Sleep - or lack of!

[sophiew]

OK, I know I'm to expect a few sleepless or sleep-deprived nights with a new pup, but she's getting worse instead of better. The first few nights she was shut in her crate with my lab in the same room as her, and she slept through from 11pm to about 3.30am, woke us because she needed a pee, then went straight back to sleep until 7.30 am when the lab woke up. Next night - pretty much the same. We'd rather she was clean in the crate so I was pleased she'd woken us to go out.

The past few nights she's been a nightmare - she falls asleep as soon as it's dark and won't be woken up. This means she's wide awake at midnight, and last night she was awake at midnight, 3am, 4am and 5.30am..... I feel like we're going backwards. We've only had her a week and a half but I don't know what to do to improve things. I know she can't last the night without a wee... and I don't mind getting up, but I do mind if she's just getting us up to play.

How do I know when she's whining and howling whether she needs a wee or just wants attention? I can't think of a way round it. We're very matter of fact with her, we've tried not saying anything but just letting her out in the garden, waiting for her to wee, praising for wee and then putting her back.

We've tried leaving her loose in the kitchen (no crate) with our lab but she still whines.

Any advice?

Sophie
x

[buttercup]

Hi Sophie - I am the least experienced dog owner ever and was desperate for help myself last week so I am afraid I might not be a big inspiration but wanted to sympathise xxx (can't find a hug symbol on my list!)

It's really tough trying to work out what to do about all these puppy problems.....our breeder advised us to have the radio on during the day and then when it comes to bed time to pop him in his crate, say night night and cover over the crate fully with a large blanket and turn out lights and radio.  She advised us not, even if he cried to come down until morning as she felt it created a pattern of him crying to get us up but I have no idea if this is the case! We did follow what she advised though as I had no other experience to go by.  The first night he did cry on and off but now he is quiet all night. 

Ollie's crate is quite big so there is room for a plastic basket with blankets in one end and I leave a puppy pad at the other end in case he needs the loo.  For the past few nights he has gone in at about 10pm and I normally get up and take him out at 6.30 and he has been clean. We have had the odd accident in the night previously but with the pads it is easily cleaned up and he seems to be getting the hang of toileting so I don't think it's causing too much confusion for him.
I can understand getting up to the puppy tho so this isn't a judgemental post or saying my way is the best way-just letting you know what we do.  I just don't think I could operate for the day on any less sleep than I am getting!
Good Luck - sure it will all work out and lots more experienced people will have fab ideas.
Take care xx

[karenann]

Hi Sophiew. I know the feeling. Cleo howled and cried for nearly a week and I was so tired my eyes were bloodshot. I expected to have to get up as it must be very strange and scarey for them but now she goes from around 10 30ish to 6 or 7am if lucky. sometimes she will cry and then give up and go to sleep. My problem is she won,t have crate locked at night so she sleeps in it and comes out to use kitchen floor for toilet. Still thinks floor is toilet in the daytime even tho she goes outside as well. We found it best to ignore her when she howls or whines at night these last few nights and she settles eventually. Hard to do I know. I used to go down to Cleo the first week put her out and straight back to bed but she either wanted to play as you have said or just howled when left. It is getting easier and to be fair she is still very young.  Try ignoring her and see what happens.

[SandraD]

Hi Sophie sorry to hear Tally is keeping you up at night. 

We were exceptionally lucky with Monty the first night he slept through in his crate (I think he was shell shocked at having left his mum and litter mates) his vet bed was dry and he had done a wee on the newspaper at one end of the crate.  The second night he cried at about 1.30a.m. and my youngest daughter went down to him (she couldn't bear the crying ) changed his paper and put him straight back in his crate.  I'm afraid I was really mean and we all agreed that we wouldn't go down to him in the night, even if this meant he was a little slow toilet training - I need my sleep!  We actually put the radio on quietly overnight, used a heatpad under his vet bed (piggy snuggle safe) and covered the crate at his bed end with a towel.  Much to my amazement we only had a couple more nights of crying mid way through the night and we never had another puddle and from 8 weeks and 5 days Monty was clean and dry in his crate - not sure what I did to deserve such a good boy!   Mind you, it took him a little longer to crack being dry/clean in the house during the day, but I treated the whole process very much like potty/toilet training a toddler!!

Good luck, I'm sure Tally will soon settle down, particularly as she has the gorgeous Henry to show her the way.

[M4ndy]

You must be exhausted! I think unless your going to go down the root of having them in the bedroom then at some point you have to ignore the whining. I did what others have suggested and had paper in a playpen so she could use that in the night. I have young kids and I'm afraid I cannot function without sleep so the dog just had to be left to cry.  It only lasts a few nights.
If you want her to be clean though, you know that she can last until 3.30 and then until morning so you could just stick to that routine regardless of whimpering and then gradually move the night time wee later and later until she's going right through.

[williamsmum]

I can really sympathise, as we have been through the same thing this year. Rufus was great when we got him for the first two nights - think he was so exhausted with all the changes that he just slept and slept. After that...up all night, then half the night, then as the mornings got lighter, we ended up going out for walks with him at 4am!! Felt like an absolute zombie for months - I am not good with lack of sleep, I'm afraid!! But there is light at the end of the tunnel, because your babe will eventually settle into a routine. Don't forget she is still very young - a baby - and will need time to settle into a pattern, bit like kids really. But it will happen, and the sleepless nights won't last forever. Small comfort at the moment, I know, but just to let you know it will improve - honest!!

[sophiew]

Thank you everyone. I just had a really low point at the weekend, we had friends staying along with their baby (human) and their baby slept through no problems but the puppy woke everyone up several times each night! 

I guess I'd just read so much about not letting them ever have to soil their crate, so I was pleased she was letting us know she needed to go out, but now she's learnt we'll come when she calls.... so perhaps I'll put her in the bigger crate, with a puppy pad, and close the doors and our ears! I don't remember any of this with Henry 

I'm one of those people that doesn't function well on lack of sleep and my tolerance levels drop hugely, and poor Henry is looking a bit bleary eyed too!

Thought several times over the weekend that a human baby is easier in some ways!!! 

Sophie
x

[M4ndy]

Thought several times over the weekend that a human baby is easier in some ways!!!  Wink

Don't you believe it. In a years time you will have a wonderful little dog but your friend will be heading for the terrible twos and just starting with potty training.

[sophiew]

Ok, last night was a bit better - went to bed at 10.30, she woke at 1am, we ignored her - she whined for some time... then went back to sleep until 7am 

I think we've inadvertantly taught her that we'll come running when she whines, in our efforts to keep her clean.... ooops!

Thanks for everyone's help. Let's hope the little love is soon sleeping soundly!

Sophie
x

[jiw8207]

Hi

am I so glad I come across this post, I've had Shiloh (Sprocker) nearly two weeks now and haven't slept in my bed since having him, tried to settle him in the kitchen first night but he was having none of it and escaped through the safety gate I put across the doorway, earlier this week I tried again putting his crate in the kitchen but closed the door on it, reason being I also have a two year old Irish Wolfhound who is rather on the large side and I'm afraid Shiloh may get hurt if he sleeps with him but, he barked and cried the place down so I had to go and keep him company again, would it be worth leaving the crate door open and close the kitchen door, any advice would be welcome please, by the way does anyone leave a light on for thier pups.

Thanks
Julia