Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Puppy jumped the pen

42 replies

puginamug · 08/08/2021 08:16

Came downstairs this morning to discover that my 14 week old cocker spaniel had managed to escape his pen.

He has a crate with a kind of 'extension' of a dog pen. This was recommended by the breeder as a sort of toilet area so we didn't have to get up in the night.

I'm guessing we need to dispense with that now and just make him go in the crate.

OP posts:
Tinkerbellfluffyboots79 · 08/08/2021 08:23

Grate games by Susan Garrett, ours didn’t like the crate at all. Fine with it now but doesn’t need locked in and is loose in room at night doesn’t chew. He can jump pen too, safer not to have it as it’s not good for them. He shouldn’t need to go over night either now so hopefully once you’ve sorted the crate he’ll just sleep but it needs to be safe and happy place not doggy jail

Hekatestorch · 08/08/2021 08:23

Yeah, if you wish to continue with the crate and have him contained for the night, you need to start closing the crate.

Those pens never last long with many puppies, but especially not cockers.

I have always just done the crate. As it helps train them over night quicker. We have only got up for the first couple of nights with all ours.

Beebumble2 · 08/08/2021 09:31

🤣 we have a visiting cocker pup. DH made a lovey huge pen out of specially bought materials, in the garden.
Guess what, it lasted two visits.

HerMammy · 08/08/2021 09:33

It’s it a bit unrealistic expecting a 14 wk pup to last all night in a crate.

Brownlongearedbat · 08/08/2021 10:16

Why can't you get up and take him out, rather than 'making him go in the pen'? You might be swapping a small inconvenience for a big one, because you may well have a soiled crate, soiled puppy and soiled bedding every morning, which makes a lot of work. You are also telling your dog that going indoors is okay when you are otherwise occupied. It does depend totally on the dog, but I wouldn't generally expect a 14 week old to be reliably dry/clean every night.

icedcoffees · 08/08/2021 10:21

You should have been crating him and letting him out as/when necessary from day one. That's odd advice from the breeder, imo.

By letting him toilet inside every single night, you're just dragging the toilet training out even longer. He needs to be taken out at night - don't put him in a position where he has to toilet near his bed, it's not nice.

Original poster
puginamug · 08/08/2021 19:24

The pen was recommended by the breeder, and he had to go back to her for two weeks as we had a holiday booked, so it made sense to keep everything the same.

He's back now though so can change things. I don't like him weeing in the pen, but I do like not getting up in the night. I struggle with broken sleep.

But looks like he's forcing the issue somewhat!

OP posts:
Saucery · 08/08/2021 19:31

I totally understand about the getting up in the night. I set my alarm for 2am and it was really horrible for a few weeks. It worked though and it’s become a distant, unpleasant memory now!
We didn’t shut the crate door with our first dog when she was a puppy and housetraining took a long, long time. From her point of view, why not wee by the back door inside any time we weren’t in the room/it was raining/she was busy? Current pup knows nowhere inside is allowed.

Brakebackcyclebot · 08/08/2021 19:32

Our puppy did wee in his crate for the first few nights, since then, nothing. We take him out at bedtime to wee. They learn very fast!

Wolfiefan · 08/08/2021 19:34

If you don’t like broken sleep then you shouldn’t have got a puppy!
Check out FB dog training advice and support for decent advice.

icedcoffees · 08/08/2021 19:36

Nobody likes getting up in the night but all you're doing is prolonging the toilet training and the accidents.

It's not nice to force a dog to sleep near their own mess - you need to get up in the night to teach him to go outdoors.

BiteyShark · 08/08/2021 19:40

I think for some people puppy pads or a toilet area at night can work but yuk to coming down to pee or poo inside isn't my cup of tea. It can also confuse some dogs and therefore hinder general toilet training.

Original poster
puginamug · 08/08/2021 20:07

@Wolfiefan

If you don’t like broken sleep then you shouldn’t have got a puppy! Check out FB dog training advice and support for decent advice.
If only life were that simple.

We have a puppy because my son died. We thought a puppy would help us all, which he has.

But lack of sleep makes me less able to cope.

So no, maybe we shouldn't have got a puppy.

But we are where we are.

OP posts:
juneybean · 08/08/2021 20:12

Dogs don't like soiling their sleep area, seems unfair to let him. It is like having a baby I'm afraid, you have to get up in the night. We have a 13 week old and he goes at 10.30pm and 4am. It's hard work but will be worth it in the long run!

RunningFromInsanity · 08/08/2021 21:12

But we are where we are.

And if you don’t properly toilet train your puppy, you are going to end up with an adult dog that pisses all over the house.
And then how will you cope?

Veterinari · 08/08/2021 21:25

You need to toilet train your puppy properly. Cockers need a lot of time and attention, especially when young. Please don't lock him up so that you aren't disturbed, it will only store up problems for the future

www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/training/house-or-toilet-training

FitToFly · 08/08/2021 21:27

I am afraid that you need to get up in the night regularly, it’s part of having a puppy and being responsible. Depending on the breed it can be 3-4 hourly. They are just babies and actually it’s better all round if they can be near you having been separated from litter mates and the mum.

Hekatestorch · 08/08/2021 21:41

Op I know it's hard. But its worth doing properly.

I have had cockers for 20 years now. Its worth doing right from the start.

Get him used to a closed crate. Get up several times a night. Slowly leave a bigger gap between times you get up.

Don't interact or be interesting. Settle him back to sleep. I have done it with all ours. We Foster dogs and also crate train them the same way but it's so much easier if its from day one. Obviously you can't do that but if you start now it won't be long before they sleep all night.

Original poster
puginamug · 08/08/2021 21:45

Thanks @Hekatestorch. I've just been following the advice of the breeder so it's nice to be told basically I've done it all wrong and I shouldn't have a dog.

I'm going to try to get him used to just a crate in the daytime tomorrow and see how we get on.

OP posts:
FitToFly · 08/08/2021 21:52

Breeders are not necessarily particularly knowledgable about how to kindly and safely integrate a puppy. It’s worth researching independently about preventing separation anxiety and keeping your puppy close to you at night.

Hekatestorch · 08/08/2021 22:03

@puginamug

Thanks *@Hekatestorch*. I've just been following the advice of the breeder so it's nice to be told basically I've done it all wrong and I shouldn't have a dog.

I'm going to try to get him used to just a crate in the daytime tomorrow and see how we get on.

I don't see the value in telling someone they shouldn't have got a dog they already have, tbh. I would rather just try and help. And hope my post came across that way.

You can do this. You followed the breeders advice. Its not what I would recommend at all. But you have done what you believed was best.

Everyone has made mistakes. Cockers are not easy dogs, but they are definitely worth the effort and studying you need to do.

Please don't feel we are all judging you and think you need to rehome him.

FitToFly · 08/08/2021 22:06

I don’t think anyone said that? Maybe I missed it

XelaM · 09/08/2021 00:06

Sorry OP what you have been through is horrendous so I can completely understand why you don't want broken sleep on top of it all. I have also heard the advice to leave puppy pads out at night, but we have never done this because I didn't want pee and poo in the house (whether on puppy pads or otherwise). Your puppy is at an age where he will be able to hold it in for much longer than if he were a tiny puppy, so soon you won't have to get up in the night at all.

Ours was actually sleeping through the night by that age. Just let him out before you go to bed.

Aztec283y · 09/08/2021 11:40

Oh there goes wolfiefan again, kicking someone when they're down. It's what the do best.

We used a puppy pen and pads for our boy so that we didn't need to get up during the night. He learnt how to escape the pen pretty quickly but would still use the pads so we just gave him free run of the kitchen. We'd come down every morning to a couple of wees and a poo. It gradually got less. He's 2 now and does a wee and a poo on his evening walk. No mess in the house. It's never affected his day time toilet training either (we didn't use pads during the day).

I'm very sorry to hear that your son has died. I hope this pup will bring you lots of comfort and companionship. Much love.

Wolfiefan · 09/08/2021 13:15

It’s not kicking someone to say you can’t expect to have a pup and not get up at night. Hmm
Look at dog training advice and support for how to do it properly. It’s highly unlikely you will get a dog happy to spend a whole night in a crate in just a few hours. You need to train it carefully.

Swipe left for the next trending thread