Pup night time routine - advice please!

[tulpe]

Hello all dog experts I just need some reassurance that I am on the right track with my little girl

So, after a not too bad first night, last night was horrendous for poor little Ruby

She cried from 10pm until 1am. I sent DH down at 11pm to check her over - make sure she hadn't pooped again in her crate - she was fine but just upset.

Out of desperation, I went to her at 1am thinking we would do me sleeping on the sofa next to her bed thing which had worked the night before. She just started racing around like a mad thing and wouldn't settle.

I took her back to the crate and ended up giving her my fleecy dressing gown to snuggle down on (it's huge, not "fluffy" so no risk of ingesting fibres etc). She instantly snuggled up on it, let me stroke her to sleep and only whimpered slightly when she noticed I was closing the crate. I then stayed in the room for another 10 minutes, but ignoring her and then left the room. She slept until 6.30am.

After lots of activity this morning, she has settled back in to her crate without prompting (and with me being in a different room) and is now snoring happily.

1. Am I doing the right kind of thing by giving her something of mine to snuggle up to? She has definitely attached herself to me more than anyone else in the house.

1. When she is sleeping in her crate during the day, should I close the door of her crate so it doesn't become such an issue with the door being closed at night/when I have to do school run?

1. Should I be trying to settle her down say 30 mins before I go to bed? At present, one of us takes her out for a wee whilst the other switches off lights, tv etc. I felt it was a more definite "good night" to her than having her hear us still up and about in the other room. But I am willing to be corrected!!

Any other advice that you think may help will be gratefully received

As a tiny pup, my boy would sleep in the washing pile!! Eventually I put an old thick jumper (unwashed) over his bed and he started to sleep there.

A trainer told me its because it has our scent which makes him feel secure so I think you're doing the right thing giving him something.

I done pretty much the same as you at bedtime - out for a quick wee and came in and turned out the lights and we havent had any sleep/night anxiety issues.

I have never used a crate so cant really comment on that.

We used to take the crate upstairs to our bedroom every night for the first few weeks so we could reassure the puppy if he whined and hear him quickly if he needed to go outside for a wee. Probably beginner's luck, but after the first night when he woke up at 4.30am having done a wee in his crate he's never woken since in the night even to go out for a wee. After a few weeks of him reliably sleeping through we left his crate downstairs which worked out fine.

One other thing is that we covered the outside of his crate with towels so that it felt more enclosed and den-like.

Thanks for your replies

Good to know that we are on the right track. We have towels covering the crate to make it nicely enclosed. Originally we had planned to put her crate in the kitchen but it gets very cold in there. Instead she is in the study which gets a lot of daily use but is much smaller and cosy.

I am reluctant to take the crate to our bedroom as our cats generally sleep on our bed. They have both been great at accepting Ruby but are definitely still a little wary. I don't want them to feel pushed out, which I think they would do as its definitely "their" territory.

Vizsla's do suffer with separation anxiety more than many breeds. I just hope that if we try the same routine tonight with her - with my dressing gown in the crate - that she will relax and sleep.

Two main ways of dealing with this.
Put puppy in the crate and close the door with a cheery good night and ignore all cries, howling. They will stop doing it after 3 to 4 nights. sometimes less. The dressing gown is a good idea maybe leave the radio on low.

Otherway put the crate in room where you can sleep as well but ignore any crying etc but if they have been quiet and then cry maybe take out for wee but say nothing and straight back into crate.

If you feel vizsla do suffer from separation anxiety then deal with this from now on. When you leave a room shut the door and do not let the dog follow you. Immediately go back into the room bur do not make a fuss of the puppy. Do this many many times a day. She will realise that it is no big deal when you go cos you always come back.

Gradually and at random intervals lengthen the time it takes to go back into the room.

It is vitally important that dogs learn to be left on their own to prevent all sorts of anxieties. Most dogs that have separation anxieties go on to develop more and more anxieties.

Also really important that if you do go out and come home do not make a fuss of the dog (i know so hard to do) but come in put the kettle on put down your shopping etc and then talk to the dog.

If you rush in and make a big fuss of the dog it tends to make them anxious that it is a big thing that you have left. Also when you do come in from (for me a rare occasion when I may be dressed up) it means I don't get 5 dogs hurling themselves at me! But we do have a big cuddle later.

Bet she is lovely though

Thank you, Minimu That's great advice. Have begun with this now. Have already put her in crate in anticipation of school run (after lots of love and running around in the garden with me). When I closed the crate door just now she wasn't happy but I just ignored it. Am still in same room as her whilst MNing but haven't responded to any of her whimpering at all. She is now asleep

Last night she was fab I put her to bed with a puppy teething treat (which contains chamomile - so thought it would be excellent for bedtime treat). She did whimper when I closed the crate but I crouched by the side and closed my eyes. When she relaxed I left the room - we're talking 3 mins, tops. She then fell asleep until 5.50am this morning!!

Oh and she is peeing and pooping on demand now, so long may it continue This cold weather is great for training - she is so desperate to get back in the warm that she runs quickly round the garden, does her business and runs back to the door looking very pleased with herself!

Fantastic! You're doing brilliantly, Tulpe. Well done little Ruby too

Thanks Bella

I am so ecstatic! No crying when DCs and I left the house and no crying when I returned. Have just spent the last 5 mins doing a few things and ignoring her. Just opened her crate and she is happy just laying there and "talking" to me

Off to vets now for first vaccines and worming