We brought Scout home yesterday after I got home from work. She is exactly 8 weeks old. We managed to get by with no accidents in the house! I took her out for the last time at about 11pm. I brought her into the bedroom and put her in her crate (with the help of some treats). We turned off the lights and she was quiet until the treats were done. She barked and cried for a couple of minutes. My wife desperately wanted to get her out of the crate and I insisted this was a terrible idea. She decided to lay down on the floor next to the crate. Scout quickly calmed down and fell asleep. I woke up at 5:30 and she heard me get up and woke up. I took her outside and she relieved herself pretty much immediately. I was so excited she slept through her first night from 11pm-5:30am!! My question is this..... Was it a bad thing for my wife to sleep on the floor next to her? If she cries again tonight I was going to take a turn and sleep next to the crate but I'm also worried about starting a bad habit. Not sure if I should be impressed with her first night or if I should be worried that we "cheated" by sleeping next to her????? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!
Re: Our first night.... Welcome to the forum jeckroat No - it was a good idea, your wife instinctvely knew what the pup needed. But you were right not to let her out either! The pup will very soon get used to you both and her new surroundings, then won't need to be even in your room. Give it a day or two, then try her downstairs. I recommend the Happy Puppy Handbook for the exciting days to come, a brilliant book. http://www.thelabradorsite.com/
Re: Our first night.... Hello and welcome to the Forum from 10 month old Molly and me. On this forum if you ask a question you are likely to get several different answers, which is a good thing. I have had puppies and kittens before so was quite prepared to harden my heart against the crying the first night Molly was home. I felt that if I went to her I would have to do it again the next night and the next until I finally left her to it. She cried for a couple of hours. Second night 10 minutes. Since then she has always been happy to go into her crate. I think I was fortunate in that Molly had been raised in a family home and was used to being crated with her litter mates. The crate was not a new experience for her, she was only missing her brothers and sisters. Though how any creature with a sensitive nose could miss that smelly lot is beyond me
Re: Our first night.... Congrats on your new puppy! We slept near our Kailey when she first came home as well. Bonding and all. Unfortunately we did let her out of the crate due to it being the school year and I didn't want to disturb our daughter. It is hard to believe how loud little puppies can be! She mostly uses the crate now as her lair and toy box, but will also go in there to sleep. The only time we shut her in is if everyone needs to be out of the house. She is six months old now and a very spoiled rotten labrador but a sweetheart too. biorus
Re: Our first night.... Result! Pup slept in crate and you got 7hrs straight sleep- good work I did pretty much the same, but needed to do a half way through the night garden visit for a while also. I found it really easy to back off from sleeping next to the crate- try staying close while she settles and then going back to bed, or sticking the crate right next to the bed so you can dangle a hand if needed. Also, once she's happy sleeping in the crate with you in bed, you can edge the crate out of the room and downstairs if you want to. I'd do this method again- I just can't face the 'hold firm on the crying' thing, and I think this is much better on everyone's nerves!
Re: Our first night.... Well done on your first night I had Sam on his bed at the side of our bed , he didnt try to climb up, but seemed to settle well and slept all night until around 5.30-6ish . This became the routine until about two weeks later when he decided that he preferred to stay in the sitting room with our other dog in his own bed and there he has stayed ever since, do whats right for you
Re: Our first night.... I would also comfort a crying puppy and I don't think you're making a rod for your own back. I had Molly in her bed on the floor next to me and I was able to quieten her just by speaking reassuringly. After about 5 weeks I was able to leave her downstairs. She's my 4th dog and 3rd puppy and each of them have spent their early nights in my room and moved downstairs when settled.
Re: Our first night.... Hi there and welcome to the forum from Dexter and I,my 22 month old yellow boy ;D
Re: Our first night.... Sounds like the first night went really well You did the right thing by leaving your pup in the crate and I think your wife also did the right thing in lying by the crate. The first night is a huge shock for puppies, so trying to minimise the distress is a good thing. Minimising the distress for the humans is also good! Sounds like you did a great job in both fronts while also 'starting as you mean to go on' with the crate.
Re: Our first night.... That is fantastic I slept in the front room for the first few nights and gradually moved away until I was back in the bedroom. At 5 months old Harley came upstairs and now starts off on our bed, then sleeps on her bed or in the ensuite. I've always had a good sleep too
Re: Our first night.... Welcome to the forum from Holly and me. It sounds like you're doing all the right things to settle Scout into her new home. We slept in the same room as Holly for the first two nights. The next night we slept in the next room with a baby gate between us so she could see but not reach us. The following night we slept around the corner so she could smell and hear us but not see us. After that we went to bed and left her alone. Result: not a whimper from her She didn't come upstairs until she was a year old, except if we carried her up for a bath. Nowadays she divides her nights between her bed in the hall and an old duvet at the foot of our bed. At about 6 a.m. we invite her up for a snuggle.
