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Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 08, 2004, 09:10:08 AM

Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 08, 2004, 09:10:08 AM
Our second night with Abby has been a nightmare, how can something so tiny create so much noise for so long?? :?

We are ignoring her as best we can but she sets Billy off barking and then this morning one of our neighbours approached me :shock: she wasn't horrible she was very understanding it just that her 16 year old son is about to sit his exams and Abby kept him awake last night :cry:

We are putting her to bed about 11 but she cried last night until 1am, she then settled for an hour and then woke up again and that was the pattern all night until 5.15 when she came into bed with me.

So any hints or tips, suggestions I am trying to remember what those puppy soother things are called (forgive the description I am shattered) I think it is a pad that simulates Mum????

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Magic Star on June 08, 2004, 09:17:49 AM
Oh dear Michelle!  I am sure Abby will settle down soon, but in the meantime,  you could always get a big sock, fill it with rags, so its really soft, tie it securely at the end, get yours and Davids scent on it, and put that in with her at night, it may help :?   You could also try a ticking clock, or having the radio on low in the backgroud too!

Good luck with it, I am sure she will get better with time :D                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Gilly on June 08, 2004, 09:21:17 AM
Poor you Michelle  :shock:

I think the thing your talking about is a "Snugglepuppy"  :?:  you can get them from Petpack one of the rotating banner's at the top of the forum. I'm not sure if they work but Gill maybe able to tell you as I'm sure she had one for Vegas  :wink:
Where does Billy sleep normally  :?:  And can you move Abby to a room further away from your neighbours  :?: Butty cried when she was a baby too...not sure what my neighbours thought of that (like I care  :lol:  :lol: ) :twisted: and I refrained as much as I could from going down to her as hard as it seemed. If you've got her crated at night another option maybe to take the crate to your room  :?:
I must admit I'm a firm believer in "start as you mean to go on"...but unfortunately it doesn't always work that way  :roll:  there was NO way that Butty was allowed upstairs or in our bedroom as my hubby just wouldn't allow it  :roll: she now has the run of the house day and night..and when hubby is nightshift she sleeps with her mummy  :wink:
One thing to try is to go to bed later...sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't...for us it did...but it did mean staying up to about 1.30am but we got about 5 hours sleep that way...and then gradually made the bedtime earlier and earlier. You maybe tired for a few days but it's worth a try  :)
By the way Abby is beautiful  :)                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 08, 2004, 09:46:50 AM
Thanks Gilly,

I know it is early days and I really want to start as I mean to go on and that is crated in the kitchen :roll: In her crate she has a blanket which has her mums scent and her teddy, a pair of David's old socks and a couple of kongs/nylabone? I have left her this morning to come into work for 3 hours I will be home by 11.20, so I have left the radio on for her and she did seem much calmer :roll:  I will try the going to bed later as well, dont mind when I sleep as long as I sleep :wink:

Thanks for your help

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Silver Surfer (indiesnan) on June 08, 2004, 09:56:28 AM
Awww Michele, i do hope little Abbey settles down soon for you, and you manage to get some sleep.                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: lizzy on June 08, 2004, 10:09:11 AM
HI Michelle!

Sorry to hear of your sleep deprivation, it's like having a real newborn baby when you bring a pup home, you feel cream crackered!! :lol:

I have always kept mine in the kitchen at night, not that I would'nt want a little warm body to cuddle up to, just hubby's rules, but I know of people that let their pup sleep in a crate at the side of the bed for a few weeks, to soothe them and take them for a wee in the night, this seems to work for them, and then some have sucessfully transfered them to the kitchen a little later on.

I know the old saying start as you mean to go on and I do believe in it but sometimes ( for sanity's sake ) we have to bend these rules!! :lol:  :wink:

Any way whatever you do I hope she settles down soon!

Lizzy Molly and Evie                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Dessie on June 08, 2004, 01:25:41 PM
Hi Michelle

Do you have Billy and Abby together at night.  It might help her settle more.  I know that you will probably be a bit worried but when I brought Bart home he wouldn't settle unless he was with Sebastian.

HTH and congratulations                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Anita on June 08, 2004, 01:31:33 PM
Poor You :( Can't really add anything to the list apart from a DAP diffuser but with having a blanket from mum should have worked.

Try and stick with it though. It might only last a couple of nights!                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 08, 2004, 01:44:44 PM
Quote
Hi Michelle

Do you have Billy and Abby together at night.  It might help her settle more.  I know that you will probably be a bit worried but when I brought Bart home he wouldn't settle unless he was with Sebastian.

HTH and congratulations


Dessie,

Billy is still at the ignoring or low growling stage with her? also when she cries he barks?

The plan for tonight is I am going to stay up as late as possible with her and have a mad half hour play so she is shattered and also I have got hold of a teddy bear with a hot water bottle inside so that is going into her crate along with an old alarm clock :shock: at this rate I won't be able to put her in the crate for all the stuff to help keep her quiet :roll:

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: *Jay* on June 08, 2004, 02:18:57 PM
Hi Michelle,

I remember the zombified days well :wink:  :lol:  I got the snuggle puppy and think its great. Its got a little heat pad thing in it and you can make the heart beat so that it reminds them of mum. I got it a bit late for Vegas but used it when i brought Dallas home - he was certainly a lot more settled in the night than his terror of a big brother was :twisted:                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 08, 2004, 02:30:28 PM
Quote
Hi Michelle,

I remember the zombified days well :wink:  :lol:  I got the snuggle puppy and think its great. Its got a little heat pad thing in it and you can make the heart beat so that it reminds them of mum. I got it a bit late for Vegas but used it when i brought Dallas home - he was certainly a lot more settled in the night than his terror of a big brother was :twisted:


Gill,

Where did you get it? I have tried petpack but it doesn't come up with it when I search? and the only others I can find are in the states and they take about 28 days, to go that long without sleep ................ :? I will try my home made version tonight but if anybody can find the real thing in the uk that would be great.

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Sheila on June 08, 2004, 02:34:01 PM
I can sympathise.....our nights are just settling down and we have had Lottie home for a week.
I found she settles much happier when she is close to our other dog.
Also, I had been snuggling her up in blankets etc, but I think with the warm weather she was getting too hot.
I also try going to bed later, which definitely helps.
I had tried playing with her for half hour or so just before bed, but actually I found this got her very excitable and unable to settle.
I now let her snuggle up on my lap or foot and transfer her to her bed, she doesnt make any fuss that way.
I usually have to get up once in the night to her, but just settle her very quickly and she sleeps until early morning.
Good luck and I hope you have lots of good nights to come.                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: bluesmum on June 08, 2004, 03:59:43 PM
Oh poor you Michelle! Sorry I've no tip's to give other than those that have been sugested already but hope Abbey settles down for a good night's sleep soon. :wink:                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: *Jay* on June 08, 2004, 05:18:28 PM
Hi Michele,

I got mine from PetPack :?  Can't remember seeing it on any other sites I've been on - have you checked PetPlanet? If you have no joy, you can always borrow mine as I won't need it for a while yet :wink:

Edited to add that I found a catalogue at work today that you may be able to get one from. I'm not sure if they are just wholesale or not but your vet may have an account with them.  They were called Pet Tags but i think they have just changed their name. The number i have for them is 01325 282188.  But like I said earlier, you are more than welcome to borrow mine if you don't want to buy one.                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Shirley on June 08, 2004, 06:53:35 PM
I remember it well - Morgan was a nightmare for weeks.  He had a hotwater bottle (just lukewarm water) and a clock in his crate, as well as a smelly towel from his mother  :lol:   No way would he settle.  We had earplugs in the end and thankfully don't have neighbours as such.

I really feel for you Michelle - don't know where you'd find a snuggle pup but I think borrowing Gill's would be worth a shot.  It's heartbreaking to listen to them and also a strain when you're not getting any sleep :? .  Are you against taking the crate into the bedroom?  I found this helped with Cooper - just a thought!  :wink:

Hope things improve soon, I'm sure they will  :)                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Cathy on June 08, 2004, 07:05:53 PM
HI Michelle,

Have you tried giving a small amount of warm horlicks.

Jazz used to have this. I have been really lucky, apart from the first few nights, she now sleeps (or is quiet). for upto 10 hours.

It may be worth a try.                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Magic Star on June 09, 2004, 10:00:56 AM
How was she last night Michelle?                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 09, 2004, 10:15:56 AM
she was a little bit better, didn't try and settle her till midnight she then cried for half an hour and slept until 2 when she cried again for a few minutes she then slept until 4 ish and cried for 1 hour solid :shock: so I put her in bed with me and she slept until 6.30  :roll:   Now I remember why I only had one child :wink:  

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: JoHarborne on June 09, 2004, 11:23:13 AM
Michelle - I can totally sympathise.   :cry: We've had Woody for three days and the first two nights were awful!!  Luckily for us, the house next door to ours (we're an end terrace) is empty but we have to keep the windows closed to prevent other neighbours complaining.

Woody had a better night last night - we only had one howling session at 1.30 which lasted 15 mins.   :lol: The first night we had a 45 minute session and I was at my wits end!

It sounds as though this is something we all have to go through and I am incredibly lucky that I don't work and so I can snooze during the day when Woody does.  I can't offer any advice right now, cos we're finding our feet but just to say you're not on your own.  I had no idea it would be this hard but I don't regret Woody for a second and I'm sure you feel the same way about Abby too.  Keep going!!!   :D                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 09, 2004, 12:46:55 PM
Thanks Everybody for the advice.

Gill, I rang that number and they have only got the snuggle kitty :roll: not sure if that is suitable? But I will do a bit of research before I order it.

Jo,

Glad to know that Abby's crying is normal? and that I am not the only person in the country lying awake.  :D  For some reason my daughter has not heard her once even though her bedroom is next to the kitchen(bungalow)  :roll: What is Woody's date of birth? I guess he is about the same age as Abby 8wks 4 days.

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Gilly on June 09, 2004, 01:03:44 PM
I thought the same thing Michelle...are Woody and Abby related  :?:                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 09, 2004, 02:08:18 PM
Quote
I thought the same thing Michelle...are Woody and Abby related  :?:


They are not from the same litter as Abby's litter where all girls :) but they probably share some names in their pedigrees.  The main ones I recognise in Abby's are Charbonnel Warlord(grandad) and Jimmison Noel at Glenntree(dad), she also has quite a few Broomleaf and Cardamine again just names that I recognise?? don't really know much about them?  But I find it fascinating that I can look up her grandparents and see pictures on the net :shock:  the power of technology :wink: Pity its not so easy to do your own family tree :)

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Sheila on June 09, 2004, 10:07:21 PM
I'm glad it's getting a bit better for you. Our nights are still disrupted, but like you it's early days....Lottie is 9 weeks today.
I think the problem I have is that I find it heartbreaking to leave her crying, she sounds so sad. I know I am doing the wrong thing by going down to her, but I hope she will sleep longer soon.
Good luck with your little one :)                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Andrea L on June 09, 2004, 10:48:42 PM
I sympathise with you all.Silas has been a little star at bedtime .No crying at all now when he goes to bed and nothing until 6ish in the morning.He's so laid back about everything(cool dude  8) or what!!).
 But Michelle and Jo, I've had 4 babies so it's about time I got some kip!!! :D                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: TOPAZ BILLY on June 10, 2004, 09:23:17 AM
Hoard's of dancing smilies(can't do them because I am at work)

Abby slept for 5 hours solid, it may not sound a lot but its a big improvment.  She has probably done it becuase yesterday I spent £50 ordering her a Snuggle Puppy and a Dap diffuser :? so by the time it gets here she won't need it :roll:

Michelle                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Magic Star on June 10, 2004, 09:26:47 AM
Great news about her sleeping Michelle :D   Not so great about you spending all the money, but if yuo haven't ordered maybe you would be wishing you had :wink:  :lol:                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: Silver Surfer (indiesnan) on June 10, 2004, 10:00:29 AM
yyaaaayyyy!! thats brilliant news Michelle (http://users.pandora.be/eforum/emoticons4u/crazy/282.gif)                    
Title: Zombie needs help
Post by: bluesmum on June 10, 2004, 11:35:37 AM
Thats really great Michelle :wink:  I'm so pleased for you!!! :lol:  :lol:  :lol: