Help with puppy sleeping!

[Mumma2Ro]

Hello. We’ve had our gorgeous Labrador for 3 days now . She is 8 weeks old. I know it’s very early days but I’d like some tips and advice on helping with her sleep- as I worry we are creating a rod for our own backs!
so we have a crate but she doesn’t like to sleep in it! During the day she prefers to sleep on the carpet or wherever we are.
at night she sleeps fine in the crate for first couple of hours then cries and barks to the point we can’t ignore her. So the last 3 nights we have been taking it turns to sleep downstairs with her outside the crate 🤦‍♀️
I’ve tried putting her into the crate for day one naps once she’s fallen asleep- she wakes up and comes out. I’ve made the crate lovely for her and out toys and treats in there. Help!

That's totally normal so please don't think you're doing anything wrong! It can take weeks for puppies to be happy sleeping alone.

Personally I would put the crate in your bedroom so that you're at least lying somewhere comfortable - you can then slowly move the crate to where you want it to be long-term over a period of weeks.

Totally agree with coffee. She’s a baby and she’s left her mother and siblings. Let her be with you. Leaving a pup to cry would actually be more likely to create separation anxiety. Dog training advice and support have great advice on how to crate train.

Let her sleep in the crate in the bedroom with you. So much less stressful for everyone. Our 9 month old still does. Open crate now but she now sleeps until we get up. Bliss. She would probably be ok out now but she’s still learning not to play with her cat brother.

Gundogs and labs in particular seem to suffer a bit when taken away from the puppy bundle they are used to sleeping in.

I dont have dogs in my bedroom but do sleep downstairs with them for as long as it takes for them to be happy. Some of the puppies love a snuggle buddy toy which has a heart beat and can be warmed so feels like they are sleeping with their litter mates. The heart beat is loud if you are sleeping near by. Also put an item of clothing that you have worn as bedding as that can give some puppies comfort.

Give your puppy a week or so of being close to them at night and they will soon settle and you can begin to move away from them.

Mine are in a crate but with the door open so that I can stroke them and comfort them as needed.

Thank you all so much for your replies.
i have today ordered the teddy with a heartbeat.
tonight will try the crate in my bedroom x

Our Labrador pup was needing the toilet around every 3-4 hours including overnight at first. We put the water bowls away at 8pm and that helped with her sleeping until about 2am and needing only one overnight out. Is it that your pup is still needing frequent toilet stops, they are only tiny?

We didn't want puppy in our bedroom, but did put the crate on the landing outside the bedroom door and that worked really well - she seemed reassured that was close enough to us! Just to give another option.

Thank you so much ! Good idea

I slept downstairs with pup ( he was crated) I literally slept right next to the crate on a mattress. Kept talking to him quietly til he settled. Let him out about 1am, 4am etc. every couple of nights moved the mattress a bit further away. Ended up in the kitchen ( never slept in a kitchen before- lots of little lights-and a noisy fridge!), then the hall and then I was back upstairs after about 2 weeks. We set an alarm to take him out for 2am, then after a few days 3, then 4. He was sleeping through until 6 by about 11 weeks old.

An old trick is an old fashioned ticking clock wrapped up in the bedding...probably best to make sure the alarm is turned off.