Our puppy Cooper is settling nicely into our home; we’ve given him the downstairs bathroom as his doggy lair. We bought one of those baby gates to put up in the doorway to keep him confined when we’re not here (or sleeping). The gate has worked fine... until last night. It appears that all this time Cooper has been plotting his escape route, and last night he decided to make the break.
This morning when Kara came down to take him outside, he was standing by the gate... on the wrong side. It appears that once Cooper had full reign of downstairs he proceeded to have a puppy heyday (which as far as we can tell consisted of pooping and peeing in every place possible). I guess we’ll have to start using the door to confine him when we’re not present... I’d toss the gate, but I keep getting reminders that we’ll need it in the near future…
You might want to think of "kennel training" little Cooper. Dogs actually like being in a kennel if they are raised with it. It's like their own little cave or "fortress of solitude".
For example, my parents' dog goes to his kennel on command. He'll go happily if its bed time. Sadly if he knows they are leaving or if he's in trouble and needs a "time-out". Either way its one of those tools you read about in those puppy books.
Kennel's are also a great way of helping with "potty training". Strangely enough, dogs don't like walking in their own filth.....go figure.
Oh I forgot one more little bit of advice:
Steam Vacs come in real handy ;)