sleeping at night
by karen
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
I have learned alot at this site as I got ready to welcome my puppy into our lives, now he is here and I need some advise! We have had our Gizmo for 13 days now and he is 12 weeks old, he is an absolute joy, very playful and lovable. Housebreaking is coming along fairly well, but my questions are about sleeping at night. We are crate training, and initially had him in our bedroom in the crate at night, but since his incessant barking was keeping the whole family awake, we moved him to the family room. We have music playing , soft blankets in the crate with stuffed animals, night light on and even a hot water bottle. Nothing seems to work--He barks maybe for an hour or so , then sleeps for an hour and then more barking. I come down and take him out to do his business about 3 times a night and then back in the crate where he continues to bark. He seems panicked! I have heard, that puppies that miss their littermates and mother may cry for a few days , but this seems excessive. Please help, I am very sleep deprived.
DISCUSSION:
Karen: I have heard that it true that they miss their mother and littermates. What I found helped Missy when I brought her home was to get a soft garden glove and inside I put a ticking alarm clock. There is something about the ticking that makes them calm. Missy would lie on top of her "hand" at night or just put her little head on it to listen. The all night crying and whining ceased. I knew she was getting to be a big girl when I would get up in the morning and she had pulled the clock out of the crate during the night. Good Luck. Kaye and Missy
kaye
Hi ! If this baby is not used to being crated he won't like the idea. Do you know how he was brought up? Call the breeder and find out ! At this time (after 2 weeks ) he should no longer miss his original family and siblings, unless of course he's home alone all day !?? The only thing I could suggest, is that you keep him in your room so he can sense, hear and see you. He obviously does not want to be alone, be sure you put soft blankets in the crate or a pillow, he won't need a night light, he needs to be re-assured, he wants to be with "YOU" ! Let him sleep with you ! it'll be O.K., he'll let you know if he has to go....I do not recommend you take him out during the night, if you keep reg hours, 10PM before bedtime should be plenty !
Renee
I caved in to the crying and Cotton has been sleeping with me ever since I brought him home almost 7 years ago.
Susan P.
I have had great success with using a towel or an old T-shirt that I have worn for a couple of days (you can tuck a towel or small blanket around your middle) so that it smells very much like me. Put the crate next to your bed and if he starts to whine lightly tap the top of the crate or offer him a finger to sniff. Choose a time that is at least an hour before bedtime and remove his water, I don't know if your family is on a schedule or not, but pups respond very well to being on a regular time for things.
Leslie R
Hi, Like Susan P said, I too caved in, Bailey sleeps with me, and like Renee said, he lets me know if he has to go! He sleeps right up against me & and being a light sleeper, I know when he's about to wonder off - as far as accidents (the wet kind) he did have one in the very beginning, but now he knows if he doesn't go wee wee right before night-night, he can sleep on his bed next to mine. As soon as he goes, he lets me know, then he can come up.
Mary & Bailey
I'm with Renee on this. He will let you know when he needs to go out. Maltese love to be close(the closer the better) to Mommy and Daddy (you and your husband) and there is nothing nicer than having your furbaby curled next to your head while you sleep. To him, close is good, but closer is better. He just wants to be near you to love and protect you. Sweet Dreams!!!Susan...
Susan
I would definately agree with Leslie! When we first got little Sara boy were we sleep deprived!! Then we brought 2 chairs in the bedroom and put her crate up there so it was level with the bed. When she would cry my husband would put his finger trough the crate and it would calm her. She would even fall asleep on his finger sometimes, then he would be stuck like that, poor guy... Eventually we moved her crate on the floor at the end of the bed and she is fine. I also think that once a night to be let out is enough. Good luck, keep us posted!
Stacey
Stacey, that is exactly what I did with my two little ones. Started with their crates on chairs beside my bed then moved them to the floor. And gradually over about a 3-4 week period I inched them each night closer to the door, then into the hall, and eventually downstairs (where I wanted them in the first place) LOL That was almost a year ago and now they sleep one my bed & one on my daughter's bed, both near the bottom & never disturb anyone!
p.s. Its my little gentleman Gizmo who sleeps with me :)
BeeGee
I must tell you that Boris' first night home, a week ago tomorrow, was a horror. He hated the crate, and cried, he wanted to sleep in the bed, but I just felt it was the wrong thing to do with such a young puppy, 13 weeks. After much fuss, I slept of the floor with him, tucked under my blanket, close to my heart. I swear, the bond of trust was glued right there on the floor. The next night, after spending the day being adored, when he went into the crate, he didnt cry, just fell asleep. He has been doing that each night. Though he isnt i the crate during the day, he is doing well with the housebreaking, and does kennel up at night. O.K. as soon as i wake up, he uses his wee wee pad and spends the last half hour of sleep with us in the bed. So you think he will be bedded with us all the time, real soon? I do.
vita
Karen - here's a thought: is it possible that when you take him out at night you're "reinforcing" his crying? They say you should never take them out of the crate while they're crying because they'll learn that it gets the response they want. You may want to try taking the pup out less often during the night, or not at all, if you think he can hold it.
Juliana
We did just about what Stacey did, only we kept Sophie's crate on the bed with us. After about three weeks and she was 16 wks. old, my husband wanted her to sleep outside of her crate and cuddle right up with us. I was uneasy with that, afraid that she would piddle on the bed in the middle of the night. When she had to get down off the bed to do her business, she would wake us up with lots of kisses. Well, ever since then she has been cuddling next to us and we've only had one accident in the bed.
Carrie, Sophie & Sasha
Thanks everyone for all your replys! We decieded to let our Gizmo sleep with us, and finally I got some sleep, he does let you know when he has to go by waking us up.Since it went so well and our furbaby was so happy,content and SLEPT alll night My 10 year old son will be putting his mattress on the floor so the pup can sleep with him and they will be close to the floor(he always planned on having Gizmo sleep with him , we just thought it would be after housebreaking and when he is bigger.)
KAREN
Our little Midget,was 1 1\3 lbs.when we got him. We put in a large white teddy bear,with white feet and black markings,in his cage, When you looked in, it looked like three little babies looking at you. He was fine,and contented,all night.He was out in the living room,for a few months.Then we brought his cage, into our bedroom, and at 10 mo. our bed was his. Next puppy, we will put cage in bedroom,at the start,if it works out.We did not take him out at night, and he trained ,real good Good Luck!
Joanne
We have been having the same problem with our mlatese Maddy. We have her for a week. At night she seems to wake up and bark for about a half hour. (When we put her in the crate she does not bark. She appears to wake up hours later and begin!) The barking is inconsistant. At least 2 nights this week she has not barked at all. We have tried the blankets, stuffe animal, radio, etc. During the day we use a can of pennies to curb the barking. Any suggestions to help our little barker sleep?
Kim
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