We collect our schnoodle puppy on Sunday which we're all looking forward to enormously, but there are a couple of things I can't work out how to manage.
Everything I've read about crate training suggests that it can take days if not weeks to get the puppy used to being in the crate, so what do I do with him at night time, especially his first night. Am I being really dense here, or does he not go in the crate to sleep at night until he's used to it? And if that's the case, where does he go?
And secondly, where should the crate be? Because the kitchen is too small for the crate I was going to put it in the dining room (off the kitchen) but we spend more time in the living room. The problem is that the living room is carpeted (and house is a rental) so we were planning on laying down builders cling film in the dining room which is also carpeted to give him the run of that space along with the kitchen. Will it be ok for him to be in there, obviously he will be in the living room with us on our laps or playing, but I am very aware that he will need to be toilet trained and/or we will need to be very alert and set alarms to take him outside to reduce accidents.
And finally, some people say put paper or a pad in the crate with him, some say not. Some say put pads on floors in house, some say not. I was thinking I would prefer to take him outside regularly to get him used to eliminating outdoors rather than in the house, should I still put down some paper or a pad indoors.
Sorry for this list of questions, but as I said I am quite confused now!