Indoor xpen suggestions?

[TheJenners]

So I have a metal xpen that I plan on plunking in the barn aisle over the winter while new puppy grows, it’s the same one I used when Wesley was young and not yet allowed to be loose at the barn. My old house layout was easier to watch him as he grew but with new puppy I think an indoor xpen or two would help me as we navigate growing, housebreaking, not being eaten by the Wesley, etc.

Recommendations? I want something that doesn’t require metal prongs to connect the panels because my floors are hardwood. I am probably going to get at least one ground mat for the barn so he isn’t hanging out on cold concrete (winter puppy joys) so I can always get one for the house to protect the floor. Are the plastic xpens too light weight? Will a pad keep it from getting pushed around? He’s an Aussie so he isn’t a giant breed but not exactly a lightweight either.

If you have a suggestion for a crate too… I have a wire crate that is adult size, and it had one of those grow-with-me interior panels that I used when Wesley was a puppy so it wasn’t too big but I don’t know if I’m able to get my hand on it anymore because I haven’t seen it since the last time I used it. But also the wire crate was pretty noisy.

[Simkie]

If the wire crate is noisy because of the pan against the wire, cut a cardboard piece or two to put underneath the pan. It work GREAT to quiet that noise.

I just use a smaller crate when they’re babies and upsize as they grow. Just as soon as they’re potty trained, I go to an xpen instead for containment when we’re not home, and work on leaving them loose in the house…starting with just a few minutes and working up.

All my stuff is old, though, so unfortunately no recommendations on brand etc.

[mommy_peanut]

Check out portable playpens/play yards.l for children. They are typically made out of heavy duty plastic type material, so should NOT be as abrasive as metal, yet still easy to clean/sanitize.

ETA: fixed typo

[TheJenners]

Well I sorta dont want abrasive…?

[MsM]

How big is the dog? Makes a difference when choosing ex pens. I have two metal pens that I have used with my little dogs. One is considerably thicker/stronger but both work. I used a cheap commercial rug/mat underneath.

[TheJenners]

Sorry, Aussie.

[MsM]

When my Aussie was young, no ex pen would have held him if he wanted out. It was only when he was older and trained to respect boundaries that it would have worked.

[CHT]

We bought a regular wire x-pen for our cats, and just put carboard under and over: both to keep them comfy and to contain them. Put little holes in the cardboard and used twist ties to connect the cardboard to the pen so the cardboard extended beyond the pen a bit.

[phantomhorse]

@MsM

When my Aussie was young, no ex pen would have held him if he wanted out.

This was my border collie as a puppy. The pen I had was tall enough she couldn’t jump out, but she would gleefully push it all over the place! I wound up having to tie it to furniture in a couple different spots to keep it still and in a roundish shape.

[TheJenners]

Well Wesley was not an easy puppy but he was definitely willing to hang out in his xpen in the barn. Same breeders and same line, so hopefully he’ll be similar!

[phantomhorse]

Kestrel was the first puppy I raised… had done some fostering with pups still on mom and lots of juveniles, so I had no idea what I was in for! She was the runt of the litter yet the boss, so her fierceness carried over to lots of things.

This was her at 8 weeks:

65 feet of electric lines coming through that conduit was no sweat… the poor xpen didn’t stand a chance.

I hope you will update with lots of pics when your new arrival gets home!

[TheJenners]

Oh I will, haha. I take lots of pictures already on SM so I generally try to get it out of my system so I don’t blast you all with a bazillion pics of the current creatures. This is a few days old, they are slightly more coordinated and creeping up on four weeks; my kiddo is on the right having a stare down with one of his three sisters. I am planning to visit the litter around six weeks and he’ll come home around nine weeks.

[mommy_peanut]

Sorry. Fixed the typo.
Should have said NOT abrasive.

[MsM]

So cute! My Aussie was a blue merle, so I have a soft spot. While he is tiny most ex pens should do. Mine stronger one is by Precision Pet Products. As he gets bigger or discovers climbing, you may have to put a cover on it.

[TheJenners]

Well ideally once he is that big he’ll be trained enough to ask to go outside and hopefully the weather will be better so we can do more outside playtime. The breeders were not crazy about a winter litter but their current bitches just didnt come into heat - Jillie usually in March didnt come into heat Aug and their other girl hadnt yet either. I blame our weird long winter/spring that didnt give up until I swear June.