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The doghouse

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Original poster

Puppy sleeping arrangements

26 replies

SecondhandRose · 16/03/2013 10:11

He sleeps in his crate with the door open so he can use the 'loo' in the night. He has just started to pull his bed out of the crate so it is in the middle of the floor. DH is concerned he is now using the whole room as his den rather than his crate. I made the crate really cosy by putting a big blanket over it as recommended in the books I have. He will cosy up there during the day but prefers to pull it all out at night.

Any thoughts please? He is 11 weeks, miniature dachshund.

OP posts:
springlamb · 16/03/2013 10:19

Lock the crate. I only cover half of the top of the crate too.
Make sure he has a good toiletting time in the garden just before you go to bed, don't expect 8 hrs sleep for a while and when you do get up rush to get him outside or (if you are using pads) to an area with a pad.
He will not want to soil or wet his bedding, so he will cry if he really needs to go in the night. However, if he's deciding where his bed is, he's likely to adopt a corner of the kitchen as his toilet.
You might get a few really early wake-ups, but in the long run you will be better off.

fanoftheinvisibleman · 16/03/2013 10:34

The whole point of using a crate is to encourage them not to toilet at night. I also would (and did) shut it.

SpicyPear · 16/03/2013 11:05

Yep, shut the crate and outside to toilet if he cries.

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 16/03/2013 12:45

Oh no! We are currently getting a full nights sleep as he goes to the loo in the newspaper in the corner of the room and then settles back down to sleep.

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tabulahrasa · 16/03/2013 13:26

Um, if you're not shutting him in the crate - why does it matter if he wants to sleep in the middle of the floor?

fanoftheinvisibleman · 16/03/2013 15:08

He may not need to wake you and even if he does it shouldn't to long term. My pup was going all night by then but if I am honest I have to admit now that he seems to have the bladder of a camel! He was on house arrest last week and it was only when I sat and thought about that I realised that if I don't kick his backside outside he only asked to go once all day other than morning and night when he is given no option. I don't know how he can hold it so long!

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 16/03/2013 18:39

OK, will tell DH if he is so bothered he can get up to let him out of the crate tonight.

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ijustwant8hours · 17/03/2013 07:52

I left my pup's crate door open until it looked like he was just doing one big wee, which I figured was when we woke him up with morning noises. I then shut the crate overnight. He would have been about 10/11 weeks.

lotsofdogshere · 17/03/2013 09:06

The crate is to provide a safe space for your dog, and the door should be shut at night, and when you go out and leave the dog home alone. Crate training helps the dog spend time alone. I wouldn't use paper/puppy pads, as you will have to train the dog not to use them, and to go out. Your pup will soon be sleeping overnight - there is good stuff on the internet about crate/toilet training.

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 17/03/2013 17:03

The last two nights he has pulled his bed out of the crate! Toilet training is going too badly. The wet weather isn't helping as he doesn't want to go outside.

OP posts:
springlamb · 18/03/2013 08:20

The thing is, you want to be training him so that he doesn't need the loo during the night. So you do need to start closing the crate.
It's a PITA but with a puppy this age if it's raining out you're going to get wet too as you have to take the puppy into the garden on a lead and watch till it does a wee. You need to do this last thing at night, so say 11pm. Then you lock puppy in its crate and go to bed. You may get woken at 5am by some whining and need to get up, put pup's lead on and take it into the garden. But eventually pup will go longer overnight.
Yes, it's a pain,my last puppy was Nov/Dec so I spent many a late night in my nightie and wellies in the garden), but it's better in the long run.

littlewhitebag · 18/03/2013 08:40

How thankful i am that we had a summer puppy.

insicknessandinhealth · 18/03/2013 16:37

What sort of night did you have last night, any better? I don't blame him for not wanting to go out it is hideous weather atm!! Hope you had a better night.

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 20/03/2013 14:09

Hi all, yes he does sleep all night and gets up to pee and poop on newspaper. We have just cleared out under the stairs and made a den for him there. Now I have a hall full of stuff with no homes but hopefully it will help. DH was moaning that puppy seems to have taken over the whole house. Anyway so far today no indoor accidents at all, saying that I haven't seen him for 20 mins!

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Floralnomad · 20/03/2013 20:06

The only problem is that he's not learning to hold on over night if you let him pee and poo on paper ,and that may be a hard habit to break.

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 22/03/2013 07:38

Ah, yes thanks for that. He has been really good going outside the last few days, he does seem to be getting the hang of it during the day. In fact today I caught him just 'starting' in the kitchen and I said 'No' and ran to the back door, he went straight out and went there. Lots of praise too.

OP posts:
digerd · 22/03/2013 12:39

Disappointed you have no pic on your profile of cute 11 week old mini dachshund. Just looked. Can you do one < when you've got time, of course>

Your last post was very encouraging. It does take a while.

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 22/03/2013 22:32

It's because I take photos on my phone but then can't work out how to get them on to my Mac from there. There is a You Tube video he isn't much bigger than this now, about the size of a large guinea pig.

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Original poster
SecondhandRose · 22/03/2013 22:33
OP posts:
TrinityRhino · 22/03/2013 22:39

HE IS ADORABLE!!!!!

and cool name Grin

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 22/03/2013 22:41

Thank you, he has turned my life upside down in the most wonderful way. Never ever had a dog before, have always been totally anti-dog but I am converted. He goes to sleep in my arms in a blanket like a baby then lies there snoring and farting!!

OP posts:
TrinityRhino · 22/03/2013 22:42

awwww thats so lovely

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 22/03/2013 22:57

He is tucked up in bed now (under the stairs). I went up to bed and he has now snuggled up after 5 minutes of whining up the stairs at me!

OP posts:
Still18atheart · 22/03/2013 23:20

Baxter is adorable!!!

Loving the sausage toy.

TrinityRhino · 23/03/2013 00:01

I'm gazing at my sleeping lolly pup. She's only still when asleep.
She's a whirlwind and pretty hard work but we luffs her Grin

I'm naughty and her bed is next to my bed

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