Sleep training

[lumpsdumps]

We have a 6 month puppy who we picked up on Friday evening he's doing really well except for leaving him at night time. For the last few nights my husband has slept downstairs with him and last night we took him upstairs to our room. If we leave him to go upstairs to sleep then he messes all over the place. Has anybody got any solutions as to what to do. Kids are all back to school this week and husband is back to work on nights as from Friday. Please help!

[vjg13]

Get a crate, the theory is that the dog will not want to dirty its own bed but will let you know when it needs to be let out. Also gives them a safe haven during the day.

[minimu]

Definately agree with vjg get a crate.

Put it in a quiet place in the house - if possible in a corner so the dog feels safe.
Put a treat in the crate and let the dog get the treat. do not shut the door.
Feed the dog in the crate
if the dog goes in the crate on his own give him a treat.
When he is happy with the crate let him sleep in it and he will not poo or wee in it!

[minimu]

Meant to say although the crate looks like a cage dogs love them. I crate all my puppies and when the crate comes out the big dogs all try like mad to get into the crate as they all love it so much. I have a picture of three full sized labradors squashed into one crate and the puppy looking on sadly from the outside!!!!!! The big labs put themselves in the crate I didn't dquash them in!!!!!!

[madusa]

if I don't lock the crate overnight, my 6 month old puppy poos and wees on the floor outside of the crate. How do I stop that?

If i do shut the crate door, she barks to be let out to go to the toilet.

[newpup]

I had a crate until last week. My lab is 15 months now. I shut her in the crate at night right from the first night. The first 2 nights she messed all over the crate which was awful although I was not expecting her to last all night of course!

From the third night onwards she only messed on a puppy pad I put in the corner of the crate away from the end she slept. I put her out at 11pm before I went to bed and then got up at 5.30am to let her out. She only used the puppy pad to wee on for about week and then would wait until I let her out in the morning. Gradually as she got older I could increase the length of time, after amonth I could wait until 6am to go down.

Now at 15 months she would happily go until 10am, lazy beast and I have to shove her out when I get up at 6.30am. She loves weekends!!! She loved her crate but I never saw it as a long term option and we are lucky that she does not chew! I started to leave the crate door open at night and when we were out and then after a week I replaced it with a bed. The same rules apply as for the crate, the DCs are not allowed on her bed that is her space, she must get onto her bed when asked and she has been fab so far!

I would perservere with a puppy pad in the crate, when she is able to hold on all night she will, dogs do not want to go in their own area. I would keep the door shut at night but I can appreciate that the barking may be a problem. Could you try ignoring it and going in to praise her when she is quiet?

Good Luck.

[newpup]

Sorry just realised you said she barks to be let out. Not sure about that as obviously it is good she asks to be let out!

[madusa]

she barks as she doesn't want to make a mess in her crate but if the crate door is left open, she doesn't bark - she messes on the kitchen floor as many times as she likes

I don't want to have to "lock" her in but I also don't want the children to step in something nasty if they are first down

very annoying!

[newpup]

Have you tried a puppy pad in the corner of the crate. They smell of something that makes the pup want to go on them and then they only go on that place.

I would try a puppy pad in the crate with the door closed. At the moment she thinks it is okay to go anywhere outside the crate! She will have to go and should go on the pad. My pup held on the first night I forgot to put a pad in and then after that she managed to hold on every night unil I let her out in the morning.

[madusa]

she chews puppy pads up

[newpup]

Oh dear!! Can see your problem. What sort of pup is she?

[minimu]

Some pups do take longer to go through the night but most by 6 months should. I am afraid that I would set the alarm a few minutes before the pup would normally bark to be let out and let him out to wee etc. Then straight back into cage no words no fun. Each night I would gradually move the time later and later to when I let him out. Hopefully he will then learn to go for longer.
It shouldn't take too long.
Do lock the cage and do remove any newspaper and puppy pads etc.
Good luck - do you also have dc waking up in the night? - you will be shattered for a bit you poor thing

[threekidsandadog]

ive never used a crate but hav had success with th paper method. during th daytime i put paper all over th kitchen floor, lucky - small kitchen. if pup wees or poos its always on paper. pup soon knows to go on paper. leaving back door open allows pup to go to garden with lots of praise for doing wee there. rule of thumb is that pups usually need to wee bout 10 mins after waking and usually bout 20 mins after eating. as time goes on reduce th paper making sure there is always some by th back door. at night its th same plan. always allow pup to use th garden b4 bedtime. i put a teddy bear in his bed with him and warm his blanket in th tumble dryer b4 he goes into his bed. a childs night light allows enough light for him to see th paper if he needs to wee or poo at night. ive used this method with both my dogs when they were pups. its worked well for me.it really doesnt take long to house train but be consistant and they pick it up really quickly. by th way, my dog, jak, is a staffie and th light of my life. good luck.