Told you I'd need help with this puppy.

twinklie

Well, I wrote this post and today she's been a little angel. She's hated going in her pen if we shut the door. However, today she keeps trotting in there to sleep and play with her toys (kongs and food related things). So I'm really impressed with her little turn around. Don't get me wrong I'm fully expecting to get no sleep again later tonight...but it's a step in the right direction.

I honestly feel like doing the bedroom thing is just prolonging the crying...thats whats happened with my parents dogs over the years. I'd rather do it now and get it done with. As for letting her out, I get up in the night to take her out and then pop her back in. Hasn't had an accident yet (well not at night anyway - doh!). Over the next couple of weeks I'll lengthen the time till she can hold herself.

She's actually been really good with the house training....just a couple of accidents but they've all been our fault because we haven't taken her out quick enough and she's stopped on the way (forgot the keys to the back door). Still, I'm seeing progress which is good. We have covered the crate though with a blanket and she has a hot water bottle...no ticking clock though. I left the radio on a station with people chatting but that didn't seem to make much difference to be honest.

ash4becks

oh just rembered feels like forever since el was a pup, try and feed her in her crate then she knows its a good thing to be in there, do the put her in a little bit during the day with door shut 5-10 mins then build up, might help giving titbits while she just sits in her crate and goes in herself but i wouldnt be taking her in there better if she learns that its her bed x

twinklie

Well I'm not actually putting her in...but suggesting she goes in by clicking and nudging her toys. She does go in herself. I can't remember who it was but someone said if you put them in they won't learn. My DH just made her a new toy for her play pen and she's not remotely interested. He's totally gutted. Ha ha

ash4becks

puppys never a dull moment laughing over the toy thought :rotfl:

hethmar

Barneysmom wrote: »

Aaah, you wrote crap, you meant mud!

LOL, thats what I thought, that the poor dog had some sort of illness

faded_flowers

It took us about 10 long, long nights :eek: Not constant howling... just kicking off every few hours. The first few nights we made the mistake of going down, which just prolonged it.

A year down the line, come ten o'clock she goes and puts herself to bed

Torndao01

Hi Twinklie

We are in exactly the same boat, found your post this morning at 5am! Been awake listening to our new pup howling from 4am! We got him Sunday night, he 7.5 weeks old and had to leave his mum and 6 other pups, so I can understand hes fightened, but after 2 hours of howling I seem to loose any sympathy. Have been reading everything, puppy books, online advise, asking pet owners their advice and now here. There seems to be two types of advice - one leave him howling or two bring him into our bedroom in his crate (not on bed). At the moment we are leaving but he doesnt seem to be improving at all. Really worried I'll do something wrong and turn him into a problem dog e.g separation anxity.

Have you decided which one to go for? Anyone else left their pup to howl and has it worked? Has anyone moved them into the bedroom and that worked, if so were you able to move them out successfully?

Twinklie hope you dont mind me joining in with questions, I just thought we'll be going through the same things for the next month or so.

Regards
Joanne

P.S Im a first time dog owner!

hethmar

Mine have all done just what they want to do and have all grown up very sane and secure dogs. They choose where they want to sleep. Some have chosen to stay in their baskets in the kitchen (or in an open crate), some have gone on the sofa and others like being in the bedroom or on the bed. Never been a problem for us but we are all different.

foreign_correspondent

I can see no benefit in making your pup suffer to this extent, especially if the poor little blighter is so distressed they are chewing the cage bars till their gums bleed.

You are supposed to crate train a dog gradually, only leaving them in there once they have established it is a safe and friendly place to be (by using treats, prise and encouragement)... shoving a dog in and leaving it in their terrified may well end up with them fearing the crate, and associating being left alone with being scared and distressed... as well as doing this, I would tend to move the crate close to where you sleep then moving it away gradually.

Torndao01:

We got him Sunday night, he 7.5 weeks old and had to leave his mum and 6 other pups, so I can understand hes fightened, but after 2 hours of howling I seem to loose any sympathy

.. I hope you are prepared for the ongoing trails of house training etc... it requires a lot of patience!

twinklie

Well our little one is going from strength to strength. She went into her bed at about 11.30pm...and that was after some moaning because I had to wake her up to let her out before I went to bed. She came back in and flew to her bed and crashed out straight away.

She didn't start crying till about 5am, which I think is because she wanted the loo. So I let her out, she then went back to her bed with a stuffed kong and stayed quiet for another hour. I had to get up for work so she started whining for attention then.

DH said she was good after I left though. We've modified her bed with new toys etc and she seems much happier. We just need to keep it up I think. :j

Also, she seems to have house trained herself. We've made an effort to get her outside regularly enough to praise her etc and had very few accidents. She runs to the door now and moans if she wants to do something. I think she's a genius! That or she's lulling me into a false sense of security! :rotfl: Probably the latter.