my 10 weeks old puppy was sleeping almost 5hrs in the night in his crate and now for 3 nights gets up every 2 hours and cries a lot.. I have no idea what to do. I got him in my room around 4am and then he slept on his bed. Is it separation anxiety? Any advise?
Hi @Supermom I don't think it's separation anxiety. Is the puppy comfortable to stay in the crate during the day, when you are in a completely different room? Young dogs have not developed the muscles to have good bladder control. I would be inclined to take her out, on lead, to the same spot in the gardenb at least every three hours. Reward him when he urinates and/or defecates. In that way you know that if he starts whining just after toiletting, that he is seeking your attention. Don't reinforce such behaviour by going to the crate. Wait until he is quiet before going to the crate. You have two options. Let him sleep in his crate in your bedroom for a couple of nights, then move the crate to a location just outside your bedroom, and then after a few nights, to the spot you want him to sleep. Or tuff it out. Let him whine in the crate [though don't let him become distressed] secure in the knowledge he has emptied his bladder and bowels. The first option might help him to settle better because the transition is gradual.
Sorry, was typing using my phone earlier: I went with the first option like you suggested. Moved his crate to my bedroom and he slept from 10:30-6. He was up around 4 but saw me sleeping and was playing in his crib like a baby and did not whine. Generally, he is reluctant to get in the crate but once in he's in it he is fine. During the day, I leave him in the crate at least a couple of hour while I'm around or out of his sight. Let's see how it goes in the next couple of day
For a moment I thought your incomplete sentence was a manifestation of sleep deprivation. Okay. Reluctance means you still have to do more work to do on crate training. He should view the crate as the best place in the world. During the day when he is quiet drop some kibble in the crate. And certainly put food-stuffed kongs in there.
Much better today with a full night sleep..I don't want to jinx it! We had his bed next to his crate so invariably he wld gravitate towards the bed instead of the crate. Yesterday, we moved his bed to my office upstairs. Now, he has no option but to go to his crate. I did leave some kibbles and his favorite blankies in there..which he very smartly pulls out on our family room rug..just need to be patient and stick to the plan. THANKS!!
Im glad we are not the only ones. Cooper is 14 weeks and showing no signs of sleeping through the night yet. Every 2 hours he is needing a toilet break and it is killing us! have tried everything with no joy!
Hi @Kasey Jones One rule I was taught is that for every 4 weeks of age one can expect the puppy to have the ability to hold its bladder for 1 hour. On that reckoning, your training is going to schedule. Sorry.
Hi, We are going through the same thing. Max is 10 weeks old. He was waking up every 3 hours and then it got worse to 2 hours. Now, last 2 nights, we has slept more or less from 10-5. I moved his crate to our bedroom and made his crate more cozy. I removed the training pads also.
Supermom -- your pup is like having a newborn child--they get you up a lot at night but in time they'll settle into your routine of life. Bringing the crate into the bedroom was a good move. Labs like the human connection. Our doing that made all the difference during those early months. Know however that as they grow and you purchase ever larger crates you'll learn they are as restless as humans during night time sleep and their relocating and repositioning themselves in the crate can be very annoying for light sleepers. That's when we got ours out of the crate. Much better. Another tip -- once you get your lab in your bedroom they might not want to leave at sleep time. Ours at 3+ may start somewhere else when we hit the hay but he eventually makes his way up the dark stairwell into our bedroom . . . and BTW not into our bed. No way, and I advise others that once you start allowing your dog to sleep in your bed it's over. It's no longer a privilege, it becomes their right. Try sleeping with your partner with an 85 pound squirming dog on your bed that more than often wants to lay horizontal not parallel with you. Stay in control and remember it's a dog that must conform to your life, not the other way around.
All good advise. It is like having a baby..but now I don’t have the stamina to deal with a baby ..lol.. yes I was thinking, will he ever get out of our bedroom..and I was so very tempted to get him in our bed coz I was dying for a few hours of sleep. I’m hoping this shall also pass..everyday there is something new..! That’s what we signed up for..
Day 3 update: got up at 3am, peeded and went back to sleep in crate till 6:30. Its been raining also. But mostly he got up at 3 coz I was up. Starting to see a pattern, I sure hope so..!!
