I'm a first-time dog owner and I've just brought home a puppy who is currently 8 weeks old. The breeder advised us to put him in a puppy pen at night, which we've started doing, but I feel like he absolutely hates it and barks as soon as we shut him in. At first, I thought it was because he was lonely, but I've noticed that when he's outside of his pen and we're in another room or further away, he doesn't react or whine at all.
I'm wondering if a puppy pen is actually a good idea or not?
Thanks for your help and see you soon.
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
A playpen for a mum who’s just given birth and her newborns, from a few days to a few weeks old, makes sense because of the sense of security it provides. However, for a young pup who is at the stage where they should be out exploring the world, using a pen is quite silly and unnatural.
Unless the puppy is still with the breeder and the pen – left open, obviously – is still their little quiet haven.
But if a dog doesn’t like it, it’s simple: we should just forget about this weird trend.
Kikaah, I don't know you, I'm a new member so I'm not looking for any trouble.
But neither am I, I can assure you ^^ We can disagree without going for each other's throats, can't we? No harm done ;)
I don’t know you, @Kikaah, and as a new member I’m not looking for any trouble, but I maintain that putting a shepherd—or any dog, for that matter—in a playpen is just taking the easy way out. I’d rather be a bit blunt with the owners than see yet another Australian Shepherd ruined by lazy shortcuts recommended by people I’d rather not share my true thoughts on.
I’m sure they mean well, but to actually do the right thing, they need to get rid of that pen.
Kind regards.
“Puppy pens are for people who don't really want to put the effort into training their dog.”
I’d say it’s more for people who follow advice without really stopping to think if it’s actually sensible or not.
Because saying they don’t want to get involved is a bit harsh, really.
Anyway, basically, getting advice—whether it’s from a professional or not—is all well and good, but don’t just dive in headfirst because not all of it is necessarily sound ;)
I’m with @Alfredw on this; I’d even go as far as saying that puppy pens are for people who don’t really want to get properly stuck into training their dog. A dog needs to move, live, explore and learn, and they simply can't do that while shut in a pen.
You’ve adopted a shepherd, so you must have at least some understanding of the breed; use that knowledge wisely and everything will be just fine.
Hi, in my opinion, puppy pens are just a bit of a fad. They aren't very nice for the puppy and they don't actually help them learn how to be home alone or stop them from being destructive... to be honest, they're pretty pointless. You should just let him stay out of the pen...
No, we put him in his puppy pen regularly, four times a day, and he whines and barks the entire time. So what would you suggest? Should I take him out of his pen, or just leave him be and wait, bearing in mind he’s only been here for two days?
Hi there,
Do you only use it at night? If that’s when he’s crying and barking a lot, it might be that the night-time is quite frightening for him. If you’ve only just brought him home, he might be scared to find himself all alone without his mum and his littermates. You’re his only point of reference now! On this forum, people often suggest keeping him in a dog bed in your bedroom for a few days to reassure him – it won’t ruin his training. Then, you can gradually move him further away once he’s feeling more settled. Some people also recommend sleeping on the sofa for a few nights to stay close to him. That’s how you build a bond of trust with your puppy. 😉
