though...

 Quote: Webboard User

This is actually my 4th Rottie in the last 12 years. None of my dogs are or ever will be in-house dogs. Im not looking to house train him.

Dude, this thread is specifically about house-training and ex-pens. Regardless, I wouldn't leave any pup in an ex-pen unsupervised, it's way too easy for them to break out of if they're determined enough.

To the OP, I successfully used an ex-pen with my Mal pup that I just raised from 9 weeks (she's 11 months now). I used it exactly liked Connie and the others have described.....as an "extension" to tethering.

It can get old having a crazy pup attached to you at all times. So, you can use the ex-pen as a break, giving the pup more space and play area compared to the crate. I would often give my pup a good treat in the ex-pen to keep her occupied, like a stuffed Kong or frozen marrow bone. And like you mentioned, always making sure that the pup is taken outside enough so that house-breaking mistakes are minimized.

I only used the ex-pen for a few months, but I was glad I did.

 Quote: Webboard User

This is actually my 4th Rottie in the last 12 years. None of my dogs are or ever will be in-house dogs. Im not looking to house train him.

In my old house, I had a little hall area where my other puppies have called home prior to moving outside. My work schedule has been the same all these years. In my new house I dont have a similar hall area so Im looking into an ex pen.

I dont know how it is on the mainland, but here in Hawaii, there arent many people who I can "hire" to dog-sit for me while at work.

All in all, I guess I'll stick to my original plan being that it's worked for me for the past 12 years... thanks though...

I misunderstood and thought you posted asking for some input on how to deal with a new pup coming into your home. But if leaving a young pup unattended in a hallway for 8+ hours a day has worked for you in the past, then I say go for it. Shoot, why try to do something better for your dogs since doing the wrong thing "has worked" for the past 12 years. Too bad you don't have a hallway at this time. Good luck on keeping that rottie pup in an xpen. Seriously, with no sarcasm, I wish you the best in keeping that rottie pup contained and safe and non destructive in an xpen.

Most folks on this forum take raising a well balanced pup to maturity a bit farther than just keeping it contained all day while we are gone, but I do live on the mainland so maybe that explains the difference. ??

 Quote: Webboard User

Im not looking to house train him.

This is specifically a house-training thread. The words "indoor accidents" in the title might tip you off.

If I sound sarcastic, it's because I am totally confused.

Also a tad stunned at the idea of removing a puppy from his litter to leave him in a hallway (or an ex-pen or a crate) all day every day.



BTW, an ex-pen is not secure/appropriate for containing a puppy alone all day. I have no idea how you would ensure that. I never thought about it ..... that's not what their purpose is.

you guys are right. I called the breeder and told her to keep the pup. I lost my $500 deposit, but thats a small price to pay to ensure my wrong methods in hawaii dont compromise the upbringing of this puppy.

OP, sorry for the thread jack.

 Quote: Webboard User

Anyone disagree? (I think Im opening a can of worms with this last statement LoL)

So why did you post and ask, specifically, if anyone disagreed with your plan if you're going to get snarky when somebody does? Next time just be honest and post what you have to say and then add "and my mind is made up so don't bother responding." People have better things to do than offer advice to strangers and then put up with attitude for trying to be helpful.

And unless the O.P. would like the thread reopened, we'll call it a wrap here.

Maybe Colin actually will think about the posts.