More puppy blues this morning! Decided as Red had wee'd and poo'd at 9.00 last night (generally we go to bed ourselves between 9 and 10 when on our own) would not get up to her twice during night as I have have done for a week but would extend the 1.30 to half an hour later 2.00. Took her out, she had a wee so thought will not do the 4.30 as we are up at 6.00 anyway. Just heard her whimper once at 5.30 - went down and she had poo'd in her crate. So I shall probably answer my own question - should I go back to the twice a night for a while longer? I find this so upsetting. Older dog Sky seems well p.....d off too. Trying to get the dogs together in very controlled short sessions but she just tries to bolt for the door or looks to us to rescue her. I am also questioning all the extra food Red gets in treats. I have been using Wagg treats as these are the best I have tried in breaking up into minute bits. Today, I am keeping back about 45g of her kibble (Arden Grange puppy food) and using these as her treats. She will get 200g divided by 3 for her meals. Red is 12 weeks old and 9kg. I am now happy with our daytime routine (except interaction with Sky) but this crate soiling just pushes me back into puppy blues. Sorry.
We were up with Luna (18.5 weeks) three times in the night last night. There seems no rhyme nor reason to how often she needs to go. She's just slow to mature. It is what it is. Try not to let it get you down. Our puppies will get there in the end
Yes, I'd keep at twice a night, but just gradually extend the period between visits. She's doing so well. It's not going to last forever xx
Hi @Atemas , I'm no expert on getting up through the night for puppies as I've never done it, but it seems to me lengthening the gaps is sensible. Or is there any way she could have the crate door left open so if she needs too wee/poo she has the choice not to go on her bed? That's what I did for Cassie and gradually got up later and later, starting at 5 as it was summertime. To be honest it's what I've always done for puppies so I just didn't know any different, perhaps I was lucky . Looks like Red actually only did one wee and one poo overnight. Good to hear the daytime routine is working -- that's what kept me going at times, thinking about what is going well and how far we've come. Well actually it still does.
Yup, she will bark (a single bark) when she needs to go. Since she doesn't do this for attention, just for needing the loo, I'm happy to go to her when she does. I used to have her in a pen rather than a crate overnight, but she would bark then after going. And she'd walk it all around the pen and bed. It was far too stressful, so now she sleeps just in her crate
If it makes you feel any better I'm getting Basil again tonight and I know I'll be up at least twice. I'm even going to sleep on the couch next to him so if I hear anything that resembles circling that dog is in the garden! He never barks, he's more than happy to just go in his crate. Then just sits in it. His owner doesn't get up with him in the night so I think that's why - but that's up to them. He's about 15 weeks now and I'm hoping for some improvement since he was here 2 weeks ago but who knows. Last time he was here he did a wee on the kitchen floor and Stanley looked at it, then looked at me, then back like I think he was appalled You're doing all the right things, and you'll definitely get there. I had to get up with Stanley at least once until he was 17 weeks.
That's my problem then, as Red doesn't bark - I have only heard her bark once since we got her and that was very early on and a response to some bitter apple we put on the edge of a kitchen unit she decided to have a nibble at! However, I did hear the whimper as I was awake and that was after she'd done it. This morning, she went and sat by the back door so we knew she wanted outside - this is encouraging. I am just going to have to accept the night time will be more difficult.
Yes Red was just sitting in it which I find deeply distressing (and I am prepared to get up in the night), just going to have to revert to the twice a night until we can hopefully get past this.
Atemas we were discussing this issue just today as Harley also doesn't bark or whine to let us know she needs to go out. She moves around and becomes more active, if that is a way to describe it but it would be oh so helpful if we could get a bark or a whine. She is now 5 months and mostly settled in her routine but it sometimes feels like one step forward and two leaps back. In desperation I asked the trainer at ppuppy class if it is always going to be like this and she kindly put her hand on my shoulder and said..."it does get a bit better, and at least they are easier to focus than some of the other breeds". Hahaha, talk about dodging a question. Harley today bumped a spaniel right off the little table in class by running and jumping onto it - the lead had slipped out of DH's hand. The poor spaniel just went flying and Harley sat there. Grinning. I really can remember how absolutely dispondent we felt when we thought there was finally some progress with potty training...and then to walk in and find her weeing on the carpet or something. It is very hard to keep being positive, and to be honest I really wasn't but Harley got potty trained anyway because at the end of the day she, her bladder and her bowel matured a bit and it starting being more routine. Despite my tears of frustration.
Harley Quinn your post made me cry because you have obviously walked in my shoes. It is very hard to be positive but your last but one sentence gives me hope - thank you. Sky our older dog (10) doesn't bark either - I have heard her 5 times in those 10 years but she developed a stare, then when we ask her if she wants to go out, she prances to the door, bless her. We got her at 5 months - she came toilet trained.
I wonder if it would help if you gave your puppy something to show you she wants to go out? The door to our garden has a very low lock, at Snowie's head height, with a key and keyring attached. When Snowie was a puppy, he'd go to the door and bump the keyring and it would make a noise and we'd jump up to see what was going on and obviously open the door for him. (I have to confess, he came house-trained at 8 weeks -- the breeder was very good this way!) He then learned that by bumping the keyring we'd open the door for him. To this day, if he wants to go out, he bumps the keyring. I had read about someone putting a little bell on their door that their dog jingles to be let out. I wondered how we'd teach Snowie to do that!! But there you go, we have a similar setup now without even trying! It wasn't something we taught him to do, just a lucky discovery. I am guessing he bumped the keyring unintentionally one day, we heard it, we jumped up, opened the door, rinse and repeat, and a new behaviour is trained.
Thank you for this MF. How lovely for Snowie to come toilet trained at such a young age. I have seen the toilet bells advertised and thought 'how the hell would you train a dog to use those?' but people must. At the moment, we are saying 'let's go outside' as we walk to the back door. Red made me laugh yesterday as (generally I take her out on her lead - otherwise she thinks it's playtime) I let her out just before her meal times without the lead. She went straight away as she couldn't wait to get back in for her food! Typical Labrador.
How was your night with Basil, Jen? Better night here. Got up twice. Then I heard her whimper after the second time (benefit of the doubt), so went down a third time. Took her out but she did nothing and she seemed quite keen to get back in her crate! I put a dog blanket over the very top of her crate last night which hopefully made it more den like. Not sure if this is a coincidence but yesterday, I kept back 45g of kibble and used that as reward treats out on our walk and for going into her crate for a rest. Her poo was firmer than it has been - will monitor this. So many things to think about and work on.
Glad you had a better night! Sounds like you're definitely making so much progress! Basil been fine, thanks! He's been much better this time - no accidents in the house through the day. He went before we went to bed at 11.30, I got up at 4 and 5.30 but he didn't want to go then when OH got in at 7 he'd done a poo in his crate. Oops It's definitely hard work trying to catch them when they don't let you know through the night - Stanley used to yap when he needed to go. They're now having a nice game of tuggy
Yes I know we are making progress. Yesterday we had a very special birthday party here for my very elderly mum who is 95. There were 11 of us - all ages. Red just seemed to fit in, her routine carrying on, making sure she got rest times in her crate. Needed her on her lead when out of the kitchen but we were all together (including older dog Sky who always loves a party - plenty of crumbs from the children to hoover up off dining room floor) which was way beyond my expectations. I was on my knees with exhaustion at the end of it but fell into bed when Red went to bed and still managed to get up twice and came down to a clean crate this morning . Just need the strength to keep this all up!
