# What should I put under the ex-pen?



## leesooim (Nov 1, 2012)

I personally am not a fan of introducing a potty area anywhere INSIDE the house because in my past experience with training dogs to go on papers, etc it took a lot longer to housebreak than the dogs that never had a toilet area inside.

That being said, some people have great success with doing so, and feel that it helps housebreak a dog FASTER, so it's a matter of opinion and what your dog is like IMO.

Currently Sasha is 20 weeks, but at 11 weeks was doing well in her crate with no accidents and we've only ever had the dog walker come to the house once a day at noon. Is it possible to adjust the schedule with the dog walker so that there's 4 hour gap between when you leave, they come/go, and when you get home? If not, my thought is that you can try and see how the puppy does without the potty area at first, and then if you are seeing accidents and feel it's necessary, create one for them.

As for what to put under the xpen I don't know. We also have hardwood floors, but since we never leave Sasha in it when we're not at home (we use the crate when we leave), I've never put anything other then an indoor/outdoor rug beneath it.


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## CRS250 (Dec 31, 2012)

We used a vinyl tablecoth with a cloth back - like this . It was large enough that it extended fully outside the pen and felt more like a carpeted floor to him, so he didnt dig at it.


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## DuggerA (Jan 17, 2013)

I would get one of the hard clear plastic mats that you put under a computer chair. If you have a floor that can be damaged put old towels underneath it. That being said, if your pup is messing in his pen, he is being left in there for too long. Why are you taking away one of the visits by a dog walker? If you can afford it I would keep up with the 2 visits until the pup is at least 5 months.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

I bought a cheap piece of 4 x 8 plywood and covered it with a piece of linoleum remnant from lowes. That is what I use under the x pen. I don't like to use carpet because mine have always had accidents on carpet and it is too hard to get the smell out. Much easier to clean up the linoleum.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

We did the same as above except we just got a piece of linoleum from Home Depot and put it under the x-pens. Worked wonderfully, easy to clean and didn't look too bad either. We transitioned from piddle pad in a corner of the pen to outside easily. Our walker had to go back to school when our two were about 5 mo so we lost her. This was the only answer. Worried, but no problem at all when we moved the x-pen to the doggie door and they learned quickly to go outside to relieve themselves. Not great, but worked for us.


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