Crying/whining at night
 

Our new puppy, Daisy, is seven weeks old today. She is medium energy, loves to play but also lays down at my feet. I have a crate for her set up in the dining room (hard floor) inside of a small pen. Whenever either me or my wife cannot watch her she is inside the pen, and during the day after playing I put her inside the crate with the door shut to rest. Just in the few days we've had her she has taken to going into the crate on her own to sleep. Because she is so young, I'm not putting her inside the crate at night because she hasn't learned bladder control yet, and I don't want her to get used to peeing inside the crate. So here's the problem: She will go into the pen at night just fine, no whining or crying. But periodically throughout the night, she will start whining/crying/howling, I guess just wanting attention. She is my third GSD, and my second that I've bought as a puppy. Our first did not exibit this behavior, as she was a very laid back and quiet dog.

Is this normal behavior that will cure itself with time? She's still young.

I have training pads inside the pen, and she has learned to pee/poop on the pads while she's inside the pen, and even will go to the pads during the day to do her thing. Not all the time, but sometimes, so she understands what they're for, just hasn't learned to control herself yet...if she's busying playing she doesn't even sniff around, just squats and goes. Again, normal.

She is probably lonely. I would suggest using the crate at night - and put the crate in your bedroom. First walk her so she can empty her bladder - if she cries - then take her outside again, that way she wouldn't soil her crate.

At seven weeks old, you should be getting up several times at night to take her outside and let her empty her bladder.

What is a reasonable length of time to expect her to stay in before taking her to go?

She might be whining in the night to go to the bathroom. at seven weeks old, she probably has to go after 2-3 hours or so. You can try waking up every couple hours and taking her out on your own (so as not to reward her for whining). or you can wait until she wakes you but not take her out until she is quiet. You can start gradually increasing the times every week or so, until finally she won't wake you until around 6 or 7 am to go use the bathroom.