COMING HOME questions: Do I need a Snuggle Puppy? Dog Bed? And gates or a wire pen?

[Alissa Edwards]

We have a crate, and a leash, but we have one of those open concept Kitchen/Living areas so there's no way to just gate off the puppy - should I get two gates to fence off the "main kitchen cooking area" to keep him or get a big wire pen to cordon off the living room (giving puppy access to entire kitchen/dining and hallways or just the penned area if I want)? Or just use a leash to hook him up nearby when I'm not able to actively watch him but don't want to crate him?

Also, I can't BELIEVE how much money I have spent so far, not only on food but toys, crate, bed, etc. It's easily close to $300. (Not counting HIM). 

Snuggle puppy seems so expensive for something so little - and you need to buy extra heat packs right? Is it really worth it? If it really makes a big difference for my pup, then I'll do it...sell me on it! My husband will be sleeping near puppy in my baby daughter's room.

Also - I really like the idea of "place" - somewhere we can train him to go and stay while we have dinner or if small kids come over, etc. Should the crate be his place or should we get a dog bed? And do you have a favorite brand you recommend? If you do "place" in your house - did you start it at puppy age? 

My husband doesn't want the dog on the couch at all - so we're trying to start that from the get-go. I'm thinking a cushy dog bed (besides his crate) would be good for that and we should get one now rather than later. What do YOU think?

Thank you - you all have been incredibly awesome and helpful!

[Bonnie and Kona]

Owen couldn't have a cushy dog bed until he was older. He decided it made a great potty spot! After ruining three beds we got smarter. ;o)

[Julie and Max]

I don't think that the snuggle puppy is that important. I think that leashing is good, but it's nice to have somewhere they can go other than just a crate. I gated off my kitchen so that he could be in there when I couldn't watch him and it worked well. I started training Max as soon as he came home, just be patient and keep training sessions very short and fun when they are young. Like five minutes at first, always keep it positive, don't get frustrated, and work in baby steps. You'll probably want to teach sit, down, stay before you try place. I think the bed is a good idea if you're going to keep him off the couch. 

[Lindsay and Stella]

I brought home an 8 week old mini goldendoodle January 11. I was skeptical about the snuggle puppy but easily would buy one again if I needed to! I got mine off doggyloot.com for about $25. I never used the heat pack so don't need to buy replacements, but Stella loved the heartbeat. I don't give her the snuggle puppy as a toy, she only gets to lay on it when she's exhausted and goes in her crate at night to sleep. She doesn't chew it, just goes right to sleep. For the first two weeks I also used a sound machine app on my iPhone on a running water noise and put it down beside her crate. The extra noise just helped keep her asleep if I got up to go to the bathroom, ect. I decided to get an ex-pen and set it up in my house and place her crate inside of it with the door open. This has been an amazing solution as she has room to walk around and stretch her legs while I'm at work. For the first week I taped a single sheet of newspaper down inside the crate for her to go on if she needed to. She only had one accident not on the paper! Clean up any accidents not on the paper bit leave the scent on the paper so she associates that as her place to go if she needs to. I got mixed opinions on teaching the puppy it's ok to go on a paper if your ultimate goal is teaching them to potty outside, but I can tell you personally that it was not an issue. Stella was potty trained in a week and a half and I brought her home on a Saturday and went back to work that Monday. I did go to a local craft store and get some jingle bells from the holiday clearance and put them on a long string over the door knob and every time I took her out I made her hit her paw on it. She is 100% potty trained now and exclusively uses the bells when she is out of her ex-pen, and has no accidents in her pen when I'm at work. (I do come home at lunch and take her out). I'll attach a picture of how I set up her space. Obviously what works for one dog doesn't work for them all, but I feel like I hit the jackpot with this one!

[Pam Thomas]

That  is how I plan on setting up for my pup when I get her. What is the plastic you have on the floor? I was going to set it up in the extra bedroom, but would it be better to have her in the main living area.

[Debbie & Gibbs]

We didn't have our snuggle puppy for about 2 nights after Gibbs came home and he howled, barked, whiney, scratched at the crate door for 2 entire nights. It was rough!!!! We got Snuggle Puppy and Gibbs loved it immediately. I didn't use the heat pack, just turned on the heart beat and he fussed a little and then went right to sleep. Gibbs still sleeps with Snuggle Puppy and he will be 5 months old on the 9th of February. We don't use the heart beat any longer, but Snuggle Puppy is his best friend. We used an X-pen when Gibbs came home and set it up in the kitchen, its the only way you can get anything done with a new pup in the house. It took him about 10 minutes to figure out how to climb out, but he eventually got used to it and would stay in it. I agree, it is expensive preparing for a puppy, good food, treats, leash, crate, toys and x-pens, oh and puppy vet visits a small fortune for sure, but so worth it. Hope this helps.

[Christy&Riley]

I don't think snuggle puppy is necessary in my opinion. We bought Riley a monkey from the grocery store for maybe $5 along with a few other options. The stuffing in the monkey sounds like paper. It has been her pal since day one. Riley really likes stuffed animals and most have squeakers inside. The paper stuffing toy is a pleasant change from all the squeaking which will drive you batty.

We are gone during the day so we crated from the start. Riley chewed through several foam pads in the crate as a little puppy so we had to leave her with just toys in the crate. Around 8 months old we tried a fluffy blanket and she loves it. We crated at night until about 9 months. Now we put a towel by the bed and she sleeps there by choice over the crate. Towel is nice because it can be easily washed.

Riley never had potty issues in her crate so around 4 months old we bought a huge one that gives her tons of room to stretch out and move around. The crate was big enough for my husband to fit inside. :-) the crate was by Kong and had doors that sat on top. No doors swinging open and Riley can't figure out how to open.

We have open concept as well. We laid out plastic and a carpet remnant in our family room. We put a plastic pen on it with her little crate inside. Was nice having a spot where she could be near us and outside the crate but I didn't have to constantly worry about an accident. Eventually she learned to climb out but it was handy while it lasted.

We too have the no dog on the couch rule. They usually want to be near you so he will probably just sit near your feet. Your heart will melt when he can reach your lap and just rests his head in your lap...just because.

Hope this helps!

[Karen and "Gabby"]

I wished I had gotten the snuggle puppy before Gabby came home-- I didnt' order it until after she had been with us 7 days-- it was 7 days of crying and wining. Once we got it, she cried less and was calmer--I was relieved.  Also,  We bought several different dog beds but Gabby didn't really take to them. She seems to be content to lie on the floor around us... We do let her sleep with us at night... She is very much a cuddle bug.  Regarding gates, I found them very very helpful. We intially sectioned off our kitchen and let her run around in there when she was a little pup... Now that she is older, we have expanded her play area to include the great room.  I like to keep her in sight at all times... We used crate to potty train her initially... she now stays in the crate we are gone during the day-we keep it in the kitchen around our family area.  Hope the informatio is helpul.  

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

We've never used the heating pack yet. When Nimbus came home it was very hot, so he preferred to sleep on the cool tiles. Apart from the one heating pack it comes with, the Snuggle Puppy also has a linen sack that can be filled with rice and warmed in the microwave. This can be reused.

[Michelle & Ruepunzel]

We never got the snuggle puppy and Rue did great for the first week sleeping in her crate in the dining room. After that she would whine when we went to bed. So we decided to move her crate in our bedroom. Once we moved her crate, she was back to sleeping through the night. Now she is 5 months old and sleeps in the crate with the door open and she will either sleep in her crate or the doggy bed by the foot of our bed. It is possible without one!

[Missy]

I too have an open living concept layout and for us we purchased a large stand alone gate that can be put in multiple arrangements.

http://www.dogbedsandcrates.com/products/convertible-elite-pet-gate...  we got the 6 panel and 31.5 high. yes, it is another $219.00, but in my opinion very worthy. 

In the beginning, we arranged it like a box and put the puppy in there for naps and dinner time. (our bed crate was upstairs).  Then as the puppy got older and more trustworthy with the potty, we would leave him gated to the kitchen area. Then we moved the gate so he had access to more of the house as he got older.   granted now, he is 10 months old, 35 pounds and he can jump the gate if he wants, but we still use it as a boundary marker, especially when company comes over and they don't like dogs.

since you have small children, this might help by giving the puppy some space but not removing him from the kids. plus it looks pretty good too! I love the fact that you can arrange the panels any way you want to. (there is a door panel) and I can move it around the house to fit my current needs. Right now, we have the gate surrounding our parrot-to keep dog from eating her food. lol

and side note: we managed without the snuggle puppy, but he had a blanket that was rubbed all over his littermates and momma that we put in his crate with him.

I am also a believer in the potty bells. Yep, another $16.  plus, you need to get some Klenex and chocolate. The puppy phase will leave you in tears at times, but just remember it is a phase. Just think it is another baby-which you seem experienced! lol You will forget about the monies when you get the puppy home.

[Christy&Riley]

If you lived closer I'd give you our potty bells. Never worked with Riley. She saw them as a toy to bang against the door. Had to take them down. She circles at the door now when she has to go and will whine quietly if she really has to go. If we aren't paying attention while watching tv, she will expand her circles so she walks in front of us. :-)

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Hold off on beds..or at least you find out if you have a chewer or not. Many puppies do wonderfully without the Snuggle Puppy. Cheapy stuffed animal will do the same. And at a quarter of the price. And you won't have to freak when he chews and pees on it. I suggest bringing a few towels to your breeder. Wipe down Mom and let his litter mates climb around on the towels. The scent on the towels will help comfort your pup in the first few days. Enzo whimpered the first 2 nights, just slightly. Her crate was next to our bed, and I could just reach down with my hand so she could sniff and know I was there. By the 3rd night, she slept through the night. No Snuggle Puppy needed.
I think a crate is a puppy owners best friend...buy one large enough for him to fit in as an adult.