Puppy Advice (merged)

supermezzo

We've never made a fuss during the night if we've got up to let them out - some pups will just regard it as a game to see you come down and so will get up a lot more than is necessary (if at all).
If you don't want to be up at 5.30 forever then establish a routine of not going into the dog if it's barking/crying in the mornings (even if that means waiting a second whilst they yawn/scratch/change their minds/have a drink etc) then make an enormous fuss about it being morning. So long as you make that distinction between being up cos they just need a wee and being up cos you've said it's morning, you'll find the pup settles into a much better sleep routine and means you don't end up like a zombie with sleep deprivation.

Milford_Cubicle

I spent a week getting up to our pup, it started being bed at 11, then out at 2, 5 and 7, then it was bed at 11 and out twice, then bed at 11 and out once etc etc. For the next few days she was going 6 hours. My partner had to give in after a couple of nights because it made him physically ill - I'm used to doing night shifts so it was no problem for me. By the end of the 10 days of sleep deprivation, I was soooo glad she started sleeping through 11 to half 7ish!

I'd advise you to ignore them if you know for a fact they're doing it for attention - i.e. you let them out at 3am for a pee and a poo and at 4am they're whining. Ignore. It's for your own sanity!!

Also, don't let him out of the crate when he's whining because he'll associate that with positive attention. Make sure he's quiet for at least 5-10 seconds before you let him out. We always get our girl to sit calmly for a short time and then we open the door. Make no fuss during the night, speak quietly and make it clear it's just for toilet only. Use your own special command whilst he's 'going' and then he'll associate that with pee/poo and it'll make your life easier with housetraining. When you get him up of a morning, then fuss and praise is fine. Quiet praise during the night when he does the toilet thing outside is fine, if he's getting a little treat each time in the day (again, treat trained dogs = much easier ) then a little treat when he goes at night is ok too.

Please feel free to PM me if you want to ask any questions, I'm a couple of weeks ahead of you and I've learned a lot from the labforums so I imagine if you have any 'daft' questions, I can set your mind at rest

*niptuckfan*

thanks folks its good to hear how others are doing. we had another good night - he went to crate no bother at 1030 - was still sleepy sothink that helped....hubby let him out for toilet at 1 and then i got up at half 6 and let him out - so hour latr than yesterday - i have been letting him straight out so will def make him sit quiet before opening door - we been doing well and kind of know when he will need loo so can pre empt him onto paper if he not already...all in all its been a lovely few days and i really think he is a happy pup - thanks MC i may very well PM - anyone have opinion bout letting pup on couch?

Milford_Cubicle

I don't let our pup onto the sofa. She tends to jump up and gets a firm no.
Once she's older and can get up there on her own, then we may well allow her to do so but after a couple of times of lifting her up once she's sat nicely and letting her settle, then her throwing herself off with no warning (usually directly onto her head!), we put a stop to it.
Also consider cloth vs leather.

Incidentally, I'd be very seriously considering not allowing your pup out of the crate onto paper to pee, you'll be making a rod for your own back. We've been taking our girl outside from day one. She's 100% housetrained with poo and 95% with pee now. I know it's cold at 2am but you'll find the colder it is, the quicker he'll do what he needs to and be back inside! I got to the point of being able to put on trousers, fluffy socks, fleecy dressing gown and slippers with my eyes shut. Honestly, letting him go on paper may be easier for you at the moment, but it'll make things more difficult in the long run.

foreign_correspondent

I dont let dogs on the settee unless I want them on there, ie when invited up - occassionally. I would not start letting them get up for quite a while otherwise they start taking it for granted.

They know not to get on uninvited, wich I prefer, as I dont want them on there when they are muddy or wet, when we have guests, or when I am wearing smart clothes!

Milford_Cubicle

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

I dont let dogs on the settee unless I want them on there, ie when invited up - occassionally.

We ended up doing that last night as it seemed to be the only way to get our pup to settle with the fireworks going off, poor mite

woohoo

Hi,
I am now having the 'when to spey' dilemma. I phoned a couple of vets for prices (surprisingly cheaper than I thought it would be!) and to ask when it should be carried out. One said at 6 months, one said after the first season. mmmmm - confused now.
Any more thoughts?
Puppy is now 22 weeks (we've had her 4 weeks now I think) and is much more reliable in the day with house training. Accidents are about every other day now (wee only). The problem I am trying to sort out now is early waking! She is still in her crate at night. Settled at 11pm. Barks between 6 and 6.30am. I get up immediately and let her out and she does her business. When I try and put her back in the cage and return to bed (or go upstairs and get ready for work on work days) she just barks to come out of the cage. If I let her out she just barks at the bottom of the stairs. When I am up for work, I just keep popping down so she knows I am around and she barks less. However, for example this morning, she wanted me to get up at 6am. I wasn't so keen. In the end hubby got up. He didn't get her out of the cage as he thought that would be asking for trouble - she would learn lots of barking works! He just let her see him and kept popping in and out of the kitchen (where the crate is). Can anyone advise on the best way to sort this out. Ideally I would like her to settle back down until 7 or half past?
Thanks a lot for reading!

foreign_correspondent

Well, if you can cope with the mess and keep her safely away from male dogs (even supervising in the garden 100% of the time, as male dogs can be very determined) then I would probably wait till after first season.
Otherwise I would have her done at 6 months.

I think the early waking will resolve as she matures a bit - I expect she is just needing a pee- better that she wakes you than starts going in the crate.

Milford_Cubicle

It depends what type of dog you have. A small breed is going to genuinely need the loo after 7 hours in a crate, but a larger breed can certainly go for longer. Does she sprint outside the second you let her and pee instantly? Or does she seem 'comfortable' and peeing is something she'll get around to in a minute once you've let her out?

If you're letting her out of the crate when she barks, then she's learned 'owner recall'
Our pup is 10 weeks and much as she whines when in her crate to get our attention, she'll be ignored until she's calm and quiet or has sat nicely when asked and then she'll be let out. Her morning 'ooo' is never a full bark or kicking off, it's just 'Let me out, I need a wee' and that's around half 7 (she goes to bed at 11). If she goes into the crate during the day for whatever reason, she does tend to have a howling session but gets totally ignored until we've done what we need to do (shower, cleaning, whatever). Make the pup work around you, not the other way.

pboae

woohoo wrote: »

The problem I am trying to sort out now is early waking! She is still in her crate at night. Settled at 11pm. Barks between 6 and 6.30am. I get up immediately and let her out and she does her business. When I try and put her back in the cage and return to bed (or go upstairs and get ready for work on work days) she just barks to come out of the cage.

Beat her to it. Get up at 5am, take her out of her crate straight outside for a wee, back into her crate and then go back to bed. Don't speak other than quick praise for toileting, don't put the lights on, don't fuss her, don't come back if she barks. You want to catch her when her bladder is fairly full but she is still really sleepy, so she will go back to sleep again once she's been to the toilet. If she wakes up naturally with a full bladder and then has to bark for you to come, she'll be wide awake by the time you get her back to her crate. It might also help to make sure her sleeping area is warm at that time of day, as she might find it harder to settle again if she's cold.