So, to preface: I grew up with dogs but lived in a home where they pretty much just fended for themselves in the backyard from the getgo. So I love dogs, but am very new to this as an adult, as is my husband. We have been married 16 years and have 4 children who LOVE animals, so we caved and got a puppy. I am clueless to literally everything. Side note: I struggled with postpartum depression with 3 of my 4 children, and so a lack of control as well as a lack of sleep are both a bit triggering. So here we are, day 3 after night 2 and I’m EXHAUSTED. I have read so many articles, but I do much better with the specificity of being able to talk it out. My first question: when will I get sleep again??? He is spending nights in a crate. The first night it was in our laundry room, but then I read he might do better in our bedroom. I feel like he did WORSE in our bedroom last night. On the first night, we took him out to potty at 5, but last night he woke whining every 2-3 hours. Can anyone help? I’m admittedly a little tightly wound as this is very reminding of my postpartum years with newborns.
I so get where you are. I also struggle with anxiety and depression and lack of sleep is a huge factor in my mental health. I know exactly how you are feeling right now and I promise that it will get better. We've had three lab pups now and with each one I have had moments of "what the hell have we done?" A couple of things that might help: Keep puppy in your room at night. If he starts to whine, put your fingers or hand in the kennel to let him know you're there and calm him. If he keeps whining, zip him out to potty and put him right back in. It may take a while, but eventually he will not need nighttime potty trips. Dogs are all different, and he's just a baby, so it might take a while. Also, don't be afraid to put him in his kennel when you are feeling overwhelmed. The kennel is a safe place for them and it's ok for you to take a moment (or several!) to breathe and collect yourself. It is a lot like having a newborn, except even worse without the diapers! That and they don't stay where you put them. I promise life will get better. You might struggle for a few months, but this board is a great source of support. Hang in there. I've had moments with all three of mine where I'd have given them away if someone asked, but now can't imagine them not being with us.
I don't think you will struggle for a few months with night time waking, just to cheer you up. Mine slept through after about two weeks. Good advice from Christina above, dangling a hand in the box the pup is in, is calming, the pup is missing his siblings. Other problems will appear, a busy puppy when you want to sit down in the evening, but come 6 months and it all gets easier.
Yes, it probably won't be months, but a few weeks before you get to sleep through till 6 or 7. For the first week or so we kept our pup in a cardboard box by our bed so we could hear him wake up and try to settle him with a hand (he used to hold my hand very gently in his mouth for comfort- so sweet) and then if he didn't settle we would go for a potty break. You also get to learn their different cries. He liked to hear our voices as he fell asleep so we would talk nonsense or my OH would sing a song he made up. When you read below you will realise why this was a bad idea! We also have a different situation in that my OH is profoundly deaf so when it was his turn for "puppy patrol" i had to wake him. It felt like i was never going to be rested again. So you have my sympathy re: being tired! I have anxiety issues and find that lack of sleep makes everything worse. I was pretty teary for a while. It gets better fast though, and gets easier much faster than a baby I imagine (no kids yet). Good luck with everything and I hope you get some rest soon.
That is very true, although I think the early weeks and months are very hard and intense with a puppy it's over in a flash really! You've had good advise above, hang in there, and you will in time have a great addition to your family!
Yes, it will get better, but some puppies adapt faster than others. I’ve lost track of how long each of mine have taken, but for many years there has always been an older dog as company, which has helped the puppy to settle quickly. As well as all the things mentioned in previous posts, it helps to make any night time potty breaks as matter-of-fact as possible, with little interaction and definitely no playtime. That’s relatively easy when you’re half asleep anyway, so the puppy will realise that waking up in the night is boring once he doesn’t really need the break! Good luck - I hope he settles soon.
Hi it really does get so much better really quick, our girl is only 22 weeks and she's much calmer and we've all got to know each other now and understand what she needs. We also had her crate next to our bed and if she cried we put our hand out for her to lick and she felt comforted,it only took a few times of this to settle her. We also gave her a snuggle teddy which stays in her bed which she lays on or cuddles up to and the nightly toilet trips stopped after 2weeks. Good luck and soon you'll be enjoying you new puppy,it really is wonderful having a lab puppy
As others have already said, it really does get easier. I struggled majorly in the first few weeks, but day after day there were small improvements. Unfortunately, losing sleep in the first weeks is pretty much inevitable, puppies bladders are tiny and they really can't be expected to hold it all night at first, which means getting up and taking him out when he needs it. You're lucky you have a husband and kids to help you care for him, everyone pitching in will be invaluable in the first weeks (as someone who did it all alone, this was what I struggled with the most, I never ever got a break). Regarding sleeping arrangements, my pup has always slept in his crate in my room with me and I've known others have success with their pup in other rooms, so honestly I don't think it matters much really, as long as you are consistent. Good luck and I promise it will get better before you know it!
Hugs, I was the very same. My husband and I were off work together with pup from 8-10 weeks old and we were ZOMBIES. I cried a lot! The week pup was 12 weeks old my husband went away for work and I cried even more.By the Thursday I called in sick to work because I was so exhausted!!! My husband came home the following werk and said "what's the problem?" because by that week he was sleeping until 6am, with a last pee at about 11pm. We started bringing last pee forwards by 10 or 15 minutes every few days until it was 10pm or so. One night I fell asleep on the sofa at about 9pm and pup slept on the carpet, nudged me with hus nose at 7am to wake me up That was about 15/16 weeks old. Its a difficult few months but it's over soon. At 6 months old we know that anytime after 9pm, pup will sleep until morning.
Welcome to the forum! New puppies ARE exhausting aren't they - but you'll get lots of support here and before you know it, your pup will be an old hand. The first week can be especially tough but in another few days things should be improving. Hang on in there!
For me, I put my puppy Pearl in my room for the first night and she cried and cried, so I wasn't sleeping and felt it wasn't doing anything, so on that same night put her in the lounge. The next night and nights on if I remember correctly, she was quiet...
By the way, the thought to give my puppy was there at times...yes like others it was very hard for me, but I pressed on with encouragement and help from my parents and answer to prayer, and now she over a year old and things are much easier....
