Puppy bedtime

[ChocolateHelps]

I'm sure this is a regular question..but totally new to this.

Our boy is 4 1/2 months old. We've had him home with us 2 full weeks. He has a crate inside a pen in the kitchen. He loves his bed and has most of his naps there Anna sleeps thru the night but....getting him to go to sleep.in the evening is getting harder and last night my husband slept on the floor in the kitchen at midnight as our puppy just would not stop barking.

What can we try tonight?

Husband is not keen on crate in our bedroom, but I think it could be a temporary (few months?) solution.

We've been taking him for a short walk round the block of an evening. He gets a walk (with lots of sniffing) on an extendable lead each morning. He's not a big dog but full of energy (except right now he's gone back in his crate and gone back to sleep)

[pigsDOfly]

If he's lonely, having his crate in your bedroom for a while should solve the problem and means everyone will get a decent night's sleep - can't imagine your DH slept very well on the kitchen floor.

He still a young puppy, he needs to be near you and feel secure, it doesn't have to be for long. As soon as he seem ready, you can start moving the crate nearer the bedroom door then move it further away until eventually it's back in the kitchen.

Just give him this time to adjust, if that's what he needs. It'll help him to be a happy secure dog.

[Velveteal]

Our pup went through the same thing at that age. Has he ever gone to sleep quietly on his own? Ours did and then starting crying/barking around the 4 month mark. The first few nights we went to him, sat with him, checked he was ok etc and he went on and on and on. By night 3 we decided to ignore it, he stopped after 40 mins and a couple more nights after that and he’d stopped altogether.

[Girlintheframe]

Having the crate in your room can just be short term. Our Ddog slept in his crate next to our bed for 3 weeks. Only got up for the toilet then straight back to bed. After 3 weeks we moved the crate little by little to wards the door then out of the room all together. Never had a problem with him not settling overnight. Now he is 19 months he regularly takes himself to bed (in the office) when he's had enough of us!

[Squirrelpeanutbutter]

I would definitely leave the crate in the kitchen, rods and back otherwise. He needs to get used to settling in the evening, when you go to bed. Puppies benefit from routine, so a walk, a game, food, whatever, and then everyone retires. Stick to it, he will get over it.

[RoombaSavedMySanity]

4-5 months is about right for a second fear phase.

It's also when dogs start to really grasp that they can change how their world is with their own behaviour.

Which would suggest that either your pup is scared of being left or is learning that barking results in someone sleeping next to him. Or both :)

I think I would also bring him into the bedroom because that stops the barking and stops him learning it gets him company but also ensures he's not being left alone when afraid. Once he's settled again, slowly creep the crate back to where you want it, moving it a bit each night.

[adaline]

Put the crate in your bedroom and slowly move it to where you want it to be (over a period of about 2-3 weeks ideally).

Some dogs never get used to the crate, though. Mine never settled in one and was a nightmare when the vets crated him after he was neutered! He sleeps in our bed and is much happier.

[ChocolateHelps]

Thanks everyone. He does like his crate...the door is open and he's in a bigger pen so he's safe and has water. We've decided to keep him in the kitchen (or bedroom is on the loft 2 floors away and not sure how we'd creep the crate out over time!) I'm on the sofa cushions for the 2nd night next to him. Which means he's not lonely, goes to sleep without woofing up the house and waking youngest child and keeps the association with sleep being in his crate in the pen in the kitchen