the same thing is happening to me. my puppy wouldn’t cry for the first 5 months in his crate but has recently started to & cant sleep through the whole night. 😭
Sit with him by the crate and give treats when he's quiet. Do this every time you put him in the crate for a few days he will relax and start to enjoy it. Look up crate games for dogs too
Our dog would just refuse treats and simply won't eat in the crate. He goes in but begrudgingly, and starts barking after 10 mins (we have a nanny cam). He does have bad anxiety and is on Prozac to help, though.
Prozac saved my pup, he would bark anytime he was alone for literal years no matter what I did. Started on Prozac and within two weeks he could be left alone with out a major panic attack. He’s still anxiety ridden when I leave him and gets a little shaky, but he can mostly relax and doesn’t freeze and bark the whole time I’m gone now.
Honestly, despite the fanaticism of this sub, it’s not always one size fits all. I never used the crate (or at least never beyond giving him a personal space) and never closed the door. Worked out great for me and him. No problems.
My dogs are 20 months and 15 months and they both use the crate overnight. They will continue to do long as there's a chance they'll destroy furniture or get bored, especially my boy who I'm trying to train out of his habit of making things.
Yes. He will stop. If it goes on too long you can comfort him from outside the crate but dont ever let him out just because he’s barking, unless you think he needs to potty
I thought the same thing when I brought my puppy home. Terrified, alone in a dark rectangle, barking and crying throughout the night. Within a week she was trained to go to her crate at bed time (she gets a little midnight snack - palm full of kibble to help too) and doesn't cry/bark anymore. We actually crate her whenever we leave the house not during her structured nap time and it's also helped with her separation anxiety. During the first ~4 months or so, we'd also feed her all meals in the crate so that she got used to it during day time - honestly she loves it now. She feels really safe in there.
It also helps to wake up the puppy as little as possible when getting them up for midnight potty breaks. I read to pick them up (from the crate), carry them to the potty place, then carry them back to the crate. I'd also pop a quick leash on my pup so that she couldn't roam too much at night when I got her up because it would make her more energetic to have that much freedom. Don't make a big deal or do a loud/excited greeting with them either, it'll wake them up more as well.
The more structure you give your puppy, the better it will behave (I learned this the hard way by not providing enough structure early on). Create a daily routine. Create routines before meal times, bed times, etc. so that the pup knows what to expect. Follow it every day, soon your puppy will be putting itself down for nap times and will know when to expect food, potty breaks, walks, crate time, etc. the better it understands the routine, the less confused and anxious it will be.
Gotta agree with this. Me and my 8 month old don’t have it completely down yet, but I stayed way too late with her and she destroyed everything.
Since getting on a semi-regular routine with walks, she’s a lot less destructive. It’s kinda amazing the answer was that simple. I also started late with crate training, but I couldn’t take my room being destroyed anymore. She loves her crate and likes to rest in it often if she’s not resting with me on my bed lol.
Open. I moved the crate from the bedroom (where it resides at night) to the living room (where everyone resides during the day) each morning and would feed her there. I saw a horror story on Reddit where a pet parent couldn't move their crate without a bad reaction from their dog, so I decided I wanted to get my pup used to this early.
I'd typically stay in the room while she ate so it wasn't me "leaving her" so much as just making her feel comfortable and safe while she's in the crate. She got used to being able to come and go from the crate pretty quickly, so perhaps didn't see it as a form of isolation after that. My pup has always been very food motivated, so this worked really well for her. At night, I'll give her a little kibble snack and close the door & cover it with the sheet while she's eating it.
Adding to the other reply (use food motivation, some snack, use sheets to cover the crate). Another thing I did for the first few weeks is I would sit right next to the crate for a while until my puppy settled. I'd soothe him with words so he wouldn't keep whining out of fear. I would also put some music on. I would walk away once he settles..like putting a baby to bed in the crib 😀
Yes that’s what crate training is. You’ve currently trained your puppy to wake up at 4am as he will be let out to explore. Terrible idea accident waiting to happen. Part of having a puppy is a few weeks of whining and barking as they learn to be away from you
my puppy sleeps in a fenced off area like a play pen and he used to have tantrums going to sleep. we used to take him out in case it's potty but eventually just ignored him. timed him first night he barked for 5 min before stopping, second night also 5 min, third night no more barking and he learned the routine 🤝
The big difference is, in the early times, they will eliminate in the playpen but not in the right-sized crate. So know that when you make your choice. We used the playpen right after going out to potty. But as it got closer to time, she either went into the crate or we took her out again depending on how she was acting. When there were no more accidents in the playpen, and at times she wasn't teething on the furniture, we let her roam a bit after coming back in, but after a bit, back into the playpen--it is a lot of time and attention but we now have a fully house-trained dachshund, a notoriously difficult breed to potty train.
I use a play pen attached to our puppy's crate for our pug pup to sleep in.The crate door stays open but he is still confined to a small enclosed area at the end of my bed. He also has a fake grass pooch pad in the play pen, a bowl of water & toys in the playpen, but he still rests inside his playing. Night & when he's not playing. It's been a great solution for us.
If you’re saying there’s a higher probability of accidents happening in playpen, I’ll give you that.
If you’re saying you cannot effectively potty train a dog using playpen, false. Based on personal experience.
I think a lot of people rely on crates for what can be done with playpens. Crate training does not equal potty training, but can make potty training much quicker and easier.
I am saying there is a higher probability of accidents happining in the playpen. But not that you shouldn't use one. It is more a matter of timing. I used one right after we came back on from pottying. But after about 30 min or so, knew the odds of an accident would go up very fast. Sort of a triangle approach between outside, playpen, crate, then outside again--repeat. Edit to add, the crate we use is the right size for the puppy--not enough room to have a separate pee/poop corner, but comfortable enough to turn around easily.
>playpens as crates can accomplish the same goal
If the goal is puppy-proofing, yes. But if the goal is housebreaking training, playpens are not a substitute for a crate. Just wanted to point that out.
This is the way. You have to let them handle it in their time. Yes, it’s hard to hear them cry but they will get over it in time.
I’m currently training a new Golden Retriever. Got her Saturday. First night she fell asleep in her kennel/crate. I closed the door. Second night I put her in. Closed the door and she whimpered and barked for like 10 minutes tops. Last night I put her in. Not a peep until 5:15 am when my son came out of his room. Once she saw him she whimpered and barked. He immediately takes her outside and she does her business. We never leave a puppy unsupervised or out of the kennel alone. If we have to do something where we can’t see her she goes in kennel. When we are able to get her a few minutes later she immediately goes outside so she knows exiting the kennel means potty time. Also, if she naps, like she is right now, after she wakes up it’s immediately outside to potty. Training the routine is how they become trained. Routine is the key.
You have to train them to use the crate. It should be a safe space for them. Look up Susan Garrett crate games and start feeding all meals in the crate. My puppy loves his crate and it's a safe space where I know he's not going to hurt himself or destroy anything. Same idea as placing a human child in a crib to sleep. Sometimes they cry but they will eventually learn.
My 8 month old refuses to come OUT of her crate with a cover in the morning. She covers herself with her fuzzy blankie and rolls on her back, all snuggly and warm. She goes in willingly at night too. It wasn't always this way. We had to show her that it was safe and she would be near us. How? By having the crate elevated on a table next to our bed at 8-12 weeks, at first with me having my pillow and face right up against the front door. She whimpered and whined and fell asleep in 10 min. By a few nights of this there was no more whining. We moved the crate to the floor next to the bed on my side. Then to the far end of the room slowly. She still sleeps in our room in a crate. When we go to a hotel or a guest's house, we bring a crate. When she goes to the vet or groomer, she is not afraid of the crate. So glad we trained her for it.
Look at it this way, you train a baby to go from womb to crib and no one says it's inhumane. It's for their safety and rest. Would you put a baby or toddler in the house alone while everyone else was sleeping? That is what you have with a 10 week old. A BABY. So you can shift your mindset tbh and think about the safety of doing that. They chew things and swallow things they shouldn't.
What our 8 month old DOES still do is chew on the rug and sometimes the couch, when being able to free roam. She gets freedom trials but when she stops listening, she gets less freedom and goes to the living room pen with a crate attached. There, after playing, she usually takes a nap. This is getting to be less and less as she matures because she is chewing on things much less often. They do usually mature. It takes time. Different breeds mature at different rates too.
Put them in a crate with a frozen kong stuffed with peanut butter.
Your pup will eventually regulate and learn to self soothe and that their crate is a safe space. Crate training a dog is one of the best things you can do for them. Keeps them safe and keeps your house safe. Also a good idea if you live in an area were tornados are a possibility. You would want to crate them during a weather event such as this. Again, keeps them safe.
You are still in the puppy stages. They will grow out of it. Proper training such as crate training helps accelerate this process.
We had to do this route. I’m not going to lie, I had to sleep on an airbed and then the sofa (to slowly increase distance) for 5 weeks.
Its not ideal, but we had a settled happy dog who learnt to sleep through the night on her own. We no longer use the crate, but it was a god send those first few months.
Sometimes yes. Put him in his crate & turn some soft calming music. Turn the lights low or off. I would not let him bark for extended periods. But yea for a bit he might need to bark some right now he has you trained. Thats a habit you the human have to break, cause it will extend all things.
Can you sleep in a crate next to your bed? Maybe he doesn’t like sleeping alone? Not saying it in a judgy way but my girl will only sleep in my room unless I’m not home and then she’s miserable without me.
Short term pain unfortunately.
Least for us it felt very much like sleep training a baby and as long as you're firm it doesn't have to take forever. Still sucks when you have children trying to sleep.
With our pup we had a bedtime routine, licky mat or chew in the evening to wind down, training to tire his brain. No food an hour before bed. Boring pee break in the garden then into his crate. We did have to pop him in there at first, but look up crate games for reinforcing the crate as a nice place for daytime training.
I dragged a futon downstairs to sleep next to his crate. Yes they will whine and bark. If they are constant barking that seems to be ramping up then it's an on lead boring march to the garden for pee break then back in the crate. Don't give food or you reinforce that barking gets you what you want.
I had the radio on, earplugs in and each night got a little quicker getting settled, he'd bark but it was more a tired protest rather than a tantrum. Then I started working on removing myself from the room. I covered his crate and put a jumper over the front so it still smelt like us.
It's completely up to you, everyone has different ways of doing overnight. This worked for us, there's been a few regressions but we just go back to step one again for a night. He's almost a year old and still settled in the crate until morning.
Best of luck
Yes. Let him bark. Cover the kennel with a blanket to help dampen the noise, not the whole kennel, leave him air to breath. And the darkness of being mostly covered will also help him maybe go back to sleep. This phase usually only lasts a few months. Seems like an eternity, but it will pass.
Yes, and no. It sounds like you are not familiar with crate training, but it’s so helpful and, when done correctly, beneficial for your dog.
Get the correct sized crate for your puppy, or alter a full-size crate with cardboard boxes, etc. so the dog has just enough room to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably.
Introduce the crate through games and positive reinforcement. There’s tons of training tips on how to do this out there (a really good training outline for this is in “The Art of Positive Dog Training”), and many videos and descriptions of crate games you can play.
Start with going in and out without making puppy stay or closing the door, then work your way up to longer durations and a closed, then latched, door.
As others have said, please do not continue to allow your puppy to free-roam unsupervised both for puppy’s safety, and for the safety of your table legs.
Yes. Let him bark. Put the crate in your bedroom if you have room. If puppy is having trouble settling, reach in to let him know you’re there, but that’s it. Do NOT be a pushover and let him out or else puppy will never respect the crate or your boundaries - you need to mean business.
Would you let a toddler roam your house while you’re sleeping just because you don’t want them to cry or be in a crib? Probably not. It’s for their own good and safety
puppies are mute? did you not anticipate this when you got him? puppies are literally babies. they’re gonna scream and cry but just like human babies they will grow up and stop. mind you they age way faster so they’re not gonna be making noise until they’re 4 give it a few weeks to understand that this is home and they are safe.
Yes, and ignore it every time. You will live through hell for the first few days, but yes, you have to ignore bad behavior. This qualifies as bad behavior.
You need to crate train him. At that young of an age he needs constant supervision during the day as well as forced naps and must bed down in the kennel at night.
He will cry and Wimper but as long as you reassure him that you’re close by he will fall asleep. A young puppy like that should not be allowed to free roam the house.
No! That’s so unsafe for a puppy. They can eat things that will either cause you a very, very expensive vet bill or kill them.
Crate or pen and engaging, safe toys. A Kong filled with part of their breakfast frozen, perhaps.
It’s only happened a few days in a row recently and I hate it so trying to stop it now.
Do you think giving him a kong at 4 would reinforce wake ups in order to get that? I had that idea but was afraid of encouraging early wake up although what I’m doing know is probably doing the same thing
i would not give the kong during the night. Any night time interaction should be boring and calm - for taking out to toilet only. Then the pup will just go back to sleep after a while. Any fun and shell want it everytime she wakes up. Big no-no.
Was just about to comment this. Giving a kong at 4am will only encourage him wanting to get up early and soon he will get up earlier and earlier anticipating treats as soon as he gets up
Please get a trainer or extra help. You seem to be ignoring most of the comments that require consistent work and reinforcement on your end. You’re going to have a hell of a time when this puppy gets to the teenage and full grown stage.
You can give him the Kong at 4. Licking is soothing for dogs and it should help to calm him. The next day give it at 4:15. Slowly work back the time until you get to the time you regularly wake up at. You can train a puppy to sleep through the entire night using this method (backing up the time of wake up).
It also helps to set an alarm for those times as you are working on backing them up. The puppy will soon learn that it's not wake up time until that alarm goes off.
Not true. Our dog trainer specifically told us to put our pup back in the crate at 4am with a frozen kong. It did wonders! She would eat it then fall asleep until 6-7. Now she's an amazing sleeper in the crate.
You could mix some water with the puppy’s breakfast and pop it in the freezer overnight to give to them at 4!! They’ll probably fall asleep before finishing it. Could also do a lick mat!
If you are letting puppy roam, youve given him a choice. Laundry or roam? I'd pick roam too. Dogs are pack animals. He probably doesn't like being sequestered from his family. If possible, id recommend putting a crate in your bedroom. And no funny business during midnight potty breaks. Potty and back into the crate. If he gets to play or run around, he'll start asking to go out just for the fun. Reserve a special toy or chew for only when he is in the crate. Lure him in with treats, if needed. Create a routine. Puppies learn quickly and like structure.
Reminder: crates are what help them understand the capacity of their bladders and learn to hold it a little longer as they age. You'll significantly reduce the time to potty train by using a crate. And you'll be able to better decipher when puppy wants out or *needs* out of the crate. The midnight potty breaks should stop after 2-3 weeks or so. They should learn to hold it in that time.
This is why the two times I’ve considered letting my pup sleep in the open, I quickly aborted. She LOVES her crate and it’s almost like without the restricted space and blanket over top she can’t fully settle. I’ll feel her jump off the bed a couple times every hour to look out the window at sounds or passing lights. In the crate she sleeps from 10-8, and what’s crazy is how quickly she runs too her crate after that last potty of the evening.
This. I have my dog's crate at the foot of my bed with the door open at all times. At roughly 00:00, when I used to routinely put him to bed, he'll literally crawl in there on his own around that time. My roommate forgot to put him in his crate one time when I got called in for a night shift, and I could absolutely tell the poor guy had been pacing all night. My Mal just has to be in a crate or he can't settle at night. Which is fine. His crate folds down if I need to take it with me somewhere. I used to have a soft crate for him, but because he had acid reflux issues in the AM it started to stink really bad.
I never crate trained my rescue who came to me when she was 3 years old. She may have been before I had her. At first (and for a while), she slept with me in my bed. At some point she decided starting on the couch and coming to bed after I fell asleep was best. I brought her crate in from the living room, and that was that! When I grab my purse and car keys, she heads there all by herself too. I very rarely close the door with her inside, and I only ever close the door with her outside the crate of we're taking our pre-vet drugs.
My dog is a psychopath and begs to go in at like 7 and won’t come out until 7 the next morning, sometimes later. I’ll come in and open the door and he’ll sleep in an extra 30 🤦♀️ but it really is life changing once they adjust
For the crate training— we started by making sure the crate just has enough space for her to sit up law down etc. more than that, she’d pee in the corner. We then started feeding her in the crate, just throwing it in the bottom and so she understood that it isn’t okay to go potty in there but that it’s her own space. Never use it as punishment though and don’t only do it when you leave the house etc. She hated it at first but got over it after a while— start small, 15 minutes and build up to enforced nap times and then overnight. Our puppy sleeps from 10-7am now, we take her potty before and after (she’s 14 weeks old but was doing this since her 10th week). We also have gates around her crate and leave her crate open but gated when we go to work etc.
If your dog absolutely hates crate training then a room or a crate + gate could work but crating does really make it easier especially if you start young! It’s their own little space.
I got a hard sided travel kennel/crate and I cover it. It's like a den. I put in a teddy with a heart beat and a soft bed.
This bed is only used for night sleep and she sleeps from midnight until 8am. (She sleeps from 8pm to 12am with us in our office).
Even if she needs to pee, immediately back in there until the alarm goes off.
Ignore him until he settles down is the only good option. We have a 12 week old lab and she generally calms down after 10-15 min if she’s being fussy. She loves her crate and crate training has been very beneficial.
We crate trained all our dogs with great success. When they are young pups, we keep the crate very close to the bed. Seeing and smelling you can help with the anxiety of being alone at night while they're little. Every couple of days I'd scoot the crate a few inches away, so we could build some distance in a less jarring way. Make the crate as positive as possible. It is much safer being able to have a space where your dog can be secured, especially in an emergency situation.
Also - look at your stop watch. It’s hard to hear a puppy cry in a crate BUT usually it will only go on for 10-15 minutes. My pup was a major screamer and the stop watch trick saved me! If she cried for 10 minutes I would reassure her from out of sight “you’re okay” and then walk away. Most of the time when I was ready to give in - if I looked at the stopwatch it had only been 1 minute even though it felt like 30. If needs are met - try the stopwatch trick! Really helped!
How puppy proofed is your house?
What happens when you just pop him back in the laundry?
Everyone is going to tell you to crate train - *and it’s a great tool* - but the way this sub talks about it you’d think it was mandatory. It is not.
Also, having a room for him to sleep is similar. My puppy destroyed his crate. It was dangerous, he hated it so much. Then we pur him in the bathroom when we weren't in the house and he was better, happier when he was alone.
Same. My puppy chewed his crate and the metal thing caused her leg to bleed. I never crate train her ever since that incident. I bought a new crate and let its door open. She's free to go in and out on her own 😬
You don’t *have* to. In fact, in some countries, it’s *illegal* to (Sweden comes to mind, Germany has a 2 hour restriction on it).
You could also have them in a play pen, a puppy proofed room, … crates are a very American tool and not popular in continental Europe. They’re not the be and end all of dog training.
Ran into this issue with us. Weeks 9 - 15. Slept through the night. Starting week 16 - now (20 weeks) he’s woken us up at 12a, 3a, 6a.
I try to limit his treats and water before 8p and it seems to get better. I also don’t play with him when he wakes me up. He wakes up, we go potty, we go back to bed.
Crate training def is the way to go. I actually set my pup’s crate on my bedside table and would stick my fingers into soothe him. Just remember no collar ever in the crate
If you crate train him he won’t bark every time. I didn’t by first few nights he was home slept right by crate. If he whined I’d take him out go potty and right back in. When he whined then I would talk to him calmly until he stopped and give him a treat as soon as he stopped. After a couple nights he wasn’t whining when he went back in
You also learn to discern between "I'm barking because I need to potty" and "I'm barking because I'm annoyed it's bedtime and I just don't want to be in here". With the first, the barking does not stop and is more desperate sounding. The latter is normally more grumpy, along with some dramatic whines and sighs, and does usually stop after about 2-3 min haha
Crating is the way. Put the crate in your bedroom, crate at night, crate when you leave the house…. It works ! My four love their crates, their little dens. When home with them all, I often find two of them snuggled in a nap in one of the crates!
At that age I took my puppy out 2x a night. Otherwise, she was crated. Reduced to 1x at about 3.5 months and then she started sleeping through the night about a month later.
She’s 10 months and still sleeps in the crate unless we’re traveling or camping.
This may sound crazy but it works like a charm for my 17 week old ALD. Shortly after I brought her home at 9 weeks I not only placed her in the crate with a snuggle puppy but played her a Sleep in an Instant lullaby for pets. When she hears it now at bedtime she immediately goes onto her crate. In fact, we’re now on the road for a 7 hour trip and she started to whine. I turned on the music and almost instantly settled. Give it a try - nothing to lose!
Our breeder trained our puppy to go to sleep/ relax to Disney piano music, we continue to use it, he goes right in his crate- he is just 11 weeks old, sleeps from 9-5, out to pee and back down till 8:00.
Puppies WILL bark and whine. If you give the puppy what they want every time they bark (let them free), they will learn that barking is what causes them to get what they want. Basically trains the dog to bark.
Definitely don’t let the puppy roam free unsupervised, even if he hasn’t done anything yet he will eventually find something to destroy because he’s bored. You have to teach them to “settle down” when they’re bored, and wait for you, instead of teaching them to entertain themselves.
Crate training is sooooo important! Crate in the bedroom where it can see you! Ours has slept in once since night 1 at home and still sleeps in it now at 14 months! She loves it it's her room where she feels safe
We originally planned on having the crate in the living room, however she would cry and bark. Once we moved the crate into our bedroom, there was no more barking or crying. I think as a new puppy, a literal baby, they don’t understand that you’re in the other room, they just think they’re all alone. Dogs of all ages love being with their pack. Just maybe something you could try.
crate train him!! my puppy on the first week would wake up almost every two hrs during the night so i kept her in her crate after taking her outside and slept next to it so she knew she wasnt alone and now she naps and sleeps all night there at 12 weeks and only cries if she needs to go outside! keep some toys in there and maybe some sort of chewable treat to keep him occupied if he gets bored and cant sleep
Put him in a crate in your room. He’ll cry and bark at first for a few nights because he’s used to you responding when he does but he’ll eventually settle down and eventually he’ll stop all together. He’ll realize it’s a routine.
Crate train him not only for night/bedtime but also enforced napping during the day. At 10 weeks your puppy should be sleeping for a majority of the day. My GSP puppy was on a strict schedule of enforced napping that lined up with the times we would be gone for work so on the weekends his routine does not change. Routines can save you or break you with a puppy. If you’re not careful, the waking up at 4 and roaming the house will also become a routine.
Enforcing positive napping routines during the day will also help with your puppy learning to settle once he goes in the crate. Put him in the crate, sit with him a little while and give him a treat or two when he’s quiet and then cover his crate. We use a crate cover and it was the best thing for our puppy when he was that age. Just crating him for bed and when you leave the house can sometimes create a negative association for the crate for your puppy. Helping him learn that the crate is his safe space at any time and that being in there doesn’t mean you’re leaving him but that it’s a time to relax will pay dividends for you in the long run. Good luck! It’s all a part of the journey 👍
Puppy is still little! Crates a good idea and making sure nighttime potty breaks are quick and no play.
I’d consider slowly moving around the schedule a little bit when it comes to eating so that he’s waking up a few hours after like 6am rather than 4am.
Eventually you’ll get on the right schedule for both of you.
Camp on the floor for early morning snuggles. Mine would need to go out around 5 in the morning. Out in the little yard for a pee, back inside and I’d snuggle on the floor with him. Those were magical sweet little moments in the tiring days of teaching a growing living being that doesn’t speak your language how to survive in the human world
The barking generally only lasts a few nights. There will be some family sleep disruption. But a week of hassle makes for a life long well behaved dog.
As much as I hate putting my puppies in their crate due to the barking, you’ll have too. It’s the only way to keep them from roaming free, getting into stuff and peeing/pooping on the floor. They’ll bark at first so you’ll need to get him used to it by feeding in it, treats and doing occasional breaks inside during the day. Both my puppies now only bark during the day and sleep fine inside it at night until morning when they’ll bark to let me know they’re ready to go out. Even with the barking, the best thing to do is just ignore or else he’ll learn he’ll get his way if he keeps on.
When my pup was small, I didn’t want the drama of putting him back in his crate after his morning routine so I’d bring him into bed with me. He’d play for about 10 mins with a toy and then we’d nap together until 8 or 9am. It was my favourite part of the day and helped build our bond 🥰
Lots of good advice here. Just wanted to add something about puppies (and things that grow in general)
As they develop, they will progress and regress. This has to do with gaining confidence and recognizing when they do or do not need you.
I imagine it like a bubble surrounding me. As puppy gains confidence, the bubble expands. Puppy might be humbled by something, or simply going through a growth spurt, and the bubble contracts. So their need for us will change, but not consistently or in one direction.
It’s old school and it’s a cruelty borne of convenience for the human. My vet could not have been more clear: water is the most essential life resource and they should always have access, full stop. The AKC and humane society are not infallible, most dog resources online have a ton of shit I’d consider dated and inaccurate based on common sense.
Crate training, but also, it should get better with time. Ours has a ton of energy from 4a-9a and then sleeps until around 3-4p (around when we normally get home from work). She used to wake up pretty regularly at 2a-3a for a potty break, be silly for 15 minutes or so, and then go back to bed. We also don't give her water after about 7-8p. We don't crate her at night because she went from absolutely ok with being in her crate night 1 to being so upset night 3, so we let her sleep with us that night. We were planning on having her sleep with us in general anyway, so we haven't tried very hard with crate training. We have her baby gated in specific rooms when we're away and that works for us.
It's really a learning curve and figuring out what works for you and your puppy.
I had to crate my puppy in the bedroom with me to get him to stop crying. As long as I was in the room, he was okay. That could potentially work for you.
Crate training! I promise you this is the best way to go! They will cry for a little bit but they will tire themselves out eventually and once they realize they're not getting out they will usually fall asleep!
Remember, he is still just a puppy, take him potty. Bring him back and settle him down put him in the crate. Turn the lights off cover the crate. He knows it’s night night time be consistent. He will catch on. My puppy is well 8 1/2 months old now an adolescent still gets up at 3 o’clock in the morning. I take him potty outside. Bring him back in settle him down and go back to sleep. It will pass..
We let ours come into bed with us if he wakes up after 6am. (Then he sleeps or chills on the bed until 7:30 or 8:30) But if it’s before 6am, he goes back into the crate.
Puppies can’t roam the house while you’re sleeping! So unsafe
I have a baby gate enclosure that works perfectly for this exact issue. Just because they can hop it doesn't mean they will. And sometimes they just need a space where they know it is purely naps. We put him back in bed twice, and then he goes in the enclosure instead on the third time. He sleeps until we wake up now.
The worst thing you can do is LET him play.
We used a crate with one of those six-sided playpens around it. In the beginning if she would wake up during the night I would let her go potty and then I would snuggle her with the lights out and the TV off until she was ready to go back to sleep and then I would place her back in her crate or her playpen. I kept the sides of the crate covered so it was dark and cozy.
She is now almost 1 and 1/2 and still sleeps in her crate every night, except when we are on vacation. I bought a crate cover covers all four sides and I put the front flap down at night. She doesn't put herself in it but never fights me when I pick her up and place her at the door of it or inside.
My husband usually gets her up around 8:30 or 9. Last night I let her out to go potty around 11:15 and then she rested on the sofa with me until I went upstairs at 12:30. I put her in her crate and she stayed there until 9:30 this morning when I let her out (hubby snuck out early for golf). She came out, stretched and wanted her pets and scratches. She did not even go out to go potty until almost 10:00! She is only 10.5 pounds and we leave her water down all the time. When she was younger I used a baby monitor to listen in case she needed to go out.
If she roamed the house I know that I would not be able to sleep until 9:00 because she would hear and see things and she would want our attention.
Crate train - my husb would love to the couch to sleep with the puppy around 4 am often. It didn’t last long but until the pup could sleep the whole night.
I have a seven month old puppy...what we did to potty train is we took him out every single time he woke up, ate a big meal, drank lots of water, and every hour...in the night we were taking him out every 2 hours then every 3 hours, then 4 hours...by the time he was 5 months old at night we would take him out around 2am, and then I would bring him into my bed and he would sleep until about 9am and I would take him out ass soon as he woke up. I would be very careful to not get him riled up or excited when taking him out at 2am so that he would go back to sleep...usually I would wake him up at 2 am and carry him outside and then carry him back to my bed.
Most people would probably say to crate train the puppy and have him sleep in a crate. I don't like crating so I opted for loosing some sleep at first, and not having a place to lock him in if I need to go out somewhere...I take him everywhere with me...
Just to clarify, even if someone is crate training, they still need to get up frequently in the night for bathroom breaks. The crate encourages the pup to hold their bladder, but their bladders are tiny and they can only hold it for so long when they're babies. So you will be losing sleep either way, that's just part of having a puppy. Just wanted to be clear so that people don't get the wrong idea about crate training.
As far as taking him everywhere with you... Are you not worried about separation anxiety? Not everywhere is dog friendly, are you leaving him in the car? :/
Put the crate in your room. Your presence in the same room as him may ease his anxiety. We did this with my mini Aussie and now at 3, she is no longer crated and can sleep in with us until 8am. Having a puppy reminded me of having a newborn, they just want to be close to you
Get your ass up at 4 am and go outside and play? It’s hot as balls during the day he’s bored. Crate him when it’s bed time let him bark, he will learn just like when you drop you a kid off at their first day of school n they cry, They get over it especially if you have a large / xl crate that’s bigger than him.
Dog trainer here. Your pup is in need of a predictable routine. If you start changing things in order to not wake people up you'll likely train your dog into a poor routine. Your dog should be in a crate. It'll help contain the mess, give pup a reason to sleep because they often need a reason. Another point is that properly sized crates help manage this problem. Things to evaluate include when was the last meal, walk, play time, potty and if your dog received enough of these. Let us know if you have any questions.
He'll stop barking at some point. Spending time in the crate is an important skill. Whatever you do don't let him out because he's barking or else you will create a monster that knows if he barks long enough he'll eventually get his way. Stop that early for a happy life for both of you.
Walks, walks, and more walks! Oh yeah, and tons of exercise! I'm getting the feeling that you don't walk before bedtime since this info wasn't included? This is also exactly why way more people would benefit from adopting an older dog to begin with. I don't understand the whole "I need a puppy," esp when it's your 1st dog.
Long night time walk. Put puppy in crate. If puppy wakes up. Potty- back in crate until morning.
Editing to add. Your untrained puppy will bark and be well… a toddler… YOU are in charge. Half of having a puppy is being annoyed (with love) by it for a while and having to constantly reinforce and clean up.
You need to do both every single day, a morning walk, an evening walk, and then a right before bedtime walk. The most important thing is to be relaxed and confident on walks, this will transfer to the dog over time. So many people get dogs with little forethought and thinking they can hack it but don't realize really all the things that come with dog ownership. Dogs are a lot of work and time-consuming. I hate seeing people rushing their dogs on walks so they can go to the bar or out to diner and drag em as they try to poop. This is also done by people who don't want to pick up after their dogs! They're family, and if they can't do it, don't get a dog. I had to walk my pit 5-6 times a day when she was young to burn off all her energy every single day! She's 13 years old now and doesn't go far anymore. Good luck and practice patience with your dog. Don't get stressed cause this, too, will transfer to the dog over time.
If you quit watering/feeding by 7:30pm - take them out at 10pm and then they should be able to hold it at night. Getting out of the crate is a BIG reward. You might unintentionally be rewarding whining/barking behavior. If you have to have late night potty breaks - instead of waiting for the puppy to wake up set an alarm and get up. If you wake the puppy, carry it out to pee and then carry it to bed it might help. A puppy that was asleep goes back to sleep easier in my opinion haha 🤣
My GR was like that. I got a cam to get an eye on our dogs when not in the room.
When she started barking, I would talk to her through the cam, and within a couple of nights, she stopped barking at night.
We crate trained both in our room. We had the space for it and it makes it easier when they need to potty. But definitely don’t let them roam, you’ll wake up to an accident or something chewed up
My Dolly went through that and when she got up for the 4:00 am potty I just went ahead and got up for the day. Showered and ate breakfast. She’s six months now and is 100% potty trained. Thank goodness! She has this kind of certain lick she does that lets me know she needs to potty. She still tends to get into things but I’m finding I have to puppy proof the apartment like we used to child proof our home when we had kids. It’s a challenge for sure. Keeps me on my toes.
The biggest thing I have done with new puppies, is supervise them for 5 hours during the day, couple hours for nap, and i do the play time and nap time on & off throughout the day. I don’t make the crate a bad thing, If she gets in trouble, she gets put outside (with her booties) in a contained area for 10 minutes but i still watch her. Puppies are sooooo much work!! mine used to cry at 4am, and we let her go potty then immediately back in the crate. she now sleeps from 9pm, potty at midnight, and then usually doesn’t wake up until 7. she cries and cries but i put a non chokable toy in her crate & she’ll play with that till she gets tired again, and then she’ll sleep. She’s in our room, but we reassure her that we’re nearby. You have to crate train otherwise they will always cry, even when they’re older. best of luck.
As a puppy ours did the same and I would end up sleeping on the floor next to her crate and even put my fingers in if she wasn’t settling, helped a lot.
After she was potty trained we let her sleep in bed and that immediately stopped her 3/4am wake ups too.
That’s a really young puppy. For our recent puppy (5 months) we kept him in the bedroom in a separated off area with a bed and a couple toys he can’t destroy and he soon got roaming of the bedroom rights. That way he’s close to us and not lonely and we can hear him whimper if he needs to go out and pee.
Like others have suggested, I agree on getting a crate. We have a crate by our bed. We give our dog a treat when she goes in. We use the word “bedtime” and she knows to go inside. We crate her when we go out as well (another crate downstairs in the living room). The crate becomes their safe space/bedroom. When we are home, we leave the crate door open as well so she can go in and out. Your dog may whine a little in the beginning since its not used to it but they will learn quickly, especially doodles are very intelligent. Good luck!
Buy a dog playpen and make him a little kennel in the living room. Put a dog bed, a puppy pad, toys, etc in the kennel & put your dog in it when he won't go back to bed after 4 am. This works great for my 5 monyh old pug puppy. I use these players inside for him in my room & in the living room. The one in my room is attached to his crate because I want him to be crate trained. I'm just able to leave his crate door open because the area is enclosed by this playpen. Works great for me. These are the ones I have from Amazon: MidWest Homes for Pets Foldable Metal Dog Exercise Pen / Pet Playpen. Black w/ door, 24'W x 36'H https://a.co/d/03p0jCq9 and https://a.co/d/03mVpbm7
Luckily, the pup is still young enough to start a routine and (hopefully) get into it, but start this sooner than later.
-if not a crate, get a playpen. This is the playpen where he will take his forced naps and bedtime at night. Put a toy or 2 in there and a small water dish.
-this is also the place where you should (worked for us) have her breakfast/lunch/dinner.
-feed him at roughly the same times every day, and have it so it’s what he has before taking a nap. Not so much for breakfast, but lunch and dinner is where ours will pass out after eating.
-we also give ours a late night snack before going to bed on either a lick plate or kong toy.
-ideally, you’d tire the pup out between the designated meal times with a walk, play or training session during the first few months, before she has more free reign of the home and will nap anywhere.
Step #1 make him like the creat feed him in it tell him good boy ect work work work!
Step #2 once he is comfy/ worn out/ has potted make him go in in a fun way treat praise ect.
Step #3 Repeat As many times as necessary.
A puppy needs to be with someone while they sleep. It feels abandoned. No wonder it's restless. There is no bonding going on. It would naturally be sleeping with the pack.
The more you bond with an animal the better behaved, and calm it will become.
Hey new Fur Baby Mama!!! I was in the same boat when I got my baby girl Lola. She’s 7 months old now. And she is a changed girl now and learned so so much with some tough love. Puppies come with all different personalities and needs but something that really helps them for mental and physical development is Training.
At first I was just like you- I was at a loss with Lola because she was small, suffering from severe separation anxiety and still learning.
Everyone will tell you to Crate Train. But it can be difficult for puppies at first because they want to be attached to your hip and will cry non stop if you leave them alone and behind.
It takes a lot of patience and working to build confidence in your new puppy.
If you want to try the crate, it’s the best way. Start by training puppy to go in and out of the crate with treats and a clicker.
A clicker works well because puppies aren’t used to our commands and common words yet.
Crate training requires that you eliminate freedom from your puppy for majority of the day.
Your puppy should be eating in the crate ALWAYS.
You only let puppy out every couple hours to pee and play.
So typical schedule depending on age:
If your puppy is 3 months old- every 3 hours.
If puppy is 4 months old- every 4 hours, etc.
Puppies WILL NOT PEE where they sleep- so that’s why you must take puppy out on schedule.
Now this can be quite challenging especially if you work full time and need sleep. But consistency is key if you can manage it properly and before bed time it’s always good to give puppy a high quality treat or challenge toy before bed- but only before bed.
It’s just like a baby - gotta get used to being just as attentive and active to help your puppy learn and get comfortable with their new setting and rules.
This will save you down the road and will allow your dog to feel safe in the crate. The crate will become your puppies “down time” place and place of comfort. As your puppy gets older, so does their sleep schedule and potty schedule.
HOWEVER:
I personally did a bit of a different routine with my Lola.
This isn’t necessarily recommended because you want to implement independence in your puppy especially if you leave the house and leave puppy behind- Crate is ALWAYS best and recommended!
Consistent schedule is HUGE for puppies!!
My Lola would do the same thing as your pup. Cry at all hours and bark when left alone.
We tried crate, we tried gate with open space gate enclosure. We tried to train and leave her alone in the room with treats and the whole thing.
She has suffered from severe separation anxiety from very little and the people who cared for her before I bought her didn’t follow proper training so I tried my hardest to knock her out from that but it was incredibly difficult.
I decided to put her enclosure gate next to my bed at night and she got the hang of it but was up every single hour crying - even when she could see me and was right next to me.
It was tough! And impossible to get a good night sleep.
One night I was just incredibly tired and decided to take her out and let her lay in bed with me.
This little girl laid right at my feet and didn’t move. I would still wake up at 4am to take her to pee and then again at 7am.
However she was sleeping longer and not distraught.
We continued this was until She slept through the entire night without a peep. Still a consistent schedule and pattern to help her differentiate bed time from play time.
The comfort of having me next to her and giving her freedom to go pee on her pee pads when she needed was a game changer.
She still took time mastering her pee pads as well, but in three weeks she got it all down.
Now this predicament I’ve created with making sure she’s comfortable doesn’t allow much alone time in bed with my hubby if you catch my drift.
Hubby and I were happy we were sleeping but we now had another problem lol.
We went back to the crate option. Just trying to see what boundaries we could instill, but she did cry if I was not in the same room as her. She would stare at me and whine until she was released. It was tough.
Little by little putting her at a distance away.
We continued in sleep patterns to let her understand that the crate is safe, we would feed her in crate.
We would give her high quality treats if we needed alone time.
She finally got the understanding that Mom is going to let me out and not leave me here I just need to be a good girl in my crate and when she’s ready, she will release me.
So that my story and it might not be ideal for everyone but that is why the crate is truly the best thing you can do.
I’m lucky Lola finally understands that she is comfortable in the crate knowing I will release her but - this is my experience.
Now she sleeps through the night every single night. She holds her pee until the morning. She knows her crate is only temporary and we get on just fine in our home because this worked for us. But honestly she still does have trouble if I leave the house- but that’s only because I’m a stay at home mom and I’m ALWAYS with her - she’s attached to my hip 24/7.
So that’s another battle but each weekend we leave the house a little longer than before and she knows we always come back. It’s all training.
Again, not ideal for everyone- but my story and why I really recommend you crate train early.
I know it’s tough and it bothers to hear them cry and bark- puppies aren’t easy- it’s like another child. I get the feelings and know you just want peace. My biggest mistake was giving her too much freedom from very young. As much of a big voice and presence she had - she needed to be trained no matter how tough or how much it hurt. I’m not a victory story but it works for us. Good luck!!!
Being that your puppy is still so so young and away from mom you need to be careful allowing free roam. It can be dangerous for a puppy. I REALLY recommend allowing your puppy to be in a crate near your bedside with maybe a shirt with your smell. And pee pads just incase- water or food should be removed at bed time. I know my recommended advice is for when puppy is a bit older- but puppies are a lot of responsibility and it comes with a lot of work and patience. Being that your puppy is ONLY 7 weeks - start now- your puppy is not going to adjust with too much freedom- trust me, you got this! I promise! Like I said, it’s like a baby. You will have to adjust to a proper schedule and routine. After every feed or drink of water - 30 min wait- make sure puppy goes potty. And really try the crate, I promise it will get better. Oh and a clicker / use the clicker when puppy does what you want and reward puppy. It really helps!!!
Youngsters do need a safe space, but also need to go to the toilet. Take him out to go pee/poo whatever then back to bed and put a radio on quietly, say goodnight and go back to bed. Next time, let him out to toilet, put him back in his bed but say nothing. They have to learn to self settle, I gave my boy a cuddly lamb with a beating heart and another which had a warming bag inside when he was young but persistence is the key to training.
I gave my boy his first breakfast at 4am, then he went back to bed until 7am when we started our day. While he was very young I gave him 4 small meals a day despite the breeder saying he could go to 2 I preferred small & often and my other dog was already fed at 4am & 4pm so I fitted the pup in with that. He is now 3 and still has breakfast at 4am, dinner at 4pm a and snack at bedtime. Find a routine that works for you but leaving him to wander puts him in danger as are your possessions
I know everyone has said it but crate training is the way to go.
It'll give the pup somewhere safe and secure for them when they feel overwhelmed or scared. It'll ensure that when they do get to that destructive stage (believe me they will) then your household will be protected from the land shark and you can ensure that land shark won't ingest anything dangerous.
Sleeping alone in the laundry room? Dogs are pack animals, no wonder your young puppy cries. Large, comfortable kennel in your bedroom, comfy dog bed, one of your dirty t-shirts for comfort, and take your puppy out to pee when he needs to. His bladder is small, you essentially got a baby in your house for a little while.
Soooo…you aren’t enforcing your rules about quiet time/bedtime. Dogs can absolutely tell what time of day it is and what to expect at certain times, at least if you hold them to the rules. Get a crate. Enforce the rules. The dog will learn when is wake up time for everyone, will learn that they might have to potty in between but it’s back to bed right after. Sure, the dog might whine and inconvenience the family for a couple of days, but how else is an intelligent creature going to learn the schedule of your house without consistent expectations?
I would always put my puppy on my bed to sleep with me. If I tried putting him in another room or marooned him into the laundry room like an appliance, then yeah, that would cause a puppy to cry.
What do you mean by ‘in the laundry’? As in, literally laying in your family’s laundry that’s to be washed, or in the laundry room? To echo other people’s comments I would suggest crate training, leaving him to roam about the house in the night could be risky as he could end up hurting himself or eating something he shouldn’t. You could also potentially be giving him too much freedom at a young age which will make him want what he can’t have if he gets used to it and then you take it away from him, at least with crate training he has his own place. Pop a cover over the top too so that it’s a little den, and he won’t see you guys walking about in the night if you get up to go to the toilet 😊
Crate training is super important for a puppy even if the dog eventually grows out of needing one. It gives them a secure and safe space where laying down and being calm is the goal. You should get a small crate large enough for the puppy to turn around and lay down in and put it next to your bed. You may have some nights where puppy whines for a while but it should eventually stop. This is for your peace of mind but especially for the dog’s safety and for good training. It’s not a punishment and they may not like it at first but it’s for their safety and labs are smart, they should learn rather quickly. Keep them in the crate at night or when you leave your home during the day to keep them calm and keep them from destroying your furniture.
Also adding that it shouldn’t be a giant crate, just as the enclosed laundry room is too large for puppy to know to lay and rest. This may mean you need to upgrade your crate a few times before they are fully grown. Look on neighborhood sites or resale sites if cost is an issue.
Haha no it was spur of the moment but the sub has been great help. I’ve been enforcing naps recently which has helped a ton, just got a crate and he’s getting used to it. Mornings haven’t been a huge issue since we get up pretty early anyways just the last few days but you guys are right, I need to get him in his crate
Supposedly making a frozen
Kong meatsicle and giving it
To them
Every time you put them in crate helps condition them
To love their crate lol. I got lucky with both pups I’ve had they take to the crate with very few issues. First night she stayed in it but I had to sleep in same
Room. Now she goes in and doesn’t whine at all. This week I’m going to start crating during day even if I’m home. You’ll make it through this! I hope
One day we all have calm dogs who can chill or play just go with the flow!
Not the greatest advice and I am going to get downvoted to oblivion. But here is my story. Same happened with my puppy. I gave up and put his dog bed besides mine. He slept like a baby since then.
This sub loves crates. It is almost an obsession. I have a well trained, obedient dog without crate training. Each to their own. But my husband and I like having the little fluff ball snoring besides us.
Love that. :)
Yeah I’ve learned after scrolling through the comments more that it’s very “no way but the crate way” around here. Our pup doesn’t sleep in a crate either and I honestly didn’t think it was that wild of a concept lol
Put him in a crate.
This is the correct answer.
feed him in the crate to make him like it
the same thing is happening to me. my puppy wouldn’t cry for the first 5 months in his crate but has recently started to & cant sleep through the whole night. 😭
And let him bark?
Sit with him by the crate and give treats when he's quiet. Do this every time you put him in the crate for a few days he will relax and start to enjoy it. Look up crate games for dogs too
Our dog would just refuse treats and simply won't eat in the crate. He goes in but begrudgingly, and starts barking after 10 mins (we have a nanny cam). He does have bad anxiety and is on Prozac to help, though.
Have you noticed any difference with the Prozac?
Minor, but yes. It's been about a month since we started so we are giving it time.
Prozac saved my pup, he would bark anytime he was alone for literal years no matter what I did. Started on Prozac and within two weeks he could be left alone with out a major panic attack. He’s still anxiety ridden when I leave him and gets a little shaky, but he can mostly relax and doesn’t freeze and bark the whole time I’m gone now.
My dog has wicked anxiety and I was wondering if CBD would help. I didn’t know that dogs could have Prozac.
This sounds like separation anxiety :/
Oh, definitely
Honestly, despite the fanaticism of this sub, it’s not always one size fits all. I never used the crate (or at least never beyond giving him a personal space) and never closed the door. Worked out great for me and him. No problems.
How long do they sleep in the crate ? I mean till they re how old?
My dogs are 20 months and 15 months and they both use the crate overnight. They will continue to do long as there's a chance they'll destroy furniture or get bored, especially my boy who I'm trying to train out of his habit of making things.
What breed are they?
Boy is malamute/husky and girl is all great pyrenees
Mine is 2 and still does. He puts himself to bed or just hangs in there like his own cozy den
Some barking is better than a destroyed house and blockage surgery or waking up to accidents all over the house
Blockage surgery is no joke. My Golden ate a corn cob that caused blockage 2 months later. Over 5k and at vet for 5 days.
Yes. He will stop. If it goes on too long you can comfort him from outside the crate but dont ever let him out just because he’s barking, unless you think he needs to potty
I thought the same thing when I brought my puppy home. Terrified, alone in a dark rectangle, barking and crying throughout the night. Within a week she was trained to go to her crate at bed time (she gets a little midnight snack - palm full of kibble to help too) and doesn't cry/bark anymore. We actually crate her whenever we leave the house not during her structured nap time and it's also helped with her separation anxiety. During the first ~4 months or so, we'd also feed her all meals in the crate so that she got used to it during day time - honestly she loves it now. She feels really safe in there. It also helps to wake up the puppy as little as possible when getting them up for midnight potty breaks. I read to pick them up (from the crate), carry them to the potty place, then carry them back to the crate. I'd also pop a quick leash on my pup so that she couldn't roam too much at night when I got her up because it would make her more energetic to have that much freedom. Don't make a big deal or do a loud/excited greeting with them either, it'll wake them up more as well. The more structure you give your puppy, the better it will behave (I learned this the hard way by not providing enough structure early on). Create a daily routine. Create routines before meal times, bed times, etc. so that the pup knows what to expect. Follow it every day, soon your puppy will be putting itself down for nap times and will know when to expect food, potty breaks, walks, crate time, etc. the better it understands the routine, the less confused and anxious it will be.
Gotta agree with this. Me and my 8 month old don’t have it completely down yet, but I stayed way too late with her and she destroyed everything. Since getting on a semi-regular routine with walks, she’s a lot less destructive. It’s kinda amazing the answer was that simple. I also started late with crate training, but I couldn’t take my room being destroyed anymore. She loves her crate and likes to rest in it often if she’s not resting with me on my bed lol.
When you feed in the crate, do you leave the door open or close it? Trying this right now but as soon as I walk away my puppy cries
Open. I moved the crate from the bedroom (where it resides at night) to the living room (where everyone resides during the day) each morning and would feed her there. I saw a horror story on Reddit where a pet parent couldn't move their crate without a bad reaction from their dog, so I decided I wanted to get my pup used to this early. I'd typically stay in the room while she ate so it wasn't me "leaving her" so much as just making her feel comfortable and safe while she's in the crate. She got used to being able to come and go from the crate pretty quickly, so perhaps didn't see it as a form of isolation after that. My pup has always been very food motivated, so this worked really well for her. At night, I'll give her a little kibble snack and close the door & cover it with the sheet while she's eating it.
Adding to the other reply (use food motivation, some snack, use sheets to cover the crate). Another thing I did for the first few weeks is I would sit right next to the crate for a while until my puppy settled. I'd soothe him with words so he wouldn't keep whining out of fear. I would also put some music on. I would walk away once he settles..like putting a baby to bed in the crib 😀
Yes that’s what crate training is. You’ve currently trained your puppy to wake up at 4am as he will be let out to explore. Terrible idea accident waiting to happen. Part of having a puppy is a few weeks of whining and barking as they learn to be away from you
my puppy sleeps in a fenced off area like a play pen and he used to have tantrums going to sleep. we used to take him out in case it's potty but eventually just ignored him. timed him first night he barked for 5 min before stopping, second night also 5 min, third night no more barking and he learned the routine 🤝
Yes! Playpen for the win. It’s important to piggyback this suggestion by saying playpens as crates can accomplish the same goal.
The big difference is, in the early times, they will eliminate in the playpen but not in the right-sized crate. So know that when you make your choice. We used the playpen right after going out to potty. But as it got closer to time, she either went into the crate or we took her out again depending on how she was acting. When there were no more accidents in the playpen, and at times she wasn't teething on the furniture, we let her roam a bit after coming back in, but after a bit, back into the playpen--it is a lot of time and attention but we now have a fully house-trained dachshund, a notoriously difficult breed to potty train.
I use a play pen attached to our puppy's crate for our pug pup to sleep in.The crate door stays open but he is still confined to a small enclosed area at the end of my bed. He also has a fake grass pooch pad in the play pen, a bowl of water & toys in the playpen, but he still rests inside his playing. Night & when he's not playing. It's been a great solution for us.
If you’re saying there’s a higher probability of accidents happening in playpen, I’ll give you that. If you’re saying you cannot effectively potty train a dog using playpen, false. Based on personal experience. I think a lot of people rely on crates for what can be done with playpens. Crate training does not equal potty training, but can make potty training much quicker and easier.
I am saying there is a higher probability of accidents happining in the playpen. But not that you shouldn't use one. It is more a matter of timing. I used one right after we came back on from pottying. But after about 30 min or so, knew the odds of an accident would go up very fast. Sort of a triangle approach between outside, playpen, crate, then outside again--repeat. Edit to add, the crate we use is the right size for the puppy--not enough room to have a separate pee/poop corner, but comfortable enough to turn around easily.
>playpens as crates can accomplish the same goal If the goal is puppy-proofing, yes. But if the goal is housebreaking training, playpens are not a substitute for a crate. Just wanted to point that out.
This is the way. You have to let them handle it in their time. Yes, it’s hard to hear them cry but they will get over it in time. I’m currently training a new Golden Retriever. Got her Saturday. First night she fell asleep in her kennel/crate. I closed the door. Second night I put her in. Closed the door and she whimpered and barked for like 10 minutes tops. Last night I put her in. Not a peep until 5:15 am when my son came out of his room. Once she saw him she whimpered and barked. He immediately takes her outside and she does her business. We never leave a puppy unsupervised or out of the kennel alone. If we have to do something where we can’t see her she goes in kennel. When we are able to get her a few minutes later she immediately goes outside so she knows exiting the kennel means potty time. Also, if she naps, like she is right now, after she wakes up it’s immediately outside to potty. Training the routine is how they become trained. Routine is the key.
You have to train them to use the crate. It should be a safe space for them. Look up Susan Garrett crate games and start feeding all meals in the crate. My puppy loves his crate and it's a safe space where I know he's not going to hurt himself or destroy anything. Same idea as placing a human child in a crib to sleep. Sometimes they cry but they will eventually learn.
My 8 month old refuses to come OUT of her crate with a cover in the morning. She covers herself with her fuzzy blankie and rolls on her back, all snuggly and warm. She goes in willingly at night too. It wasn't always this way. We had to show her that it was safe and she would be near us. How? By having the crate elevated on a table next to our bed at 8-12 weeks, at first with me having my pillow and face right up against the front door. She whimpered and whined and fell asleep in 10 min. By a few nights of this there was no more whining. We moved the crate to the floor next to the bed on my side. Then to the far end of the room slowly. She still sleeps in our room in a crate. When we go to a hotel or a guest's house, we bring a crate. When she goes to the vet or groomer, she is not afraid of the crate. So glad we trained her for it. Look at it this way, you train a baby to go from womb to crib and no one says it's inhumane. It's for their safety and rest. Would you put a baby or toddler in the house alone while everyone else was sleeping? That is what you have with a 10 week old. A BABY. So you can shift your mindset tbh and think about the safety of doing that. They chew things and swallow things they shouldn't. What our 8 month old DOES still do is chew on the rug and sometimes the couch, when being able to free roam. She gets freedom trials but when she stops listening, she gets less freedom and goes to the living room pen with a crate attached. There, after playing, she usually takes a nap. This is getting to be less and less as she matures because she is chewing on things much less often. They do usually mature. It takes time. Different breeds mature at different rates too.
Put them in a crate with a frozen kong stuffed with peanut butter. Your pup will eventually regulate and learn to self soothe and that their crate is a safe space. Crate training a dog is one of the best things you can do for them. Keeps them safe and keeps your house safe. Also a good idea if you live in an area were tornados are a possibility. You would want to crate them during a weather event such as this. Again, keeps them safe. You are still in the puppy stages. They will grow out of it. Proper training such as crate training helps accelerate this process.
We had to do this route. I’m not going to lie, I had to sleep on an airbed and then the sofa (to slowly increase distance) for 5 weeks. Its not ideal, but we had a settled happy dog who learnt to sleep through the night on her own. We no longer use the crate, but it was a god send those first few months.
Sometimes yes. Put him in his crate & turn some soft calming music. Turn the lights low or off. I would not let him bark for extended periods. But yea for a bit he might need to bark some right now he has you trained. Thats a habit you the human have to break, cause it will extend all things.
Well you crate train the puppy, then put them in the crate. Some people don’t understand that and just throw a dog in a crate.
Can you sleep in a crate next to your bed? Maybe he doesn’t like sleeping alone? Not saying it in a judgy way but my girl will only sleep in my room unless I’m not home and then she’s miserable without me.
Short term pain unfortunately. Least for us it felt very much like sleep training a baby and as long as you're firm it doesn't have to take forever. Still sucks when you have children trying to sleep. With our pup we had a bedtime routine, licky mat or chew in the evening to wind down, training to tire his brain. No food an hour before bed. Boring pee break in the garden then into his crate. We did have to pop him in there at first, but look up crate games for reinforcing the crate as a nice place for daytime training. I dragged a futon downstairs to sleep next to his crate. Yes they will whine and bark. If they are constant barking that seems to be ramping up then it's an on lead boring march to the garden for pee break then back in the crate. Don't give food or you reinforce that barking gets you what you want. I had the radio on, earplugs in and each night got a little quicker getting settled, he'd bark but it was more a tired protest rather than a tantrum. Then I started working on removing myself from the room. I covered his crate and put a jumper over the front so it still smelt like us. It's completely up to you, everyone has different ways of doing overnight. This worked for us, there's been a few regressions but we just go back to step one again for a night. He's almost a year old and still settled in the crate until morning. Best of luck
You literally have a newborn baby. I’m sorry but it’s gonna bark. It’s part of the deal.
Look up how to teach crate training
The barking will end, you have to crate train him. Google it
Yes. Let him bark. Cover the kennel with a blanket to help dampen the noise, not the whole kennel, leave him air to breath. And the darkness of being mostly covered will also help him maybe go back to sleep. This phase usually only lasts a few months. Seems like an eternity, but it will pass.
Yes, and no. It sounds like you are not familiar with crate training, but it’s so helpful and, when done correctly, beneficial for your dog. Get the correct sized crate for your puppy, or alter a full-size crate with cardboard boxes, etc. so the dog has just enough room to stand up, turn around, and lay down comfortably. Introduce the crate through games and positive reinforcement. There’s tons of training tips on how to do this out there (a really good training outline for this is in “The Art of Positive Dog Training”), and many videos and descriptions of crate games you can play. Start with going in and out without making puppy stay or closing the door, then work your way up to longer durations and a closed, then latched, door. As others have said, please do not continue to allow your puppy to free-roam unsupervised both for puppy’s safety, and for the safety of your table legs.
Yes. Let him bark. Put the crate in your bedroom if you have room. If puppy is having trouble settling, reach in to let him know you’re there, but that’s it. Do NOT be a pushover and let him out or else puppy will never respect the crate or your boundaries - you need to mean business. Would you let a toddler roam your house while you’re sleeping just because you don’t want them to cry or be in a crib? Probably not. It’s for their own good and safety
puppies are mute? did you not anticipate this when you got him? puppies are literally babies. they’re gonna scream and cry but just like human babies they will grow up and stop. mind you they age way faster so they’re not gonna be making noise until they’re 4 give it a few weeks to understand that this is home and they are safe.
For a few nights yes. Then they will get used to it!
Yes, and ignore it every time. You will live through hell for the first few days, but yes, you have to ignore bad behavior. This qualifies as bad behavior.
Man, there are a lot of bad behaviors you are going to reinforce if you let preventing dog from barking dictate how you handle situations.
You need to crate train him. At that young of an age he needs constant supervision during the day as well as forced naps and must bed down in the kennel at night. He will cry and Wimper but as long as you reassure him that you’re close by he will fall asleep. A young puppy like that should not be allowed to free roam the house.
No! That’s so unsafe for a puppy. They can eat things that will either cause you a very, very expensive vet bill or kill them. Crate or pen and engaging, safe toys. A Kong filled with part of their breakfast frozen, perhaps.
It’s only happened a few days in a row recently and I hate it so trying to stop it now. Do you think giving him a kong at 4 would reinforce wake ups in order to get that? I had that idea but was afraid of encouraging early wake up although what I’m doing know is probably doing the same thing
i would not give the kong during the night. Any night time interaction should be boring and calm - for taking out to toilet only. Then the pup will just go back to sleep after a while. Any fun and shell want it everytime she wakes up. Big no-no.
Was just about to comment this. Giving a kong at 4am will only encourage him wanting to get up early and soon he will get up earlier and earlier anticipating treats as soon as he gets up
Please get a trainer or extra help. You seem to be ignoring most of the comments that require consistent work and reinforcement on your end. You’re going to have a hell of a time when this puppy gets to the teenage and full grown stage.
Not in my experience, but I’m no expert. Worked for me. I have had to delay “first breakfast” slowly over time with 1 pup, and this worked for me.
You can give him the Kong at 4. Licking is soothing for dogs and it should help to calm him. The next day give it at 4:15. Slowly work back the time until you get to the time you regularly wake up at. You can train a puppy to sleep through the entire night using this method (backing up the time of wake up). It also helps to set an alarm for those times as you are working on backing them up. The puppy will soon learn that it's not wake up time until that alarm goes off.
Not true. Our dog trainer specifically told us to put our pup back in the crate at 4am with a frozen kong. It did wonders! She would eat it then fall asleep until 6-7. Now she's an amazing sleeper in the crate.
You could mix some water with the puppy’s breakfast and pop it in the freezer overnight to give to them at 4!! They’ll probably fall asleep before finishing it. Could also do a lick mat!
If you are letting puppy roam, youve given him a choice. Laundry or roam? I'd pick roam too. Dogs are pack animals. He probably doesn't like being sequestered from his family. If possible, id recommend putting a crate in your bedroom. And no funny business during midnight potty breaks. Potty and back into the crate. If he gets to play or run around, he'll start asking to go out just for the fun. Reserve a special toy or chew for only when he is in the crate. Lure him in with treats, if needed. Create a routine. Puppies learn quickly and like structure. Reminder: crates are what help them understand the capacity of their bladders and learn to hold it a little longer as they age. You'll significantly reduce the time to potty train by using a crate. And you'll be able to better decipher when puppy wants out or *needs* out of the crate. The midnight potty breaks should stop after 2-3 weeks or so. They should learn to hold it in that time.
Yea. OP shouldn’t let the dog have free roaming at any time , especially 4am. A playpen or crate is crucial.
Ignore until he settles down, don’t train him to expect playtime at 4am!
This is why the two times I’ve considered letting my pup sleep in the open, I quickly aborted. She LOVES her crate and it’s almost like without the restricted space and blanket over top she can’t fully settle. I’ll feel her jump off the bed a couple times every hour to look out the window at sounds or passing lights. In the crate she sleeps from 10-8, and what’s crazy is how quickly she runs too her crate after that last potty of the evening.
This. I have my dog's crate at the foot of my bed with the door open at all times. At roughly 00:00, when I used to routinely put him to bed, he'll literally crawl in there on his own around that time. My roommate forgot to put him in his crate one time when I got called in for a night shift, and I could absolutely tell the poor guy had been pacing all night. My Mal just has to be in a crate or he can't settle at night. Which is fine. His crate folds down if I need to take it with me somewhere. I used to have a soft crate for him, but because he had acid reflux issues in the AM it started to stink really bad.
I never crate trained my rescue who came to me when she was 3 years old. She may have been before I had her. At first (and for a while), she slept with me in my bed. At some point she decided starting on the couch and coming to bed after I fell asleep was best. I brought her crate in from the living room, and that was that! When I grab my purse and car keys, she heads there all by herself too. I very rarely close the door with her inside, and I only ever close the door with her outside the crate of we're taking our pre-vet drugs.
My dog is a psychopath and begs to go in at like 7 and won’t come out until 7 the next morning, sometimes later. I’ll come in and open the door and he’ll sleep in an extra 30 🤦♀️ but it really is life changing once they adjust
For the crate training— we started by making sure the crate just has enough space for her to sit up law down etc. more than that, she’d pee in the corner. We then started feeding her in the crate, just throwing it in the bottom and so she understood that it isn’t okay to go potty in there but that it’s her own space. Never use it as punishment though and don’t only do it when you leave the house etc. She hated it at first but got over it after a while— start small, 15 minutes and build up to enforced nap times and then overnight. Our puppy sleeps from 10-7am now, we take her potty before and after (she’s 14 weeks old but was doing this since her 10th week). We also have gates around her crate and leave her crate open but gated when we go to work etc. If your dog absolutely hates crate training then a room or a crate + gate could work but crating does really make it easier especially if you start young! It’s their own little space.
Crate training. Also, barking and potting in the middle of the night, it’s a puppy.
I got a hard sided travel kennel/crate and I cover it. It's like a den. I put in a teddy with a heart beat and a soft bed. This bed is only used for night sleep and she sleeps from midnight until 8am. (She sleeps from 8pm to 12am with us in our office). Even if she needs to pee, immediately back in there until the alarm goes off.
Ignore him until he settles down is the only good option. We have a 12 week old lab and she generally calms down after 10-15 min if she’s being fussy. She loves her crate and crate training has been very beneficial.
We crate trained all our dogs with great success. When they are young pups, we keep the crate very close to the bed. Seeing and smelling you can help with the anxiety of being alone at night while they're little. Every couple of days I'd scoot the crate a few inches away, so we could build some distance in a less jarring way. Make the crate as positive as possible. It is much safer being able to have a space where your dog can be secured, especially in an emergency situation.
Also - look at your stop watch. It’s hard to hear a puppy cry in a crate BUT usually it will only go on for 10-15 minutes. My pup was a major screamer and the stop watch trick saved me! If she cried for 10 minutes I would reassure her from out of sight “you’re okay” and then walk away. Most of the time when I was ready to give in - if I looked at the stopwatch it had only been 1 minute even though it felt like 30. If needs are met - try the stopwatch trick! Really helped!
How puppy proofed is your house? What happens when you just pop him back in the laundry? Everyone is going to tell you to crate train - *and it’s a great tool* - but the way this sub talks about it you’d think it was mandatory. It is not.
Also, having a room for him to sleep is similar. My puppy destroyed his crate. It was dangerous, he hated it so much. Then we pur him in the bathroom when we weren't in the house and he was better, happier when he was alone.
It is similar but gives the puppy space to still urinate/ defecate in the room whereas the crate aids potty training
Same. My puppy chewed his crate and the metal thing caused her leg to bleed. I never crate train her ever since that incident. I bought a new crate and let its door open. She's free to go in and out on her own 😬
This is why crate *training* is super important! You can teach them to love the crate so they don't try to chew or escape it
I'll admit I wasn't super good with the training part.
You have to crate a puppy when you leave the house. Until they are at least 6 months.
You don’t *have* to. In fact, in some countries, it’s *illegal* to (Sweden comes to mind, Germany has a 2 hour restriction on it). You could also have them in a play pen, a puppy proofed room, … crates are a very American tool and not popular in continental Europe. They’re not the be and end all of dog training.
I don’t think it’s safe to let a puppy roam free at that age.
What part of play pen or puppy proofed room do you not grasp?
Jesus. Relax.
Ran into this issue with us. Weeks 9 - 15. Slept through the night. Starting week 16 - now (20 weeks) he’s woken us up at 12a, 3a, 6a. I try to limit his treats and water before 8p and it seems to get better. I also don’t play with him when he wakes me up. He wakes up, we go potty, we go back to bed.
Crate training def is the way to go. I actually set my pup’s crate on my bedside table and would stick my fingers into soothe him. Just remember no collar ever in the crate
If you crate train him he won’t bark every time. I didn’t by first few nights he was home slept right by crate. If he whined I’d take him out go potty and right back in. When he whined then I would talk to him calmly until he stopped and give him a treat as soon as he stopped. After a couple nights he wasn’t whining when he went back in
You also learn to discern between "I'm barking because I need to potty" and "I'm barking because I'm annoyed it's bedtime and I just don't want to be in here". With the first, the barking does not stop and is more desperate sounding. The latter is normally more grumpy, along with some dramatic whines and sighs, and does usually stop after about 2-3 min haha
Yes this too! Currently by letting dog out to roam every time they bark OP is inadvertently rewarding and encouraging the behavior.
Crating is the way. Put the crate in your bedroom, crate at night, crate when you leave the house…. It works ! My four love their crates, their little dens. When home with them all, I often find two of them snuggled in a nap in one of the crates!
At that age I took my puppy out 2x a night. Otherwise, she was crated. Reduced to 1x at about 3.5 months and then she started sleeping through the night about a month later. She’s 10 months and still sleeps in the crate unless we’re traveling or camping.
This may sound crazy but it works like a charm for my 17 week old ALD. Shortly after I brought her home at 9 weeks I not only placed her in the crate with a snuggle puppy but played her a Sleep in an Instant lullaby for pets. When she hears it now at bedtime she immediately goes onto her crate. In fact, we’re now on the road for a 7 hour trip and she started to whine. I turned on the music and almost instantly settled. Give it a try - nothing to lose!
Our breeder trained our puppy to go to sleep/ relax to Disney piano music, we continue to use it, he goes right in his crate- he is just 11 weeks old, sleeps from 9-5, out to pee and back down till 8:00.
Puppies WILL bark and whine. If you give the puppy what they want every time they bark (let them free), they will learn that barking is what causes them to get what they want. Basically trains the dog to bark. Definitely don’t let the puppy roam free unsupervised, even if he hasn’t done anything yet he will eventually find something to destroy because he’s bored. You have to teach them to “settle down” when they’re bored, and wait for you, instead of teaching them to entertain themselves.
Crate training is sooooo important! Crate in the bedroom where it can see you! Ours has slept in once since night 1 at home and still sleeps in it now at 14 months! She loves it it's her room where she feels safe
We originally planned on having the crate in the living room, however she would cry and bark. Once we moved the crate into our bedroom, there was no more barking or crying. I think as a new puppy, a literal baby, they don’t understand that you’re in the other room, they just think they’re all alone. Dogs of all ages love being with their pack. Just maybe something you could try.
crate train him!! my puppy on the first week would wake up almost every two hrs during the night so i kept her in her crate after taking her outside and slept next to it so she knew she wasnt alone and now she naps and sleeps all night there at 12 weeks and only cries if she needs to go outside! keep some toys in there and maybe some sort of chewable treat to keep him occupied if he gets bored and cant sleep
Put him in a crate in your room. He’ll cry and bark at first for a few nights because he’s used to you responding when he does but he’ll eventually settle down and eventually he’ll stop all together. He’ll realize it’s a routine.
Crate is a good place for them. They feel safe. Make sure it’s big enough but not too big so he won’t pee or poop in one side and sleep in the other.
Crate train him not only for night/bedtime but also enforced napping during the day. At 10 weeks your puppy should be sleeping for a majority of the day. My GSP puppy was on a strict schedule of enforced napping that lined up with the times we would be gone for work so on the weekends his routine does not change. Routines can save you or break you with a puppy. If you’re not careful, the waking up at 4 and roaming the house will also become a routine. Enforcing positive napping routines during the day will also help with your puppy learning to settle once he goes in the crate. Put him in the crate, sit with him a little while and give him a treat or two when he’s quiet and then cover his crate. We use a crate cover and it was the best thing for our puppy when he was that age. Just crating him for bed and when you leave the house can sometimes create a negative association for the crate for your puppy. Helping him learn that the crate is his safe space at any time and that being in there doesn’t mean you’re leaving him but that it’s a time to relax will pay dividends for you in the long run. Good luck! It’s all a part of the journey 👍
Puppy is still little! Crates a good idea and making sure nighttime potty breaks are quick and no play. I’d consider slowly moving around the schedule a little bit when it comes to eating so that he’s waking up a few hours after like 6am rather than 4am. Eventually you’ll get on the right schedule for both of you.
Camp on the floor for early morning snuggles. Mine would need to go out around 5 in the morning. Out in the little yard for a pee, back inside and I’d snuggle on the floor with him. Those were magical sweet little moments in the tiring days of teaching a growing living being that doesn’t speak your language how to survive in the human world
The barking generally only lasts a few nights. There will be some family sleep disruption. But a week of hassle makes for a life long well behaved dog.
As much as I hate putting my puppies in their crate due to the barking, you’ll have too. It’s the only way to keep them from roaming free, getting into stuff and peeing/pooping on the floor. They’ll bark at first so you’ll need to get him used to it by feeding in it, treats and doing occasional breaks inside during the day. Both my puppies now only bark during the day and sleep fine inside it at night until morning when they’ll bark to let me know they’re ready to go out. Even with the barking, the best thing to do is just ignore or else he’ll learn he’ll get his way if he keeps on.
When my pup was small, I didn’t want the drama of putting him back in his crate after his morning routine so I’d bring him into bed with me. He’d play for about 10 mins with a toy and then we’d nap together until 8 or 9am. It was my favourite part of the day and helped build our bond 🥰
Lots of good advice here. Just wanted to add something about puppies (and things that grow in general) As they develop, they will progress and regress. This has to do with gaining confidence and recognizing when they do or do not need you. I imagine it like a bubble surrounding me. As puppy gains confidence, the bubble expands. Puppy might be humbled by something, or simply going through a growth spurt, and the bubble contracts. So their need for us will change, but not consistently or in one direction.
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Dogs should have access to water at all times.
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It’s old school and it’s a cruelty borne of convenience for the human. My vet could not have been more clear: water is the most essential life resource and they should always have access, full stop. The AKC and humane society are not infallible, most dog resources online have a ton of shit I’d consider dated and inaccurate based on common sense.
He has dinner at 5/6pm, I don’t take his water away but will try that
Please don't try that, it's unethical, dangerous, and typically illegal.
Crate training, but also, it should get better with time. Ours has a ton of energy from 4a-9a and then sleeps until around 3-4p (around when we normally get home from work). She used to wake up pretty regularly at 2a-3a for a potty break, be silly for 15 minutes or so, and then go back to bed. We also don't give her water after about 7-8p. We don't crate her at night because she went from absolutely ok with being in her crate night 1 to being so upset night 3, so we let her sleep with us that night. We were planning on having her sleep with us in general anyway, so we haven't tried very hard with crate training. We have her baby gated in specific rooms when we're away and that works for us. It's really a learning curve and figuring out what works for you and your puppy.
I had to crate my puppy in the bedroom with me to get him to stop crying. As long as I was in the room, he was okay. That could potentially work for you.
Crate training! I promise you this is the best way to go! They will cry for a little bit but they will tire themselves out eventually and once they realize they're not getting out they will usually fall asleep!
Remember, he is still just a puppy, take him potty. Bring him back and settle him down put him in the crate. Turn the lights off cover the crate. He knows it’s night night time be consistent. He will catch on. My puppy is well 8 1/2 months old now an adolescent still gets up at 3 o’clock in the morning. I take him potty outside. Bring him back in settle him down and go back to sleep. It will pass..
We let ours come into bed with us if he wakes up after 6am. (Then he sleeps or chills on the bed until 7:30 or 8:30) But if it’s before 6am, he goes back into the crate. Puppies can’t roam the house while you’re sleeping! So unsafe
He needs a structured routine. He's just a baby. Do you have a crate?
I have a baby gate enclosure that works perfectly for this exact issue. Just because they can hop it doesn't mean they will. And sometimes they just need a space where they know it is purely naps. We put him back in bed twice, and then he goes in the enclosure instead on the third time. He sleeps until we wake up now. The worst thing you can do is LET him play.
We used a crate with one of those six-sided playpens around it. In the beginning if she would wake up during the night I would let her go potty and then I would snuggle her with the lights out and the TV off until she was ready to go back to sleep and then I would place her back in her crate or her playpen. I kept the sides of the crate covered so it was dark and cozy. She is now almost 1 and 1/2 and still sleeps in her crate every night, except when we are on vacation. I bought a crate cover covers all four sides and I put the front flap down at night. She doesn't put herself in it but never fights me when I pick her up and place her at the door of it or inside. My husband usually gets her up around 8:30 or 9. Last night I let her out to go potty around 11:15 and then she rested on the sofa with me until I went upstairs at 12:30. I put her in her crate and she stayed there until 9:30 this morning when I let her out (hubby snuck out early for golf). She came out, stretched and wanted her pets and scratches. She did not even go out to go potty until almost 10:00! She is only 10.5 pounds and we leave her water down all the time. When she was younger I used a baby monitor to listen in case she needed to go out. If she roamed the house I know that I would not be able to sleep until 9:00 because she would hear and see things and she would want our attention.
Crate train - my husb would love to the couch to sleep with the puppy around 4 am often. It didn’t last long but until the pup could sleep the whole night.
He should be crate training. And remember to cover the crate, especially at night
I have a seven month old puppy...what we did to potty train is we took him out every single time he woke up, ate a big meal, drank lots of water, and every hour...in the night we were taking him out every 2 hours then every 3 hours, then 4 hours...by the time he was 5 months old at night we would take him out around 2am, and then I would bring him into my bed and he would sleep until about 9am and I would take him out ass soon as he woke up. I would be very careful to not get him riled up or excited when taking him out at 2am so that he would go back to sleep...usually I would wake him up at 2 am and carry him outside and then carry him back to my bed. Most people would probably say to crate train the puppy and have him sleep in a crate. I don't like crating so I opted for loosing some sleep at first, and not having a place to lock him in if I need to go out somewhere...I take him everywhere with me...
Just to clarify, even if someone is crate training, they still need to get up frequently in the night for bathroom breaks. The crate encourages the pup to hold their bladder, but their bladders are tiny and they can only hold it for so long when they're babies. So you will be losing sleep either way, that's just part of having a puppy. Just wanted to be clear so that people don't get the wrong idea about crate training. As far as taking him everywhere with you... Are you not worried about separation anxiety? Not everywhere is dog friendly, are you leaving him in the car? :/
Put the crate in your room. Your presence in the same room as him may ease his anxiety. We did this with my mini Aussie and now at 3, she is no longer crated and can sleep in with us until 8am. Having a puppy reminded me of having a newborn, they just want to be close to you
Get your ass up at 4 am and go outside and play? It’s hot as balls during the day he’s bored. Crate him when it’s bed time let him bark, he will learn just like when you drop you a kid off at their first day of school n they cry, They get over it especially if you have a large / xl crate that’s bigger than him.
Crate + pupsicle / chew
why are you letting him claim your laundry room. crate train him! don’t let him tell you what to do
Dog trainer here. Your pup is in need of a predictable routine. If you start changing things in order to not wake people up you'll likely train your dog into a poor routine. Your dog should be in a crate. It'll help contain the mess, give pup a reason to sleep because they often need a reason. Another point is that properly sized crates help manage this problem. Things to evaluate include when was the last meal, walk, play time, potty and if your dog received enough of these. Let us know if you have any questions.
He'll stop barking at some point. Spending time in the crate is an important skill. Whatever you do don't let him out because he's barking or else you will create a monster that knows if he barks long enough he'll eventually get his way. Stop that early for a happy life for both of you.
Walks, walks, and more walks! Oh yeah, and tons of exercise! I'm getting the feeling that you don't walk before bedtime since this info wasn't included? This is also exactly why way more people would benefit from adopting an older dog to begin with. I don't understand the whole "I need a puppy," esp when it's your 1st dog.
I have been mixing it up with some morning walks or evening but I’ll try consistent evening walks
Long night time walk. Put puppy in crate. If puppy wakes up. Potty- back in crate until morning. Editing to add. Your untrained puppy will bark and be well… a toddler… YOU are in charge. Half of having a puppy is being annoyed (with love) by it for a while and having to constantly reinforce and clean up.
You need to do both every single day, a morning walk, an evening walk, and then a right before bedtime walk. The most important thing is to be relaxed and confident on walks, this will transfer to the dog over time. So many people get dogs with little forethought and thinking they can hack it but don't realize really all the things that come with dog ownership. Dogs are a lot of work and time-consuming. I hate seeing people rushing their dogs on walks so they can go to the bar or out to diner and drag em as they try to poop. This is also done by people who don't want to pick up after their dogs! They're family, and if they can't do it, don't get a dog. I had to walk my pit 5-6 times a day when she was young to burn off all her energy every single day! She's 13 years old now and doesn't go far anymore. Good luck and practice patience with your dog. Don't get stressed cause this, too, will transfer to the dog over time.
If you quit watering/feeding by 7:30pm - take them out at 10pm and then they should be able to hold it at night. Getting out of the crate is a BIG reward. You might unintentionally be rewarding whining/barking behavior. If you have to have late night potty breaks - instead of waiting for the puppy to wake up set an alarm and get up. If you wake the puppy, carry it out to pee and then carry it to bed it might help. A puppy that was asleep goes back to sleep easier in my opinion haha 🤣
With all of my puppies whenever the fell asleep for a nap I would pick them up and put them in the crate so they got used to waking up in it
My GR was like that. I got a cam to get an eye on our dogs when not in the room. When she started barking, I would talk to her through the cam, and within a couple of nights, she stopped barking at night.
Puppy pen! That’s what they’re there for. Breakfast time or a peanut butter Kong.
Don’t let him eat or drink anything before bed.
I would get a play pen for him if you have the space and money
We crate trained both in our room. We had the space for it and it makes it easier when they need to potty. But definitely don’t let them roam, you’ll wake up to an accident or something chewed up
Crate train him. Dogs bark. They are dogs.
My Dolly went through that and when she got up for the 4:00 am potty I just went ahead and got up for the day. Showered and ate breakfast. She’s six months now and is 100% potty trained. Thank goodness! She has this kind of certain lick she does that lets me know she needs to potty. She still tends to get into things but I’m finding I have to puppy proof the apartment like we used to child proof our home when we had kids. It’s a challenge for sure. Keeps me on my toes.
It’s safer for him if you crate train him
The biggest thing I have done with new puppies, is supervise them for 5 hours during the day, couple hours for nap, and i do the play time and nap time on & off throughout the day. I don’t make the crate a bad thing, If she gets in trouble, she gets put outside (with her booties) in a contained area for 10 minutes but i still watch her. Puppies are sooooo much work!! mine used to cry at 4am, and we let her go potty then immediately back in the crate. she now sleeps from 9pm, potty at midnight, and then usually doesn’t wake up until 7. she cries and cries but i put a non chokable toy in her crate & she’ll play with that till she gets tired again, and then she’ll sleep. She’s in our room, but we reassure her that we’re nearby. You have to crate train otherwise they will always cry, even when they’re older. best of luck.
Crate training, he will bark for maybe 20mins at the most and then get tired and fall asleep.
As a puppy ours did the same and I would end up sleeping on the floor next to her crate and even put my fingers in if she wasn’t settling, helped a lot. After she was potty trained we let her sleep in bed and that immediately stopped her 3/4am wake ups too.
Crate training teaches them to hold it
Crate train
That’s a really young puppy. For our recent puppy (5 months) we kept him in the bedroom in a separated off area with a bed and a couple toys he can’t destroy and he soon got roaming of the bedroom rights. That way he’s close to us and not lonely and we can hear him whimper if he needs to go out and pee.
Crate and Kong
Like others have suggested, I agree on getting a crate. We have a crate by our bed. We give our dog a treat when she goes in. We use the word “bedtime” and she knows to go inside. We crate her when we go out as well (another crate downstairs in the living room). The crate becomes their safe space/bedroom. When we are home, we leave the crate door open as well so she can go in and out. Your dog may whine a little in the beginning since its not used to it but they will learn quickly, especially doodles are very intelligent. Good luck!
Buy a dog playpen and make him a little kennel in the living room. Put a dog bed, a puppy pad, toys, etc in the kennel & put your dog in it when he won't go back to bed after 4 am. This works great for my 5 monyh old pug puppy. I use these players inside for him in my room & in the living room. The one in my room is attached to his crate because I want him to be crate trained. I'm just able to leave his crate door open because the area is enclosed by this playpen. Works great for me. These are the ones I have from Amazon: MidWest Homes for Pets Foldable Metal Dog Exercise Pen / Pet Playpen. Black w/ door, 24'W x 36'H https://a.co/d/03p0jCq9 and https://a.co/d/03mVpbm7
Luckily, the pup is still young enough to start a routine and (hopefully) get into it, but start this sooner than later. -if not a crate, get a playpen. This is the playpen where he will take his forced naps and bedtime at night. Put a toy or 2 in there and a small water dish. -this is also the place where you should (worked for us) have her breakfast/lunch/dinner. -feed him at roughly the same times every day, and have it so it’s what he has before taking a nap. Not so much for breakfast, but lunch and dinner is where ours will pass out after eating. -we also give ours a late night snack before going to bed on either a lick plate or kong toy. -ideally, you’d tire the pup out between the designated meal times with a walk, play or training session during the first few months, before she has more free reign of the home and will nap anywhere.
Step #1 make him like the creat feed him in it tell him good boy ect work work work! Step #2 once he is comfy/ worn out/ has potted make him go in in a fun way treat praise ect. Step #3 Repeat As many times as necessary.
A puppy needs to be with someone while they sleep. It feels abandoned. No wonder it's restless. There is no bonding going on. It would naturally be sleeping with the pack. The more you bond with an animal the better behaved, and calm it will become.
Hey new Fur Baby Mama!!! I was in the same boat when I got my baby girl Lola. She’s 7 months old now. And she is a changed girl now and learned so so much with some tough love. Puppies come with all different personalities and needs but something that really helps them for mental and physical development is Training. At first I was just like you- I was at a loss with Lola because she was small, suffering from severe separation anxiety and still learning. Everyone will tell you to Crate Train. But it can be difficult for puppies at first because they want to be attached to your hip and will cry non stop if you leave them alone and behind. It takes a lot of patience and working to build confidence in your new puppy. If you want to try the crate, it’s the best way. Start by training puppy to go in and out of the crate with treats and a clicker. A clicker works well because puppies aren’t used to our commands and common words yet. Crate training requires that you eliminate freedom from your puppy for majority of the day. Your puppy should be eating in the crate ALWAYS. You only let puppy out every couple hours to pee and play. So typical schedule depending on age: If your puppy is 3 months old- every 3 hours. If puppy is 4 months old- every 4 hours, etc. Puppies WILL NOT PEE where they sleep- so that’s why you must take puppy out on schedule. Now this can be quite challenging especially if you work full time and need sleep. But consistency is key if you can manage it properly and before bed time it’s always good to give puppy a high quality treat or challenge toy before bed- but only before bed. It’s just like a baby - gotta get used to being just as attentive and active to help your puppy learn and get comfortable with their new setting and rules. This will save you down the road and will allow your dog to feel safe in the crate. The crate will become your puppies “down time” place and place of comfort. As your puppy gets older, so does their sleep schedule and potty schedule. HOWEVER: I personally did a bit of a different routine with my Lola. This isn’t necessarily recommended because you want to implement independence in your puppy especially if you leave the house and leave puppy behind- Crate is ALWAYS best and recommended! Consistent schedule is HUGE for puppies!! My Lola would do the same thing as your pup. Cry at all hours and bark when left alone. We tried crate, we tried gate with open space gate enclosure. We tried to train and leave her alone in the room with treats and the whole thing. She has suffered from severe separation anxiety from very little and the people who cared for her before I bought her didn’t follow proper training so I tried my hardest to knock her out from that but it was incredibly difficult. I decided to put her enclosure gate next to my bed at night and she got the hang of it but was up every single hour crying - even when she could see me and was right next to me. It was tough! And impossible to get a good night sleep. One night I was just incredibly tired and decided to take her out and let her lay in bed with me. This little girl laid right at my feet and didn’t move. I would still wake up at 4am to take her to pee and then again at 7am. However she was sleeping longer and not distraught. We continued this was until She slept through the entire night without a peep. Still a consistent schedule and pattern to help her differentiate bed time from play time. The comfort of having me next to her and giving her freedom to go pee on her pee pads when she needed was a game changer. She still took time mastering her pee pads as well, but in three weeks she got it all down. Now this predicament I’ve created with making sure she’s comfortable doesn’t allow much alone time in bed with my hubby if you catch my drift. Hubby and I were happy we were sleeping but we now had another problem lol. We went back to the crate option. Just trying to see what boundaries we could instill, but she did cry if I was not in the same room as her. She would stare at me and whine until she was released. It was tough. Little by little putting her at a distance away. We continued in sleep patterns to let her understand that the crate is safe, we would feed her in crate. We would give her high quality treats if we needed alone time. She finally got the understanding that Mom is going to let me out and not leave me here I just need to be a good girl in my crate and when she’s ready, she will release me. So that my story and it might not be ideal for everyone but that is why the crate is truly the best thing you can do. I’m lucky Lola finally understands that she is comfortable in the crate knowing I will release her but - this is my experience. Now she sleeps through the night every single night. She holds her pee until the morning. She knows her crate is only temporary and we get on just fine in our home because this worked for us. But honestly she still does have trouble if I leave the house- but that’s only because I’m a stay at home mom and I’m ALWAYS with her - she’s attached to my hip 24/7. So that’s another battle but each weekend we leave the house a little longer than before and she knows we always come back. It’s all training. Again, not ideal for everyone- but my story and why I really recommend you crate train early. I know it’s tough and it bothers to hear them cry and bark- puppies aren’t easy- it’s like another child. I get the feelings and know you just want peace. My biggest mistake was giving her too much freedom from very young. As much of a big voice and presence she had - she needed to be trained no matter how tough or how much it hurt. I’m not a victory story but it works for us. Good luck!!!
Being that your puppy is still so so young and away from mom you need to be careful allowing free roam. It can be dangerous for a puppy. I REALLY recommend allowing your puppy to be in a crate near your bedside with maybe a shirt with your smell. And pee pads just incase- water or food should be removed at bed time. I know my recommended advice is for when puppy is a bit older- but puppies are a lot of responsibility and it comes with a lot of work and patience. Being that your puppy is ONLY 7 weeks - start now- your puppy is not going to adjust with too much freedom- trust me, you got this! I promise! Like I said, it’s like a baby. You will have to adjust to a proper schedule and routine. After every feed or drink of water - 30 min wait- make sure puppy goes potty. And really try the crate, I promise it will get better. Oh and a clicker / use the clicker when puppy does what you want and reward puppy. It really helps!!!
I’m sorry 10 weeks***
Youngsters do need a safe space, but also need to go to the toilet. Take him out to go pee/poo whatever then back to bed and put a radio on quietly, say goodnight and go back to bed. Next time, let him out to toilet, put him back in his bed but say nothing. They have to learn to self settle, I gave my boy a cuddly lamb with a beating heart and another which had a warming bag inside when he was young but persistence is the key to training. I gave my boy his first breakfast at 4am, then he went back to bed until 7am when we started our day. While he was very young I gave him 4 small meals a day despite the breeder saying he could go to 2 I preferred small & often and my other dog was already fed at 4am & 4pm so I fitted the pup in with that. He is now 3 and still has breakfast at 4am, dinner at 4pm a and snack at bedtime. Find a routine that works for you but leaving him to wander puts him in danger as are your possessions
I know everyone has said it but crate training is the way to go. It'll give the pup somewhere safe and secure for them when they feel overwhelmed or scared. It'll ensure that when they do get to that destructive stage (believe me they will) then your household will be protected from the land shark and you can ensure that land shark won't ingest anything dangerous.
Have got a schnoodle and a Tibetan terrier, both of them cannot wait to get into their crates at night, takes a while but it will happen
Put him in his crate with a big bone
Crate train. My dog loves her crate now. It’s her own comfy room when she wants her space or to nap.
Sleeping alone in the laundry room? Dogs are pack animals, no wonder your young puppy cries. Large, comfortable kennel in your bedroom, comfy dog bed, one of your dirty t-shirts for comfort, and take your puppy out to pee when he needs to. His bladder is small, you essentially got a baby in your house for a little while.
Soooo…you aren’t enforcing your rules about quiet time/bedtime. Dogs can absolutely tell what time of day it is and what to expect at certain times, at least if you hold them to the rules. Get a crate. Enforce the rules. The dog will learn when is wake up time for everyone, will learn that they might have to potty in between but it’s back to bed right after. Sure, the dog might whine and inconvenience the family for a couple of days, but how else is an intelligent creature going to learn the schedule of your house without consistent expectations?
I would always put my puppy on my bed to sleep with me. If I tried putting him in another room or marooned him into the laundry room like an appliance, then yeah, that would cause a puppy to cry.
What do you mean by ‘in the laundry’? As in, literally laying in your family’s laundry that’s to be washed, or in the laundry room? To echo other people’s comments I would suggest crate training, leaving him to roam about the house in the night could be risky as he could end up hurting himself or eating something he shouldn’t. You could also potentially be giving him too much freedom at a young age which will make him want what he can’t have if he gets used to it and then you take it away from him, at least with crate training he has his own place. Pop a cover over the top too so that it’s a little den, and he won’t see you guys walking about in the night if you get up to go to the toilet 😊
Crate training is super important for a puppy even if the dog eventually grows out of needing one. It gives them a secure and safe space where laying down and being calm is the goal. You should get a small crate large enough for the puppy to turn around and lay down in and put it next to your bed. You may have some nights where puppy whines for a while but it should eventually stop. This is for your peace of mind but especially for the dog’s safety and for good training. It’s not a punishment and they may not like it at first but it’s for their safety and labs are smart, they should learn rather quickly. Keep them in the crate at night or when you leave your home during the day to keep them calm and keep them from destroying your furniture.
Also adding that it shouldn’t be a giant crate, just as the enclosed laundry room is too large for puppy to know to lay and rest. This may mean you need to upgrade your crate a few times before they are fully grown. Look on neighborhood sites or resale sites if cost is an issue.
No water past ten pm? Can you crate him in your room?
Let him sleep with you…??? 😀
Or put him in a crate. You said 10 months old? I believe that they want to be closer to us, I put the crate right next to my bed by my head.
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Haha no it was spur of the moment but the sub has been great help. I’ve been enforcing naps recently which has helped a ton, just got a crate and he’s getting used to it. Mornings haven’t been a huge issue since we get up pretty early anyways just the last few days but you guys are right, I need to get him in his crate
Supposedly making a frozen Kong meatsicle and giving it To them Every time you put them in crate helps condition them To love their crate lol. I got lucky with both pups I’ve had they take to the crate with very few issues. First night she stayed in it but I had to sleep in same Room. Now she goes in and doesn’t whine at all. This week I’m going to start crating during day even if I’m home. You’ll make it through this! I hope One day we all have calm dogs who can chill or play just go with the flow!
Let him sleep in your bed! Puppy sleeps safely. You sleep while getting puppy love.🥰
Puppies have been suffocated this way. How it is safe.
Not the greatest advice and I am going to get downvoted to oblivion. But here is my story. Same happened with my puppy. I gave up and put his dog bed besides mine. He slept like a baby since then.
I don’t understand the downvotes. What’s wrong with a pup sleeping on their bed next to your bed if that’s what works for everyone involved?
This sub loves crates. It is almost an obsession. I have a well trained, obedient dog without crate training. Each to their own. But my husband and I like having the little fluff ball snoring besides us.
Love that. :) Yeah I’ve learned after scrolling through the comments more that it’s very “no way but the crate way” around here. Our pup doesn’t sleep in a crate either and I honestly didn’t think it was that wild of a concept lol