Tips on Getting a Puppy Playpen

 

To get enough exercise, your puppy must have more space to play. He may be quite mischievous, too, or not completely housebroken, so he can't be given the freedom of the house. Put a tension-bar gate (designed for small children and dogs) in the entrance of the room you want him to stay in. At this age of 3-5 months, weather permitting, dogs of big or heavier-coated breeds can spend some of their time in an outdoor enclosure. They can be fenced in a puppy exercise pen or baby playpen. You can purchase a puppy exercise pen from most pet-supply dealers, or you can build one.

 

 Four wired frames can be screwed jointly and bolted to a wooden platform using casters or wheels. If the height of the pen is one inch or two less than the width of the house doors, it can be transported from one room to another, or outdoors. While covering the frames, nail the wire on the outside. It's safer for the puppy because he won't scratch himself.

 

Since you may wish to enclose the puppy in the pen for a couple of hours, it is wise to add up a bed in which he could curl up for a nap. For most puppies, a wooden box would do nicely. Cut an opening in the side to serve as an entry. Hinge the top for a cover that can be put up for cleaning or left open if the weather is really warm. Put a blanket or other bedding inside and you have made a snug little harbor free from draft and chill. Sometimes a pup will refuse bedding of any kind and claw it out of his basket, box, or kennel. Don't concern yourself about it. If he favors a bare bed, there is nothing you could do about it.

 

Put the pen in the sun when it's cool, and in the shade when it's hot. Face one long side and one short side using canvas as a windshield. The outdoor yard for bigger breeds must have some shade as well as sun, and a place secure from drafts or wind, like a doghouse. If you leave the house, even for a short time, take your dog inside. Don't leave him alone in an outdoor enclosure when nobody is at home, even if your yard is fenced.

 

© 2011 TW

Puppy Care During Summer or Hot Weather

It's easier to keep a puppy warm than to keep him cool. When a dog gets overheated and perspires, he needs a lot of drinking water to substitute lost fluids. A pan of water laid for him in the morning isn't sufficient. Provide fresh, cool water numerous times daily. Make sure that both the water and the bowl being used for feeding are clean.

Throughout hot weather, exercise your dog in the morning or evening and protect him out of the midday sun. Assure that his outdoor exercise pen has a segment of shade.
 

Do not worry if your dog goes a bit off his food on a hot spell; he may be quite reasonable about eating less at such a time. Give him the same type of food but not quite so much of it. Don't take him for long rides, particularly if you have to leave him alone in the car for any duration of time. A car parked in direct sunlight gets hot inside too quickly; in just minutes, the interior temperature can soar up to 110° F.

Don't clip off his coat because it will help to screen the skin against sunburn and insect bites. Daily brushing would remove many of the dead undercoat which adds to overheating and discomfort. Heavy coats can be reduced but never given a "crewcut." Do not use toxic weed killers or plant sprays where your puppy plays. They can kill your dog or cause him to be quite ill. Fresh paint and varnish should also be kept out of reach.

© 2011 Athena Goodlight