Now I don't know what to do!

[Spamspamspam]

Puppy in her crate, has taken herself in there 20 minutes ago but I had the door open and she was obviously sleeping. I went and looked at her and she came out and we popped outside for toilet which she didn't do I didn't leave her out that long cos she wanted to come back into her crate. I have now shut her door and the crying has started, I obviously don't want to go to her whilst she is crying so should I wait until she settles and then take her out for another chance to w/p or just leave her now for the night? Am thinking that once she settles I shouldn't get her out again until the morning? Last two nights once in crate she has stayed put and not messed but first night she was exhausted and second night she went in late and cried for an hour or two but then got let out again at 5.30 so didn't have long to wait.....not sure what to do....

How old is the puppy? There is a limit to how long a young puppy can control its bladder. The trick to this is to learn the different types of crying. If she is crying for toilet try to always respond to her, don't talk to her, if possible don't switch too many lights on, just pick her up, take her directly outside, allow her to go to the toilet and pop her back in the crate. If she is crying for attention, provided she has had a nice active day, with playing, training and walking, ignore her so that she can learn to settle on her own. Some puppies settle better with a radio on, some like a crate that's covered with a blanket, others appreciate a chew to keep them busy.

Thanks :) She is ten and half weeks.

She has settled within a few minutes although I am in the room next door and she can probably hear me typing. She has blanket over crate, radio on, toys in cage, hot water bottle etc. She was very tired today after only being with us for 2 days and both of those have been so overwhelming and busy for her.

She got up at 5.00 this morning mainly because husband was up and she heard him so has slept all morning around the house with regular wee/poo visits outside, had a play with husband at lunch another one with me at about three and then a really good play/training session with daughter and me at about six so she is definately very tired.

She is lovely and quiet now after a few mins of crying which was about 2 hours last night, so I am naturally nervous about getting her up, but I will do...

Gosh this is just like having your first baby :)

Just like a baby, yes. But she sounds as though she's doing really well. It can be very hard work. We've had two puppies in a 12-month period and it's been a relief when each of them has got through the early days, gorgeous as they are.

Sounds like it's going really well and you are doing all the right things! I don't know a lot about babies (ask me again in 4 weeks!) but from what friends say, young babies and puppies seem very similar!

Boo all I can say about babies is that routine is key but not TOO rigid in my very humble opinion and I welcome others opinions, In my experience they do change their own routines as the weeks pass and they have to fit into your life not you fit around them. However, babies and children like knowing what is coming next and my early mothering years had a mantra of the 4 B's - Bath Bottle Book Bed, not so necessary with a newborn but get into a routine that is flexible around you and you will have it sussed. Also don't fall into the habit of being quiet around them, socialisation and de-sensitiving them early on, same as I have read about puppies I believe! put the hoover on when baby is sleeping, washing machine etc, keep house working and noise levels at normal otherwise you will end up with a baby that can only sleep under certain conditions that you can't guarantee - this happened with my twin sister who at 41 still needs everything dark and completely silent before she will sleep!

What a good girl, just took her out no fuss she had a wee lots of fuss and praise and back in crate :) a bit of whimpering again but going to go to bed now - happy days!

Oh bless her

Okay more questions - sorry this is going to be a regular daily question fest I fear :)

She started crying at about quarter to five this morning. Day one she slept in until seven which is when breeder said she was waking up but of course with breeder she wasn't crated and was w/p'ing on pads so entirely different set up. Yesterday she got up at 5.15 but we thought that was because she heard my husband.

Back to today she was howling at about 4.45 so I went down no eye contact no fuss (very hard ignoring the excited wiggling!) and not sure I should have doing that? and took her straight out to wee and poo and she did both with lots of praise for the action. She had woken my daughter up who desperately needs to sleep until at least 7 so I didn't want to put her back in crate and have lots of crying - was this wrong? I just took her upstairs with me and went back to bed, she slept with me on the bed.

I was thinking if I got her a bed upstairs in our room and did the same she would learn that it is not proper getting up time until 7? Or should I persevere and put her back in crate until 7.00? At seven when we all got up she got lots of fuss and morning hello's, had her brekkie and out for play and w/p which she did!

Reading around a few other threads I suspect I need to set an alarm clock for say 4.00am and go down then and put her out so I get to her before she starts crying....and then put her back in crate?

Also when to start leaving her in crate during the day for short periods, vets nurse said wait until the weekend when she is a bit more settled in.

Thanks Spamspamspam! We have 4 indoor dogs so the baby will have to get used to a lot of barking!!

Regarding the sleeping on the bed, this is entirely up to you. We allow all 4 dogs on the bed on the condition that they always get off when asked to do so, nobody is allowed to hog our space or growl at us to move and there are no doggie fights on the bed. This establishes the bed as 'our' space on which they are tolerated, rather than their space which they defend from us. For me there is nothing nicer than cuddling up with a doggie under the covers, but I appreciate it's not everyone's cup of tea!!

I didn't really mind it this morning, but I don't think I want her getting used to bed sleeping at this age, I really want her getting into the habit of sleeping in crate through to morning. Going to pray she doesn't cry before I got and get her very early tomorrow morning for a wee/poo and then I will put her back in crate.

Darling girl has been sleeping in her bed in crate since about half nine :) going to have to get her up soon and expend some energy I think, don't want her turning nocturnal!

LOL, we bought a Queen size bed so we could all fit!!! But I suppose it takes all sorts!

We did wonder though whether the baby will feel abandonned sleeping all alone in her room while the six of us are all cozy in the bed together!!!

I wouldn't let her sleep on your bed unless that is how you intend to carry on. My dog never goes upstairs. He did once and weed in the upstairs lounge out of excitement probably. We have never needed a stair gate, it has just never been an option for him. However, when I take him to the caravan he whines to come in the bed with me. I love it and let him, but when DH came for a couple of days the dog did not even try it.

When he was a puppy he quite quickly managed to go all night without a pee, but I get up at 6am - and he was about 9 months old before he made it out of the cage without doing an excitement wee! He only whined for the first night iirc, and also growled at me that first morning when I came downstairs.

As he got older I started having to drag him out of the crate at 6.15 to go to the stables with me, literally drag him by his collar. He is not an early riser