Puppy advice about crying at night

[wahoowad]

We're getting a new puppy and will keep it in a comfortable crate at night. It has been a long, long time since I had a puppy so have forgotten the tips and tricks to get through those first few weeks where it will cry/whine all night.

Me and SWMBO disagree on the issue of responding to it's crying. I feel it is crying for attention and responding to it or shushing it or any reaction from us will teach it to cry and receive attention in return. SWMBO says that will alienate it and reduce the bonding and wants us to talk to it when it cries. She cites various references that says this. We plan to keep the crate in our bedroom, hoping at least the proximity to us will provide small comfort to it. I'm wondering if it should be in our family room where our every toss and turn won't make it cry.

I am mentally preparing myself for the sleepless nights, she's never been through the experience and I do not expect her to do well with it. Advice please!

 

[Mr A]

Keep the dog where it will be spending most of it's time. Put a ticking clock in the crate. You want the dog to feel it has its own spot, a den. The crate becomes its comfort zone. The clock mimics the sound of its mothers and litter mates heartbeat.

 

[jtakeman]

I used a radio and a 24 hour talk show. As long as he heard voices he was fine.

Post some pic's of the little rascal when you can!

 

[firebroad]

Sometimes a hot water bottle wrapped in a soft cloth will soothe the pup. It will whine because it misses its mother/littermates. All of the above suggestions are good, you just have to find out what works for you. I would not put the pup in bed with me, but that is an option as well. Just remember that this is not a human baby, and you will not be "spoiling" or otherwise reinforcing bad habits as long as you know where to draw the line. It only knows that it is lonely, and for a pack creature this can be terrifying. Let it know it is a member of your pack, and show it acceptance.
Of course, this is from a cat person.

 

[lukem]

Our lab cried for a few nights when he was a pup, but quickly got over it. We just left him be and he is very social and well adjusted.

 

[billb3]

radio or TV left on and a couple plush toys seemed to work for us

Our current mastiff liked her cage which was weird because they don't seem to like being home alone much.
We still leave the TV on for company.

 

[bfunk13]

Both of our dogs did this for 3-4 nights. It's something you gotta go through. I agree about the radio. I think the worst thing you can do is come see them every time they decide to whine.
This makes them whine more. It goes away fast after realizing they have a new family. We kept both of ours in the kitchen until we trusted them to have the run of the house at night. Spend plenty of time during the day and do your best to wear them out. Just like a human baby, patients!

 

[Lousyweather]

get 2 puppies! they keep each other company!

 

[muncybob]

get 2 puppies! they keep each other company!

Love it!!

We have usually had at least 2 dogs and normally 1 is much older than the other which seems to have helped in raising them. Twice we had pups before getting the 2nd dog and we ignored the crying/whining and as mentioned it stops in a few days. Never had a problem with socializing our dogs. Sometimes I think there are too many experts out there reading way too much into things!

 

[Mr A]

And dont let him crap on anyones lawn! I hate that!. Teach the dog to crap in the gutter, and pick it up! People seem to think I am maintaining my lawn as their dog's toilet. I have tired of asking politely that owners refrain from letting their dog crap on my lawn. Now when I see 'em, I just give 'em a spray with hose, the owners, not the dog. The dog doesn't know any better.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

All the books preach crate training. My last dog never saw the inside of the crate. 4,000[\] of house was his 'den'. My current guy, I wrestled him into a crate till he was about 35#. I don't have enough skin to spare to try that any more.

But Akitas are generally good at not relieving themselves inside their space. Since the whole house is his space, he only has a problem if he gets sick. Likewise, they are not chewers, so the crate is not as important.

I must be getting old. The best I can figure for SWMBO is Single White Male w/ Body Odor. If you can live with THAT, well, hell, a whining dog should be a piece of cake.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

We have usually had at least 2 dogs and normally 1 is much older than the other which seems to have helped in raising them. Twice we had pups before getting the 2nd dog and we ignored the crying/whining and as mentioned it stops in a few days. Never had a problem with socializing our dogs. Sometimes I think there are too many experts out there reading way too much into things!

Who is the dog in your avatar?

 

[BrotherBart]

I must be getting old. The best I can figure for SWMBO is Single White Male w/ Body Odor. If you can live with THAT, well, hell, a whining dog should be a piece of cake.

She Who Must Be Obeyed. You know, like the prosecutor in your avatar.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Hmmm, so If I obeyed more often, . . .
Hmmm

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

They've come from a litter. They have evolved in a pack. I like to honor that. If you are going to crate, the pup will be more content at night if you crate the pup where you sleep. As long as you are "being the boss" in other ways, you cannot spoil a dog by close proximity.

 

[muncybob]

Who is the dog in your avatar?

That is Holly..but, my dad always calls her Molly, so I am constantly calling her Holly Molly. She's one big loveable dog. She and her sis Nipper(Aussie Shephard) each do something I've never had in a dog. Holly has never licked(kissed) a person....ever. But she is one of the most affectionate dogs we have ever had. Nipper loves to chew on long blades of grass, but has never upchucked from eating it!

BTW, we have had many dogs over the years and have never crated one. We also have had Akitas(sis-in-law use to bread them)...Arlo was one of the strongest dogs for his size. I wish I had video of him pulling my young daughter on her sled.

 

[ColdNH]

Crate training is great and i feel all dogs should be crate trained ( that way they are used to the crate when you go somewhere with them that wants them crated) or they go to the kennel. etc etc

Duke our chocolate lab only cried for 2-3 nights when we first brought him home. we would leave him downstairs in the living room in the crate at night, i would lay there with him in the crate watching TV for like 30 minutes as he fell asleep and then we would scoot off to bed without waking him and he got used to this. He cried a little and we just ignored it, if he cried ALOT we would take him outside to go to the bathroom bring him right back in and put him in the crate and go back to bed.

around the 8 months or so we felt he was potty trained enough and well behaved enough to trust him sleeping on his own bed next to our bed in the bedroom. he was happier then a pig in chit that night!

The crate still came in handy for days where we were at work for the first 1.5 years of his life. and now that he is 3 he rarely uses it, only if were visiting friends and they dont want him alone in their house when we leave.

 

[Highbeam]

Honestly, I've scolded and/or wacked them a bit when they do that whining stuff at night. It has worked well with each of the dogs I've gone through. Collie, chessie, boxer, and now pug. With children, it's different and we did more suffering.

The pug is the first "crated" dog that I've raised and we like the results. The small dog uses a small crate under an end table in a room adjacent to our bedroom.

 

[Woody Stover]

I would have some fluffy fleece blankets in there. I would also wear the pup out with some play earlier in the evening. Different breeds might respond differently at night, I don't know...