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Permalink Reply by Beth on February 13, 2012 at 8:05am

Emily, I like newspapers in the pen because they still leave a big wet spot and so encourage pup to try very hard to hold it. 

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Permalink Reply by Beth on February 11, 2012 at 5:33pm

I can see it being useful if you need to take your pup on long car rides, or confine them for long periods in a small house/apartment with no other options.  

Personally I prefer a crate attached to an x-pen for periods that are longer than pup can hold it.  The crate shown in the link is too small for the puppy to actually get sufficiently away from their excrement to maintain the "don't soil your nest" instinct, in my opinion.    With an x-pen, you can put down newspapers so that the puddle doesn't run everywhere, yet puppy still sees/smells a wet spot and so is encouraged to try to hold it.   There is still room for puppy to move around and play without contacting the mess.

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on February 11, 2012 at 11:28pm

An 8 wk old  puppy goes on average once an hour (except at night when they can go longer). They do not have the bladder capacity or muscle control to "hold it", so you need to either be there to take them out, which is the best way, or provide a safe area where they can eliminate. The last thing you want to do is give a young pup the run of the house.  Unless you are at home with your puppy, either use a crate that opens into an X-Pen as has been suggested, or a crate to sleep in, inside a safe gated area that is easy to clean, with newspapers in one part of it. The arrangement depends largely on your availability to be with the pup. Older pups can be crated as long as they can be expected to not need to potty. At three months, three hours is my personal max.

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