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Original poster

Puppy Survival Thread August part 2

985 replies

Aria20 · 19/08/2021 14:00

New puppy thread as August has been a busy month! Not sure how to link the other thread?! @MrsHerculePoirot @SweetLathyrus @Spudlet @MsAwesomeDragon @GuyFawkesDay @opalescent @ashmts

OP posts:
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tizwozliz · 22/08/2021 20:28

How much longer until second vaccinations @MakeMeCleanTheHouse ? I know once we were out and about we made huge progress with crate sleeping.

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 22/08/2021 20:46

18 days and 12 hours Grin

GuyFawkesDay · 22/08/2021 20:48

I also found if I sit right next to the crate (I take my phone and surf the internet!) And pop my hand on just to touch him he settles. It's taken 2 weeks of whining after the night wee.

He is also far happier on the smaller crate than the big wire one. It is more den like and cosy I think. It's taken 3 weeks and just as I think we have progress we have another whiny night.

I'm starting to think i might not be able to be "by the book" for everything 😩.

Nix32 · 22/08/2021 20:49

@opalescent Yes! Nixpup wakes and follows us wherever we go, all the time.

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 22/08/2021 20:50

I will persist because I need crate training for occasional daytime reassurance he's not wrecking the place.

Plus the hallway would disturb more of the house not just me

GuyFawkesDay · 22/08/2021 20:50

That said he settles far, far faster now than a fortnight ago. Minimal noise unless he needs a wee/poo.

On the basis he's eaten god knows what in the garden unsupervised for 30 minutes today, he's got the trots again.

opalescent · 22/08/2021 20:54

Opalpup also has the trots, although I was expecting it, as I'm currently changing his brand of kibble. 🤢

tizwozliz · 22/08/2021 20:55

I'm not sure I'm the best person to listen to for crate advice, I'm worried we might have set crate training back a bit. We lugged the crate camping with us and then let her sleep on top of us most of the night! But I'm not lugging a labrador up and down the stairs for wees in the middle of the night so crate it is.

Original poster
Aria20 · 22/08/2021 20:57

@MakeMeCleanTheHouse that's a genius idea using clothes airers to block off places!!! Does he actually go to the toilet at those times in the night or want comfort? Have you tried putting an old t shirt or something you've worn in the crate? I never slept downstairs with pup but we were lucky she just whined a bit first couple of nights, few shushes and a stroke and she seemed to accept that it was bed time. We were consistently up anywhere from 4.45am-5.45am though for the first wee/poo and then she wouldn't go back in her crate so I'd lay on sofa and she'd fall back asleep in front room until breakfast at 7ish. I don't think she started consistently sleeping until after 6am (acceptable morning to me lol!) until 5 months when we discovered white noise kept her sleeping longer as it blocked out birdsong... or maybe that was coincidence and she could just hold her wee I don't know. You'll get there, it won't be forever.

OP posts:
Elmrosie · 22/08/2021 20:57

We're struggling with how to get back upstairs sleeping too. DH and I take turns to be downstairs with Elmpup, but she doesn't like sleeping in her crate because she gets hot and likes to move from spot to spot during the night. She has a cool mat in the crate, but it hasn't helped much.

She barks her head off if we both leave her.

GuyFawkesDay · 22/08/2021 21:06

Sounds like it's a universal thing though as they're all similar! I think we worry we e done something wrong/traumatised the dog if they whine/bark but the little pups are such tiny babies it's easy to forget they're very little still.

I have put cool mat on one side on crate and bed on other. Pup sleeps bum in bed/head end out most nights.

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 22/08/2021 21:16

@tizwozlizthen let her sleep on top of us most of the night! Grin

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 22/08/2021 21:20

@GuyFawkesDay the "by the book" is like parenting....you have to adapt for your situation

@Aria20 wee and poo and very efficient about it apart from hunting down a snail as a post crap morsel to enjoy

@Elmrosie I suspect a hot dog as he comes out and flops elsewhere then wanders back in....wanders out etc etc

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 22/08/2021 21:23

Our other dog sleeps with us. We decided Pup would not and the difference would be something they'd have to accept along with not on the sofa etc. I know it seems unfair but actually pup doesn't judge DD's or my right to the bedroom. He just accepts it

Jigsawtrain · 22/08/2021 21:37

We also do the sitting next to the crate on mobiles whilst he resettles in the night. Have you tried waking him before you go to bed around 11pm so then if he’s been to the toilet you might just have another wee trip at 3ish?

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 22/08/2021 21:50

Yes have tried that and he still wakes at exactly the same time! He's in and crate locked but mainly because he's so exhausted he stopped being a pia. I will wake him later but only because I live in hope and feel this must result in a one stop night

GuyFawkesDay · 22/08/2021 21:58

I took FawkesPup at 11:30 last night, one wee/poo stop at 3ish then woke at 6:15. First time ever. I'm going to get him out for a pee tonight too....he's already sparko on the sofa next to me though

Elmrosie · 22/08/2021 22:19

@MakeMeCleanTheHouse she's very partial to hotdogs, that's a good suggestion - thanks!

She has two crates, one is our office and is a wire affair, the other is in the dining room and it's a closed in plastic one. It's the latter which is her nighttime crate. She happily sleeps most of the day in the office crate, but isn't so keen on the other one.

GuyFawkesDay · 22/08/2021 22:31

Could you get a replica one? Ours prefers the closed in one and I got a second hand one next size up ready for when he's grown

Jigsawtrain · 22/08/2021 23:06

@MakeMeCleanTheHouse that sounds tough. Does the crate have a cover? Dpup here does odd things in his crate, he’s in an extra large one so sometimes burrows himself under the vet bed, other times he lies in his water bowl and the other option is to sleep on his bed. Fingers crossed you have a good night

LadyCatStark · 23/08/2021 00:07

@Elmrosie can’t she sleep in the office crate at night?

@Jigsawtrain Billy also burrows under his crate mat, or folds it in half so he can sleep on the plastic. Once I put his bed in as his crate mat was drying and he burrowed under that instead. When he came out, it stayed in shape like a tiny cave 😂.

MakeMeCleanTheHouse · 23/08/2021 06:35

Woke him at 11pm and he reluctantly did smallest wee but flopped asleep on grass and I had to stand him up several times before it happened. Then he drank about a pint whilst I watched in dismay.

0.25am up for a wee
2.25am up for a wee
6.15 up for a week and poo and just up...

The good news is his crate door was locked in between all of that. So it's sort of progress but still not sleeping for any length of time. He settles after each garden visit pretty quickly

Elmrosie · 23/08/2021 07:12

@LadyCatStark - the office is at the bottom of the garden, it's a repurposed studio that was here when we bought the house. We could try swapping the crates over and seeing if that helps.

@GuyFawkesDay - I'll try swapping them over and if she settles in the wire crate, I'll get another of those. She does go in the plastic crate, but only if she's absolutely knackered.

SweetLathyrus · 23/08/2021 07:24

Morning All, back to business as usual here 12:30, 04:15, 05:50. Sweet pup doesn't mind the crate door locked at night, can't help with why that is, I don't think it's anything we've done specifically.

GuyFawkesDay · 23/08/2021 07:50

Same here. After squits last night I was a bit paranoid so got him up too much I think. 1, 3, 4 and up at 6pm but actually in between when he murmured I just stroked him once between the bars and then he settled. I think half the time he was just checking I'm still there.

Noticed he is lying down when he does this, if he needs the loo he tends to be sitting up/standing in the crate so I think tonight I might see if that's the case and test the theory out.

30hrs til jab 2.....the countdown begins!!