Ideas for pens for Rotti pups?

[MrsMozart]

The mad pups are nearly seven months old.


Not a bad bone in their bodies, but the not-so-little bobbos do like to chew, so have to be penned when we're not home. The pens are the biggest I could find, only the pups need more space now.


They've been crated separately, on advice to prevent separation anxiety, and can start to spend more time together now, so I'm wondering what the best option is. So far have come up with:


Outside standalone pen;
Outside penned area - outside the back door, which would mean metal grill panelling;
Grill panelling of some sort and effectively line the utility so they'd have all the floor space,


or something else?


I sort of know the grill panels only can't find tall enough and strong enough ones.


I was thinking they could have the outside option to burn off some energy, then the utility option at night.


They like to explore, to chew (did I mention the chewing?!), and to play. They're walked twice a day but it burns off little of their bounce! They're also not doing well on the house training front, so whatever option we go with has to withstand all that...

[3Beasties]

A tricky one, and for me it depends on what you want long term. Are you happy for them to live out during the day whatever the weather? Even if that means they never become house trained?
Could they be inside but with a doggy flap to an outdoor pen?
What height of panels do you think they need?
Would living out full time be an option?

[MrsMozart]

Good points, thank you m'duck

No we wouldn't want them out all the time, summer or winter. It was more a 'where can they be and have more space without destroying everything around them when we're out' type thing.

Interestingly we seem to have turned some sort of corner. They're suddenly doing less in the pens and more outside, and even a few bits and bobs out on walks! I think they now associate the pens with doing their do. We've rearranged ourselves and our days so they can be out of the pens almost all the time we're home. It means someone with them at all times due to the power of their jaws and all the wood in the house, and to stop their play fighting becoming anything more, as they're getting to the age where they're working out who is boss between them - we step in before it becomes messy as they do need to sort themselves out just not get hurt in the process.

Still get the odd 'accident' in the pens, but nothing any more outside of them. I have my fingers very tightly crossed that we might be on the turn. We expect there'll be a few slip-ups along the way, but hopefully the angst is reducing all round