New Puppy - Stressed Owner - Crate Training/yelping

[Blackdog10]

Hi guys, now a lot of you are going to think I'm really silly, I just brought my lab puppy home (8weeks) he's beautiful but I'm stressing. He panicked really badly in the drive home but after about 10mins he went to sleep. Had to wake him up when we got home. I then tried to show him the yard to get him to toilet but nothing happened. I then showed him on the back deck and inside, he preferred to be on the deck so we spent most of the day outside. I had a good few hours play with him, then went inside to go to the toilet, make lunch, take the bin out and he went ballistic yelping, barking, howling for about 15 mins. I read things that said to wait till he's quiet then to go outside, he was quiet because he had gone to sleep, I moved him into his crate and he turned over and went to sleep but I left the door open so not to stress him. He woke a bit later just cruised around and was fine. Then I spent most of the day with him playing ball etc. he had dinner took him to go pee (no poo) then he wasn't interested in playing anymore and went to sleep about 6pm. He woke half hour later and has been awake ever since. We,be been out for another pee (still no pop)and now I want him to go to sleep but he's hyper, jumping chewing everything, he always used his crate today for quiet time but now he's going in there jumping around pulling the bed apart etc so I took him out closed the door now he's whining to go back in but I don't want him too because he's playing? Do I? As I want him to sleep? I don't know how to settle him. Any ideas? Please help, I'm very stressed. Now a minute later I was patting him quietly now he's asleep do I lift him into his crate shut the door and leave him or what? I'm so new! Sorry!

Edited May 2, 2015 by Blackdog10

[Jemmy]

Where is his crate set up? If it's in your room I would put him in there and close the door if he's sleeping.

If he had just woken up from a nap I would be playing with him for a bit before expecting him to go back to sleep. He'll be a bundle of energy and then just crash on you, puppies are sleepy but crazy little things :laugh:

Also when you get a chance we'd love pictures! Congratulations on your new addition :)

[Blackdog10]

Thank you so much it'd be so much easier if I wasn't on my own and has someone else to bounce things off of, it just worries me sick on my own worrying if I'm damaging him by the stuff I'm doing. I already love him to bits. I had him up for 3 hours between his last nap at 6 and the proper night sleep, he finally fell mostly asleep then I just said in your crate opened the door he went in and went to sleep I shut it and then closed the back door. His crate is on a fully covered in deck so like a laundry. I'm sleeping next to the door tonight so I'll hear him. If he yelps and carries on do I go out to him or do I let him get himself back to sleep. The people I got him from said he sleeps the whole night through and holds on to go to the toilet in the morning but I really can't see that happening here. It's so hard to know what to do. I've read I should wake him up to pee then put him back in the crate what If that wakes him up and he's awake all night howling? I also have no idea how to post photos on here otherwise I would. Thanks again :)

Edit at 1253am - a cat next door and woke him up, so I took the chance to take him to toilet (he was quiet before I went in there), I did all the advised things, didn't speak, didn't play with him, just carried him. Then I put him back in his crate, sat for a few mins, he was quiet then I left. He's been howling & bashing around in his crate for 20mins now. I know it's not toilet, he feel abandoned but I thought the worst thing you could do was go to him so I'm not, I'm trying to stay strong but it's so difficult, he goes through bouts of just quiet whining and I'm assuming he's wrestling with the teddy/bedding/chew toy, then he barks/howls real loud for 10-15sec and repeats it. Gosh I hope I'm doing the right thing. Any help would be amazing. Thank you!!

Edited May 2, 2015 by Blackdog10

[tdierikx]

Bring the crate inside - into your bedroom. He will settle faster if he can see you from the crate - even if you are sleeping.

I fostered nearly 200 puppies over the years I was in rescue - the crate in the bedroom definitely works. I would also give them a pig's ear to chew on if they woke up during the night.

T.

[Stressmagnet]

Hey - see my other post. I'm sort of by myself (as long as you don't count my two daughters) so my bedroom is all mine. See what you think of my other comments - give the crate in your bedroom a try. It makes the night time toilet breaks SO much easier and you might find you like the company.

A crate in your room doesn't mean a dog on your bed. I've been leaving Ernie's crate open for the past 2 nights and he hasn't ventured out once on his own.

[persephone]

poor little baby feels very lost & alone - crate in your room sounds a good option :)

lab pups are so cute ! :)

[WeimMe]

I agree. Put the crate in your room so he can see you. I usually have it right near the bed at first so I can put my hand on it. It is reassuring for them, especially on the first night away from their mum in a strange new place. You can move it further away each night until the crate is where you want it.

[Guest donatella]

Poor thing all out on it's own, has probably just come from a litter with it's mum and you've put him outside all night alone.

Dogs are companion animals

[LisaCC]

If you really really really don't want the crate in your bedroom, I suggest you try sleeping next to the crate outside to comfort him instead.

I reiterate, comforting your baby puppy and having your baby puppy sleep next to you WILL NOT lead to having an overly dependant adult dog, you can easily transfer the dogs sleeping positions when he is a little older and comfortable in his new and scary world.

It helps everyone keep track if you stick to just one thread.

[aussielover]

I also replied in the other thread but these are the things I tried with my lab puppy before I gave up and let her sleep with me. They may or may not help your situation:

-Make sure the pup is warm enough, use blankets, heat packs etc to keep him warm

- give him a toy with a heartbeat, these are easily available online or at places like petbarn

- tire him out before bed with a big play and training session

- leave him with a kong or pigs ear

- wait until he falls asleep and then sneak away (I once got through a whole Harry Potter book before my pup fell sleep then tripped over and woke her up when I was leaving lol)

I hope he settles down for you! I also support those saying let him temporarily sleep in your room. You will find it less stressful and there will be no problem moving him out when he is older, more settled and better able to learn/understand.

[suziwong66]

Do yourself & pup a favour: crate him beside your bed at bed height at least for the first few months: you'll get way more sleep that way & pup will wake you up to take it out to toilet. These days my 3yo lab sleeps beside the bed on a mat & the new bitch pup is still in a crate but it has now moved to the end of the bed. We never hear a squeek from her!

[Blackdog10]

Thanks guys appreciate your help. I'll give it a go and see what I can get him to feel comfortable with.

[persephone]

..and we really really need lab puppy pics ;)

[Pjrt]

Take a deep breath and start afresh today. Hold your baby in your arms. Hold him close and snuggle him. Drink in his puppy smell, feel his squishy soft skin. Love him for being a baby. Play is great for a puppy, but so is just sitting quietly and snuggling. he might struggle about but just hold him in firmly and snuggle until he settles. Let him know your gentle strengths. Sing him a lullaby and rock him to sleep. Stroke him gently. Let him know that going to sleep is love itself.

It might all sound a bit weird but your puppy is not a robot. He is a baby and will grow and develop and flourish with gentle strength and pleasant guidance. Keep him close and show him the way.

[nyssel]

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Edited May 3, 2015 by nyssel

[nyssel]

I can relate to that feeling in the early days - what the heck have I gotten myself into?

It will get better :) You got to be tough for the first few months and persist and be patient. I have never owned Labs but Cavaliers are very very very needy - crate training them is the most heartbreaking thing ever so I know how you feel. Listen to the advice everyone has given - just let the puppy in your room until he's settled in (may be a couple of weeks) and slowly move him away when he feels more comfortable being alone.

Having short sessions of leaving him alone during the day will help as well - just getting him used to not being around you all the time. Like maybe practicing leaving him in a room with a fun toy for only a few seconds each day and keep doing it repeatedly and slowly increase the time. Of course, make sure to reward him heavily. ;) I think it is a useful thing for every puppy, regardless of breed, to learn.

And relax and breathe! He's only a baby - he doesn't know any better. Maybe one day when he's big and grown you'll look back and think "I miss his puppy days" lol

Edited May 3, 2015 by nyssel

[nyssel]

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[WeimMe]

Hmmmmm.... I'm looking at mine and remembering his puppy days. He was sooooo cute.

I gotta say though, I prefer him infinitely more as an adult. The cuteness is a self defense mechanism I think!

[suziwong66]

Hmmmmm.... I'm looking at mine and remembering his puppy days. He was sooooo cute.

I gotta say though, I prefer him infinitely more as an adult. The cuteness is a self defense mechanism I think!

i'm with you WM; we're on our second lab puppy in three years and i gotta tell you I much prefer them older. They're cute and cuddly when they're little but i like it so much better when they've learned a little self control, have some understanding of the routine of behaviours that i expect and toilet training is well under way etc Puppies, in the early months just suck me dry That said, i do put a lot into them because I am very aware that the time and effort i invest now will be returned tenfold when they're a little older.

Gotta say I'm happy that I really invested heavily in training the three year old because it has made training the pup soooo much easier; the big boy models exactly what i want for her to copy. You should see them at dinner and breakfast - they heel either side of me and wait for their individual release. Of course, i can't make them wait too long or i'd drown in the drool

[VizslaMomma]

Take a deep breath and start afresh today. Hold your baby in your arms. Hold him close and snuggle him. Drink in his puppy smell, feel his squishy soft skin. Love him for being a baby. Play is great for a puppy, but so is just sitting quietly and snuggling. he might struggle about but just hold him in firmly and snuggle until he settles. Let him know your gentle strengths. Sing him a lullaby and rock him to sleep. Stroke him gently. Let him know that going to sleep is love itself.

It might all sound a bit weird but your puppy is not a robot. He is a baby and will grow and develop and flourish with gentle strength and pleasant guidance. Keep him close and show him the way.

Started that off with that very method and continued over all the years of the different dogs. At least once a month, we would have timeout pretending they were a puppy again.

They always loved hugbug time And thought my lullabys the best.