topic Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help! in Pet Lovers

Just adopted a puppy - need help!

qvc chick — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:35:16 GMT

Hello, I just adopted a 2 month puppy over the weekend. He is adorable, a border collie mix. It has been awhile since I have had a puppy.

I purchased a crate, but every time I put him in the crate he cries. During the day he is not in there (on weekends) too much.

But the last two nights - he cried and barked for over an hour. Never ended. Finally I put his crate up in my bedroom. Was a little better. Cried only a few min, and then went to sleep. But he woke up every two hours to cry!! Someone said, he prob has to pee...so I kept taking him downstairs to the yard. But this is crazy. I can not continue to take him downstairs 2-3 a night.

Any suggestions??? I want to sleep thru the night - me and him!!

Anyone else had problems with puppy not sleeping thru the night and how did you fix problems? Thanks

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

DrKelli — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:40:00 GMT

If he is a puppy, he will need to go outside during the night for awhile. Just like a baby. At least he is letting you know.

I adopted a younger dog in December and I had not had a young one for 14 years and it was a rude awakening, but he settled down after a month or so.

Since he is a border collie, you will need to make sure that he gets plenty of exercise to burn off his energy. I made crating a routine with my new one. I get down on the floor with him and snuggle before he goes into his crate and tell him how good he is and how lucky we are that he came to live with us. Now, he just lays down on the floor waiting for me.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

NickNack — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:40:08 GMT

Congratulations on your new puppy! You will need to take him outside at least once during the night for a while. During the day he needs to go out every one to two hours in order to housetrain him. His crate needs to be in your bedroom forever, so it's good that you moved it there.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

Winkk — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:42:29 GMT

I don't have a solution but wanted to tell you my daughter has the same problem. However, her dog was a 4 year old rescue that was never house broken. So, during the night if the dog woke up my daughter would take her out to pee. The problem is she still does it after 3 years. I don't know how my daughter puts up with it. If she ignores the dog, the dog keeps scratching at the side of her bed to go out. I think it's down to once a night but still, the dog doesn't sleep the entire night.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

Kachina624 — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:45:29 GMT

Every time the pup whines and you let him out, you are telling him that's what he has to do to get attention. You're going to have to just let him whine for a night or two. You've been reinforcing his bad behavior. Get some ear plugs. He probably will not pee or poop in the crate as dogs instinctively will not soil their dens unless kept there too long and he can't help it.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

ccassaday — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:52:46 GMT

We didn't crate. We put. A baby gate up in the kitchen at night with a puppy pad. I don't reccommend puppy pads but we used one at night only. Chloe on the first night did not wake us up until 4 am. During the day your puppy will need to go out every 30 minutes and after playing, eating, and napping. Take water away about 2 hours before bed time. If you just got up to take him out he probably doesn't need to go again so you just need to let him cry it out. During the day make his crate a happy place by feeding him in the crate. He will eventually grow to like it. This early part of puppyhood is hard but he will get on a schedule.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

CareBears — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:53:36 GMT

@qvc chick Congratulations on your new puppy, how exciting!

Consistency is the key word when training a new puppy, if he is crying during the night he probably has to go outside, or he is lonely or scared, whenever we have brought a new puppy into our home sleep is not something you can expect in the beginning, they are a baby after all and this is a whole new world for them!

I added a blanket into the crate when we first brought a puppy home, and checked on him/her whenever they cried, eventually they settled down, we were able to leave the kennel door open and they used the kennel as their own little space whenever they needed time alone.

Smile, you have welcomed a new baby into your life, and you have years of unconditional love, hugs & kisses to look forward to, the more patient you are in the beginning the better behaved your new puppy will be in the long run!

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

kcladyz — Mon, 01 May 2017 15:57:49 GMT

He is lonely and wants to be with you. My puppies cried every time we left him alone. we took turns sleeping with him

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

Mistreatedbycs — Mon, 01 May 2017 16:05:11 GMT

You need to do a lot of reading. Taking on an 8 wk old puppy and not being familiar with them is not only mind blowing but seriously a lot of work.

Yes, I've spent many nights awake, yes, going out in the middle of the night for bathroom breaks is what you do.

Have fun and read. All the hard work you put in will be worth it and in 2 years from now, you'll appreciate a great dog.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

Kachina624 — Mon, 01 May 2017 16:08:00 GMT

@kcladyz wrote:
He is lonely and wants to be with you. My puppies cried every time we left him alone. we took turns sleeping with him

If you do this, you'll never get him crate trained. You want him to learn to be alone. I would never react when he whines. Let him out after he has been quiet for awhile. Google "crate training".

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

Kitlynn — Mon, 01 May 2017 16:20:18 GMT

Unfortunately when you get a new puppy it is just like bringing a new baby home. He has to be trained and learn that there are boundaries. Put him in the crate off and on during the day if you are home for a little while at a time. Then he will learn that it is not punishment it is down time and it will become his den. You also have to take new puppies outside every couple of hours day and night while you are house breaking them. It is just the way it is. You start out doing every two hours then you go to three , four and so on. Then they get trained use to going several hours without having to go out but until then it is a must. All the training takes a good solid three months of consistency. It is amazing how we forget all this when our dogs are grown and it has been a few years since we have trained one. He is testing the boundaries by barking or crying while in the crate to see if you will give in and get him out. You have to establish that you are the Alpha person. Good luck and hang in there it won't be long until you have a well trained dog and will be out of this stage.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

151949 — Mon, 01 May 2017 16:33:11 GMT

We found that putting a folded up comforter in the crate so our dog had a soft, warm place to sleep helped a great deal.I agree that by getting up and going to him you are telling him this is how to get your attention. If he pees in the crate - no biggie - just wash the blanket in the morning.Wake up early and get him outside pronto and he will soon learn to wait to go, as they really don't like to mess in their crate.Best of luck.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

CamilleP — Mon, 01 May 2017 16:38:53 GMT

Well, if you want to sleep through the night, you should not have adopted a baby puppy. Facts are facts, an 8 week old is going to absolutely have to go outside to eliminate at least twice and often three or four times a night for several weeks, probably at least a month. No amount of altering the feeding and watering schedule will change that, it will just leave your puppy hungry and dehydrated overnight.

You don't say what you are feeding, but the higher quality the food, the more digestible it is, the less often the puppy will need to eliminate, so that is one thing you can do to reduce the trips outside.

You did do one thing right, the crate should absolutely be in your bedroom, your puppy needs the security of your presence to settle down and sleep. However, there is no way an 8 week old puppy is going to sleep for 8 hours straight. The first month you need to take the puppy out whenever he cries, to make sure housetraining habits are firmly set. Never, ever make the puppy soil his crate!!! I can't stress enough how important that is! Take the puppy out right before bedtime, praise and reward for eliminating outside, then crate the puppy in the bedroom with a chew toy for teething on, turn out the lights and let the puppy settle and go to sleep. If the puppy wakes up, take him out, praise and reward, and then back to bed. After a week or so the routine should be set, and in a few more weeks, as the puppy gets bigger, his capacity will also increase and you can expect to take him out less times overnight, but odds are he will be 5-6 months old before he can sleep through the night.

Finally, remember, this is a BABY. He is not a PROBLEM that you can FIX, he is not broken, he's a puppy. He has a tiny bladder and an incredibly fast metabolism because he is growing rapidly. He needs to eat a lot and drink a lot and play a lot and sleep a lot and none of those things is going to last very long individually, it's just "repeat the cycle" many times a day as he grows up. He needs to be fed four to five times a day right now, he should have fresh clean water available all day long, he needs to go outside when he wakes up, after he eats, before he goes to bed, AND whenever he asks to. Otherwise he will never be reliably housetrained. Please remember something else. How many times a day do you go to the bathroom? If it's every 2-3 hours during the day, how do you expect a dog to wait 8-9 hours? Even as an adult dog, it is not healthy for a dog to be made to wait all day when you are at work. If you cannot get a way set up to let your dog outdoors at least once during the day, then you need to consider a pet sitter visit every day or doggie daycare. If these are things you did not plan on and cannot provide, perhaps you should re-think adopting a puppy, and contact the breeder to return the puppy, so it can find a more suitable home and you can find a more suitable pet. Cats are far more independent, and use a litter box, so they don't need to go outside at all hours, and are just as loving and companionable as a dog, but being indoors only pets, can be much easier to care for, perhaps a pair of kittens might fit into your lifestyle better?

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

CrazyDaisy — Mon, 01 May 2017 17:05:25 GMT

@qvc chick wrote:
Hello, I just adopted a 2 month puppy over the weekend. He is adorable, a border collie mix. It has been awhile since I have had a puppy.

I purchased a crate, but every time I put him in the crate he cries. During the day he is not in there (on weekends) too much.

But the last two nights - he cried and barked for over an hour. Never ended. Finally I put his crate up in my bedroom. Was a little better. Cried only a few min, and then went to sleep. But he woke up every two hours to cry!! Someone said, he prob has to pee...so I kept taking him downstairs to the yard. But this is crazy. I can not continue to take him downstairs 2-3 a night.

Any suggestions??? I want to sleep thru the night - me and him!!

Anyone else had problems with puppy not sleeping thru the night and how did you fix problems? Thanks

Have you ever had a puppy before? You are going to be taking the puppy outside during the night for quite some time. You may want to reconsider this puppy if after two days you are so distraught.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

fthunt — Mon, 01 May 2017 17:07:02 GMT

After 2 dogs and 27 years - my dog days are coming to an end - soon. I remember the work and training of this second dog - and at my stage of life - you couldn't pay me to take a puppy again. And NO also on suggestions I take a senior dog.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

HappyDaze — Mon, 01 May 2017 17:38:09 GMT

Puppies require work and PATIENCE. If you are not willing to do both, a puppy is not a good fit for you. Some puppies I have had did this and yes, who doesn't want to sleep through the night but with a puppy, for perhaps a few months, that might not be possible. He is just a puppy and has to learn a new routine. If you stay consistent and patient with him, he will learn quickly

It frustrates me when people get so upset that their routine and needs are disrupted because of a puppy they chose- it comes with the territory. A puppy isn't just a cute thing to look at- it has needs, wants and has to be taught what is okay and what isn't, just like a child.

Since he is part border collie, he needs and will need ALOT of exercise. It might help him sleep better if he gets a bit of exercise right before bed. Border collies need a "job" to do or they can get bored and with boredom often comes destructive or negative behaviours. I hope you are willing to give him the exercise he will need or you will have your hands full all his life.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

meallen616 — Mon, 01 May 2017 17:59:21 GMT

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

SaRina — Mon, 01 May 2017 18:12:49 GMT

@HappyDaze wrote:
Puppies require work and PATIENCE. If you are not willing to do both, a puppy is not a good fit for you. Some puppies I have had did this and yes, who doesn't want to sleep through the night but with a puppy, for perhaps a few months, that might not be possible. He is just a puppy and has to learn a new routine. If you stay consistent and patient with him, he will learn quickly

It frustrates me when people get so upset that their routine and needs are disrupted because of a puppy they chose- it comes with the territory. A puppy isn't just a cute thing to look at- it has needs, wants and has to be taught what is okay and what isn't, just like a child.

Since he is part border collie, he needs and will need ALOT of exercise. It might help him sleep better if he gets a bit of exercise right before bed. Border collies need a "job" to do or they can get bored and with boredom often comes destructive or negative behaviours. I hope you are willing to give him the exercise he will need or you will have your hands full all his life.

This.

I'm sorry to say this, but this shouldn't surprise you. If you're not willing or able to change your usual routine to spend the time and attention a puppy requires, then a puppy is probably not right for you.

Also, as someone else mentioned, border collies require tons of exercise and I hope you are prepared to provide that. Best of luck.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

qualitygal — Mon, 01 May 2017 18:47:15 GMT

Puppy momma, every 2 hrs. He's only a puppy for a year.

Re: Just adopted a puppy - need help!

tends2dogs — Fri, 05 May 2017 17:57:40 GMT

@qvc chick wrote:
Hello, I just adopted a 2 month puppy over the weekend. He is adorable, a border collie mix. It has been awhile since I have had a puppy.

I purchased a crate, but every time I put him in the crate he cries. During the day he is not in there (on weekends) too much.

But the last two nights - he cried and barked for over an hour. Never ended. Finally I put his crate up in my bedroom. Was a little better. Cried only a few min, and then went to sleep. But he woke up every two hours to cry!! Someone said, he prob has to pee...so I kept taking him downstairs to the yard. But this is crazy. I can not continue to take him downstairs 2-3 a night.

Any suggestions??? I want to sleep thru the night - me and him!!

Anyone else had problems with puppy not sleeping thru the night and how did you fix problems? Thanks

@qvc chick This really isn't a problem, but the reality of a puppy. It is too bad you didn't take all this into consideration before taking on a puppy. It requires ALOT of care and a disruption of life as you knew it. It won't last forever, but there is no "fix" to this, just time. This isn't a problem, it is normal. Take this time for bonding and growing to love this little creature. Isn't that why you got him? I hope so. Having the crate in your room is a good idea. When you hear him up and walking around or crying, it is potty time! All this will pass. I hope you won't look at this as a chore, but a privilege to be the one to train and enjoy the life of this dog.

Post pics when you get a chance. I am sure that he is adorable.

BTW we have a 10 month old puppy that we have had for 8 months. When we put him in the crate the first few nights , we would talk soothingly to him and even singing to him. He would eventually fall asleep. For a few nights, DH laid next to his crate until the pup fell asleep. You have to remember that this dog just left it's doggie mother and littermates. He is afraid and needs to feel secure. You can do this.

All the best!