Author Topic: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night  (Read 1257 times)

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Offline Brummiebling

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4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« on: May 17, 2017, 06:54:37 AM »
Hello everyone. We have an 18 week cocker called Molly who we have had from 10 weeks. She has been great so far, and we love having our first puppy. Appologies for the long post , but I was hoping for some advice or see if any one else has experienced this.
She sleeps downstairs in a crate with the door shut. Apart from the first week she was generally sleeping 7 hrs, which was fine. About 3 weeks ago, she started waking about an hour after going to bed, so my husband would take her out silently to toilet, and she would then sleep through.
About a week ago she started waking more frequently. The first time I did silently take her to toilet and she went straight back to bed, but she seems to settle better for my husband than me (fine as long as he is here!) One night I didn't go down and she literally cried for hours. When I finally did go down at 5.45 she had soiled her crate. This is unusual, she is clean normally. So some nights she will go through and others she is crying most of the night. We haven't gone down to her past 12.30, which is our cutoff. She has been clean in the morning.
Now I have ear plugs!!! But she is waking up the children.  We always wait until she is quiet, before letting out of her crate. I work 2 days a week but we have a dog walker,and my husband often works from home. When she is left during the day, for short periods, she doesn't cry, or quickly settles.
If anyone has any advice or experience of this and what to do, I would be greatful. It's spoiling what has generally been a nice experience. Im not good with sleep deprivation. Many thanks

Offline ips

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2017, 08:31:03 AM »
Long story short we ended up with eze sleeping in a crate in our bedroom. Best thing we ever did she sleeps untill 6-7 am and goes to bed no problem between 9-10 pm.
Not saying its right for everyone but it works for us.
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Londongirl

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2017, 08:41:48 AM »
And if you don't want the pup in the room with you forever, you can start with the crate in the room then slowly move it further out of the room over time, when she's more secure in herself.

It's also worth checking there is nothing waking her. For little pups, being deep asleep helps them sleep through without needing to toilet. But if they get woken, their little bladders get woken too. So it may not be the need to go that wakes her, but once she's awake, she'll need to go (if that makes sense). Is she cold? It was very chilly the last week or so. Is there a noise waking her? Are you leaving a radio on for her - leaving it up quite loud so there's a constant level of noise means the odd extra noise is not so startling.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline bmthmark

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2017, 08:59:01 AM »
Interesting.. my 7 month old puppy has just started being very annoying at night as well (fine before).

Similar situation to you ie. downstairs in crate.

He was fine before but now he cries and moans.

I'm interested to hear what people suggest

Offline ips

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2017, 09:08:49 AM »
I don't know about others but my eze wants to be with us all the time and although she will get in her downstairs crate or dog run no problem (during the day for couple of hours) she does not sleep whilst we are not there. I think maybe some dogs especially cockers just "need" human contact.
The majority of working dogs I suspect are not allowed in there handlers bedrooms but considering the very close relationship that seems to develops when working as a team suprises me.

LG has a good plan if you want to slowly get the cage out of the room.
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Londongirl

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2017, 09:33:13 AM »
I don't know about others but my eze wants to be with us all the time and although she will get in her downstairs crate or dog run no problem (during the day for couple of hours) she does not sleep whilst we are not there. I think maybe some dogs especially cockers just "need" human contact.


Cockers, like people, are all different. Henry goes to sleep pretty promptly if left alone, and actively likes to be left alone in peace when properly settled. His crate is in the kitchen beside the table and he grumbles at us if we get particularly rowdy over a meal when he's trying to sleep. He also takes himself off into another room during the day just to chill, despite being incredibly (almost violently) happy to see us if we seek him out.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline ips

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2017, 01:09:44 PM »
LG
Yes it would seem that they are all different as you say.

I am now feeling guilty, I put her in her run at 9-40am with a view to getting home about 11-30 however I got called out (work) so she will be in her run untill the wife gets home at 13-15 this is probably only the third time she has been left for more than two hours. I am sure it bothers me more then it does her but I still feel really bad. I am a big softie 😁
Muddling along in the hope that one day it all makes sense.

Offline Londongirl

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2017, 01:14:28 PM »
Don't feel bad. I don't think their perception of the passing of time is the same as ours. Henry will greet me with one of his trademark stomach-punch leaps whether I've been away for five minutes or four hours - the latter being the length of time he is regularly crated during the day when I have to go out.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline Brummiebling

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2017, 01:27:14 PM »
Thanks everyone. I'm going to try the radio on low tonight. I do this if I leave her during the day, and she does sleep and is settled...mind you if you spend the night howling I guess you would be tired during the day  :005:
I'd rather keep trying with the crate downstairs for as long as my sanity can bear it, seeing as she was fine to begin with. I think my gut feeling is she has found her feet and is probably trying it on.

Offline bmthmark

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2017, 01:58:43 PM »
Don't feel bad. I don't think their perception of the passing of time is the same as ours. Henry will greet me with one of his trademark stomach-punch leaps whether I've been away for five minutes or four hours - the latter being the length of time he is regularly crated during the day when I have to go out.

What you say regarding perception of time is different to us, I totally agree with you. I could leave Jett 3 hours, when I come back he is very excited. I could then leave the room for 1 minute and he acts like i've been gone for hours  :lol2:

Offline Londongirl

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2017, 02:02:54 PM »
Thanks everyone. I'm going to try the radio on low tonight. I do this if I leave her during the day, and she does sleep and is settled...mind you if you spend the night howling I guess you would be tired during the day  :005:
I'd rather keep trying with the crate downstairs for as long as my sanity can bear it, seeing as she was fine to begin with. I think my gut feeling is she has found her feet and is probably trying it on.

Try not to look on it as her 'trying it on'. Dogs don't really think that way, and making it adversarial can be stressful. It's more the case that she wants something and you want the opposite, and what you need to do is persuade her that what you want is a good choice for her to make.
Rachael (me) and Henry (him)


Offline elaine.e

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2017, 05:52:53 PM »
Is the crate large enough for her now she's growing? It should be spacious enough for her to stand up, turn right round comfortably and lay down fully stretched out on her back or side. If she can't do all of those she may be finding it's too cramped and uncomfortable for her to be in for long periods of time.

Could she be either cold or hot in it?

Could you try leaving the crate door open so she can move about and stretch her legs during the night?

Offline bmthmark

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #12 on: May 22, 2017, 02:57:36 PM »
Is the crate large enough for her now she's growing? It should be spacious enough for her to stand up, turn right round comfortably and lay down fully stretched out on her back or side. If she can't do all of those she may be finding it's too cramped and uncomfortable for her to be in for long periods of time.

Could she be either cold or hot in it?

Could you try leaving the crate door open so she can move about and stretch her legs during the night?

Thanks for your message on this as this may of helped us.
My puppy was having restless nights, after reading your message I decided to upgrade his crate to a much bigger one (I think its an extra large one). He can now easily stand/stretch and move around. So far we have had 2 nights sleep with no noises!! We put him in at 10pm and he wakes at 6:30am, which is perfect.
Finger crossed he continues to be good

 

Offline Brummiebling

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Re: 4 month pup starting to cry again at night
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2017, 10:25:55 PM »
Just wanted to update...we moved the crate to our utility room. I noticed Molly liked to lie here during the day, so thought I'd give it a try. She seems much more settled, and is much better at night. I've also bought a bigger crate for when she is bigger to ensure her comfort. Thanks again to everyone who replied. I think this forum in fantastic, especially for newbies like me. X