Oh Aimi I feel for the pair of you. I'm sorry the puppy room didn't help today. You are probably thinking what I'm thinking, you have now offered the pup two alternatives, and you are doing the best you can in a not ideal situation (putting the bed down so soon after getting it up) so I've been thinking through and can see only 3 routes:
1) You do a bit more trickery, you play like mad with the pup, give it a good half hour of play in the garden, meals etc then prtend you are going out. This may not work with a young dog but it certainly works when mine are objecting to being in the kennels in the daytime but I want them out the way for a while. Get your keys, put the pup down, go out the back door then, making sure the radio is on pretty loud in the pups room, sneek back in the front door and pad upstairs silently to bed.
The problem being really the pup doesn't yet understand being left at all. In a dog who has tried yelling and yelling to an empty house, which most do, and realise it doesn't do any good its a great plan, but a pup may still yell.
2) You can actually go somewhere else to sleep for a few hours. Have you a friend or family member you could go to for a couple of 'days' whilst they are at work to kip? Then the pup may well still cry but you won't be hearing it.
3) You have offered the pup two comfortable and safe alternatives. Not that the pup can be blamed but it is objecting loudly to both. To be frank with you if this is the option picked you HAVE to just simply bear with one of the two, crate or puppy room and the yelling.
The problem is you need sleep. I realise that, hence suggesting you go somewhere else for it because you are going to HAVE to ride out one of the yellings. At the moment understandably after what, half hour, one hour, two hours yelling you do come back down in exasperation. But you have to not. Basically.
All the time the pup is having its suspicions confirmed that a) You WILL come back if it yells long enough and b) You ARE indeed in the house you are making this harder.
Shioft work is hard on puppies, I'll say it again. people justify leaving an older dog all day because it sleeps all day when they are round. But pups don't. They sleep in short bursts then either cry or play till they drop off again. At the moment you are getting crying.
Look on the bright side. Your shift pattern is due to change in what? A day? By the time another 10 days has passed till you need to do nights again the pup will be much more settled, that little bit more mature and *probably* it will not be so bad.
Me myself I'd be looking for a mate to get 4 or 5 hours kip at just today or tomorrow.
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
Hello Di!
I have managed to get a couple of hours sleep and am feeling a little brighter now. I put her in the room with her toys and decided to just go to bed. I rammed some earplugs into my ears and put my head under the covers which muted the racket! I think I was so tired I would have slept through anything! I woke up about 20 mins ago and all was quiet downstairs so I ventured down. She must have had quite a tantrum because she had dragged her crate across the room, pulled her bedding out of it and upended her water bowl all over the floor. However, she was calmly sitting in the middle of the carnage when I came down and although very pleased to see me, did not get hysterical when I let her out of the room.
Does that sound encouraging?
Thankyou for your suggested action plans. I loved the sneaky one but unfortunately the layout of the house and garden means I cant get out of the garden to get round to the front door, and even if I could, I have to go through the room she is in to get upstairs again!!
The ear plugs worked a treat though, so although I could hear her it was nowhere near as loud and enabled me to drift off (or pass out, in this mornings case I think! )
Tonight I can go to bed at a normal time and get up at 7am refreshed with everything a bit more in perspective. I was a little overwrought this morning - when my partner got up and came down Megan got so excited to see him she had a funny 5 mins and then promptly weed on the floor - something she has done countless times, no big deal, but this morning I burst into tears!!
I will try her with another stint in the room tomorrow as I really HAVE to catch up on the food shopping!
Thank you so much for your support, I have found your advice and this forum absolutely invaluable.
Regards,
Aimi
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The only other thing I can think of that may help is perhaps when you get in from a night shift (and you really might not feel like doing this) is taking Megan for a half hour walk before trying to settle her in the crate/safe room before you head to bed. I know when Jd is playing up he is bored and a walk tends to stimulate him and he always settles so well after it. I also have gone back to work quite recently but fortunately only work part time but do a full day on a Monday but he was fine when I got home. My son comes home on a lunch time to give him half hour of play and wee time etc. Plus I am up early each morning anyhows so Jd is up with me for at least 3 hours before I head off to work so he is ready for some quiet time. Good luck with Megan, I am sure it will all work out
Just to say this would have been a suggestion I'd make but unfortunately the puppy is only a baby, too early to go for long walks or even short ones yet I believe?
Di
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The boys!
Read: Wylanbriar Dog Blog on the website: Updated! 1st February 12´!
Yep your right Di, scrap that ......was thinking of what I would do in that situation and Jd being 21.5 weeks would've been okay but Megan only 13 weeks 15 mins walk would be it once vaccinated fully.
Thanks Clueless for your suggestion! I will most certainly be taking Megan out for a walk off nights - in fact it is something I am really looking forward to when she has had all her jabs.
As for today - I think we have had an interesting development and it most certainly proves what Di thought is correct.
I went out this afternoon for just over an hour to buy Megan a doggy seatbelt/harness. I left her in her safe room as per usual, and off I went, full of trepidation!! She certainly was not whimpering as I went out of the door. When I got back, I was pleased to hear not a sound coming from room. And when I went in to her - she was sitting happily looking at me in a still pristine room!!! She had not even dragged her bedding out of her crate or spilt a drop of water!!
Is it too soon to allow myself a HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
So it would seem that she is just getting miffed about being left in the room when there is someone else in the house with her.
I know we are not out of the woods yet, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Thanks for the advice - please keep it coming - and I will keep you updated with progress reports!
Regards,
Aimi
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Hi Aimi
I've just read this thread with interest and I really feel for you.
So..I was thinking if its just for one moring every 10 days would it be possible to get a dog sitter to take Megan from around 8am until you get up at 2pm ish? I know this might sound expensive if they charge by the hour, but my theory was if you worked 9-5 mon-fri and a dog sitter came to see Megan every lunch time for an hour thats 5 hours per week and you would only need the dog sitter for 6 hours every 10 day? Thats just how I look at it LOL
Or maybe a friend/relative could take Megan?
I love my sleep and I know how tired you must feel.
Best of luck x
Last edited by _Kimberley_ on Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:27 pm; edited 1 time in total
____________ Kimberley,Sheppy and Amber
Amber/Shep
That is a good idea! I don't know why that did not occur to me (sleep deprivation, perhaps!) - as a friend of mine from work uses a dog sitter now and then when she goes away.
Thankyou Kimberley!
Aimi and Megan
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