# Ex-pen set up



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Someone asked me to post a photo of Kodi's ex-pen set-up when he was a puppy. So here it is. Please remember that he came form his breeder already well trained on the use of the litter box, so he had almost no accidents in the ex-pen set up this way. The few mistake he had were during a period where he would get his FRONT feet in the box, but not his back feet. We solved that problem by pushing the litter away from the front edge of the box, so he had to walk all the way in to get his front feet on the litter!:laugh:

If the puppy doesn't already know to use the litter box, you will have to start with it closed down to JUST a sleeping area on one side, and the litter box (or other potty option) on the other side. Very few puppies who have been raised properly will willingly soil their bed, so they HAVE to use the potty to eliminate. 

Over time, you give them a little more space, then a little more, as they show their ability to still use the potty. You want them to be as close to error-free as possible. If they make a mistake, close it back down to the last size that they were successful for a while again.

Oh, and when he was REALLY little, we had a much smaller crate actually inside the pen with him. When he was trustworthy with the potty, we added the bigger crate to the outside to give him more room. He continued to use this set-up at night and when we were out of the house until he was about 2 1/2. 

I'm not one to think that dogs should have free run of the house when I'm not home. Even if they are completely reliable in terms of pottying, there are just too many dangers in any house for a bored, unsupervised dog. So Kodi is confined to my office with a baby gate if we are away for a long time during the day. He has his litter box, water and his crate, as well as access to the couch in there, so it's basically a larger version of the ex-pen arrangement... I just don't need to worry about my oriental rug or the couch anymore!  For shorter periods, he just goes into his crate. (he's quite happy with this)

(oh, and yes, that B&W thing in the back of the crate is him, on his back, flopped out and napping! )


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## ox3pxo (Sep 29, 2012)

nice! how tall is your ex-pen? i have the 24" Iris ex-pen and audrey learned how to climb out of it... I'm wondering if purchasing a taller ex-pen might prevent this


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

This one was 30". Kodi never tries to climb out of ex-pens, though... even the 24" one.s he'll put his feet on the top edge and loot at you (and I KNOW he can jump higher than that) but he knows that's "his space" and stays. 

Is Audrey climbing on top of a crate to get out or is she actually climbing the wire? If she's climbing the wire, a taller ex-pen won't help. It will only get her up high enough that she can hurt herself jumping or falling down the outside. The only alternative for the climbers is an ex-pen with a cover... and they DO make them!


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## ox3pxo (Sep 29, 2012)

she's actually climbing the wire. she climbs up to the top and makes a leap for it! i will have to consider a ex-pen with a top on it... sigh... she just keeps getting more and more expensive!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ox3pxo said:


> she's actually climbing the wire. she climbs up to the top and makes a leap for it! i will have to consider a ex-pen with a top on it... sigh... she just keeps getting more and more expensive!


Yeah, unfortunately, that's VERY dangerous. (and as I said, a taller ex-pen probably won't help... just make it more dangerous if she DOES climb) Not only is the drop dangerous, but she could break a leg, or worse, get hung up and not be able to get free at all, if she caught her foot in the wire as she went to jump. They sure are expensive little critters... but worth every penny!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

ox3pxo said:


> she's actually climbing the wire. she climbs up to the top and makes a leap for it! i will have to consider a ex-pen with a top on it... sigh... she just keeps getting more and more expensive!


we had an escaper as well. by 14 weeks Tillie was able to JUMP over the 24' x-pen ... temporarily we actually took one of the panels off the x-pen and attached in to the top (in just a square shape as we were never gone more than an hr or so in the early weeks) while I ordered and waited for a wire crate. This has been the best thing for her, she loves her crate and she is totally safe in there!  She still goes in it when ever I leave the house and she is 3 yrs old. I tried to let her have free roam, but it seemed to really stress her out, so back to the crate we went!


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