Night time

[hle]

Hello, I've just brought my new puppy, Cody, home and am using a crate for him to sleep in at night. He settles in at about 10:30 ish until about 6am. I did expect a few sleepless nights but I'm not sure how to handle them and would really appreciate some advice. During the night he wakes up and starts to cry, I go downstairs and let him into the garden where he relieves himself then comes back in. The problem is that he will not settle straight away, I don't want to leave him howling because of disturbing my husband who works long hours but I don't want him to get use to faling asleep with me there. At the moment I stay in the room away from his crate and wait until he is nearly asleep before I go, usually about 10mins. Cody is only 9 weeks old and is pretty much housetrained in that he would rather go out to do his business than do it in the house or his crate. He only wakes up twice a night so I'm hoping that as he gets older he will be able to last longer. Am I doing the right thing or not?

[Cazzie]

Hi there, yes I think your doing everything right, the only difference in this house is the dogs come first, if Willie was to be woken by any of my dogs its just par for the course im afraid and he just has to deal with it 

[Linz13]

I had a crate for Maddi, when she woke & cried, I just got up let her out praised her when she went tp the loo, then back into the crate and a quick night night, light out back to bed.  I found that if I chatted to her it took her much longer to settle!

[hle]

Thank you. I don't mind letting him out in the night as he does his business straight away so I'm not hanging around, it's just the settling off again. I think I might try and leave the room more quickly tonight. Only had him 6 days so didn't want to be too harsh on him as most of the advice says to put the crate in your bedroom for the first few nights. I'll let you know how I go on.
Thanks for the replies.

[dap]

Oh I know how it feels!  Mostyn was quite unpredicatable for his first three weeks, he'd sleep through one night, howl loads the next.  Four week on and he now goes to his crate, waits for his bedtime biscuit and is quiet until we get up.

I was initially off work but my husband was not so was struggling with the lack of sleep.  Had things not got better he would have gone to stay over with a friend for a couple of nights to catch up on sleep, might be worth thinking about as a temprary measure until you have a routine. 

[cazza]

Braan at 14 weeks still wakes in the night for a toilet break 

So I come down let them out (once one goes out they all want to go out  ) then back in and straight back in the crate - I only praise the toilet and try not to speak to them again  I turn the lights off wait for a min and then walk out and back to bed (and depending what time it is - if about 5am, I turn the coffee maker on so it's ready for when I get up at 6.30 / 7am or as this morning i just stayed up  )

[Nicola]

At just 9 weeks he's doing really well    That is still the tiny baby stage so it might be a while yet before he is able to go through the night without needing the toilet. I wouldn't worry too much about having to stay with him for a little while until he sleeps again at this age. You can gradually reduce the time over the next couple of weeks and he should be fine.

[hle]

Thank you, I think I just need some reassurance that I'm doing things ok, as for last night I'm not sure if I did. Cody slept on the rug from about 9.30 to 10.45 I then let him out to do a wee but no poo. He came in so I put him in his crate and went to bed. He started to whine then howl, I left him for about 15mins then sat on the stairs. As soon as there was a lapse in his whining I went in and let him outside where he did a poo. He had already weed in his crate. I think I should have played with him for a while before I put him in his crate the first time not sure if he was ready to go to bed. Anyway, I sat in the room until he was almost asleep then went to bed. He then slept through until my huuby got up at 5.20am. Any advice?

[cazza]

He started to whine then howl, I left him for about 15mins then sat on the stairs. As soon as there was a lapse in his whining I went in and let him outside where he did a poo.

Yes you did right here 

. I think I should have played with him for a while before I put him in his crate the first time not sure if he was ready to go to bed. Anyway, I sat in the room until he was almost asleep then went to bed. He then slept through until my huuby got up at 5.20am. Any advice?

I usually give them a little play out side in the garden at last toilet time and then bring them in to bed, by this time with a little play they have usually done 1 & 2's and it has tired them out a bit more 

Cody is still quiet young to go all the way thro the night tho - but sounds like you and her are doing well 

[hle]

Just thought I'd let you know how Cody is going on. He's a star! Now 9 weeks old, doesn't mind staying on his own for a few hours in the day, sleeps through the night and is completely house trained. What more could I ask for. Now he is settled we are just enjoying him so much, can't wait until we can take him for walkies. Last injections this Wednesday. Thanks for the advice, I suppose you have to go through the difficult times to get to the good times.