Cocker Specific Discussion > Puppies

Will we ever sleep again???

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Rae & Marty:
Hi everybody,

I am new to the forum and have another question re sleeping at night.  I have read previous posts and all are very helpful.

We have a nine week old blue roan called Woody, who's gorgeous.  We started off using a pen at night and leaving him all night, not returning.  He objected to the pen, howling and crying all the time and pawing at it to escape, which he finally succeeded in doing.  Since then we have decided to leave him in the kitchen with newspaper on the floor etc.  He crys and howls constantly, scratching and scraping at the door and floor, again we have tried not to go down to him but have failed on an odd occassion when the noise would have the street awake.

I have been trying to ensure that he is asleep in his bed before leaving him, usually taking 30 minutes on the floor, cuddling him etc. to get him to sleep, in order to get an hour of quiet.
I am wondering how do other members put the puppies to bed.  Do you just close the door and let them cry or do you try and get them to sleep first.

I read that usually after a couple of days they will settle and sleep through or nearly through.  We leave the light on, radio etc. but no joy.  He has been crying / howling for 10-12 days or so now.

Thanks for any help or advice you can offer.                    

Anonymous:
Hi Rae and Marty

Welcome to the board :)  Sorry to hear of the problems you are having with Woody at night :o  I am no expert, but, I would personally would not cuddle etc till her falls asleep.  I think this causes more anxiety, cos he thinks he should be worried about being left, due to the fuss being made of him, if that makes sence ::)  I have had a rescue GSD who suffered terrible with seperation anixety, not saying this is what Woody is suffering from, but it is behaviour that needs to be ignored :)  Woody is very young, he probably misses his mum and littermates.  Have you tried the radio?  

I know it seems tough, but you need to persivere with him, it will eventually get better :)

Good luck with it, and can we have some pictures of the little darling please ;D

Emma and Indie                    

Anita:
Sorry to hear you're having a bad time of it with Woody ::) I agree with Emma though. It doesn't help by cuddling him to get him to sleep as I think he wakes up and expects you to be there.

I made this mistake with Phoebe and after a couple of nights we had to just lie there and ignore her. It took a week but now she goes out to the toilet last thing at night and then goes straight to her bed in the kitchen.

If you want him to sleep in the kitchen long term you have to perserver!

Try a DAP diffuser - it might work!

Good luck.                    

Loraine:
In answer to your question yes - you will sleep again!  ;D  But those first few weeks are awful and I can completely understand how you're feeling having had two new puppies within the space of a year.  (trust me just because there were two dogs didn't stop the baby one making noise!  ;) )  My nerves were shot through!   :(

It doesn't feel like it now but he will eventually settle down but you have to be quite consistent and as Anita says, if you want him to sleep in the kitchen longterm you have to get him into the habit of doing so NOW while he's still young and try your best to ignore him.  I've found that puppies progress so slowly that you don't always notice and then before you know it you'll be saying, remember when Woody used to scream in the night or remember when we used to come down to puddles and poo!  :) It just takes time.

You could try a snuggle puppy.  I can't find the link for you to be able to order one online but perhaps one of the other members will find it for you or you could run the search in google.

Also, are you leaving a nightlight on for him so that it's relatively dark but not pitch black?  The ceiling light might make him stay awake for longer - just a thought.  I used a ticking clock for my first dog which was on top of her crate.  I think it helped as it sounds like a heartbeat.

Lastly, I give my dogs a piece of biscuit before they go to bed.  It helps me to be able to get out of the door and switch off the light while they are all engrossed in the biscuit! And they now associate bed time with something nice.   ;D

L x  :)                    

Mike:
Here's the link for snuggle puppies  :)

http://www.petpack.co.uk/shop-productdetai...0&ProcessType=2

Could definitely be worth a go if your pup doesnt settle - but I'd see if Woody settles of his own accord within a couple of weeks before splashing out  ;)                    

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