Your Pet, Our Passion.
scruffy dog walking into a playpen

The Benefits of a Puppy Playpen

4 min read

New puppies are full of mischievous energy, and their endless curiosity means they get their little noses into everything. That’s how they learn but it’s also how they get into trouble!

An expandable dog pen can be a great help. You get peace of mind knowing exactly where your furry friend is, and what they’re playing with, and they have lots of room to play safely. A dog playpen will also help your puppy feel more secure in their new surroundings and give them an area they can proudly call their own!

Follow our helpful tips for everything that you’ll need to give your playful puppy their perfect dog pen.

 

The basics of playpens

You should be able to find a puppy playpen at most good pet shops or you can buy them online. Look for an expandable pen with high enough sides to stop your adventurous pup escaping! Most come in small, medium or large, so choose the right one for your puppy’s breed or type.

Ideally you need a puppy playpen with wire or slatted sides so your puppy is safely protected but they still get to see what’s going on in the world around them, and can get used to the sights and sounds of their new home.

Puppy playpens can be used outdoors as well as indoors, but keep an eye on the weather and never leave your puppy outdoors alone or in direct sun.

If your puppy still hasn’t mastered toilet training or you simply want to protect your carpet from any accidents, watch out for any warning signs that you puppy might need to go to the toilet. These can include sniffing around, circling or squatting. The important thing is that while they’re still learning, your puppy doesn’t associate their puppy playpen with an area to relieve themselves.

Puppies can be bundles of energy, but they also need lots of sleep so put a comfy bed inside their dog pen so they can nap whenever they need to.

Growing up is thirsty work, so your puppy will always need access to clean drinking water.

Remember, when they’re in their puppy playpen, they can’t get out and find a drink without your help, so make sure you put a bowl of fresh, clean water in with them so they stay hydrated while they play.

It can also be a good idea to feed your puppy inside their dog playpen. This will give them peace and quiet to eat without being disturbed by other pets or children, and help them learn that mealtime is a quiet, calm time.

Toys and supplies for dog pens

You want your puppy to enjoy their time in their puppy playpen so give them a range of toys to play with. Puppies explore with their mouths, and safe chew toys are a great way to distract your gnawing puppy away from your furniture and fingers!

These toys will also help their little puppy teeth grow big and strong for when they’re older, will help them to learn and will also burn off some of that excited puppy energy.

Puppies can be bundles of energy, but they also need lots of sleep so put a comfy bed inside their dog pen so they can nap whenever they need to. As resting is incredibly important for your puppy’s growth, it’s likely they’ll need several little sleeps throughout the day so you can use the playpen as a daytime alternative to their crate.

Your puppy won’t need a puppy playpen forever, so don’t worry about it being a permanent feature in your home. Once your new puppy has been housetrained and settled into their new home, you can start to introduce them to more of the house. Until then, you can relax knowing the dog pen will help them stay safe and happy.

Next, find out our puppy toilet-training  tricks with this easy-to-follow guide.