Puppy and night time whining

[Imjustagirlwhobakes]

I brought an 8 week old puppy home on Saturday. I am using a crate and so far she loves it and will take her toys to play in it.

I don't expect her to sleep though the night as she is so young and she wakes me up either 3 or 4 times during the night to go out to the toilet. However, I've read that you shouldn't go to them when they whine as they will learn that if they whine they will get let out of the crate.

Toilet training is obviously a top priority so I'm glad she is waking me when she needs to go, but I'm not sure what to do about the whining. Is it ok at this age? Or am I creating problems for when she is older?

[missbattenburg]

I let Battendog out every time he cried. I just made it v v boring :)

No eye contact, no fuss, just picked up and put straight into the garden. Told to go wee then brought in as soon as he was done and put back in the crate.

That way crying in the night only ever led to a chance for a wee, nothing else.

[LochJessMonster]

I think its more about choosing the exact moment she isn't whining to let her out. So she doesn't associated the act of whining to the crate opening.
So literally wait for a pause in her whining (even if its only a few seconds) and then go in and let her out.

But really its not that important this early on, as you want her to whine to let you know she needs the toilet. Later on when you are practising settle/alone time/impulse control that is when it is more important

[BiteyShark]

I treated nighttime whining differently to daytime. At night I would get up and take BiteyDog outside with no fuss and then straight back into his crate everytime he cried.

In the day if I knew he was safe, didn't need to pee or poo then I was happier to wait until he stopped crying before going to him.

[adaline]

I always got up with ours when he whined in the night - but he got put on the lead and taken to the toilet. No play, no fuss, no cuddles. Just toilet, praise, then back to bed.

He soon learned that getting up meant toilet and back to bed - he never woke us to play or for attention otherwise.

[Blueskyandsmiles]

Ditto previous posters really. Our pup came to us at 8 weeks and is 10 weeks tomorrow. When she made the slightest noise at night (about 3 times a night then less after first week) I took her straight outside, I didn't say anything then after she'd gone to the loo i just came inside and popped her straight in the crate. Last two nights she's gone 7 hours straight through and crate clean and dry since she moved in 🎊🎊

[Imjustagirlwhobakes]

Thanks for all the advice. I have been just taking her out and putting her straight back in her crate so I'll keep doing that and look forward to when she finally sleeps through the night.