I’m going to relent and give into multiple suggestions that people have given about a crate (basically a cage) for now.

Because of the set up of my house, it’s not possible to take Pao out as frequently as some people suggest. Some people are lucky and can just open a back door and let their dog out in the garden for a quick toilet break.

Plus, because of obligations, there are simply times when I have to be away for as long as six hours at a time on some days. So I’m afraid I have no choice but to ease him into it. I can’t expect him to hold it in for six hours. Not at 3 1/2 months of age.

So I have to have some reliable way of having him also go indoors in an emergency when he needs it for the time being. But not go all over the dining room like he started to do now.

It was working almost perfectly before he could get out of the fenced area.

He would basically always go in the puppy toilet. Since he has more freedom to roam he’s not doing that anymore, for the most part. So I think I have to try the cage/crate to see if I can at least confine him to a similar area as before and get him back to good behavior.

Given the set up of my house, I don’t see how I have any other choice.

It’s a little sad, because he likes greeting and saying goodbye to people at the door via the staircase, and sometimes sleeping on the staircase. And he can can also keep an eye on things from the staircase. But for sanity’s sake I need to restrict him more for now if he’s going to stay here. The stress has become unbelievable.

I’m ordering a Ritchell wooden cage with a sliding door and an optional roof that’s 150 cm wide and 80 cm depth and 70 cm tall and see if that works. That’s taller than the previous fence, a little less wide, and the same depth. I’m going to get rid of the fence and try that.

You can get an optional divider for it, so I can also at the same time, after I get over this first hump, do what many suggest and stop him from using the toilet area during certain hours.

And continue with walks.

If I’m still alive.