Hi guys sorry to post so much but I’m just looking for advice and personal experience on the first night you had with your pups? We pick up our boy tomorrow and it’ll be his first night with us... How was your first night? How did you cope? What worked well? What didn’t work at all? I’m so interested in hearing other people experiences as I will also share my own when he’s home I’ve found this forum so helpful reading others experiences and getting myself prepared for our pup! Look forward to hearing from you all Thank you so much for reading! Teide and pies
patience patience patience. We just brought ours home Thursday, and it's a lot easier than when we fostered (our 1st) previously. Are you crate training? Pups are all different so you might have an easy night but most don't as your pup will be on their own for the first time. Our personal experiences have only been with his crate, but my kids and I take turns staying downstairs with him. We put his crate by the sofa where we crash and sleep with him. When he calls out we take him to pee, no talking no playing. Once done he gets put right back in the crate and sleep. We've been very lucky with Declan on 3rd night and went out once last night but he didn't call out, I took him out as I was up checking on him. YMMV but stick with it, the crying can be difficult to tolerate but it'll pay off in spades down the road. We also crate as much as possible during the day. Enjoy your pup and sleep when he sleeps to catch up.
Thank you for your reply! Awh amazing! How’s it all going? Yes we are crate training I looked into it and it seemed the best way for labs Our first night was tough. We have the crate in our bedroom and we will move the crate downstairs on Friday night He cried a lot on Sunday the first night he was cosy and safe in his crate but cried after every toilet trip.. we put our hand In the crate and didn’t talk to him and he still kept crying so we got back into bed and he tired himself out and went to sleep.. we took him out 3 times and we had no accidents in the crate Last night was so much better! We put an extra blanket over the crate so he was in complete darkness and he slept so much better we only had 5 mins of crying after the toilet trips.. so no accidents at all in the crate and he’s been doing so well going to the toilet in the garden! Yesterday he was howling so much I had to get out of the shower because it was so bad. But this morning I left him downstairs with all of his toys and he didn’t cry at all and I managed to have a shower and wash my hair Do you just leave your pup when he cries ? I’m so scared he will work himself up so much and hurt himself but I know I should just leave him otherwise he won’t ever learn... Am I doing the right thing? Teide and pies
Night time and day time are very different for him. You need to teach him to settle on his own for both. It seems as though you have night time in hand. During the day, you need to get him used to being in his crate with you there. You can pop him in there for his feeds, for a treat filled kong etc. He should be Ok to be left for a short while once he is happy in there for these short times.
Thank you so much for your reply I will most certainly work on it I just want a healthy happy puppy I want to give him the best possible start
yeah the blanket over the crate works well for a lot of other foster parents we reached out to. Sounds like he's slowly getting used to the crate, keep at it and they'll love it.
The first night was so rough. Honestly, the first three weeks were hard for us. He cried the first three nights loudly and went to the bathroom in his cage. After that, when we moved him in our room, he didn't cry the whole night but would only go to bed when there was one of us laying on by the crate. He is now 5 months and he just started to sleep through the night without us laying by it about two-three weeks ago. All I can tell you is that it gets better and good luck!!
I agree with you on the first night! I felt like the worst person in the world taking him away from his brothers and sisters! The litter was 11 so he was probably missing his 10 brothers and sisters We’ve been lucky pies hasn’t been to the loo in his crate once I was at work last night and my partner said he didn’t cry once after being put back in the crate after toilet breaks but he had his jabs yesterday so he was probably really tired. We are moving the crate downstairs tonight and then we are doing to start daytime crate training on Saturday.. have you started day time crate training? Wow it sounds like you’ve had it really tough! Hope you’re doing ok! Must have been exhausting! He’s been in our room in the crate since we got him on Sunday. Do you cover the crate over with blankets?? We have found since he is complete darkness’s he sleeps better but I think it’s because he lived in a cosy barn that was dark at night so he’s used to the dark. Teide and pies
Actually I am still looking for day time crating advice! We do cover the crate. He sleeps like an angel at night now, but when we leave he is not happy. When we actually leave, he doesn't make a peep. However when we come home, he is usually howling and panicked. We have no one to let him out during the day so he goes to doggie day camp until he's old enough to hold it for the day. Yesterday I actually let him stay out of the crate in a puppy proof section of our bedroom and he did much better. He didn't even notice me leave or come home. Now I was only gone an hour, but that is a huge improvement! He's been tough with crate training for sure, but he's been fantastic with potty training and general training so I guess that is his vice! Good luck with day time crating. My only advice is make it a "happy place" and also have kongs filled and ready to go!
How old is your boy? I’ll let you know how pies gets on daytime crate training We start tomorrow and I’m hoping it will go well! Yes we are doing so well with toilet training he takes himself outside for a wee and poo which is fantastic! Let me know if things improve with crate training! We cover ours at night completely and he sleeps so well! We have only had him 6 days and I’m so proud of how far he has come along!
