We live in a converted bungalow meaning that 2 of our 4 bedrooms are downstairs. My daughter has one of the rooms and the other is where our house rabbit lives at the mo. This bunny room is to become a puppy room and will be where we put the crate. It's not carpeted so it is ideal. We have an old sofa bed in there and my plan would be to spend the first few nights in there with the puppy. Does this sound like a good idea? I don't want to sleep with puppy long term but am more than happy to do so for a few nights while he or she settles. What did anyone else do for the first few nights?
I was ready to sleep with the pup for the first few nights if she was distressed, but she was fine I put a pile of teddies in her bed to feel like littermates, a ticking clock on the wall and a night light on + the radio on a talk prgramme.
I slept in the same room (fingers in the crate) for a couple of nights - it was handy because I woke up when she did and was able to take her outside for a wee before she made any noise.
It sounds like a good idea but may not turn out that way. Will your puppy be in a crate? We had a disastrous first night when I tried to sleep with Chepi so had to let her sleep in her crate on her own thereafter. What is your plan when the puppy cries? It's a difficult time and some have slept with their pups and it has worked for them. I would recommend a crate for sleeping either way. Good luck with the decision. I like the sound of putting teddies in but I wasn't brave enough but I might do that now. And I always left water in , in a heavy based ceramic dish, with no problems.
I sleep with the puppy. Puppy is in its crate and i sleep on the floor next to them. If they need a wee I'm there and if the are upset i stroke and talk to them. Each one is different Rory took 2 nights to settle and when he went to sleep i was able to go to bed and just get up to toilet him. Some people put the crate next to their bed and stroke the pup if it gets distresed in the night too, that could work for you if you have a big enought bedroom. Midge took much longer and found it hard to settle and understand about toilet training. Doug was Like Rory settled quickly and was toilet trained really quickly too. Rory and Doug are much calmer and a lot less complicated than Midge. She always been a restless and easlily bored dog. I found having them with me helps during the first few days a least. They seem happier and get into a sleep pattern quicker, besides I like it too. It seems to help with bonding.
Hi there, they are all so different. The best thing to do is make a plan and then be prepared to change it depending how you puppy is. Some settle easily, some don't. Some adapt to the crate, so don't. Its all a bit unknown until you get your pup. I have had 5 dogs, all have loved their crates and settled well. I have never slept with any.Meg at 18m still is in hers, I doubt we will ever move it. Its her den. I think you will just have too wait and see
I had intended to move the crate from the living room to the bedroom for the first few nights with Willow, but after constructing it and realising just how big it was (we went for a big one with a divider), it just wasn't practical, so she was on her own from night one. She wasn't much of a crier, though. However, she did have a couple of instances of upset tummies in the first few weeks, and then I always slept on the sofa next to her so I could get her outside as soon as she woke. Otherwise it got messy!! I think it depends on your puppy. Willow wasn't too distressed on that first night. She only cried for a few minutes. But, then, we had spent quite a lot of time with her at the breeder's before she came home (we looked after all the puppies for a week earlier on and before coming home, we spent a whole weekend there) so she already knew us and I think that might have made it easier for her.
On the first night we slept on a camp bed beside Holly. After that we moved oustside the door so she could see us but not get to us. On the third night we moved out of sight, but she could hear us. We had no problems with her.
We didn't crate train Ella and she was used to sleeping in a bed in the room with the breeder so we decided to do the same when we got home. That lasted three nights before we moved her to the laundry (single storey house so it's very close to the bedrooms) . Ella was great but I found that I was awake with every sound or move that she made so it was easier for us not to have her in the room. She cried for about a minute when we first put her in the laundry but that was it. She now takes herself off to the laundry at night when she's ready for bed!
We had Harvey in our bedroom for the first night - to help him feel more comfortable in his new home. We had also, on an earlier trip to the breeders, left a towel to be placed in with mum and the pups. We brought this towel home with us and kept it in Harv's crate. I don't know whether it was down to the towel or we were just incredibly lucky but Harv slept through that first night (6-7 hours) and has done every night ever since (he'll be 2 tomorrow).
Pongo was on his own from night one (although we got up in the night to let him out for a pee, and then again very early in the morning. He cried for 20 minutes on the first night and it nearly broke my heart. On the second night he cried for 10 minutes. On the third night we had a small whine and that was it. After that - perfectly happy, he knew he was safe and sound.
Juno went into her crate with no fuss and curled up until we turned off the kitchen light. After 3 cries we had no hesitation in taking her and the rate upstairs to the bedroom where she settled very quickly - just had to speak quietly to her and let her smell my hand for a few minutes when we trend the light off. She spent 10 - 12 nights in the bedroom and then took up residence in her crate in the kitchen with no fuss whatsoever. There's no right or wrong method of settling your pup as it seems we've all approached a bit differently, it's what works for you.
