Hello everyone, our new puppy will be arriving in 4 weeks time and I would be interesed to hear your opinions on play pens. He is a golden retriever, I already have a crate, so would a pen be a good idea as well? I'm guessing our existing dog might appreciate the new boy being contained sometimes to give her a bit of peace. I would only plan on using it for short spells, he would not be left alone in it.
Thank you for reading

I have an ex-pen which we used outside for our litters.   However, with one puppy I'd be sticking to a crate, and one big enough to last beyond 'baby puppy' and a baby gate.   Yes for sure, your existing dog should have a place to retreat to when she needs a nap, without being mugged, but actually that would really be up to you to control - if the pup gets above himself, crate!! 

Another query about a play pen is with a puppy like a Golden Retriever, no play pen is going to stand up to him if he jumps at the sides I'd suggest.

Basically as you know, puppies need to be able to run around a lot during the daytime, so when you/your existing dog need a time out, your puppy would be far better being crated!!   My opinion.

I wouldn't waste your money, especially for a GR it won't keep your pup occupied for long, that is unless it is one of those playpens which can be turned into a room divider, those can be pretty handy for dividing room space but you are better off just using puppy gates and the crate if you need to put pup somewhere safe for a few minutes.

Might as well ask before you get your pup, you have got him/her from a breeder who health tests and KC reg's? Hopefully you have.... :-)

Wishing you many hours of fun, gorgeous pups. :-)

I have one of the room divider types and have found it more use for my hens, than for any puppies.
I wouldn't bother.

A friend bought a more rugged playpen for her GR pup and it ended up being used as a sort of baby gate to keep the pup out of certain rooms.
I used to have two GRs. When I got the second one they spent most of their time together, the older had opportunities to get away behind the baby gate, but chose not to most of the time. I kept them separate when we out or at night.
The current GR pup would have demolished any play pens within a few weeks of having her I reckon. Baby gates would be a better way to separate your older dog I think.

I bought a puppy pen and just used the crate at night times or if I was leaving the house.  It was handy to drop him into out of the way and could be put into different shapes - mostly a long rectangle - and he was still near us - by our kitchen table.  It was also handy when his sister came to visit because they were both put in there while we took a break and had lunch!  We couldn't put a dog gate across the kitchen door because it has double doors and I knew that he was safe when I was cooking.   I did intend it for outside in the garden also and even bought a material top for it - but I never used it for that - he was absolutely fine in the garden and when he wanted a rest he used to go back into the kitchen and sleep in his pen.  I think I would do the same again - though not buy the extra top that was not necessary. 

I brought a pen with my girl but ended up using it to block off my dining table (as she kept stealing things and running under there with it) rather than as a pen.

I tried it once as a pen to see how she would be when I went out to the shops but when I came home the pen had moved across the room

Thank you, I appreciate your reply. I will stick with the crate (we have a small, medium and a large!) and puppy gate.

And yes he is from a reputable breeder, as is our existing girl,  all health checks in order. Seen with mum, dad, uncles, aunts and grandparents. That's why we went back to them for our new addition.

I love our play pen, it was used when we had a litter and it comes out for a while when a new puppy is introduced to the house.

With each puppy I have kept I have had to fold up the pen that litters pups are put in at night by the time pups hit about 10 - 12 weeks as even with furniture in the way they got very god at folding them up to get them across the kitchen, and one time I found one of the other poor dogs blocked into a corner!

Not to mention some pretty soon climb out of them, my breed is smaller and lighter than a Golden by quite some margin.

I do prefer a pen to a crate for baby puppies, except for travel, and nightime for chewy pups.

I much prefer a pen to a crate , having never used a crate in 40 years of owning 22 dogs, but my last Golden mountaineered out of the pen within a couple of weeks so was allowed to stay in the kitchen.