First night craziness.... Loki came home at 2:30pm and had 2 wees outdoors and 2 indoors. Managed to see him squat to poo twice and got him outside to finish it twice. I've been trying to take him out every half hour/45 mins to wee but he either gets distracted or lays down by my feet outdoors. Or cries to come back indoors. Inevitably, after a while of being indoors, he did a wee. He's been going into his crate with the door left open voluntarily to nap and/or just play with his teddy so a few mins. He will be sleeping in the crate tonight and I want him to 'go to bed' at around 11. Do i just put him in and close the door? I'll be sleeping in the living room close by for tonight. He's had a play with myself and the kids, naps, walks around and whimpers a bit and so on. Feel so out of my depth and overwhelmed already as pathetic as that sounds.
You're not pathetic - the concept of having a cute little bundle of fun and the reality of owning and caring for a young puppy are two very different things. I'd had and raised two Labrador pups before my most recent boy, and believe me, it was a shock to the system (I'd forgotten what heinous creatures Labrador puppies are). Just relax and keep doing what you're doing. Toilet training takes time (and great timing). As for the crate training - take it slow...a few minutes at a time and slowly increasing. Don't make a big deal upon letting him out (I just unlock the dog and walk away without even looking at him). I can't help you with the overnight business (my dog sleeps with me), but I think you may be in for a few sleepless nights until he feels safe and comfortable in his crate. Good luck and all the best - just keep in mind they're worth all the hassle; well trained adult Labradors are absolutely wonderful dogs and companions.
You’ll be fine. It all sounds perfectly normal so far. You’ve had an eventful day and puppies are a bit overwhelming! Yes, put him in his crate and close the door. If you’ve got a Kong for him just smear it with a tiny bit of something tasty (maybe a little bit of cream cheese if you have any) and put it in the crate with him. It can help to leave a ticking clock nearby or even leave a radio on softly. He will probably need to go out during the night, but make sure you put him back into his crate as soon you bring him back indoors. Don’t make fuss of him (except for telling him he’s a good boy if he wees or poos outside!), just put him straight back into his crate to settle. You probably won’t want to be trying this in the middle of the night, but use a cue to get him to wee or poo, eg “Busy, busy!”or “Be quick!”. He will then, eventually, go on command, or at least know what he’s expected to do when he’s let out. Don’t despair if he takes time to settle tonight. It’s all very strange for him - and for you too.
Says every new lab puppy parent It sounds as though things are going well! We didn't crate train Ella but we did use a puppy pen. Hopefully Loki will fall asleep and, if he's not already in his crate, you can pick him up and pop him in there. Good luck and hope you get some sleep!
Thanks everyone. Think I'm on edge because he just will not wee whenever I take him out. We stay out for about 10/15 mins. He last went 2 and a half hours ago. He's in his crate now howling and crying but if he settles, I'm gonna have to get him up soon to see if he'll wee, I'm guessing lol. At least I have the memory of what sleep was like lol
Are you reinforcing him for peeing and pooing outside? Mine is now 5 months old and can hold pee inside better than 4 hours(unless we are playing with him, and then he needs to get out by three hours). He can hold much much longer in his crate. He sleeps through the night of about 9 hours in his crate, and begs to go to bed by about 8:30 PM. But we started the moment he came home by giving him kosher hot dog trets every time he pee-ed or poo-ed outside, along with lavish praise. Pretty soon he'd almost pee or poo on command.
The 2 Times he went outside, he was praised and had a treat. It's been 4 hours with no wee now. All he does is come sit on my feet no matter where I stand. Gonna set an alarm for an hour to try again x
Yep, just keep at it, toilet training takes weeks and weeks (and sometimes many, many months) to crack for *most* puppies. It's a chore, but you'll get there. Keep doing what you're doing. Keep night wees boring and calm and then straight back to bed. Xena cried a lot the first few nights, but after 1.5 weeks she was sleeping from 11-530am and I was able to stretch it out from there. Daytime was a completely different kettle of fish You'll figure out your night routine soon enough, but those first few nights are a fiasco of crying and wee and frustration for most of us.
You're doing really well it's only his first night. His bladder will take a while to develop. I slept on the floor next to Rory's crate on his first night With my hand on his side as he lay down. He went to sleep and slept all night because he was so exhausted. Your little guy is scared tired and a bit stressed it's all new to you both. Don't be to hard on yourself it's a bit of an upheaval and nothing can prepare you for a pup. It's never what you expect, I've had a few pups and the first week in I always realise oh yes this is why I only do this every few years.get as much rest as possible this is just a stage and it will get better. Big hugs xx
Oh, this sounds so familiar! I did the whole "getting up every 2 hours to take them out for a wee" thing all through the night with my first puppy. Even though it was nearly 20 years ago, I very much remember standing in the designated wee area of my back garden at 2am, looking up at the stars and then down at my puppy who was so not buying into the idea that he was supposed to be having a wee. The look on his face: "I was all comfy indoors and you brought me outside to stand in the cold for THIS?" Luckily those days didn't last long and he did get it eventually. Loki will too.
Potty training is harder on us than them I think. I remember we were in puppy socialization classes already and the trainer would ask what do we need help with and we would say we don't know what we are doing wrong, but she isn't potty training. And then, like magic, I think it was at about 4-5 month so was. And she has been fantastic ever since. Keep the faith. Thats all I can say. Good luck.
I waited so long for Moo to pee I had to have a wee in the garden while I was waiting. I have no defence for my garden weeing other than it was 2am cold and I was bursting.
Fear not. I haven’t had a pup yet that hasn’t had lots of accidents. Puppy pads are great for mopping them up, I cut them into four - easy mop If he doesn’t wee when you think he needs one, carry him around for a while then try again. Don’t be surprised or worried if you miss a lot! They all get there in the end. By about 12 weeks the puddles indoors are fewer. But, even at five months, the odd accident will happen. Remember, it’s not about training so much as their bladder maturing. They do it in the right place at first simply because we put them in the right place. Then (if you are lucky) they begin to head for the door when they feel the urge - but this is after a week or two so no rush just now. Just enjoy your pupster. Mags - puppy addicted and already looking forward to the next one (covers Keir’s ears!) .
It's very early days, no need to feel pathetic, puppies are really hard work to start of with, even for experieneed dog owners. The thing to remember with house training is they all get there in the end, he's just a tiny baby right now. Speaking for myself, I've never got up in the nIght to a puppy, preferring to get up early and clean up wees and tiny poos, i've always found that by 12 weeks they are clean and dry over night .
I've really surprised myself. I've had 3 children and actually feel the first nights with them were easier lol! I've been soooooo emotional too and it's only day 2! He wet his crate twice last night because every time I took him to wee, we waiting for ages and nothing happened. Just got my timings all in a muddle. Fingers crossed for some kind of improvement today and tonight
It's all very intense,. I just go quietly mad and just concentrate on puppy things. The first week or two you are just getting to know each other. Accidents will happen it's not the end if the world, just mop up and forget it. His bladder will mature and accidents get less and then it just stops. Just keep doing what you're doing and he'll get there.
That's not unusual. Being taken outside is exciting, no matter how quiet or matter-of-fact you are. Your new puppy may have been a little overfaced, making it difficult to pee, so when you brought him back in, it is a bit like...OMG, I just gotta go and can't hold it any longer... Don't worry! Relax...it will get better!
You’ll soon get into a pattern. Human babies are much easier - you wrap them in a nappy and pop them in a cot, job done .
Very conscious of over-posting in a frantic way LOL! But appreciate each and every reply. I think part of it for me, is feeling so dramatic about it all. My hubby said he will sleep downstairs with him tonight while he's in his crate and do the potty runs so I can sleep as I literally had none. Even when Loki slept, I was on edge so didn't sleep myself. Just need to keep telling myself, time time time!
