Hi, I wonder if I can pick your brains again :)  At what age do you take the front of your whelping box and let the puppies come and go? My pups are 3 weeks old tomorrow, they're all walking reasonably well and starting to play. I plan to let them have the run of the kitchen but wanted to make sure they were old enough to find their way back to bed first? What do other people do?

I take moine outside into the dog run at 4 weeks and then have them loose in the kitchen at mealtimes and other low traffic times through the day. 

Any younger and the pups would be in danger of getting trodden on and of course the other dogs would be put out with overprotectice Mum worrying at them.

At four weeks Mum is less bothered about the other dogs interacting with them (or more likely choosing to ge the hell out of the way of sharp teeth looking for alternative milk bars).

Thanks as always Brainless, I've got a child gate with mesh over it for the kitchen doorway so the other dogs won't be in there. I live alone and don't cook a great deal so the kitchen really is just a puppy play room :) 

I wanted my borzoi boys to see the puppies through the gate, they're are not good with other dogs and are not the most tolerant of dogs. So, I thought it safer to get them used to seeing the puppies for a week or two but not be able to eat them!

Wouldn't work in my house as the kitchen is the way outside in my house, so the other dogs need to be able to go in and out at will.

After your post I ahve just taken the pups outsdie and put a board across the dog run door and put them out there for their first taste of the outdoors.  they looks so funny feeling their way along the concrete as it feels strange to them.

they are 4 weeks on Friday.

Oh Bless :)  I'm sure it'll only be a few mins before they're playing out there.