Shop Til You Drop- Playpen

So its around 2 months till I travel to New Zealand to pick up Button, which gives me a good amount of time to get all the things I might need for a brand new puppy. The shopaholic in me wants to source the cheapest items I can get from Singapore and New Zealand, so its been a many hours of online surfing and planning for the past couple of days.

Dog Playpen

This is the number one item on my to-get list. Ruffles was born and raised in Australia, and he came back with me to Singapore when he was eight months old. In retrospect the best thing I bought for him when he was a puppy was a playpen. It made toilet training a breeze, taught him boundaries and gave him a place to feel calm and secure. I actually brought his playpen back to Singapore, but its been a good 4 years and it has since rusted beyond use.

Option 1:
8 panel wire playpen from www.crazydeal.co.nz.
Price: $62 + $10 shipping (SGD/NZD)

This is almost identical to the playpen Ruffles had.

Baby Ruffles and his playpen

Pros: I can get it shipped straight to the address I'm living in Auckland. A hard wire playpen is probably the most secure option, especially for a puppy. Its breathable, easy for me to enter and access and it can withstand puppy chewing/destruction.

Cons: Portability. I will still need the playpen when we return to Singapore, and lugging a 10kg item back isn't easy. I'm also worried about the playpen scratching the wooden floors of our apartment.

Option 2:
Petsfit 8 panel soft crate from amazon.co.uk
Price: ~$90 (52 pounds)

My friend has kindly agreed to bring this back for me should I decide to get it.

Pros: This weighs only 4 kg and folds into a carry-on bag, which makes traveling with it a breeze. The top and bottom of the playpen are securely fastened with zips as opposed to velcro. The cloth base also provides a barrier between the playpen and the flooring in case of any toilet accidents.

Cons: Durability. I am not sure how the soft crate will stand up to a young, teething puppy. Unlike a wire or plastic crate, I cannot take apart the panels to repurpose them as barriers (e.g. for staircases and balconies) 

Option 3:
Plastic playpen from qoo10.sg or carousell.sg
Price: $65- $80

Pros: All the benefits of a wire crate, without the worry of floor scratching.

Cons: Weight. I estimate it to be around 10kgs and I would have to carry this from Singapore to Auckland and back.

So, which one would you choose? Let me know in the comments below.

Signing off,
N