Reassurance and advice needed please.

[citybird]

Before I die of sleep deprivation!
Holly is still persistently whining when we leave the room, slowly turning into barking. We've had her since the 3 December and thought this would have improved by now. The crate thing didn't work what with our neighbour problems so we've had her on the landing for 3/4 weeks behind a baby gate so she can still see us...Over the past 2 weeks she has gone from bad to worse with getting us up at the crack of dawn. The final straw being this morning when I was up at 5am with her downstairs. She is totally hyper and just won't settle. What can we do!!??  We were convinced she would be settled now at 14/15 weeks but the past fortnight when she isn't sleeping shes jumping around like a maniac trying to bite everything in sight.

[sez0807]

I'm so sorry you are having a tough time.
We had had a sleepless couple of nights when we first had Molly and then I did the best thing (for me) and I know not everyone thinks it is the 'right' thing to do but it works for us ............  we took Molly in to our bedroom and on to our bed.  She has a little cuddle then heads to the foot of our bed for a while before jumping off and going on to her bed (which is right next to our bed). We had the best nights sleep ever.  She would always wake me to take her to the toilet - she doesn't need to do this anymore.
I know some people will be choking on their morning cuppa at the thought of having your dog on your bed, but to be honest I need sleep and this works well for us.

I hope if this is of no help to you that you can resolve your problem soon. 

xx

[citybird]

Thanks. this wouldn't be a problem for me at all. Its my husband that may sulk at the idea in case she pees all over our carpet! I will suggest it though, thanks!

[michelle123]

oh poor you.  Things seem 10 times worse when you havent had a good nights sleep 

You mention in your post that for the last 2 weeks that the problem has got worse - is this due to the holidays ?  Has something changed ?

Personally I wouldnt have ours in our bed, only because I am sure that I would just have a chapped face in the morning from all the cocker licks    but I know that plenty of members do have theirs on the bed, if it works for them then thats fine.

I would take Holly out for a good walk about an hour behalf bedtime and have quiet time with her after that.  Perhaps try her bed on the landing with the baby gate on your bedroom door and see how that goes, slowly then move the gate to the landing, this might work. 

Not sure from your post, whether she is getting stressed during the day, if she is, you need to go right back to basics and try leaving her for 5 mins and steadily increasing it, use the baby gate again so that she can still see you.

I know that it is difficult and this is not an overnight cure, it does take time.  Make sure that OH is onside because you both need to be firm and on the same side. 

Good luck

p.s. do a search on other postings because this has been covered loads of times so there will be loads more tips

[citybird]

Thanks. Nothing has changed really other than with it being the hols she hasn't been with the inlaws dog during the day, it has just been us 3 so obviously she isn't getting as tired due to the lack of play fighting they do!
We left her for 15 mins to go to the shop and 2 days last week H left her to take me to work. We got collared by the neighbours(the nice ones) who said that she had barked constantly for the full time he was gone.   I've just never known a dog so hyper! We haven't changed her food I just think she has more and more energy. Just needed to vent. My eyes are stinging and my head hurts...Wouldn't change her for the world though the little pest that she is!

[Cob-Web]

Little Holly sounds as she has settled in nicely  I don't think you need to worry too much - some pups take longer to settle than others; like human babies they all find their own way of dealing with things eventually 

The disturbed nights and hyperactive days are one of the "not-so-cute" things about puppyhood, and one of the reasons so many pups get dumped/left at rescue once the novelty has worn off  I can honestly say that I did not sit down for more than 15-20 minutes at a time for the best part of a year after we got Molo    Once they grow out of the sleepy puppy stage, they do demand constant attention - the good part was that I lost over a stone with all the extra activity 

[LurcherGirl]

Just one additional thought perhaps... what sort of diet is she on?

[citybird]

I did think the food might be the problem but as shes been on it since the breeder started feeding it her I dismissed it. Purina Beta. Is this a naff food? I was thinking of gradually changing her over the course of a fortnight to James Wellbeloved..Do you think this may help?
Thanks again everyone!

Oh, and hopefully I'll start shedding some xmas pounds too with all the added exercise!

[LurcherGirl]

I don't think Purina is all bad... but I don't know the exact details about it...   

Sometimes food can be the problem because they have to eat a lot more on some foods which means that more has to come out.

In addition, dogs can react allergic to some stuff and sometimes it can affect how often they go to toilet and it can also make them hyperactive and also disobedient in some cases. Although chances of this being the case with your pup are probably small, but I have found that since our lurcher is kept off all animal protein (not just meat, which he is allergic to - he's been off meat since May 2006), he does not wake us up early anymore at all... he goes to toilet less often and lets us sleep in now without problems. Before, he would mess indoors occasionally and he would wake us at 6 or 7 am at the latest at week-ends (weekdays was never a problem as we get up at 6.30 am anyway) and if we didn't get up immediately, he'd mess in the hallway. Now, I wake up at 10 am or so and he is still happily and fast asleep in his bed without any mess anywhere... 

But as I said, in your case it is probably more a training and puppy issues than a food allergy one... but it is something to keep in mind, just in case... 

Vera

[michelle123]

Is Holly a working or show type.  Of course working need a LOT more stimulation than show type, perhaps she is bored ?

[kangel]

I am very sympathetic.  We too had terrible trouble with Elle and to be honest she isnt an angel with sleep even now she is 7 months.  We ended up with her in the kitchen and when she cried/howled went down and put her out in the garden.  if she wasnt going to the toilet we came back in, put her back to bed and went upstairs again - left her for a while crying etc then did exactly the same again ... and again... and again.  it took a while but eventually she realised (i think) that the only response was to put her out to toilet so the disruption reduced gradually. We did leave her to cry a bit but couldnt do it for too long - no staying power!!  I did take note of suggestions on here not to go to her while she is crying and not sure if it was right but when she heard us up and about she stopped the noise so I felt it was ok to go down.  We also tried leaving her all night to cry but only for about 3 nights and it was awful and to be honest I think for us did more harm than good because she was so upset she was distressed in the day too.

Im not much hlep really, but I am sympathetic and have to say you are a star saying you wouldnt change her because honestly I came close to changing Elle!!!  It gets better but not quickly.  The puppy stage is MUCH MUCH MORE difficult than I thought it would be.  All I can do is keep my fingers crossed for you sorry, feel useless - good luck

Regarding leav ing her and her barking all the time - again we had that same problem, even for 5 mins and Elle used to be so distressed she would wee and poo
EVERY TIME real 'upset' poo too.  We took her to a pet minder each day when we were at work from her being 12 weeks (early sept) til just before xmas.  It cost a small fortune £10 per day but the minder really loves her and I was happy. It also brought more issues because she hated the car and used to poo in her crate on the way until I got into a routine of stopping, just down the road and walking her in the park to poo then continuing my joujrney.  Elle now stays home alone with the minder coming in a lunch time to take her for a walk and she is fine.  We gradually built up leaving her and when we returned - even after 1 minute to start with, we would walk in and pay NO attention initially - just walking in and putting the kettle on.  Gradually we built this up a VERY LONG SLOW PROCESS but it has worked and she is in a routine now and we can leave her.  Lots of suggestions on here are good like leaving something to occupy your puppy when you leave but ELLE wouldnt touch the 'thing' whilst we were gone, nothing distracted her from her upset.  Now we leave her a couple of treats in a cardboard box - old cereal/tissue/breadstick box as a good bye and she gets stuck in to retrieving them rather than watching us go now.  I have left a recorder going to check if she is crying etc while we are gone and apart from the noise of her nicking the tea towels there wasnt a peep for 4 hours.

Sorry, I go on and dont write very clearly - I promise it will improve - Good luck X

[citybird]

thanks for the reply Kangel, it does help honestly.
The one thing she is brilliant with is the car! She just gets in and goes down on my knee and lies there dozing until we get to our destination. Here's hoping we get a better nights sleep tonight.

Shes a show cocker and can't possibly be bored the amount of play and walks and attention she gets.

Thanks all, will keep updated.

[debbie321]

All the advice given is good and you have my sympathy as Ben had me in tears with tiredness and frustration when he was a pup 

Ben used to wake at 4-30 or 5-00 and want to play (like a devil possessed).  One morning I came down, steered him into the garden and as soon as he'd peed I steered him back to his crate and went back to bed without uttering a word.  He seemed stunned into silence for an hour    I carried this on for a week or two and then one day I woke at 8am with no barking     I was so scared that he was ill (or worse) but he'd just learned that Mum is a grumpy old bag in the morning so left me to sleep 

[BillysMum]

i really sympathise with you, Billy woke me up every hour to begin with and i tried everything to help him settle but i was determined not to let him in the bedroom but it was really hard, sleep deprivation makes it a hundred times worse aswell.

now he's coming up to 6 months old and will go to bed around 11pm and not wake us until around 6am, sometimes it is earlier but then i come downstairs and ignore him but i let him outside then put him back to bed and he'll sleep for another hour so i can't complain.

It does get easier 

[sayaka]

my mother spent 6 weeks + on the sofa with poppy in her crate gradually moving her further away, until she could sleep in her room and poppy in the kitchen. The method that someone suggested on here about gradually moving the crate each day and moving it back if she got worse was fantastic. We live in a terraced house and there was no way that we could let her bark it out all night. I lost count of the times we got up during the night just in case she really did need to go to the toilet during that period.

We also had HUGE separation anxiety problems. Poppy barked for 2 and a half hours constantly while were at tesco's once.

We recently had a highly recommended dog behaviourist do a consultation and his technique of ignoring all of her pleas for attention even when we're in the room has brought fantastic results. I wish we'd called him sooner! Maybe getting a good trainer might help you find out if anything in particular is making matters worse. Even though we had our last dog from a puppy, every dog is different and sometimes it helps to get outside advice but make sure that you go to a reputable recommended trainer. If you live in London I would highly recommend ours but he is hard to get hold of because he is so popular!!

Pop was also on purina from the breeder and didn't seem to like it very much. Next doors boys had burns and she loved it. I think she calmed down once she went on it too. It doesn't hurt to give a different food a try if you change gradually, it may be partly that. you can't easily pin point problems.
In Poppy's case she is an excessive attention seeker.

When you are sleep deprived and in the middle of it all it really gets you down but according to my mother puppies are just like babies (some are easy, others like me were night terrors). In the worst of it, we thought we could understand why some people give their dogs up, although we could never do it ourselves. Poppy is now 11 months and she is not so much of a pain, and is calming down, keep at it and they do eventually get better.
Good luck