Sleep deprived new mum :)

[ScarlettInSpace]

Hi all, just wondered if you knowledgable lot might have a little advice. We picked up our pug xJRT puppy on Saturday, he is 7weeks [which was a week younger than we'd expected but heyho, he is pretty feisty & independent to say the least!].

We have had him sleeping in the bedroom with us, his bed + a hot water bottle inside a big washing basket, although OH thought we were making a rod for our backs!

I've been getting up and taking him out when he cries and he is very very good at going to the toilet as soon as you put him down in the garden [when it's raining he is straight back to the back door ] but he is waking every 2 hours and I've become a bit of a zombie after 3 nights

We've got him a puppy pen that he happily goes in and out of during the day to eat, or to go to sleep, but he cries dreadfully if he's awake in there - I'm trying to leave him in there when we are in for small periods, don't let him out til he settles down [which can be ages] when will I realistically be able to transfer him there overnight without needing to get up? Or should i still set the alarm for halfway through the night for a few nights?

Thanks in advance,

Sending sympathy your way! New puppies are exhausting, but it does get better I promise! We got our pup at 9 weeks and for the first week he cried a lot in the night for the first week. I'm sure a lot of people will come on here and tell you to ignore it and it will stop, but I am too much of a softie so I did get up. They are just babies after all. After about 10 days he started sleeping from 10pm till 5.30am ish, which was just about manageable - I was a complete zombie by then though . Now he's 16 weeks and out and about on walks etc so he's sleeping well at night. He tends to doze in his crate from about 8pm, we take him in the garden at 10pm and he'll sleep till 6.30am. If you have to leave him in the crate with the door closed to mop the floor or go out etc, have you tried giving him a Kong to chew? We put a little bit of peanut butter in it, then freeze it. Pup will happily lick the peanut butter out, takes quite a while so he's usually occupied for a long time.

Thanks for replying - he has got stacks of toys but I hadn't heard of Kong's before, I'll check it out - he has got a rubber treat ball that he likes to chew, peanut butter idea I love and will definitely try

Hi Scarlett, we have cats too and pup is still very over-excited about them! He just wants to play really but obviously they are not so keen. I have done my best to keep them separate, and as pup isn't allowed upstairs, that has become the cat's safe haven. I'm afraid I have never been able to keep them off the worktops, so their new feeding place is the wide windowledge in the kitchen, they can circumnavigate a few rooms of the house along bookshelves and cupboards so they are able to keep out of pup's way . the cats and pup are beginning to share the garden at the same time so I am hopeful they will all be friends eventually! If you are looking for a good puppy book, this one came recommended to me via MN Perfect Puppy, Gwen Bailey, easy to dip in and out of, even for sleep deprived new pup owners! Here's a link to Kongs too www.kongcompany.com/tea the site is american but you can get them easily in pet shops

We have a 12 week old Border Collie, and he is settling down now after nearly two weeks.He has his area ( utility of kitchen) which has a stairgate across the entrance. His crate is in there, although he has only slept in it in the car! He did howl on the second night, but I came straight down, as I didn't want the whole house woken up. Since then, he has stopped the howling, but now sleeps between the sofas in the lounge, but so far has returned to his area for any night time wees! He goes out at 11 ish and then at 5.30 or six. Am just having to make sure that all toys, shoes or remotes are put up high just in case! Hope you get some sleep!