So my puppies are 7 weeks tomorrow and doing brilliantly. The first one has just worked out how to climb the front of the puppy pen and climb out! So I've had to put the extra panel on top which makes it too high for them to escape. The problem is going to be how to give their mum (and grandma, still deeply involved!) access, or rather how to stop them injuring themselves or even the puppies with the very high leap in and out of the pen. Is it just a case that I'll have to lift them in there if they look like they want to, then watch to lift them out? Or take the extra panel out while they are in there until they jump out, then replace it? I doubt the mum will be keen to jump the height now required, and I'm certain that the 12 year old grandmother shouldn't be doing any such thing, but she's so keen to get in and help clean the puppies, and absolutely loves to go in and have them climb all over her and bite her tail!

I have a medium athletic breed and after 5 weeks they can escape so I just let mum in and out as required, I just keep an eye out to see if she's asking to go in or looks like she's desperate to escape!

Pretty much what Drover says.

I have the same and just keep the pups penned in and let Mum in as and when she wants...not as and when the puppies want !! By 5 weeks mine have a large indoor and outdoor run with access to both all day long..and we all wear jumpers and woolly socks if its a winter litter !!!

Yes, I thought that would be the case - just wondered if there was a magical option for doing it that I hadn't thought of. Problem is they tend to leap in and out before I have got myself up from the sofa, but I'll just have to try to be a bit sharper!