Help - we need sleep!

Hi there,

yes, most people who get a puppy will have a few sleepless nights, some only one, others a week or two.
Remember that your little puppy is only a little baby. He has just been through the biggest shock of his life. He has been separated from his mum and litter mates and is suddenly all by himself in a strange environment. That is a pretty big thing for a little dog. However, the best way to deal with this is to be firm and consistent.

What I usually do when I get a new dog is the following:
The first night the new puppy will sleep in the spare room in a little wooden box, like a crate but with no roof on it. That way the puppy can't wander around, but I can sleep on the spare bed next to the box and put my arm and hand in it. I usually fall asleep with my arm in the box which is comforting for the puppy. If the puppy starts crying I ignore it. I sometimes moves on the bed so the pup can hear that I'm still here without me giving any attention to his whining. I usually only do this for the first night (two nights was the most). Once or twice during the night I will take the pup outside to go to the toilet. I do this without making a fuss and without saying anything other than the "toilet command".

The next few nights the pup still sleeps in the spare room (next to our bedroom - all doors open), but now by himself. My experience is that the pup will now only cry if he/she needs to go to the toilet and perhaps for a minute when you first pop them into bed.

A week or so later I will move the crate into the laundry or somewhere a bit further away. After a week or so I usually only have to get up once to take the pup outside at night. After two weeks they can usually hold on for most of the night. Just be prepared that you might have to get up quite early.

I wouldn't have my puppy outside straight away. Not because it might be too cold or too hot, but just because most puppies are reared inside and therefore not used to the noises outside. All these new sounds might frighten them. This is all part of the socialization process and it takes time, so I wouldn't rush it. My latest pup started sleeping outside when she was about 4 months old. Now she sleeps inside and outside, whatever suits us best. Some nights if it is really miserable outside we have her inside on her sheepskin, or if we want to sleep in on the weekend she is outside, so she can go to the toilet when she needs to.

Both works fine. One thing we always do is that she gets a little treat when she goes to bed. Her breeder started it and she likes this routine very much.
Usually it's just a little piece of carrot, so it's not fattening.
Perhaps try that with your puppy.

Let us know how you get on.

John

Hi Alex,

he might be a little surprised, but hopefully he will feel safer and sleep better.
Don't expect him to stop whining straight away, it might take a week or so, but it will get better if you are consistent.
If you spend tonight with him and he sleeps well, that's great. However, if he starts whining again if you don't sleep in the room then you have to ignore him.
Otherwise it will always be you and the dog in the spare room :rolleyes:

The great thing about puppies is that they are just like a blank piece of paper. You can shape them to become the perfect companion and friend.
Just make sure that you are always consistent and calm.

Let us know how you two get on.
John

Just another thing that could help - try making him as much as tired before putting him to sleep. (Play with a ball, recall games, the best are training sessions that would mentally and physically exercise him.)

Hi there,
that's great news! I'm glad you are getting more sleep now and the pup seems to settle in.
In a way you have to train both - the puppy and the children.
The dog needs to learn proper behavior around children and the children need to learn not to harass the dog.

I would recommend to agree on a space where the kids are not allowed to touch the dog. For example you could put a little blanket somewhere in the living room. Teach the kids that they are not allowed to touch the puppy if he is on his blanket. The teach the dog to go to the blanket if things are getting too much for him. This will take some time for all of them to learn, but it's definitely worth trying. Of course, your pup still has to be approachable even if he is on his blanket - everyone in your family is still higher in the pack than the puppy, but it's like a safe place for him to go to if he wants to have a rest.

I hope that makes sense.
The thing is that it's in your control now to turn your pup into the most reliable companion and there is nothing better than having a really well behaved dog that everyone loves and can join you no matter where you go.

Whatever you do with your dog now will shape him. Sit down with your family and discuss what you want him to do and which commands you want to use, so that he gets a consistent message from everyone. Do you always want him to stop and sit down when you cross the street? Or wait for the "okay" command before he hops out of the car? Do you want him to stay on his blanket when visitors arrive? If you practice it now it will last a life time and is so much easier to teach right away than having to correct unwanted behavior later on.

All the very best for you and Buddy

John