# newbie: Crates, Xpen,Iris, Pop ups OH MY!!!



## callen510 (Nov 20, 2013)

I will be getting a new puppy very soon (he will be 12 weeks old) and I need an education about crates and pens. Confused! I need a crate that travels well (doesn't have to be airline approved) More for use once we get there by car. Also, I will need to leave the puppy alone at times for short periods while I run errands, go to a movie etc. Do I leave him in the crate? And the wire crates – doesn’t that hurt their little paws or slip thru ? I was thinking maybe a airtravel type crate for home use? If I leave him in in the crate, what happens when he needs to potty? What size crate do I get?
About pens, I have also seen on the forums IRIS, Xpen, pop pen – confusing! Which is better? Do I get something like this: put his crate in it and leave crate door open with puppy pads? The puppy place for the crate is my laundry room. I left my other older Maltese in a bed in the laundry room when I went out but the new little puppy could get stuck in behind the washer, fridge etc I feel like I might need a pen and a crate. If I do a pen, I need something that is portable and perhaps collapsible/foldable and easy to maneuver. Our laundry room is the access from the garage and outside and kitchen and gets much traffic. BC of the three door access in the room and the need for a swing path for the 3 doors, and fridge and w/d it is not big - a pen more than 3 ft x4ft (or perhaps slightly bigger) might be hard unless I could arrange it not in a hard rectangle. And when not in use, I need it out of the way. The laundry room overlooks the kitchen and den and would be a good place for the puppy to look outside the pen and still see me while I’m cooking etc. Is there a source or book that covers all of this? I have scoured the forum including the links below and many, many on potty training. 
I want to potty train him to go outdoors but while he is little, don’t I need to put something down? Our other dog of 13 years slept with us once potty trained. We loved it for 13 years. However, that ended the crate and if we wanted to leave her with someone else for overnight, she would scratch and whine and lick her paws and make everyone miserable I really would love to have the new puppy eventually sleep in our bed AND a crate at night when I want him to but I know I need to crate at first and until potty trained. Asking too much? 
I just bought these book: Way To Go! How to Housetrain a Dog of Any Age and Family Friendly Training both by Patricia McConnel but I would love your opinion. I've been to these forums below and many on housetraining.
http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/54-maltese-training/92784-best-crate-maltese.html
http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/54-maltese-training/120799-moving-crate-different-rooms.html


----------



## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

I use the IRIS pen for all times when he need to be contained except at night. At night, I had a softside pop up one (not big) that was right next to my bed. For car travel, I used the soft carrier that I used to bring him home on a plane. I now need a snoozer car seat!


----------



## callen510 (Nov 20, 2013)

can your dog get out of the top of the iris? it is up all the time or can it fold easily to be ut away?


----------



## LovelyLily (Mar 26, 2013)

I bought two of the IRIS pens--the one with the shorter panels and the taller one.

My dog is now ten months old and has never made an attempt to climb out of either one. I read some dogs have easily climbed out of these.

I like the shorter one better because I can easily step over it to get in or out of the pen. But with either it is easy to disconnect a panel when wanted.

With either size pen you can buy additional panels (which I have done).

They are light weight, easy to take apart (I take mine apart daily) and easy to clean.

Love them!


----------



## Furbabies mom (Jul 25, 2011)

The Iris Pen is so easy to take down. I store mine between the washer and dryer in the Landry room You can buy extra panels to make it bigger. Mine slept by my bed in the Midwest crate at night. ( still do) I very rarely crate them now, but when I have to, they're fine with it. I use the x pen every day for separating mine at meals. None of mine have been able to get out of the x pen, but my Yorkie could unzip the pop up kind and let everyone escape. For travel I use a car seat or a plastic carrier. I have the soft sided but Dewey tries to chew through it. One of the best investments I!ve made is a free standing gate. You can block the puppy off if needed and you don't have to scratch up door ways or attach it permanently.


----------



## IzzysBellasMom (Jan 16, 2013)

The wire crates have plastic bottoms in it, they don't hurt the dogs feet. I have one size 24X18, I think. I use it for during the day when I am at work, and it folds flat so I can take it with me in the car and open it back up when we get there. I also have a portable play pen for dogs, that is handy when I have both of mine, and sometime also a friends, but if they jump on the sides when unsupervised, it can topple over.


----------



## LovelyLily (Mar 26, 2013)

*here is a pic of the setup I used.*

Here is a pic of Lily as a little pup in her IRIS pen (the taller one, I think) with the pee pads over the entire floor area--the way I set things up for her in there for the first few weeks.

I also used a metal crate in my bedroom for her to sleep in, next to my bed. I stopped using that about a month or so ago (she is now ten months of age and just sleeps in my bed, doesn't have accidents anymore).

Linda


----------



## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

Boo has never tried to get out of the IRIS pen, but Zach once helped him by unlatching it so he could push the door open LOL. now we tie it . I also bought to extra panels as he got bigger to give him more space when we were gone for 4 hours to golf.


----------



## callen510 (Nov 20, 2013)

I love these pictures!! Thanks for taking the time to answer me. I'm so excited but I want to do everything right.


----------



## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

I remember the time waiting and shopping was the only thing that saved me from going crazy LOL Have fun and it will be worth the wait.


----------



## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

LovelyLily said:


> Here is a pic of Lily as a little pup in her IRIS pen (the taller one, I think) with the pee pads over the entire floor area--the way I set things up for her in there for the first few weeks.
> 
> I also used a metal crate in my bedroom for her to sleep in, next to my bed. I stopped using that about a month or so ago (she is now ten months of age and just sleeps in my bed, doesn't have accidents anymore).
> 
> Linda


Just like mine...:thumbsup: even the doggie looks the same...:HistericalSmiley:


----------

