Advice on crating new puppy overnight

[pullthecracker]

Hi, we got our ten week old Chihauha puppy yesterday. He's lovely, and last night slept in his crate in DD's (12) room, as we thought the kitchen might be cold, and that he might not want to be alone. She's worried tonight that he will waken early tomorrow as I get up for work, an hour before her. I leave before she gets up so there'd be nobody watching him in between.
Do I leave him with her tonight, he slept all night last night, or do I crate him downstairs? Dh won't have him in our room.

[TrionicLettuce]

Ten weeks is quite young for a chi to have left their dam and litter mates, the norm for such tiny breeds is twelve weeks. I really wouldn't expect such a tiny puppy to cope on their own all through the night at that age so I'd have them in with someone, whether that's you or your DD, or have someone sleeping downstairs with them.

I'd be very surprised if the puppy continued sleeping right through the night without needing at least one toilet break. Most puppies will need one or two a night for a while so even if the pup doesn't wake up when you do (which is probably quite unlikely) whoever is sleeping near them is likely to be disturbed anyway.

[pullthecracker]

Oh no, I feel awful now, most places I read said 8-12 weeks, so I thought that was ok. He's double the size of his siblings. What harm have I done to him by getting him now? Feel really bad

[TrionicLettuce]

Eight weeks is the norm with most breeds but for the really tiny toy breeds like chihuahuas it should be twelve weeks to allow them time to catch up to where larger breeds are at eight weeks. They tend to get their teeth a little later and wean fully a little later than larger breeds.

If he was a good size when you got him then it's unlikely to have done him any harm but it is unusual for decent breeders to let puppies go at ten weeks. It's part of the code of ethics for the breed club that they shouldn't go to their new homes until twelve weeks.

[Wolfiefan]

Why won't DH have him in your room but will have him in child's room?
Who will be home with pup tomorrow?

[pullthecracker]

I feel terrible now.
Dh has always had dogs and said he's never got into the habit of them being in the bedroom, this is my first dog.
My neighbour is coming into him every hour tomorrow, am only out for four hours, and he will be in the crate in between my neighbour coming to let him out to toilet and play.

[Billingsgatedoxy]

We got our chi at 9 weeks. I also thought it was normal for them to leave from eight weeks- certainly our vet was fine about it.

We took him out for toileting during the night every 3/4 hours. Their bladders are so tiny I think it is probably too much to expect him to go for a full night. They do need to be kept warm, I wouldn't leave him overnight in a cold room especially when so young and small.

[pullthecracker]

Ah, if I was going to leave him downstairs, it would be the living room with the heating on,, I'm really wary of him being cold, he has a furry cat igloo with loads of blankets inside it in his crate.
He seems to have settled in well.
I thought I'd done everything right, bought a pedigree with full family history, registered with the kennel club, as I nearly bought from a puppy farm a few years ago, a cross breed.

[TrionicLettuce]

Bringing him into your room doesn't have to mean he never leaves. It's perfectly possible to start off with him in your room until he's properly settled and then gradually move him to wherever it is you want him to sleep long term.

[pullthecracker]

I've ended up bringing him into our room. He's in his crate, with his cosy igloo bed, toys and blankets. He has a chew in there. However, it's been 20 minutes now and he's crying all the time. I'm on call overnight and working for the morning tomorrow, so really need to get to sleep! He was great in it last night!