The Perfect Puppy Set Up

Before you bring your new puppy home, you're going to need to set up the house and his space! Being prepared for your new puppy to arrive is the best way to jump right into your puppy routine. Your puppy is going to need a place to eat, a place to sleep, and a place to play. Here is my ideal puppy set up!

We have a MidWest Double Door wire dog crate. Attached to that is our Midwest Exercise pen. The nice thing about having the crate and the pen is that they attache together. We can close our puppy in the crate, or open the crate door and let him run from the crate to the pen. The pen also has a door that can open up to give our pup freedom to roam the house.

Inside the crate we have old blankets, towels, and sheets that are swapped out whenever cleaning is necessary. We also keep the crate covered with blankets to give our puppy that safe den feeling. In the pen area we keep puppy pads for accidents and plenty of toys for entertainment.

On top of and next to the crate are our "puppy supplies". Everything we need for our puppy. This includes cleaning supplies (lots of them), leashes, toys, treats, poop bags and puppy wipes. It makes thing so much easier having everything you need right there as opposed to running all over the house to find what you're looking for.

When thinking about your puppy set up there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Containment, entertainment, convenience, and safety. It is important to be able to contain your puppy, be it in a crate, exercise pen or small room in your home. Your puppy will need entertainment while he is contained or he will make his own which usually includes chewing things you don't want chewed up. Creating a safe containment area is also very important you want to make sure your puppy will be safe while he is unsupervised. Finally convenience is very important. Raising a puppy is hard enough don't make it harder on yourself by scattering puppy supplies all over the house.


Containment:

1. A dog crate. The very first thing you're puppy is going to need is a crate. This will serve as his "safe place" much like a den. Fill this crate with all the necessary comforts that will allow him to feel right at home. Place the crate in a central location in the house, close to family activity but not so close that the crate is in the middle of everything. Here is some great information on the myriad of crates available on the market. 
2. An exercise pen. An exercise pen is a crate way to allow your puppy some freedom while not giving him free reign of the entire house. In an exercise pen, a puppy can have access to toys, food/water, a puppy pad and still be around the family activity. Exercise pens are also a great way to potty train your puppy. Click here for more information on exercise pens. 

Entertainment:

1. Chew toys. Nylabones, stuffed toys and kongs are all great toys for puppy chewing. Just be sure your puppy can't fit the entire toy all the way in his mouth. 
2. Puzzle toys are great for keeping your puppy entertained while you're away. These toys come in all shapes and sizes and are designed to develop a puppy's sense of smell and challenge him mentally. 

Clean up:

1. Puppy pads are ideal for keeping potty accidents in a contained area. You see in my ideal puppy set up that puppy pads line the floor. My puppy seems to prefer to pee on these as opposed to the hard (cold) floor. 
2. Old sheets and blankets are what I use in the crate. This way when they get soiled they can just go into the wash and it's not a big deal. 
3. Paper towels, cleaning wipes, mop, and bucket. It's easiest to keep all cleaning supplies close and handy. This way when there is an accident, it's easy to clean up and toss. We even have a trash can right outside on our back porch, we can clean up all messes without having to take more than 5 steps in any direction. 
4. If you have a carpeted room, the same set up mentioned above can still work for you. Just get a tarp and put it down on the floor. This will protect your carpets and make clean up a breeze.

Safety: 

1. Be sure you puppy proof your puppy set up. Cover or avoid all electrical sockets, remove cables and wires, make sure your puppy won't be too warm or too cold in your selected location. 

So that's it, our entire puppy set up. Be sure you set up your puppy in a manner that is right for you and your family. Smaller dogs may enjoy a smaller crate. Rambunctious dogs will need a sturdy exercise pen. Stay tuned for more information on puppy set ups, reviews on the best equipment and more! 

What does your puppy set up look like? Post a comment below to help other puppy parents get some great ideas!