Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 8:53 am Post subject: Very Noisy Night Time Puppy
We've had Morris for 11 days now and he will be 12 weeks tomorrow.
He has a good nature, quite quick to pick up things, can sit, leave is getting better, collar good, getting used to lead in garden.
BUT.... he hates night time and being left alone.
He goes to bed around 10.30 and will cry, sometimes 5 mins sometimes longer. Then he wakes around 2.30, obviously for a wee, which he does outside, but when he goes back in he cries. Last night he cried loads and when I came down at 4.30 he had pooed in his crate (the first time since we've had him) so that was understandable. BUT I can not tell when he is crying for toilet or for attention (which he does a lot) Some nights he just whines, whimpers and barks and boy does it sound loud in the middle of the night, but he has never messed before, so it is for attention.
WE had one full night Friday 10.30-5am GREAT STUFF and thought we'd done it.
Now my question is do I lift him before he barks at 2.30pm or leave him until he barks in the hope he will sleep through. Will leaving him to bark encourage Morris to expect me to come.
We (husband, 3 boys 14, 9 and 7) take hime in the garden about every 2 hours for 30 mins play, and then he has the utility area which leads to our kitchen(gated off, but can see us come and go) to rest in (which is where his crate is he will get in and out through the day) the back door is open and an area fenced off for toilet duties. But through the day he will cry and jump at fence to get attention. WE have never left him alone but he hates silence (radio trick used but not much success). When we are in the family room he comes in with us from time to time, usually in the afternoon and after evening feed for the evening.
Am I doing things right-I have read pages and pages of this forum for the last few days and don't think I'm alone in my problem a bit of reassurance or advice would be great.
From first time shattered puppy Mum-who is losing confidence :
If work out how old your pup nearly 12 weeks he goes from 10.30 till 2.30 with out a wee then to me thats good. Thats 4 hours
I know 2.30 in the morning not a great hour but may be a small play time given a bit of time then pop back out for a number 2 then. Then in the crate say 30 mins. to do everything wee play and number 2 then back in crate.
Many a time I've had to play with my girls when they were babies in the middle of the night then gone back to bed.
Don't lose confidence - it sounds as though Morris is doing really well with most things, so you are obviously doing a great job! Most of us muddle through with our babies - both humans and pups - and we get there in the end somehow.
Alfie is 12 weeks old, and is now going through the night. When we first got him, my husband ( a night owl) did the late shift, staying up until 1 - 2am, then taking Alfie out before he came to bed, then I got up for the early shift at 5am to take him out to the garden briefly for toilet then back to bed. I stopped the 5am trip about a week ago, with no problem.
Perhaps the last toilet trip at 10.30 is a little early? I wouldn't really recommend playing with him in the middle of the night as he has to get used to night time being for sleeping.
Thanks for the advice, I dont think I will play with Morris, just perservere and see how we go. I will try a later bedtime, about 11pm if I can manage to stay awake! I cant even remember feeling this tired with my boys when they were babies, still it will be worth it, I just wish night times weren't so long and quiet.
Thanks for the advice, I dont think I will play with Morris, just perservere and see how we go. I will try a later bedtime, about 11pm if I can manage to stay awake! I cant even remember feeling this tired with my boys when they were babies, still it will be worth it, I just wish night times weren't so long and quiet.
Awww don't lose heart....I think we have all been there with a pup at some point.
I know even though Mojo was far from my first pup, I had to spend two weeks sleeping next to her in the kitchen, as she screamed like a Banshee for hours and hours (and my neighbours do not like dogs ). We got there in the end though and I haven't had another pup like her.
I know Vicky (VJH) had months of Ruby screaming in the night before she finally gave in and took Ruby up to the bedroom with her....She slept through the night from then on....and now she sleeps wherever she feels like, which is not usually in Vickys bedroom.
Just relax a bit and go with the flow....I know all the advise is to "just ignore the cries and don't go back to the pup at all" but when you live in an urban area this isn't always an option...It isn't always an option when you haven't slept in days either.
Thanks guys for all the advice, the majority of the advice on here seems to be ignore the crys, which is hard, thankfully my boys sleep through and the husband! Must be a man thing-me I'm wide awake. I will try to relax a bit more, think I am probably expecting too much from such a small thing, but it does make me jealous when I read all the posts from those with sleep perfect pups!
How long do you think I should leave Morris (Minor! -get it as in the car) to cry at night. The most was 4 Hours when we first had him 10 days ago. Is that too long?
Getting the hang of this forum thing - Morris Major
The crying wont actually "hurt" the pup, so you could leave him for as long as you can stand it.
It is a "man" thing too.....My hubby and boys slept through the whole thing....whereas I was on tenterhooks all the time waiting for it to start or stop. That's what comes of being a "Mum" I suppose.
I tell you what, Mojo was a real shock to my system, as I had many puppies before, which after the first 2 mins went to sleep and didn't make a peep all night. I really thought I was doing something wrong....but it all worked out ok in the end....and Mojo is the best dog in the world now (not that I'm biased obviously ).
I normally toilet my pups at about 10.30pm, then pop them in their crate, turn the lights down low and make myself a cup of tea and just potter. I don't chat to them if they whine, but I might go and sit and drink my tea next to their crate and read a book until they seem settled. No eye-contact, but I might sing a little lullaby (daft mare that I am!!!)
If Morris-Minor (lovely name!) is waking regularly in the night to toilet, then I would pre-empt it by getting up at around 2ish and letting him out and then doing the same thing as I do at 10.30.
If all else failed then I would consider moving the crate upstairs as I'm horrible if sleep-deprived!! Once he is settling at night you can move it back down.
Have you covered the crate with a blanket (like you do budgies!!) becuase that seems to make it feel safe and cosy for them.
Good luck, and there truly is a light at the end of the tunnel....you don;t get many of us with 6 month pups saying that they aren't sleeping through the night. Morris WILL settle soon!
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). We got there in the end though and I haven't had another pup like her.
