Crying at Night

[crunchie]

Pringle was quite good on her first night here.  She whimpered a little bit but soon settled down and we didn't hear a peep out of her.  However last night was a different story.  She is obviously finding her feet a little bit now.  She went down quite well but after about an hour was screaming her head off.  OH got up to her and popped her out into the garden where she did a poo and wee and brought her back in, but of course by now she was wide awake and just wanted to play.  Because he had to go to work today I took over and was up until about 12.45 am with her.  There were a couple of times when I thought she had dropped off and would try to sneak out, but as soon as I moved she was wide awake and crying again.  She eventually dropped off and was so good this morning.  When I got up she was wide awake in her play pen but was just sitting there waiting for someone to come and get her up not making a noise, and also second night without any mess!! what a good girl.  She was so pleased to see me as well, and that what makes it all worthwhile as they love you sooo much.

Anyway any tips about not crying at night.  She has her canine pal which you pop in the microwave to warm up so she has something nice to snuggle up to, she also has a lot of her toys.  She wasn't in her playpen at all yesterday as we were both at home, so I was thinking I might pop her in it more today just to get her a bit more used to it.  I felt doubly guilty last night as our two cats are really upset and refused to stay in because of all the racket.  They ended up going out and it was quite cold and windy last night so I felt really guilty.  I don't want them to be upset although I know it is inevitable to start with.  I need to pop out in a minute to buy a stairgate to put between our kitchen and utility room.  This morning when the cats came in I was trying to feed them breakfast and when she realised they were there kept trying to get to them (typical cocker determination) so in the end I popped her her back in her crate and of course all the screaming started again and the cats scarpered without their breakfast!!!!  So any advice on intergrating cats with new cockers would also be gratefully appreciated.

On a more positive  note have just come back from vets where she was thoroughly checked over, given a clean bill of health and her first jab.  She is now fast asleep so I am either going to pop out to get this gate or do some housework whilst I've got the chance!!

[Rachel B]

We put  a ticking clock near barney's crate when he was young and also and item of clothing that smells of you could help so that she knows you are still nearby..

Its hard but the best thing to do is to try and ignore the crying unless you think she needs to do a wee or poo.  Barney cried for the firts couple of weeks i'm afraid but eventually he settled down and now sleeps 8 hours a night quietly.

I can't help with the cats though I'm afarid as we only have barney and tropical fish!

[PennyB]

I often sleep downstairs for the 1st few nights, weird I know but it worked (none of my dogs are allowed upstairs so it was necessary to get them used to sleeping there).

[MrsMac]

Having quite recently been through this ourselves I can sympathise  .  Melody sleeps in her crate at night-time and these days she's excellent but 8 weeks ago you'd think she was being tortured at night with the noise she made.

I was advised to lift her water around about 10pm ish and put the radio on for her.  It worked perfectly and we still do that now.  She goes out to the garden about 11.30pm to 'get busy' and then she's off to bed for the night with Radio 2 on in the background.  We also leave the kitchen light on (she's in the dining room with the door slightly ajar) cos we've got young kids and some nights we're up and down with them through the night 

Hope you manage to get it sorted out and you can get some sleep 

[crunchie]

I was actually thinking about leaving a radio on so think I might try this tonight.  I have been popping her in and out of her crate today.  When she gets sleepy I pop her in it straight away.  She always wakes up and whinges a bit but soon settles back down so I think she is getting a bit more used to it.  Fingers crossed for a less stressful night tonight!

[janejohn]

Hi, and a big welcome to Pringle (love the name by the way!)

We have a little blue roan girl who is 11 weeks old called Sapphire, and a 15 year old persian cat. I thought the cat would just keep out the way of the dog as she usually spends most of the day asleep upstairs - but infact we see more of her! I think she's scared she may be missing out!

I introduced them by holding Sapphire and letting them have a sniff at each other. We have tried not to let her chase the cat but inevitably it has happenened as she is so keen to play. The cat has hissed and when the warning hasn't been  heeded has cuffed her. This has only happened twice - now when the cat walks into the room Sapphire quickly sits down watches her go passed!! 

They both sleep in the kitchen but we have Sapphire in a crate (can't recommend one enough!) and the cat has the cat flap open at night. We went through a couple of broken nights sleep but after that she was only whimpering so we didn't go to her anymore. She now sleeps for a good 8 hours ( thats bound to have tempted fate now I've said that!)  You'll get there ... it just seems forever at the time. You'll probebly have forgotten all about it by this time next week!! I also kept popping her in her bed every time she fell asleep so she would get used to it and it wouldn't just be for night time.

I'm sure things will settle down very quickly - good luck!

Jane

P.S Click the link below to see Sapphire - she and Pringle look like twins!! Gorgeous too!

  http://photobucket.com/albums/f100/jphilliban/?action=view&current=Firstfewdays029.jpg

[Terri Carpenter]

Can't give any advice about crying at night as after a week we tried Holly upstairs and she slept in her bed all night. After swearing this would not happen, lack of sleep for us and the neighbours made us weak

I have four cats and they all reacted in the same sort of way, I suppose I was lucky as Holly never chased them - well they were bigger than her. I just let them all get on with it and now the cats are the bosses.

If they want to sleep in Holly's bed they get in and she gets out and it is quite comical to see the way she greets them - much to their disgust.

I suppose the best advice I can give is to carry on as normal with the cats, but try to stop Pringle chasing them. They just need to get used to each other and the only way that will happen is if they come into contact.

Pringle may end up with a few cuffed noses until she learns to respect them but I'm sure they will be fine.

[DennyK]

I don't have a cat but when the Gwen Bailey book, "The Perfect Puppy", discussed it, she said to let the cat have higher ground (e.g. sofa) and pup on the floor, and hold onto the puppy, so that the pup knows that it can't chase the cat, even if cat decides to leg it. 

The only contact Paddy (15 weeks old this week) has had with a cat didn't go well.  I did as above, all fine - at a friend's house.  Just as we were leaving several hours later, Paddy just bumbled into the cat and got swiped in the eye.  The screaming was unbelievable, and when I looked at his eye, it looked like there was a lump of raw liver hanging out of it.  Rushed to vet on emergency appointment: nothing wrong, dogs and cats have a third eyelid, and this had popped up to protect his eye, and us poking/squeezing the eye had made it pop up again.  For me though, this "near miss" reinforces the common sense of what Gwen Bailey says - hold the puppy back!

[crunchie]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.  She has been in and out of her crate quite a bit today and although she has been whinging it hasn't reached the crescendo it did last night!  I see what you mean Janejohn about Sapphire and Pringle.  They do look very alike.

With regards to the cats, we have two - Roly and Madge.  I am not that concerned about Roly.  He is 10 years old, very laid back and was used to our previous cockers.  He aint that pleased, but I know he will be fine before too long.  It is Madge I am more concerned about.  She was about 9 months old when we lost our last cocker, so hasn't lived with any dogs for about 3-4 years and is quite a temperamental and timid little thing.  She has taken it really badly and I feel really guilty, hence I have just spent the last 10 minutes getting saturated in a hail storm trying to tempt her in.  She does come in but just wants to get out again asap which is not like her.  Especially on a day like today when she would normally be fast asleep on the bed!.  I feel really bad, as we were very close before.  I hope she doesn't hate me too much and comes round quite soon.

[PennyB]

I've always restricted where the dogs can go in the house so the cats have the run of the upstairs. My cats had never seen a dog in their lives then Ruby came along (they were introduced to Ruby as she slept in the crate), but because they have the safe haven it has never ever bothered them (I also have foster dogs in and out of the house occasionally and my cats take it all in their stride as they know they're safe).

Its worth keeping your cat in for a little while (I did with any newbies in the house).

Also the cats get fed upstairs (plus there's a water bowl there as well) as they eat ad lib and would never have any food if my two had anything to do with it.

[crunchie]

Just a quick update.  Pringle was very good last night.  We had a very vigorous play session between 9 and 10 and then OH took her outside for toilet.  By this time she was really sleepy, and as soon as she had performed, she was straight back indoors and into her playpen.  She seemed to be a bit more awake for a minute or so, awake enough to try and kill her pink pig who sleeps with her, but then she just curled up and that was it until I got up at 6.15 this morning.  She heard me moving about and started yapping as if to say "don't forget me", I went through and another completely dry night (what a little star!). 

Cats are also coming in a bit more now, although I think they still hate her.  Am trying to keep them apart for time being until they get used to her but there was a bit of an incident this morning when she got away before I could stop her and chased Madge around the garden!  I ordered the Gwen Bailey book and that arrived this morning.  It is excellent and full of good advice.  All in all she is a little sweetheart and has been really good. Have got loads more pictures which I will try and post, especially a really cute one of her last night when she was sleepy.  Her little bald tummy looks really podgy and her little legs are crossed over sooo cute.