Night problems at 6 months old.

[Theo961]

Hi all

I feel a bit silly posting this as it's a problem I have really caused myself and don't know really what to do.

Reese has slept very well in his crate from about 10 weeks old, with the last couple of months crying occasionally if he wants a poo normally around 4am is but will go back and settle ( apart from day after he got his new paddling pool!)
Me partner works offshore and also has his own house where he lives with his daughter, which is about an hour away. When he is home he does spend time at mine and once Reese was settled at mine we have spent time there too. He has been very good there and very relaxed and from an early age has settled in his crate there too at night. However as we are not there very often I used the large travel crate we use to go away, Reese learnt at the weekend how to Un zip this and kept letingt himself out, so that night as Mikes home isn't as puppy proof as mine I slept on the sofa. Thought it would be easy to sort and next day went to pet shop to get him a play pen like he has at mine and put around the crate. That evening stuck to the normal routine he went in his crate as normal had his bedtime biscuit and all was fine until I went upstairs. He howled and howled! My house is detached but Mike has neighbours each side so after I while I felt I had to  get up and go down which ended up with me sleeping on the sofa again....This happened again the 3rd night. I went back home and thought I would have problem now at home and may have to start again ( but at least i can at home with no neighbours)but he has been as good as gold.
I am now dreading going back to mikes next week for a couple of days and really don't know how to handle it. My thoughts were to bring him upstairs in the crate and pen but know mike would not be keen on that idea.
Any suggestions gratefully received!

[elaine.e]

You have a teenager

Any chance you can take his home crate with you next time? It might be enough to help him realise that he should keep to his normal routine

[bizzylizzy]

Could it be that he simply doesn't feel quite so secure there as at home. Is the bedtime ritual the same as when you're at yours? You could try leaving an old T shirt of yours in the pen, it might just help him settle. I always used to give Humphrey a kong with a bit of liver sausage in it and then switch off the light and slip away while he was distracted with it.
I'd avoid taking the crate upstairs if you possibly can, once you give in, it'll probably be difficult to get out of the habit in the future. You might find that when you go again, he'll recognize the place and it won't feel so strange. Hope it works out, its a shame to have stress when you don't see each other very often? Best of luck!

[Theo961]

Thank you both for your suggestions.   

I have always tried to keep him to the same routine there as well as at home. He has been so good there for months and is very comfortable there, sometimes probably too spoiled! Lol
I neglected to say that when he kept unzipping the travel crate that first night and I eventually gave up, i let him on the sofa with me ( he loves mikes sofa!)  Then when I got up the second night due to the noise and worried about the neighbours I again let him on the sofa with me.
I know this was very silly and why I am now having this issue. I think next time I will take his crate and bed from mine, keep to normal routine and put something of mine in with him. I am not sure if I should try to go upstairs or stay on the sofa near to him but keeping him in his crate to start with.

[Debbie123]

Hi there ,we're having similar issues my cocker is 6mths old always been very good in his crate and I also have a pen ,we have just come back from our hols from our caravan ,I never took the crate I took a small material basket due to not much room ,Baxter slept really well so when we got home I decided to get rid of the pen and leave the crate door unlocked (also bearing in mind he's been in the same room with us whilst on holiday ) Baxter hasn't settled at all barking getting up in the night for the toilet completely different to how he was before we went away and again like you I have neighbours to think off
These little cockers are very clever and I think he's had a taste of sleeping with us and that's what he wants to do now,  but then again I have noticed other behaviour changes so could this be a stage he is going through ,up until now he has been really good with everything , we're having sleepless nights he ran off when off his lead he's started barking a lot , where's my good little cocker gone  :lol🐶👹 Hope he comes back soon

[Geordietyke]

6 months seems to be the changing point!  My Monty has found his bark too!  Up until now, he's been silent.  His recall out and about has started to falter a bit, despite daily practice.  When I go visiting, I take his night-time crate with us, and he seems to settle OK in it.  I too used a crate and pen but ditched the pen part at around 17 weeks and just used the crate with the door closed overnight.  During the day he wanders in and out but I still close the door for his nap times at present.

[Theo961]

Oh bless at least I only get a bad nights sleep when I go to my partners! Lol I don't seem able to resolve the issue at my partners house, tried everything but unless I am on the sofa with him he just won't settle there  ( found out its  the sofa that's most important to him not me!). We have decided my partner will come to me now until  Reeses is old enough ( and not going to chew everything) to be left on the sofa on his own, as Reese is as good as gold still in his crate at home.
The last few weeks, Reese has found his voice too, which I am working on. He found a cat in the garden one morning now he wants to run out barking around the garden each time he goes out, as I get up at 5 am it's not really fair on the people around me.  I have this week found that if I put him on the lead and take him around the garden close to me first so he can see there is nothing there,  then he is fine to be let off and doesn't bark.  I have also noticed his behaviour was changing and he was getting more naughty and destructive, this week I have stepped up his excersize a bit and carried out more brain training excersizes at home and that seems to have really settled him again. I have been sticking to the 5 min rule but he has more time off lead now.
I am guessing we are just entering the teenage phase!