Hi and welcome to Col, Alfie sounds adorable, waiting to see the photos like everyone else
We used a crate with Wispa when she was younger and we used to put her in for short spells during the day, putting a blanket right over the top of it to make a lovely cosy den. She was soooo good in it and was no trouble at all, think we were lucky!!
She is now 8mths old and still sleeps in a pen at night or when we go out along with our poodle Peggy, altho we do now let her sleep in the lounge at night times on very odd occasions. As we live for ten months of the year in a static caravan the pen is useful for putting her in when she comes in all wet and muddy.
I think they enjoy their own space personally but each dog is different, so long as you are all happy that is the main thing and you find something that works for you. With the children around it wont do Alfie any harm to know that sometimes he has to go on his bed and the children have to learn that when he is on his bed to leave him alone. I have a six year old grandson who finds this soooooo difficult though, he seems to think the dog is there for his pleasure whenever, so I do put my dogs in their pen sometimes to make sure the dogs get a break.
Enjoy Alfie, cockers are soooo great
