New puppy is creating a sleep deprived mommy

7603 Views 13 Replies 11 Participants Last post by DSudd, Jun 17, 2008

Martini5908

Discussion Starter · Jun 3, 2008

We brought home our 10 week old puppy - Bella- 5 days ago. I have not slept more than 6 hrs since then. I have tried everything that I can think of and everything that I have read on every website, dog magazine and in different forums. I am truly at a loss for how to comfort her at night. She whines and groans when the house gets quiet (last night the whines turned into a bark). I have tried the crate - it sounded like she was dying. I have tried the bed. I have tried the couch - my black lab and golden retriever sleep on the couches at night. All I can say is HELP!!! My other dogs went through this the first night and then settled in. Is this normal for the breed or something else?

Thanks for any help!!!!
Michelle

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BowWowMeow

· #2 · Jun 3, 2008

It does seem to come up a lot on here but most pups do settle down after a few days...or a week.

I think it's best to come up with a consistent routine so that she knows what to expect. Crate her next to your bed, close enough so that you can put your fingers through the crate to comfort her. You will have to sweat through a few more noisy nights but once she understands that you're right there and she's safe next to you she will quiet down.

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BowWowMeow

· #3 · Jun 3, 2008

Here is another post on the same topic with lots of advice:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=699567&page=1#Post699567

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ToFree24

· #4 · Jun 3, 2008

Yes put the crate near your bed, so you can whisper to the pup to calm her. Also put a clock on the floor (one of the portable with a loud ticking sound) so she can hear the ticking, will sound like her mother's heartbeat

She is missing the warmth of family and sounds of their heartbeat when they sleep together. My girl still loves to sleep near the clock.

Good Luck and give her a <<<HUG>>> for me.

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Kay13411

· #5 · Jun 3, 2008

Make sure she is good and tired before trying to crate her. And what I have done in the past if fill a kong with peanut butter so they can relate a good experience with going in the crate. I also have a large stuffed animal in the crate so she would have something to snuggle up to. Good luck this too will pass.

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JakodaCD OA

· #6 · Jun 3, 2008

well all these nite time nightmares,,are starting to worry me

))

I have a new nose biter coming in Thursday,,and haven't had a puppy in 9 years! LOL..

Hopefully I'll be as lucky with this one as I have with the rest of them!!

I admit, I have FLUNKED nite time crate training on ALL my dogs..
They end up in bed with me

))))))

Luckily again, I've never had crate training problems with them during the day and after they age some,,at nite either..

Good luck getting some sleep,,(I've been stocking up on mine hopefully!!!)

Diane
(who's puppy proofing the bedroom just in case

))

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Martini5908

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 3, 2008

Thank you all for the advice. We tried crating her last night with a stuffed animal and some super soft bedding. Of course, this was after our kids ran her around the yard playing forever. It took about fifteen minutes of crying (and shredding the bedding) for us to try putting her in the bed again. She whined for about 10 minutes and finally passed out. Unfortunately, this only lasted for 2 hours. However, this is 2 more hours of sleep than I got the night before

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MaggieRoseLee

· #8 · Jun 3, 2008

Question???? Is the pup crated in your bedroom beside your bed at night? All the pup wants is to be near you. And it's NORMAL for them to 'scream' cause somehow their humans are nearly deaf and don't realize they have 'lost' their puppy.

Also, many pups can't last all night long without a potty break. I purposely set my alarm clock for the middle of the night for a month or so (2am? 3am?). A time that is in the middle of my sleep so it's still dark. I quickly grab the pup (from the crate beside my bed) run outdoors, have her pee then go back in the house and sleep for the rest of the night.

This way I wake HER up. It's a a time of the night I choose and can get back to sleep. And it keeps a clean crate to set my pup up to suceed in the housebreaking.

Keep up with the exercising. Driving that puppy places. Meeting your friends, relatives, other kids homes/yards. Friendly dogs that you know have their shots and are healthy. Walking them in new places, meeting new people/sights/sounds.

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gmcenroe

· #9 · Jun 5, 2008

I guess I have been somewht lucky. She sleeps in her crate near our bed and is my doggy alarm clock for 5:30AM. She has always slept through the night. She starts her whining routine around 5:30AM, sometimes earlier. She really just wants to be let out. Once I get out of bed and get ready to take her out she immediately quiets down until I open her door, then she is all happy to see me. The other day she woke up at 5:00AM and I said to her, go back to sleep its too early, she quieted down and then started whining at 5:30.

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DHau

· #10 · Jun 7, 2008

I know most of you aren't going to like this because it's not what you all advocate. In the past, except my current one, I slept on the floor with every new puppy. It comforts the pup and everybody in the house gets sleep. This method also creates a beautiful bond between you and the dog.

I'm not saying crate training is bad, just do this at night for a while until the pup adjusts. While you are sleeping with the pup at night, still introduce the crate during the day so there is no big adjustment later.

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JakodaCD OA

· #11 · Jun 10, 2008

wanted to add an update,,Masi came last Friday,,and we have SUCCEEDED in nite time crate training LOL..

Crate is next to my bed,,the first nite,,she howled about 15 minutes,,I thought a dust bunny was murdering her

))

I just ignored her,,she konked out aruond 10 pm,, I heard her moving around @ 2am let her out,,she did her business back in the crate until I woke her up around 6 am..

So far,,she seems to go out once during the nite and I usually wake her up around 6 am to get up..ahhh this has been pretty easy.
Diane

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Barb E

· #12 · Jun 10, 2008

Originally Posted By: JakodaCD OAI thought a dust bunny was murdering her

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CertainlySpoiled

· #13 · Jun 14, 2008

I hope you finally got some rest, it took Emma over a weekk to settle into her crate...Boy was I ever tired, and felt like a zombee.

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DSudd

· #14 · Jun 17, 2008

I am so glad that Apollo did not have nighttime crate issues. LOL Of course he is up as soon as my alarm goes off.

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