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The doghouse

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Original poster

Puppy howling through the night- help

30 replies

Mydearchild · 23/04/2015 05:58

We brought our cockapoo pup home on Tuesday night aged 9 weeks. Last night was his first night in his crate, I left the door slightly open but he has howled and barked most of the night. Please tell me it will get better?! I know it's such early days but I hate to think of him distressed all night. He doesn't seem to like being left alone and was whimpering every time I left the room yesterday. Does anybody have any words of wisdom or just of comfort to tell me he will sleep through the night soon!

OP posts:

LokiBuddyBoo1 · 23/04/2015 06:44

Try putting his crate in your bedroom where he can see you that seems to work for some dogs.
Mine hated his crate and I tried using it from 8 weeks when we brought him home but no matter where his crate was or what time I put him in he would cry and become frantic and distressed so I gave up after two days I couldn't do it to him.
From then on he slept on my bed with me and he sleeps all night till I get up he has never wet the bed.
This seemed the best solution for me as I couldn't take the crying and obvious stress the crate brought him.

MothershipG · 23/04/2015 07:01

Dogs are social animals, he's a baby that has been taken from his mother and litter mates for the first time so he's distressed.

Either bring him up with you as suggested, you can move him back downstairs gradually once he is older and more settled, or you could try hot water bottles, ticking clocks to help comfort him and put up with the howling until he gives up.

Or you could sleep downstairs with him.

daisydotandgertie · 23/04/2015 08:16

Understand he is lonely and a bit confused - he's not used to sleeping alone, he will have been in a lovely, warm pile of puppies until now. He won't be missing his mum so much, they tend to have distanced themselves from the litter. She certainly wouldn't be sleeping with the pups post 4/5 weeks.

Teach him it's OK to be left alone during the day by ignoring the moaning and making a point of giving him with a milk bottle container or a cardboard box with a bit of kibble in to play with and go out of the room for a few minutes, come back in and go back out. Make it normal and make sure it's when he has something he thinks is BRILLIANT to play with.

At night, move the crate next to your bed and things might improve.

DoristheNovice · 23/04/2015 09:49

Hi, we've got a cockapoo puppy too. She'll be 12 weeks on Monday. I agree with all the above comments thb. We tried leaving her in her crate on the first night ( 8 weeks old ) and she cried endlessly too. After a couple hours we moved her crate to our landing just outside of our bedroom and that worked a treat. From then on I've put her in there whilst me and DH get ready for bed so she can see us, then we switch off the lights. Me and DH always have a little chat when we get into bed so I think it helps that she can hear us, but not see us. She sleeps through the night now without any issues. It's worked for us because we've decided we are going to let her sleep upstairs with us anyway when she's older without the crate. We're only using it for her safety because knowing her, she'd love to fling herself down the stairs!

As for the daytime, I wait until she's really sleepy and then pop her in the crate if I need to go out and she sleeps great in there. I do put a toy or a kong with treats in there aswell just incase she wakes up before I'm home.

Original poster

Mydearchild · 23/04/2015 14:05

Thank you all for your words of reassurance. I had an hour long chat with the breeder earlier who is fantastic and she gave me some excellent tips. He is currently snoring his head off in his crate for the first time. Yay! Its like having a newborn, i had to tiptoe away from the crate so i didn't wake him. Ideally i don't want him upstairs with us as i am a dreadfully light sleeper anyway and like a bear with a sore head if i don't get a good nights kip. Its having the confidence to know which way to handle it and then persistence to see it through i think but at 3am when he is howling things aren't so clear!

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nmg85 · 24/04/2015 10:57

We tried downstairs but she cried straight away, moved into our room and she stopped straight away. If she whimpered we just moved the covers so she knew we were there and she went quiet every time. After 1st night we moved her to hallway for a couple of nights and then over the next few days we progressed her to the kitchen where she now sleeps happily every night.

WeAllHaveWings · 24/04/2015 11:50

Ours was in our room for first week or so, and eventually moved him downstairs. It is like having a new born, as it is a......new born, just its a puppy this time. Sleep disturbances for a few nights (or weeks) is to be expected as you settle him in. Lots of good advice above.

Original poster

Mydearchild · 24/04/2015 12:56

Nmg85 Did you still use the crate in the bedroom? After another night of howling I'm beginning to hate the crate. I'm sure it will be fine in the long run but hearing him cry all night is very hard going.

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stirrupleathers · 24/04/2015 21:02

Try leaving the radio on low in the room he's in. Classic fm or something quiet. I used to put a blanket over the top of Pixie' s crate so she felt safe & warm. Although fast forward a year and she sleeps on our bed :/

Original poster

Mydearchild · 24/04/2015 21:31

Thank you stirrup anything is worth a try at this point

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RoosterCogburnIsInTheJakes · 24/04/2015 21:35

Last time we had a puppy DH ended up sleeping downstairs on the sofa for a week.
Because she was a large breed we didn't want her coming upstairs but the first night she cried so much he ended up staying with her.
It actually worked well because she was able to let him know if she needed to go out in the night and consequently was housetrained very quickly.
After a week she was so settled she didn't mind him coming up to bed.

KatharineClifton · 24/04/2015 22:25

It probably won't be ok in the long run if you leave the pup downstairs on his own. All advice on the net says to start them off in the crate in your room and gradually move it out and downstairs.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 24/04/2015 23:13

Our pup is currently whining away in his crate in the kitchen. We are in the living room. We haven't gone to bed yet. If we put him in our bedroom he'd be even further away. What do we do in the evening?

NeedABumChange · 24/04/2015 23:17

You can get pet heat things that have furry covers. About a tenner off amazon, very reassuring for babies who've just been taken away from mum and siblings. It's a big shock for them but it'll get better.

tammytwigg · 24/04/2015 23:24

We did the same as rooster , I slept on sofa with his basket on the floor beside me ,after about 5 nights left all the bedding on the sofa went to bed and never heard a peep out of him . Kept putting bedding out for another week but as never cried again .

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 24/04/2015 23:53

We've got a heat pad in there with him wrapped up in a blanket from the breeder that smells of his litter. I think he has to be really tired before he gives in.

nmg85 · 26/04/2015 17:27

Yes we used the crate in the bedroom

catsrus · 26/04/2015 22:59

Sleep on sofa next to him - it won't take long for him to settle and he'll bond faster with you as you are providing the security. And you'll all get a better night's sleep.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 27/04/2015 00:09

That's what I'm doing now. I'm on the sofa in the living room and his crate is next to me.

I need to go for a wee. I'm hoping he won't instantly wake up and start howling the second I leave the room.

Original poster

Mydearchild · 27/04/2015 09:45

After 5 nights of him howling all through the night I couldn't take it anymore. I've tried all tactics to make him have positive connections to the crate eg kong toy stuffed with treats and his meals in there but to no avail. Even if I've popped to the shops for 10 minutes when I get back he is still howling and scratching at the door.

Yesterday we moved the crate to the lounge so he could be around it with us there. Last night we didn't shut him in but left him in the lounge with the crate - we didn't hear a peep out of him, although I don't think he slept in there, chosing to sleep on dh slipper instead! No mess anywhere either, he went straight out for wee & a poo, (have had a couple of wee accidents in the kitchen this morning which I can cope with over crying all night) hope it's not just a fluke but I just don't see the point of pushing the crate when he clearly is very distressed in there. He never ever barks unless in the crate and is a lovely natured gentle boy.

I think crates are great for those dogs who love them but they aren't for every dog. I guess we could try for longer but why would I when it clearly distresses him?

OP posts:

Original poster

Mydearchild · 27/04/2015 09:46

He is also very very bonded to me as I've been at home the most - he follows me everywhere. So I leave an item of my clothing with him or my fluffy slippers which he lies on. Bless!

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nmg85 · 27/04/2015 11:10

Ours only cries in her crate if she thinks she is missing out on something more fun with us, 90% of the time she is fine and always fine at night. Its true every dog is different. I only use the crate during the day if I need to pop out otherwise she has a bed in the living room or she sits right next to me, If I go to the toilet she comes and sits outside or if I forget to close the door fully she is right in the room.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 27/04/2015 13:51

Well new pup did very well last night. Not a peep out of him all night. He slept right though till about six. I think I'll persevere with him in the crate and me on the sofa. I know he's contained in there and won't wee on the carpet. If I leave him in the kitchen, even with the run of the room he still whines and barks. I'd rather sleep on the sofa for however long it takes, at least we all get some sleep.

Original poster

Mydearchild · 27/04/2015 14:05

I set up puppy cam this morning on my phone whilst i did the school run to see if he cried for us. I left him with a Kong toy stuffed with ham and put it in the crate without shutting the door. He must of been in there for 10 minute trying to get the food then came out and settled next to the crate. I am slightly worried that he will be left on his own for 3 days a week (up to 4 hrs a time as i can pop back at lunch to feed him) so i need to get him used to being alone. He literally thinks I'm his Mummy I'm sure of it!

OP posts:

nmg85 · 27/04/2015 14:12

Of course he thinks you are his 'mum' he only has you now. 4 hrs is a very long time for a small puppy of that age to be on his own. Until about 4.5 months old mine needed to go out at least every 1.5 - 2 hours for the toilet.

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