Puppy survival thread. Cold nights in the garden ... yeah...no

[MakeMeCleanTheHouse]

The foghorn is sounding frequently and I suspect that's why I'm up enjoying the ambience of a foggy garden at 4am.

Hoping @BaconandAvocado is fast asleep and all the others with wide awake pups.

@TheBigMacDougal I'm glad your pup is okay.

@GuyFawkesDay Poor you, that sounds like a nightmare of a day 🙁 It's a good job they are so cute!

@GuyFawkesDay oh dear what a day! Tomorrow will be better!

I just love muddy feet throughout the house...not. the terriers favourite is the bed when freshly made.

Puppy class tonight. Hating them tbh. I take DD and it feels like we're in conflict, too many voices, not enough space and no progress

Good morning! Question please. Currently DH is on the sofa downstairs at night with pup crated. She’s very scheduled with when she goes to the toilet (1/2am and 5am), but we are both exhausted - DH from poor nights sleep on the sofa and me from dealing with constant wake ups from our toddler.

We tried DH back upstairs one night but didn’t hear the pup and I went downstairs at 3am to a sodden pup pad.

How do we manage the transition to her sleeping alone? There’s no space for the crate upstairs and we don’t hear her from the bedroom at night. I’m not even sure if these sleeping arrangements will ever work if we can’t hear her?!

Once Bella was in a routine, we went upstairs and set the alarm. So if pup is going between 1&2, we got up at 12.45 and took her out and waited for her to do something. We then set the alarm again for 4.45 and did the same. This was still tiring, but it worked really well for us, and avoided accidents. Good luck!

Oh wow, what a day GuyFawkesDay. I really hope today is easier for you.

We are going on a little trip to the seaside this morning. Cannot wait to introduce Bella to the sea.

@Cathster - is she waking your husband when he's on the sofa? If so can you use a baby monitor so you can hear her upstairs?

@tizwozliz DH must be sleeping quite lightly as she doesn’t cry or whine, just scrapes about and sits at the door. We have tried a baby monitor already but because she doesn’t make a lot of noise, it didn’t register.

@Equimum I think alarm may be the way to go. How long do you continue that for? Until they’re old enough to hold it through the night?

Enjoy the beach today!

Up at 1am 3.45 and 5.30am last night 😫 So...when are they old enough! I know he can do it and tbh I think he just fancied a little nightly chat...but peed because he knows I won't let him back in the house until he has.

The whole day care (lack of) and separation anxiety still an issue for me. I'm trying to balance full time work with doing a bit of training along those lines but DH and DD around and not terribly consistent. Although they are around neither want to watch him whilst I work either (but do under pressure) so I feel I need to organise care.

@Cathster Have you tried a camera? I have a Tapo one and it picks up when pup is moving about - she doesn't whine or bark - which wakes me and I look to see if she's awake or just turning over. It really helped me make the transition from sofa to bed.

@Cathster Forgot to add, is another option to train pup to ring a bell when she wants the toilet? My friend has trained her pup that way - Pets at Home sells the bells. I tried with my pup but she's frightened of the bells ha ha

@Cathster How old is pup? I agree with PPs who said set alarms. Twice a night isn't too bad, especially if it's predictable, so in your case set an alarm for 1am and 4.45 as suggested. We then noticed as she got a bit older we'd go down for first pee and she'd be reluctant to get up. Then you can push the alarms back a bit (e.g. 1.30, 2, 2.30) until you're maybe only getting up at 3/4am. Eventually you'll go down at that time and she won't want to get up and she'll then sleep through the night.

One other thing I picked up from your post, I read various things about overnights/toilet training, but the good quality stuff said not to give them access to puppy pads (they call it an en suite) as you're basically giving pup permission to pee/poo in the crate and it's confusing for them if that's not what you want.

OH just stood on something sharp on the kitchen floor. I'm guessing a pre-molar

Still watching Mac pup closely, still no ill effects noticed from grape snaffling…

When have those with older pups noticed they become more settled/snoozy in the day? I’m finding after our morning walk and breakfast Mac will snooze chunks of the morning. Afternoons he’s more playful and annoying.

Also, anyone with a pup that begrudges a last wee? I am having to drag (by the front legs sometimes!) Mac out for a wee at 9 and then he goes through until the morning. I think he would do that from 8 if I let him, but it seems so long to go without. He’s 18 weeks.

Sorry for making it sound like my puppy is an amazing sleep machine to those that are having a tough time of it. He is a pain in the arse with garden digging, bird chasing, jumping up, nicking socks and shoes to balance it out 🤷🏼‍♀️

@tizwozliz 😱 👀 looks like it! Glad we haven’t found any. Yet.

@tizwozliz yep my son kept all pups in a pot haha

@TheBigMacDougal yep mine sleeps most of the school day which is great as I can work but then once the kids get home is a pain in bum attention seeking and even if I take her for a walk later in the day she still has the same lively period!

Pup discovered a dead hedgehog on our morning walk, luckily she just sniffed it. Poor thing had been run over and was very flat

@LadyCatStark - how's pup getting on with his raised bed now? Ada loves her, if she destroys her inside bed this will come indoors, supposedly chew proof

@TheBigMacDougal When have those with older pups noticed they become more settled/snoozy in the day?

Way beyond 18 weeks! I'd say you're doing pretty well if he settles for most of the morning. I think it was round about 6/7 months that I realised she was just suddenly a lot easier in the house. Don't get me wrong, she's still an active dog and even at 1 year she still needs to be busy most of the day, but she'll happily sit and watch out the window for an hour or so in the morning and have a nap in the afternoon after a walk/sniffy games. Re last wee, if we let her out before about 10.30pm she'll go happily, beyond that it's like she's too tired. I often don't go to bed till nearer midnight so I do make her go out, whether that means lifting her out or bribing her with a treat, or going outside myself and making a big show of how exciting it is to make it seem like she's missing something out there. My neighbours must think I'm mad. Glad he's doing well post-grape.

MakeMeCleanTheHouse
Feel for you with lack of sleep!
I now take Newboy out for last pee/poo at 10:30ish by which time he is very sleepy.

He then goes willingly into his crate, I don't shut the door.
Mi then go up to bed and come back down at 6am usually to a pew and a poo in the kitchen.

I feel like a human being now I'm finally getting my sleep.

He's completely house trained in the day (I know we are very lucky) and the vet said that once his bladder abs bowels are big enough he will wait until 6am.

For me, cleaning the kitchen floor is a small price to pay!

On his 3rd day out Newboy and I went to our local park where we met lots of nice dogs and owners.
Some of the older dogs weren't so enthusiastic about Newboy's joyous bouncing!

I discovered a new dog-friendly cafe there too. Result 👍🏻

*pee

Had a lovely sniffy autumn walk this morning and then went to the pet shop to get some of these treats I've seen mentioned on here. No ostrich bones, unfotunately, but got some braided chews and rabbits ears, so they should keep him busy for a while.

@tizwozliz love the raised bed! I'm liking the idea that it is chew-proof. Another thing to investigate, although I'm supposed to be not spending on dog things for a bit!

We let our pup out for a last wee around 10:30pm and then he goes until the morning when he does a huge wee outside as soon as he wakes up. Am trying to get him on 3 meals a day now instead of 4, so have started by making breakfast a little later so that the gap between them isn't too long. Hence the chews to keep him occupied! The yakkers chew is a total godsend and I've bought a bigger one today to keep him going for a bit.

@BaconAndAvocado you've just inspired me to google local dog friendly cafes (not thought about it before!) and have found a lovely one near my daughter's drama class so that's saturday afternoons sorted when its cold and raining!

I think that pup's teeth must be giving him jip as he's been chewing on my wicker storage basket and taken a chunk out of it. Trying the spray to get him to stop, which works for a little while, but the kids hate the smell of it, so might have to just find a new home the basket out for now.

We let our pup out for a last wee around 10:30pm and then he goes until the morning when he does a huge wee outside as soon as he wakes up. Am trying to get him on 3 meals a day now instead of 4, so have started by making breakfast a little later so that the gap between them isn't too long. Hence the chews to keep him occupied! The yakkers chew is a total godsend and I've bought a bigger one today to keep him going for a bit.

Sandwichpup is loving these beef tails, even better he isn't biting me

Ahhh I nearly bought some of those! Will make sure I try him on those when we run out of rabbit ears. ( that’s a sentence I never thought I’d type!) 😂