help please

[bajoleth]

Get your point but she was in an enclosed space within the kitchen with no collar on etc she never cried for longer than 10 mins each time either , I would def do the same again

[little_jack]

Hope things are starting to work out for you and you are managing more sleep. I was up all night with Jack the other week when he was poorly and wouldn't settle alone, it was a killer and took me back to when he first came home. Everyone's given great advice and it gives you options. Puppies are all different so what works for one puppy may not with another so if you are still having problems perhaps trying another way could help.

[Horace]

Hi,

We got our dog when he was 9 months old.  He had previously been no problem during the night at his previous home (the breeders) but of course he had other doggy friends to keep him company. We were absolutely certain that he would sleep downstairs at night, after all how hard could it be!!!!!  

When he came to live with us he was understandably a bit dewildered and didn't like being separated from us at night and would howl non stop.  I slept downstairs with him to begin with and of course he was fine.  When I tried to distance myself from him at night he began the howling again.

Our daughter was only 2 1/2 at the time and we too were worried about waking her (although she never did) so we made the decision to let him sleep upstairs.  This resulted in a good night sleep for everyone. Ironically as time has passed and his confidence has grown he now spends at least half the time sleeping downstairs.

I'm sorry this doesn't add anything new to the thread and there are a lot of COL's who have tonnes more experience and knowledge that me. I don't have a magic cure, and it sounds like you have tried a lot harder than I did. But imo if its a case of everyone getting a good night's sleep v's being at your wits end with stress then sleeping upstairs wins eveytime.

Good Luck

[Sprinkles]

How is it going Grunty??

[grunty]

sprinkles i think weve cracked itwe phoned the breeder she said the prob we were doing was letting the pup go in and out of his cage anytime he wanted so whenit came to him being shut in at night he wanted to get out. she said when hes in there shut the door and put a blanket over it so he dont get mixed up with day or night. bingo 2 nights good sleep..... so far , but he did get his 1st injection yesrturday maybe that has something to do with it, he keeps playbiteing my 2 girls so breeder says pinch him and hes stopped , u lot are brill without the sound advice you gave us regarding issues wed be in the .. u know what
thanks we will be regulars on this site ... if thats ok 

[Helen]

Pinching a pup is appalling advice  - there are many many threads on playbiting (which is a normal stage of puppyhood) so have a look ... also a pinned topic here on the puppy board

http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=2016.0

[cazza]

he keeps playbiteing my 2 girls so breeder says pinch him and hes stopped , u lot are brill without the sound advice you gave us regarding issues wed be in the .. u know what
thanks we will be regulars on this site ... if thats ok 

That is disgusting advice  - get the girls to do a high pitch ahhhhh and that will have the same effect without hurting the pup. As by pinching him in my opinion you are teaching him that humans hurt and he will not want to go near anyone when he is older and you will have real problems then - as I am sure you would prefer to end up with a loving cuddly dog and not one that cowers from you and will not come near you cos he is terrified

Glad you are getting some sleep and I am sure things will improve BUT please use positive methods  - Good luck 

[Holly Berry]

Just a thought, you don't think something is waking her up and frightening her as its the same time every am? Every am at about 4 our dogs woke up (ours sleep upstairs on their own beds) and barked and whined (not same as going to loo they would paw for that)to go out. We discovered we had a fox come into the garden at about the same time every am.

[mofi]

I can really sympathise with you Grunty, although pleased to hear that things are getting better and you are getting more sleep.  I read this post with interest as we picked up our new puppy on Saturday and we have been having the same problems.  The lack of sleep is really getting to me now but thankfully I am at home all day and have a teenage daughter who is helping out with the night time shifts as OH is still away.

We have tried all the obvious things, radio, low light, hot water bottle, blanket over crate, DAP diffuser and she still won't settle for any longer than 2 hrs at a time.  Tonight I am relenting and have borrowed a small crate to put her in my room to see if she will settle any longer.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I really don't function well with lack of sleep 

[cazza]

MOFI - what I did was I stayed down stairs for a few nights with him and then put him in a crate in the bedroom - we still had to get up at least once in the night but (it felt like ages i must say but was in fact ony about 3 weeks) we eventually got to going thro the night

Just remember it's like having a new born baby that doesn't sleep thro the night and if you are consistant (we got up and let out at night rather than wet in the crate etc) you do get there that they will sleep all night

good luck 

[mofi]

Thanks for the advice.  It's hard to know what to do for the best!  From day one Lottie has not wanted to soil her crate so we have always taken her outside when she has whined.  We just didn't know whether we should have her upstairs with us, us downstairs with her or to leave her on her own! 
Anyway last night we thought we would try a different tactic and she actually slept in my daughters room in a crate.....and WOW I got a full nights sleep which has recharged my batteries.   

As for my daughter getting sleep, she said she put Lottie to bed at midnight, got up at 3am and then I heard her stir this morning at about 6.40am so am very happy with that.  I'm letting my daughter have a lie-in to catch up.

I will do the night shift tonight to let my daughter get a full night sleep.  Hopefully this will work and everybody will be happy.   

[Karma]

Great news!