Rosaline Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Our 9 week old pup has been pretty good overnight, for the first few nights she was waking at 1ish for a wee, then going back to sleep in the crate. Then we had 3 nights in a row where she was quiet until 5:30am - which is still too early, but hubby was coping with it. This morning she woke at 4am, hubby took her for a wee then put her back in the crate. She barked and bashed and howled, getting progressively louder until he gave in after 30 minutes and got up, took her onto the back deck and he tried to snooze on the couch. All this woke the cat, then our daughter, I started sneezing, so we were all up by 4:30am and not very happy about it! I thought she might have been hungry, but he didn't actually feed her until 6am anyway, and once he took her onto the deck she was fine. We can't really continue with this, and if we left her on the deck by herself she would most likely wake the whole neighbourhood. Any suggestions as to how we can prolong our sleep and sanity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Any suggestions as to how we can prolong our sleep and sanity? Earplugs. ;) I appreciate that it can be difficult to ignore a screaming puppy (particulary with a child in the house) but your husband's cave in will create more screaming because the first time she did it, IT WORKED. She got attention. If you are confident she doesn't need to toilet, cover the crate, cover your ears and ignore her. Otherwise, she'll do it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shags Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My belief is that it is the nature of a puppy. They are young and energetic and have lots of power naps and sleeps, but when they are awake and ready for action that is just the way it is. They dont need long sleeps. As they get older they sleep a little less during the day, use more enegy and then sleep more through the night. At the moment though, at nine weeks, what you are experiencing is just a normal puppy wanting some fun and attention. They dont care about the time like we do. Their clock is biological only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumof4girls Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 It will pass, I have 4 children and was a zombie prob for 2 weeks of no sleep.. She will settle down it is hard but at least you only have one child :-) ( one posative lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simply Grand Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Oh noes! Gave in after 30 minutes ;) puppy now thinks "oh I only have to cry for 30 mins and I get some people company". Just like Telida says, earplugs and ignore, they can go for much longer than 30 mins and when you respond to the crying in any way, even after hours of it, they win and learn to do it again. It will definitely pass, be patient and consistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I wouldn't leave a 9 week old puppy bashing & howling in a crate in for 30 minutes it may injure itself & is obviously desperate for something. If it wants to go to the toilet & you ignore it has no choice but to do it where it sleeps as I assume the crate is small. Why not set up a pen so it can sleep at one end & toilet at the other if desperate. That way puppy is happy & so are you & family. It will be howling for its mum & litter mates, its only a baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 My pup does that, she just wants company! In an effort to not wake the whole neighbourhood I used to give her a kong when she woke around 4am to keep her quiet, but in the end I decided that was just rewarding her so I stopped and now let her cry. Gradually she is getting better (she's 4 months old now) and doesn't cry as loudly and has stopped bashing at the crate. It just takes time. You've got a 9 week old pup, forget the concept of sleep :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosaline Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 This morning it was 4:45am. My poor husband...I took a polaramine before I went to bed ;) I wouldn't leave a 9 week old puppy bashing & howling in a crate in for 30 minutes it may injure itself & is obviously desperate for something. If it wants to go to the toilet & you ignore it has no choice but to do it where it sleeps as I assume the crate is small. She didn't need to go to the toilet - she had just been outside and had a wee and a poo, this was on the return to the crate. The crate is in our bedroom, she never has an issue at any other time and happily sleeps in there from 10pm until 4ish, we always take her out and down for a wee when it's required. There was no issue or distress, she wasn't upset, simply had decided that 4:15am was time to start the day and was objecting to being put back to bed. What I'm after is suggestions to help her figure out that sometimes she has to go back in the crate whether she likes it or not. She is not put in the crate at any stage during the day, could this be contributing? That she thinks it's strictly for night time? When we are out (the longest has been about 3 hours) she is left on the back deck. Would I be better to crate her for these periods? The other option is that was just bring her back to our bedroom, but leave the crate door open. Is this just going to create a bad habit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 This morning it was 4:45am. My poor husband...I took a polaramine before I went to bed ;) I wouldn't leave a 9 week old puppy bashing & howling in a crate in for 30 minutes it may injure itself & is obviously desperate for something. If it wants to go to the toilet & you ignore it has no choice but to do it where it sleeps as I assume the crate is small. She didn't need to go to the toilet - she had just been outside and had a wee and a poo, this was on the return to the crate. The crate is in our bedroom, she never has an issue at any other time and happily sleeps in there from 10pm until 4ish, we always take her out and down for a wee when it's required. There was no issue or distress, she wasn't upset, simply had decided that 4:15am was time to start the day and was objecting to being put back to bed. What I'm after is suggestions to help her figure out that sometimes she has to go back in the crate whether she likes it or not. She is not put in the crate at any stage during the day, could this be contributing? That she thinks it's strictly for night time? When we are out (the longest has been about 3 hours) she is left on the back deck. Would I be better to crate her for these periods? The other option is that was just bring her back to our bedroom, but leave the crate door open. Is this just going to create a bad habit? Put her back in the crate with a Kong or a pigs ear, shove a pillow over your head and IGNORE her. During the day you can build a positive association with the crate by feeding all meals in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Rosaline: What I'm after is suggestions to help her figure out that sometimes she has to go back in the crate whether she likes it or not. There is only one.. consistency and ignoring tantrums. Building a positive association with the crate with meals and day time naps would be good also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 This morning it was 4:45am. My poor husband...I took a polaramine before I went to bed ;) The crate is in our bedroom, she never has an issue at any other time and happily sleeps in there from 10pm until 4ish, we always take her out and down for a wee when it's required. There was no issue or distress, she wasn't upset, simply had decided that 4:15am was time to start the day and was objecting to being put back to bed. The other option is that was just bring her back to our bedroom, but leave the crate door open. Is this just going to create a bad habit? Doing anything will create a habit, so if you can ignore her and let THAT be the habit created, it's worth it. I know it's frustrating, only a few weeks ago I was in tears over the exact same issue. My girl had gone from a consistant 5am wakeup to a consistent 4am wakeup and it just wasn't going to work for my schedule (5am is horribly early too, but I adjusted my schedule becuse that seemed to be her "natural" wakeup time). Try giving her something to chew on, a pigs ear or something that will last her a good half hour when she wakes at 4am. It could create a habit of waking for her "treat" but it also gives you more sleep. My pup doesn't use her crate during the day, but she does get fed all her meals in it to make it a happy place. I know it's not the advice you want to hear, but the only thing that will work is letting her cry it out and eventually realise crying doesn't get her released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zitchdog Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I don't know rosaline but I can sympathise, Zitch has decided 3am is his time... And he tore a hole in his crate last night so now he can escape. So many tears... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosaline Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 I don't know rosaline but I can sympathise, Zitch has decided 3am is his time... And he tore a hole in his crate last night so now he can escape. So many tears... I'm sure it won't be like this forever, right! I am fine to let her throw her little tantrum, and TBH, I can probably go back to sleep, it's my poor husband I'm worried about! He's getting really stressed about it and can't handle the racket, and keeps saying that if she's doing that he might as well just get up. We bought a few pigs ears so might try that, thanks. I might be nice and let him sleep all weekend. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Metal crate for little puppies... Less chance of them getting out ;) Our boy used to wake up at 2am.. pillow over the head and a kong for the dog soon fixed that problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Crate next to bed & put fingers through if required ,never failed here & dogs don't get there own way . You need to decide what is the best habit at present ,with our pups we would sooner start close to us & allow fingers in thecrate & teach them to sleep through than have crate further away & cry which becomes a habit you wake up its a reward . Once you understand which cries are legite or not then it does become easier . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 (edited) My suggestion would be to do that night empty by alarm clock, not by demand. You have trained puppy to make a fuss when he wants to leg out of the crate. At this age it is way too confusing to puppy that he can be demand let out at 1am, but not at 4 or 5am. I never demand empty, unless the dog is an adult. Set your alarm at 1,2 or 3am (half way between bed time and rise time, and be realistic with rise time, - puppies like to rise at 5-6am and I allow this as this is the best time of the day to train as they have haps of energy) and ensure you are dressed and ready to get to that crate quickly and quetly. Pick puppy up and carry outside. No big fuss, empty (if it takes all night), then put back in crate with quiet praise. Eventually over days/weeks, the night empty can be extended to meet the 5 or 6am rise time. That's how I do it anyway. Best of luck :) ... added, I always take bottles of wine and ear plugs to all neightbours prior to a new pup coming home and apologise up front. This way you are less inclined to fold when puppy cries. They always report that they never hear anything anyway, it just feels that way at 2am :laugh: Also expect little or no sleep for a week and this way you may be pleasantly surprised. Edited February 25, 2012 by dyzney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 When my puppy was little (10 to 14 weeks) I took her out at 10:30pm, and again at 1am and again at 3:30am - I set an alarm. Over a period of days - I gradually increased the amount of time between wake up alarms until there was only one then none between 10:30pm and 6:30am. It was hard to persuade her that sparrow fart when the magpies started up was not an appropriate wake up time. When the alarm went off I took her out, acted boring until she peed/pooed then lots of praise and went back inside and put her back to bed. I tried the first night with her in the crate in the kitchen - and caved after four hours of screaming. Pathetic, I know. To this day, she sleeps in a bed next to my bed. Before she was house trained, I put a lead on her and under me and attached to the far side of the bed so she couldn't get up without me knowing about it, I'm such a light sleeper I always woke up when she sat up anyway. But with the alarm routine - I think extra wake ups only happened once or twice. I always intended for her to sleep inside. Fortunately she has a short coat and doesn't have any strong smell. And I did crate her inside when I was out. Not sure what difference that would have made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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