I need your professional help ladies!

We have arriving on Tuesday a very beautiful chocolate & white Border Collie pup named Banjo.

We have been on a waiting list for 6 months for a pup from this breeder & he is a very much planned for & much wanted family pet.

But, here is the deal, we plan on taking him everywhere with us that is possible, but of course, there are time when he is going to be left home alone (albeit these will probably only be a couple of hours at MOST & probably only happen 2 - 3 times per week, you know - swimming lessons, Kindergym, etc...). So, for these occassions when he is going to be left, I was planning on putting him into the playpen/exercise pen that we have for our bunnies.

It's actually a big hexagonal play pen (prob a little bit bigger than the baby playpens they sell in the baby stores), big enough for my 2 girls to get in there & freely run around chasing the bunnies in & it comes up to about the top of my leg, so I know that it won't be long until he figures out to how to jump over it - being the smart cookie he is going to be!

I would of course have it under shelter, have fresh water available, all the works, but my SIL told me she thinks it's illegal by RSPCA standards to do this? & that she thinks I am being mean to the pup, that he should have ownership of the entire back yard?

I'm only planning on doing it for his own safety & it will only be until he learns which are his toys & which are human toys - you know, outdoor furniture, sprinklers & that kind of thing, & then of course once he realises he can jump over the top - that will be history anyway.

IMO he needs to learn rules & boundaries of what he can do - like shred his toys & what he can't do - like chew my outdoor setting. All the smaller things, like the kids bikes & things are going to be placed up on the ledge of our barbecue so he can't get to them, until he knows what are his things & what are ours.

I'm definitely not doing it to keep him confined, he NEEDS to be able to run around the entire back garden but while he is a pup I was going to put him in the playpen while we went out, so that he is safe & our belongings are safe.

Any help would be appreciated!

Do you think this is mean? Or would the RSPCA not be happy with this?

Cheers,

Jayne xx