Crate Vs Playpen: The Best Option For You and Your Puppy
Bringing a new puppy home comes with the exciting responsibility of creating a safe and comfortable space for them. In this post, we dive into the age-old debate of crate vs playpen and explore the benefits and considerations of each option.
By the end of this post, you’ll be able to determine if a crate vs playpen is best for you and your puppy!
But It’s So Cruel!
Yes, locking your dog up in a cage for the rest of their lives is cruel! If that’s your plan, please do not get a puppy. Adopt a cat, guinnea pig, or fish instead.
Using a crate or playpen doesn’t mean you are going to lock your puppy up in prison for the rest of his life. The goal of crate or playpen training is to provide a safe place for your puppy while they learn how to live with humans.
Eventually, you want your adult dog to be trained well enough to behave properly inside the house. If you have a dog that can’t handle that, then they really need further training.
Confine Now For A Lifetime Of Freedom Later
You should only be using the crate as a training tool with then intention of either getting rid of the crate later on or removing the door if your adult dog prefers to use his crate as a den.
Playpens use the same concept – use them as a training tool now with the intention to either not needing them or to only block off certain parts of the house later.
Confining your Golden Retriever puppy now allows you to potty train him, teach him what to chew and what not to chew, and proper rules/manners of the house.
Once your puppy is trained, then he can have free run of the house and enjoy a lifetime of freedom.
The Sad Truth About What Happens When You Don’t Train Your Puppy
When you don’t train your dog, the opposite thing tends to happen.
The puppy poops and pees all over they house. They chew up all of the furniture, your shoes, the tv remote, kids toys, and everything in sight.
First, You’ll lock them in the garage or basement. Then its the back yard. And then finally its the dog shelter all because you didn’t properly train your puppy to begin with.
And they spend the rest of their life locked up, or even worse…
When To Use a Crate
Crates are used for potty training and short term confinement.
Crates are wonderful tools for potty training because of your pup’s natural instinct to keep their den clean. Unless you leave the pup in the crate too long, they will hold their bladder until you let them out!
Related: How to Potty Train Your Puppy
Puppies shouldn’t be crated longer than 1 hour during the day and a few hours at night until, your puppy can hold her bladder and sleep through the night.
Crating At Night
At night, crates teach your puppy to settle and sleep. This is also an essential part of potty training. Be sure to let him out for frequent potty breaks until he is able to hold his bladder all night.
If you teach your puppy to love his crate, he should only whine at night when he needs to go potty.
Crating During The Day
During the day, puppies need lots of sleep and can get cranky when they are over tired. Using a crate provides a safe space for them to sleep while also teaching them to settle when they are tired. You can also establish a potty schedule with your puppy by using a crate!
Puppies should not be crated for hours upon hours at a time. If you need to confine your puppy for longer than one hour at a time during the day, get a playpen instead so your puppy will have more room to move around and play.
What To Put In The Crate
Some puppies enjoy sleeping on a bed in their crates and some hot natured breeds like sleeping on the base of the crate. The most you need in a crate is a bed, a few toys, and a water bowl. Many times, a water bowl and a few toys in the crate is sufficient.
Crate Size
It’s good to get a crate in the size that your adult dog can stand up and turn around in comfortably. Then you can use a divider to control the space as your puppy grows. He only need enough room to lay down, stand, and turn around comfortably.
Later on, the crate makes a perfect den for your adult dog to sleep in! You can even take the door off once they are fully house trained.
When To Use A Playpen
Playpens are for longer term confinement. Use a playpen when you need to provide a safe area for your puppy for longer than one hour.
Playpens are great if you have to work for several hours and don’t have anyone who can let your puppy out for a few hours to potty.
Playpens can also be wonderful tools for daytime potty training, and serve as a safe space for your puppy to play unsupervised.
You can also use a playpen in place of a crate entirely, but this gets a little tricky when potty training. You’ll have to keep a close eye on your puppy during potty training so he doesn’t use the toilet in his pen unless you have a potty pad down.
Playpen Setup
The puppy playpen should have a bed, food and water bowls, toys, and a removeable toilet.
Set the pen up with the bed on one end with the food and water bowls close. And the removeable potty (or puppy pad) should be on the opposite side of the pen.
Be sure to have safe toys to play with as well.
When you are home and can watch your puppy, you can remove the potty and take him out when necessary. If you plan to be gone for over an hour and your puppy can’t hold his bladder, place a pee pad in the pen with him.
Potty Pads In the Playpen
Pee pads can confuse your pup which ultimately extends the time it takes for potty training. But sometimes its necessary. It’s best to only place pee pads down when you are gone for long periods of time.
Summary: Which One Is Best?
This is entirely up to you and your needs. The main thing is to choose one (or even both) and use them to train your pup!
