NEW Puppy - Crate Training / Location, Playpens, and Misc - PLEASE ADVISE

[ajwhitt44]

Hi all,

You may have seen my initial post in the 'Welcome' section.

In about 3 weeks I will have in my possession a brindle 13wk male whose name is BREMBO. I have read many things and received advice from the breeder, but you guys are the ones with the variety of experience, so I thought it best to clarify everything here.

I have 2 MAIN questions - I've searched and did not find any definitive answers, so let's hope this thread will be yet another source of info for a new owner.

PLEASE NOTE: The puppy will be with the breeder for approximately 3 more weeks until the time of pickup. The breeder currently keeps the puppy in a playpen with his sister while inside, and has another playpen outside for them.

1. Crate Training, Pen Training, or Both?

...So the breeder has stated that the puppy is already potty trained. As he's currently 10wks, when he's in the house he will be kept in a playpen made up of approximately 8 playpen fences that create a type of octagon. The breeder says that at 11+wks he can begin crate training, but can also do this in conjunction with a playpen (huh?).

I was immediately confused because I do not understand how or why it would be possible for me to do this. If I crate train him, it would be for the purposes of teaching him that he needs to go outside to pee, and it will not be acceptable to do so in the house.

The only reason I can see that she would say 'in conjunction', is that if I were to leave the house for a longer period of time (say 5-10hrs) and could not be home to let him out of his crate. In this case, I think she was saying that I could leave him in the pen all day and allow him to do his business on the paper/puppy pad at his leisure. Do you think I am correct in assuming this? Do you think it's necessary?

2. Crate in the bedroom, or downstairs

#2 important additional fact: my girlfriend has a cat.

We're going to be in a 2 story home. I had originally planned on putting the crate in the dining room which is connected to and easily accessible from the kitchen.

Now I am reading that some of you keep the crate next to their bed in the bedroom. I picked out a nice wire crate from Orvis with a wood covering to make it look more like a piece of furniture.

My question here is simple yet has many parts:
Do I put the crate downstairs in the dining room?
In the bedroom?
Do I first put it in the bedroom until the puppy is XX weeks old, and then move it downstairs to the dining room? ....if so:

• after how many weeks do I move the crate downstairs?
  
• if I am using the crate for the purpose of potty training, it would be difficult to have him in and out of the crate when we spend the majority of our time downstairs. I'd like to teach him to "go to his home (crate)" when we're lounging, but if the crate is upstairs, then I would have to lounge upstairs which we don't really do".

I have received many different opinions about crate training, so your help would be absolutely helpful.

I REALLY want to be able to put the crate in the dining room forever so that can be his consistent and reliable 'Home', but many of you are saying to keep him close if he's crying at night.

Thanks so much for your help and I look forward to learning more about this whole process!!!

-Adam

 

[mendomama]

I have no advice on the play pen, we just use the kitchen as a puppy area for the first few weeks during potty training. Our kitchen is the only place with hard floors. Well if you start with the crate in the bedroom, it might be hard to move it to the dinning room latter on. Ours sleep in the bedroom in their crates. We chose this because we could wake up and hear when they needed to go out to potty when training. But we kinda regret it because of the snoring now. With two of them it can get out of hand.You also want it easy access to the door for potty training. In your situation you may want two crates. One upstairs and one down. We have a dog bed in the living room and a crate in the bed room for each of the dogs. You will want to ease the puppy into the crate. You want them to like it. We start with giving treats in the crate and only closing the door at night when he is asleep.We try not to make them be in there if they don't want to be in the crate for the first few weeks. So to let them know that this their comfort place. If you have to leave them for an extended amount of time it might be better if you put him in a play pen. Ok. Think I gave you a bit more advice than you need but hopefully it cleared up some questions.

 

[Poppy]

Hi Adam

Yes use the octagon when you are away longer then they can "hold it".

 

[Poppy]

I would keep the crate downstairs. It will be annoying to get up and let him out, but once you're past the adjustment phase it will be fine. If he's too close to your room it will be extremely hard to ignore his crying (he will cry the first couple of days).

Once he can sleep through the night without an accident, you may choose to move him closer, whether with a crate or just a dog bed.

 

[ajwhitt44]

In your situation you may want two crates. One upstairs and one down. We have a dog bed in the living room and a crate in the bed room for each of the dogs.

Thanks! It's really difficult for me to justify a 2nd crate, as I am not sure that I have the space for such!

Hi Adam

Yes use the octagon when you are away longer then they can "hold it".

Use the octogon with the crate?

I would keep the crate downstairs. It will be annoying to get up and let him out, but once you're past the adjustment phase it will be fine. If he's too close to your room it will be extremely hard to ignore his crying (he will cry the first couple of days).

Once he can sleep through the night without an accident, you may choose to move him closer, whether with a crate or just a dog bed.

Okay, my nervousness regarding this stems from people saying not to leave the puppy alone at night. I was just not sure if it would be alright.

 

[BrooklynStar]

We tried crate training Dozer for the longest time but there was just something about it Dozer couldnt get used to. Aside from the fact that we felt bad leaving him in this tiny little space for a long time was just too heart breaking. It really depends on your lifestyle in the end. Our dog trainer thinks having them in the crate during the day is a godsend, she also said it's easier if we need to transport him by plane, car or if we have to board him. Well Dozer is never going on an airplane and when he's in my car he has his own little seat with seat belt, besides his old crate was too big to fit in my Infiniti anyway. If we were to ever board him I'd spend good money on his own little pen so he has room to move around.

That being said, we elected to get him an octogon playpen, its 5 foot by 5 foot and 36 inches high...its secured in a corner of the living room with a wall on two sides and two 100 pound dumbells on the other two. As long as its secured and you leave him in there without a collar or harness hes ok. He has not soiled it at all since we started training him that way. Whereas when he was in his old traditional crate he would soil it constantly...there was a stretch of three weeks there where he would poop in there every night, and he would just go. He never cried to let us know he had to go potty (we also took him out before we went to bed for the night usually around 11pm-ish)

Whatever you do make sure it works for you and your family! Goodluck!

 

[LaurenA]

Hi Adam, Rook is our first dog/bully, so my experience is limited. I think every bully is different and you will decide what is best for you and Brembo.

We never used the playpen just the crate, and it worked well for us and Rook. We live in an apartment, and keep his crate in the living room. Rook really seems to like consistency, so I think if you want the dining room to be the permanent spot for Brembo's crate I would start with it there. Rook can get anxious when we move furniture around, really anything out of the ordinary is cause for concern for him.

We brought Rook home at 8 weeks and he never cried or whined at night, even if he had to go out. It didn't really seem to bother him to be away from his mom and brothers, he bonded with my husband immediately and just seemed to know that we were his now. Since he wasn't in our room and he wouldn't tell us if he had to go, I just made it a routine to get up in the middle of the night to take him out. I can't remember when Rook made it through the night with out having to go out. Brembo will be quite a bit older than Rook was, so you might not have to do it as often as we did.

Also, Rook was quite the chewer... he would even chew on his metal crate. I would suggest looking into getting some Bitter Apple spray or some deterrent to put on the crate before Brembo even considers trying out his teeth on the crate since you've picked out a nice one with a wood cover. I know Rook would have wanted to chew on that!

Bringing home a bully is a bit of an adventure, and you definitely learn what will work for you and him as you go.

 

[ajwhitt44]

Lauren,

Thanks so much for your advice.

I realize every Bully is different, and what worked with Rook may not work with Brembo, and vice versa. However, you have given me some great tips, and I can't wait to try it out.

I think getting up in the middle of the night will be the most important thing I can do to ensure consistency and letting him pee.

I am SO looking forward to it, and the next few weeks can't go by quickly enough!

 

[Vicaroo1000]

Suggest getting the audio book by Cesar Millan, "How to Raise the Perfect Dog". It is a gold mine of simple, useful information.

http://youtu.be/qviAVuIleCk <== Here's the Meet Mr. President video. If that's not the cutest bulldog puppy in the universe, I'll eat dog kibble!

 

[ajwhitt44]

Suggest getting the audio book by Cesar Millan, "How to Raise the Perfect Dog". It is a gold mine of simple, useful information.

http://youtu.be/qviAVuIleCk <== Here's the Meet Mr. President video. If that's not the cutest bulldog puppy in the universe, I'll eat dog kibble!

Thanks -- YES that dog is SO cute!!!

I ordered that book along with "Culture Clash" and "Before and After Your New Puppy".... Good thing I have 3 weeks before I am getting him, I apparently have a lot of reading to do!

 

[ajwhitt44]

We tried crate training Dozer for the longest time but there was just something about it Dozer couldnt get used to. Aside from the fact that we felt bad leaving him in this tiny little space for a long time was just too heart breaking. It really depends on your lifestyle in the end. Our dog trainer thinks having them in the crate during the day is a godsend, she also said it's easier if we need to transport him by plane, car or if we have to board him. Well Dozer is never going on an airplane and when he's in my car he has his own little seat with seat belt, besides his old crate was too big to fit in my Infiniti anyway. If we were to ever board him I'd spend good money on his own little pen so he has room to move around.

That being said, we elected to get him an octogon playpen, its 5 foot by 5 foot and 36 inches high...its secured in a corner of the living room with a wall on two sides and two 100 pound dumbells on the other two. As long as its secured and you leave him in there without a collar or harness hes ok. He has not soiled it at all since we started training him that way. Whereas when he was in his old traditional crate he would soil it constantly...there was a stretch of three weeks there where he would poop in there every night, and he would just go. He never cried to let us know he had to go potty (we also took him out before we went to bed for the night usually around 11pm-ish)

Whatever you do make sure it works for you and your family! Goodluck!

Sorry Brooklyn, meant to reply to this post.

It really does sound like each dog can be different, and to figure out what will work best for you. No matter how much information I attempt to get beforehand, nothing can prepare me for what will actually happen when he's with me.

I think I am still going to try the crate route, but I am also going to have a pen for a little while on those days that I am away for 8+hrs. Really appreciate your input.

 

[BulldogMom31]

[MENTION=4822]ajwhitt44[/MENTION] Hi My bully is 13 weeks old, it's my very first one so not too much experience here, but i can tell you what worked for me and Rocky, I never did crate training, couldn't do that, we got Rocky at 8 weeks, and since the very first night, i made a little area for him, with gates all around, and at night i just put a wee wee pad in a corner and he pee on his wee wee pad at night the first week, never had an accidenti never got up to take him outside at night, i always take his water away an hour before he goes to bed, now this days, he doesn't even have to pee on his wee wee pad at night, it's all about routine, and this one sure worked for us, he loves his little area, which i leave open during the day, so he can go in and out whenever he wants to. Good Luck!!!