Ok...so it's 4.39 am...Jack has been been us for 3 weeks . Last week I got my hopes up as he had started to sleep from 10pm -6.30am but not I feel like I have gone 10 steps back. The last 3 nights he sleeps from 10.00 - 3.30 and when I let him out to pee...he comes back in and cries the house down so much so I needed up back on the sofa. What can I do....do I need to let him cry it out???
Comfort and Confidence (my thoughts) When I first got my little guy Sora at 8wks, he was initially pretty good in the crate. But he was in a new environment, and was nervous and scared. After two weeks or so he got much more comfortable and confident around us. That's when the barking in his crate started. I'm not going pimp products on you (but I will ) but the magic bullet FOR ME was a 'Snuggle Puppy' toy (Amazon) Once that was in with him, for me at least problem was solved! But yes your correct, for the most part puppies need to learn to be alone, and letting him cry it out is exactly right,(This applies to human babies as well!) so long as your sure his needs are met. (Food, Play, Toilet) If all have been met at that time, then let him be my friend. The last thing you want is a puppy with abandonment issues. A little PUPPY crying now, a happier DOG later. Puppies are a roller coaster. There will be many ups and downs. Generally more ups as time elapses! It will get better, but more experienced users will be along shortly no doubt to offer up there opinions on this matter. PS: I don't mean to start playing with him at night, ever. Night is for sleep only. I mean make sure his needs are met beforehand!
Hi @Elaine06 it's not unusual to have set backs along the way of puppy raising. Jack is very much a baby still at I'm guessing around 11 weeks old and I would be back on the sofa while he re-settles. Why would you leave a puppy to cry it out? A puppy cries because he feels isolated/ abandoned by his family so cries to alert them to where he is and to come find him - leaving him to 'cry it out' does not help him overcome these feelings, it reinforces that he is right to cry because no-one is coming for him. Yes, puppies do need to learn to spend time alone but thus is done very slowly, a few seconds at a time, without the puppy crying and feeling abondoned. That is exactly how many dogs seperation distress problems are created. So please ignore those people who tell you to leave your precious pup to cry it out because it's good for them and they'll learn - yes they'll learn but perhaps not what you intended.
Oh, I remember those nights very well. Bramble as a puppy was fairly good, but sometimes she would whinge after her 3 am wee break. In the early weeks, I would give her a small frozen puppy kong and she would settle quickly. I found I became familiar with the tone of her crying, and if it sounded distressed I would simply spend a bit more time with her, generally though it was just a quiet moan then back to sleep. We did spend a LOT of time getting her used to her crate, making it a wonderful place to be. All her meals, kongs and treats were given in her crate, plus very early on we would leave her for one minute, then 2 etc..
After six weeks of nighttime crying and sleep deprivation we eventually caved in and moved Merlin out of his crate, and put his bed next to our other dog. He just curled up and slept straight through to 7 am... I could almost hear him saying 'At last they understand!!!!!'.
Thanks everyone for the advice and reassurance....I am very much getting to know Jack's cries and I have found spending a few extra minutes in the room with him..not talking or paying attention just being there is working. The last 2 nights he has slept through so it was never an issue...fingers crossed it continues...thanks again xx
That may be it then. I can tell the different tones of his whines. There's a substantial difference between desperation/fear, and attention seeking. I guess it's possible my guy never was afraid then? I know he cried for a few minutes, which I ignored, and it all stopped fast with the introduction of the heartbeat toy. I did spend the first three months basically hand and foot waiting on him (rougher times). From what I remember from Pippa's books, crate crying should be ignored until it ends, less you teach the puppy crying gets him out.
hello everyone, our little pup peanut is coming to us newyears eve,so very excited. I intend to have pup in a box next to my bed for a few nights,but, I amnow confused about crying in her crate after that. conflicting answers,we are trying to follow pippas advice in her puppy book. please any help appreciated.we have no other dog to help,just three cats,not sure they will be any help!!! ruth.
Although there is much useful advice in Pippa's book - that is all it is, advice. You can choose whether you follow it or not, so having your puppy in a box by your bed for the first few nights/weeks is 100% allowed . I don't know any modern trainers/behaviourists who advocate leaving a puppy to cry at night. Having you close by helps to give the pup reassurance and comfort .
When we brought Daisy May home at 8 weeks, we had her in bed with us as we couldn’t bear her distressed cries after ten mins! It worked for us she was more settled and happy, snuggling up between us. After two weeks we moved her to a small crate still in our bedroom, from the first night she has slept peacefully there, by this time I had crate trained her during the day gradually in the larger crate downstairs, I could give Daisy her treat and say ‘take it in there’ and she took the treat into her crate and happily stayed there to eat it. I must say I had a lot of negative comments about having Daisy on the bed, and it did make me begin to doubt myself, but then opinions are just other people’s thoughts..... we went with our instincts and did what we thought was right for Daisy. On her first night we did try putting Daisy in a high sided bed beside our bed as advised in the Happy Puppy Handbook, but she was too upset and not all puppies are the same. Daisy is 12 weeks now and sleeps from 10 through to 6. She is a beautiful happy, playful little girl and I am so glad we went with our instinct I truly believe it settled and balanced her.
I had Sam in the bedroom from night one . He slept in his bed beside me , so that if he whimpered , I could reach down and comfort him . Amazingly , he did stay in his own bed but had he wanted to come up onto our bed , I would have let him rather than have him distressed . Suddenly at around three/four months, he didn't follow us to bed , decided that he was staying in the sitting room with our other older dog and there he stayed for the rest of his life x
The box by the bed is exactly what Pippa’s book recommends as an excellent choice for the first few nights. I have a box ready as ‘plan B’. It gives me confidence to let them cry (a little, I can’t stand more than ten minutes!) knowing that I have an alternative. Puppy number seven now and none have needed the box - but they are all different. I always wait by the pen until they settle to sleep for the first few days. Twiglet was the worst at settling but we got there in the end.
It really saddens me that archaic and authoritarian views about letting babies or baby animals "cry it out" are still given any airtime. As so many have said here, a little bit of understanding, compassion and comfort is all that is needed. Glad to hear that things are improving @Elaine06
Hi, I am new to the forum. We lost our last lab very unexpectedly a month ago at the age of 8, and have decided to "get back in the saddle". Our new pup comes to us tomorrow. Obviously it has been some time since we have had a pup. I came across this site and very much like Pippa's way of training; it is similar to the way we started out. I am a bit confused about the box by the bed, though. Presumably I would have to take the pup out a couple of times during the night when he becomes restless? I think my room is too far away from the back door for this to be achievable. (I have terrifying visions of falling down the stairs clutching a wriggling animal). How do others manage? Do I sleep on the sofa until he can sleep through? With our last dog we used a training mat by the back door and left him to it. Mind you, he only cried for the first 2 nights, just until we bought a crate; we never heard him after that. He used the pad at night until he was 4 months.
Hi and welcome ! I`m so pleased that you have a puppy coming , but sorry for your loss . I lost my six year old Lab to cancer last month , so I fully understand the massive hole they leave in our hearts .Re the night time , as they are all so very different , its going to be a case of suck it and see ! Some never do need letting out in the night , whereas others do , so try not to worry too much and see which you get ! Looking forward to hearing more about your puppy, good luck x
I had my pup in a box by my bed and during the day I introduced him to the crate and he would take himself in there to sleep, so that when he was old enough to sleep downstairs, it was seamless. However, I don't see any reason that Peanut cannot sleep in your bedroom for ever.
Yikes, I got to listen to you WAY more closely. Great job bringing Seven into the world. I'm only on One, and I'm flustered.
I saddens me more that almost every Adult Dog owner in these parts I've met encourages the use of shock collars and rubbing their snouts in their feces Small town maybe? Even I know that's B.S.
thankyou for your help,will keep you all updated with little peanuts. progress,hope everyone and all your beautiful dogs have a wonderful Christmas and an amazing new yearxxx.ruth
