My puppies are now two weeks and doing really well. I have been getting thing organised for a puppy pen for when they are able to go down stairs. Got a nice new bed, toys, tunels, etc, anyway they are upstairs with mum in my room where i can see them at all times and they are away from our other dogs. At what age can i set up my puppy pen in the livingroom where they can see the other dogs ad people in my family? I have read 3/4 weeks but a week is a long time in the life of a pup and dont want to do it too early! I want them to be well socialised with people and dogs but not too soon! Can anyone advise? It will mean me having a life outside my bedroom too!!

I breed toys, but also have Collies.  So I wait until the little ones aren't wobbly, and can walk (reasonably) properly before they are socialised with the big dogs.  So, I guess it depends on breeds.

Our pups have only just left and I still had to look at the picures to check when we set up the other pens! looks like they were just over 3 weeks when they were in a pen in the sitting room and also out in the garden pen. Have fun

i would say around 3 weeks to start getting them used to noise and general household hustle and bustle

Good luck with your babies :)

With mine it is as soon as they eyes are open they join the others in the kitchen.  Outside access at four weeks.

thats great, well i will move them down in a week. Do you remove the whelping bed at thats stage and give them a 'normal' dog bed? Also i know that mum shoud be allowed to come and go as she pleases with pups but how do i do this at night when we go to bed if they are in a pen?

I attach my whelping pen (a puppy pen with a base) to a large crate so they sleep in the crate and the pen has a drop side so Mum can come and go at will.

Mum gradually allows the other dogs to get more intimate as the pups develop.

Also i know that mum shoud be allowed to come and go as she pleases with pups but how do i do this at night when we go to bed if they are in a pen?

I use a crate / cage, leave the door wide open but add a cardboard blockade over the door that is low enough for mum to jump over but high enough to stop the pups getting out.

A friend of mine has a pen with a removable part so mum can jump in and out as and when.

I has a small crate with vet bed in in the pen in the sitting room so they got used to one, great when the mum decided to get in it with all 6 puppies - somewhat crowded

In the pen they slept in I just had a large piece of vet bed, the mum really wasn't that bothered about sleeping with them once they were big enough to need the gap blocking so they couldn't get out, she just slept in the same room, if she felt the need she could jump over the sides of the whelping box but didn't go in to either of the pens really