Pup is now 4 months old and stile whines/pines all the time and wakes me up in the night.

[Marne]

I have posted before and was told 'he would grow out of it and to ignore it', we have tried to ignore as much as we can without pissing the neighbours off.

Pup is 4.2 months old, he's crated at night (as he anoys my other dog) and during the day he is in the living room (cant go anywhere else due to stair gates), he is walked every day and we do training (clicker) every day (so he's not bored).

Whenever i leave the room he cries, whenever he is crated (when the dd's are eating or when i mop the floor) he cries and whines. He wakes up in the night whining (wakes everyone up), i try and let him cry for as long as i can but often i have to give in (or the kids wake up), i let him outside for a wee and then back in his crate. Its driving us nuts, he's such a good dog appart from this, does as he's told and easy to train but he just wont start whining, sometimes when i ignore him (did it today for 2 hours) he starts barking and will poo on the floor to get my attention.

I know people are going to say 'ignore him' but theres only so long i can ignore him before i go around the twist' (or before he wakes the whole street up ). Help?

[Marne]

Well I'm still sleeping on the sofa with pup next to me, we have had a couple of bad nights ( lots of waking up and asking to go out ) but we have had a couple nights where he has slept through until 5 am. I think we are getting their slowly .

[insicknessandinhealth]

Marne our puppy is exactly like this during the day. The neighbours know exactly when we are out!! After about a week of crying all or some of the night she now goes through til 5 but is in the kitchen with the crate door open. Freaks out if we shut her in I think as others have said it's not for all dogs. We did everything to get to this point so she has a heat pad in bed, adaption spray, a radio on too, I wish someone would tuck me up in bed with all that every night! I am trying to practice coming in and out of rooms where the dog is a lot and no immediate eye contact when you first come into the room. No attention if they are crying until they stop and are calm. Also I think with the click and treat you can reward calm behavior like when they are lying still and calm but awake. Apparently if you've got a day to spare (ha!!) coming in and out of the room constantly helps them get used to you coming back after separation. Also if he likes training there is a kikopup video on YouTube about leaving your puppy alone using clicker and treat method. I am going to try doing this for a couple of short periods per day. I feel your pain re the neighbours though, mine have been very understanding so far but I'm acutely aware of how loud the barking is! It's making the time to fit all this training in that I find difficult!

[Booboostoo]

You may also want to try Adaptil collars/diffusers. They work wonders for some stressy dogs.

[Floralnomad]

That sounds like a good plan ,bless him .

[Marne]

Well, last night i slept on the sofa and left pup out of the crate, he slept on the floor (right next to me) in his basket and didn't make a sound until 5am, he did wake a couple times to check i was still there but after a stroke on the head he went back to sleep. He didnt even try and join me on the sofa. I think i will do this for a few nights and then gradualy move back to my bed leaving him un-crated downstairs.

[Iamaslummymummy]

We've ended up dumping the crates and he sleeps under the bed now. We got our dog at the same time as you and have many of the same problems despite him being 2 months older. No answers but good luck.

[Floralnomad]

I'd let him sleep on the sofa with the OH ,they can snore together.

[Marne]

Thanks Flora .

My other dog sleeps in the arm chair, dh is sleeping on the sofa (due to his very loud snoring and me wanting to suffercate him with a pillow) so no room on the sofa. We have bought him a new basket/bed which he will sometimes sleep in, i might try him in that tonight.

Thewhistler- he's fed on Burns Puppy food (so no aditives).

I might sawp with dh tonight and sleep downstairs without him in the crate (try the basket, though he will probably end up on the sofa with me), at least i will hear him if he asks to go out for a wee (dh could sleep through anything).

[thewhistler]

Marne, expect you have tried this but

Walk last thing at night, but a calm one
Hot water bottle and alarm clock under his bed
And, what we have just discovered, snuggle him down to sleep on your bed with you in it first, then when he has been sleeping for 15 to 20 mins, pick him up, cradling him in your arms and take him.down to warm bed.

He will wake but should go back to sleep without too much difficulty.

Just like our Ds when little.

What are you feeding him on? Really important that it doesn't have too many additives if he is a nervy type.

[Lilcamper]

I sent you a message on FB Marne. Check your others folder if it hasn't come through.

[Floralnomad]

TBH it sounds like he might sleep better curled up on the sofa ,perhaps you should just risk it one night ( put lots of covers on it first) . It seems like he hasn't got a night time routine of going to sleep for the night .Where does the other dog sleep ?

[Marne]

Daisy- pup is a rescue pup, probably taken from his mother too early as mum lost interest and then did a runner (slipped her lead on her first walk after having pups), on day 2 he was very poorly and passing blood, vets thought parvo so he spent a day in the vets (he got very upset), turned out to be very bad coloitis, he was in and out of the vets for the first month we had him .

We have stair gates on each room, mainly to keep my severly autistic child in one place. The pup can jump the gate but has learnt that he's not allowed, when i'm home the back door is open so he has full run of the living room and large garden. I cant risk having him in my kitchen as i run a small food buisness (so no pets allowed near the kitchen), both dogs are only allowed in the living room and garden but are walked twice a day (so deffently not cooped up).

Pup is only crated when i'm out (10 minute for the school run and when i go food shopping) ,at night and when we are eating, he spends most of the day playing, walking of curled up on the sofa (so has quite a easy, happy life). He doesnt whine much during the day unless its close to feeding time, early mornings are the worst as dh gets up before me, he will whine until i get up (even though dh now feeds him breakfast and lets him outside).

He woke at 2am this morning, i ignored the crying, it lasted almost an hour, he then started again at 4am and dh let him out for a wee.

[needastrongone]

Sorry, didn't know the breed of dog but agree re exercise. Ours is a small Springer with known (low) parental hip scores as a caveat.

Daisy - this is an aside, but your last paragraph was useful to a new dog owner, thanks. Especially, the 'going back for more' bit, I wonder why our puppy always does go back for more but clearly he knows more than I do

[daisydotandgertie]

I haven't read the story of how you got him, or where he came from but regardless of that, he is too young to be reliably housetrained and too young to be reliably silent at night. Pooing on the floor when you leave the room, may well be stress that you've gone but it is also because he is too young to control his muscles well enough when that stress occurs.

Why is he so restricted in the house? Gated into one room in the day and crated at night and when you mop and when children eat? IMO, that's too much. Why does he need to be shut into one room?

With regard to exercise, with that breed combination I would definitely restrict to about 5 mins per month of age. It is intended as a guide, not the law but it is useful for gauging how much exercise a pup can take before it becomes over stimulated as well as being gentle on very fast growing bones.

Ignore the poo - or allow him to follow you around for a while. Don't shut him into one room - I can't imagine a situation where that is vital. Keep working on house training - he can't possibly have got it perfectly yet and don't fall into the trap of thinking that just because he has got brave enough to go outside on his own that he's linked that with pooing and weeing outside.

Are you concerned about the interaction between your two dogs? Is there any reason for it? Can you not leave them to just sort themselves out? A strong bond between them would do no harm, and would help your very insecure younger dog. Teeth and handbags along with lots of growling is quite normal interaction. A useful guide is if either dog is keen to go back for more of whatever it is they're doing, then it's not behaviour to worry about.

[Marne]

I am on FB, will message you my name xxx

[Lilcamper]

5 min rule would apply for a lab x. If you are on FB I can send you a link to a fab group run by qualified force free behaviourists that have oodles of good advice, and oodles of patience.

[Marne]

He asks to go in the crate, will sleep in there during the day sometimes with the door open but would much rather sleep on the sofa with the other dog, i keep thinking she will put him in his place but she just growls at him, a few weeks ago she charged at him in the garden and hurt his leg (she's a solid staffie).

Pup is a lab x (we are not thinking he may have german pointer in him) so likes lots of exersize. Most of his walk is spent off the lead on soft ground (field). He's fed on burns puppy food (after trying several other things which upset his tummy he has settled down on this), i am feeding him 3 times a day as he is a bit skinny after suffering with colitis.

I think the pooing is stress of me being out of the room but havn't got a clue how to deal with it. He never poo's on the floor when i'm in the living room with him, in the mornings he is fine for a few hours just chilling on the sofa, as soon as i leave the room he poops. This morning dh let him out, he pooped outside and then came in, dh left the room and i was upstairs and he pooped on the floor.

I have stuck to the 5 min rule up until this week (he has had a couple of longer walks), i might try 2 shorter walks instead of one big one (today we have done 1 long walk and one short one).

[needastrongone]

I think the 5 minute rule is dependant on breed. Long legged dogs and certain breeds that are susceptible to hip problems you need to be careful with. Our vet was very chilled about the levels of exercise our dog gets, given it was off road and at his pace.

Sure the poo isn't stress Marne? Not that I know how to handle it tbh.

Poor you, must be hard.

[Lucyellensmum95]

I'm sorry but i really think that this dog HATES being in its crate, i know that lots of dogs really like a crate and everyone thinks they are the best thing since sliced bread but not every dog will like that. Especially as there is another dog in the house.

Saying that, i sleep with two dogs in my bed I don't mind, they keep me warm DP is less impressed.

If your other dog gets pissed off with him she will soon put him in his place.

[Lilcamper]

He is basically still a toddler. As far as walks go it is 5 min per month of life. What is he fed on and what breed is he.

[Marne]

If he's not crated then he tends to poop on the floor (i think as a attention thing), he's now curled up on the sofa with dh and my other dog, he loves my other dog but she gets fed up withhim after a while as she's used to her own space. He follows me around everywhere, he can be fast asleep but as soon as i get up off the sofa he jumps up and follows my feet. He's just started going outside on his own during the day but at night i have to go out with him. I do feel honered that he loves me so much but its like having a clingy toddler (i thought these days were long gone).

I have given him a extra walk and he had a long run and play with my other dog in the field so he should be tired, fingers crossed he will sleep all night.

[needastrongone]

What's he like if you don't crate him but leave him Marne? Sorry if this has been covered before?

He seems very attached to you in particular. My puppy is a bit like this but doesn't have the stress. He keeps a very close eye on me all the time and is usually by my feet or staring intently at me! Won't go in the garden on his own or play with toys unless i am sat there with him. Our plumber came today to fix something with the boiler, said it was a good thing, waiting for his next instruction, he works labs. I feel rather unnerved tbh!!!

[Marne]

Have tried the tv, leaving my clothes in his crate (he ate them) and we cover his crate with a blanket. We have had him since he was 8 weeks old so has been with us for over 2 months.

[mimosaadorna]

I've only just seen this so forgive me if Im going over old ground - have you tried leaving the TV or a radio on ?...also , does he sleep with something of yours ? - old T shirt or something with your scent for comfort ?....my doberman was a nightmare when a pup, a lot like yours. We eventually got him to sleep at night with both the above, and covering his crate at night with a sheet ( you know, like a budgie?? ). Took about 3 weeks and he started to sleep through...have you tried DAP ?...we found that quite good too.

[Marne]

I think i might try walking him again (before bed) in hope to tire him out. How far can i walk a 4 month old pup? i keep hearing different rules, he has had a 45 minute walk alreay today and was still full of beans when we got home, he seems very hard to tire out.