What to do with Puppy at night time

[ryukatt]

Hello, we have a new puppy who of course doesn't like being left alone, the main issue at the moment is just night times. We currently have a crate inside a playpen, where we always leave the crate door open, have a few toys in playpen and a bed in playpen too as well as crate with a mattress. However every night is non stop howling for past week since we got him (currently 9 weeks). Is it right for us to let him howl all night? We can't leave him on his own open as he will bite things he shouldn't still, just worried about traumatising.

We do still do the usual leaving him alone during day in playpen which he is actually fine with most of the time, take him for toilet and play with him before bed.

This.

Our dog slept on a chair in our bedroom from day one. Never any issues.

He's adorable @ryukatt , he looks very contented!

We had a bed set up next to the crate and one of us slept next to pup initially then just when she woke after a we to resettle her. We did it because I didn’t want her eating stuff that could harm her over night while I was sleeping.

You need to be sleeping close enough to the puppy to reassure as well as let out when needed - I raise guide dog puppies and I’ve been back in my own bed with them sleeping happily downstairs within 1-2 weeks.
Some have been more challenging than others but sleeping with my old dressing gown has helped, as well as having the speaker playing wave noises or gentle classical music.
Also they need taking out for the loo, keep interaction to a minimum, no lights if you can get away with it, no fuss or chat. Just up and out, back into the pen/crate, shushing noises, that’s it.

This is also an important point - I wouldn’t leave lots of toys in with them in case they chew them up.

Definitely! Our first pup swallowed a squeaker and was vomiting blood 😩 (he’s nearly 5 and doesn’t eat everything anymore -sleeps on our bed).

We slept on the sofa with our German Shepherd puppy for the first 2 weeks. After that she was happy to sleep on her bed in the kitchen alone. We didnt crate her.

We'd get up every 3 hours to let her out for a wee.

She's 4 now and either sleeps on her bed in our bedroom, or downstairs in the lounge. Whatever takes her fancy.

Oh no! Glad to hear their okay now though

I've got a 17 month cocker spaniel who started off at 8 weeks in a covered closed crate in my bedroom. She had a puppy bed and a soft toy in the crate with her. If she woke in the night I took her outside to toilet, then straight back to bed and sleep. From about ten weeks she was sleeping through the night. Once she got to about 5 months I removed the crate and she slept in her dog bed in my room. From about 8 months old she migrated to a dog bed in the living room. Up to five months she also had a crate in the living room which she would use for naps during the day and where we would place her if we went out.

The crate was massively useful until she was reliably continent and also to keep her safe and prevent her chewing things she shouldn't when we went out. I can't imagine raising a puppy without one.

We slept downstairs next to ours for week, then moved further away (but still downstairs) for another week, then upstairs. She seemed to understand pretty quickly what bedtime was thankfully and managed to hold her bladder for the night from a fairly young age. We still sleep with the bedroom door open so we can hear her if she cries but it hardly even happens now (she’s 6 months old).

I could have written this. We covered the crate, to make it warmer and more cosy.

I don’t think there’s any point in having the crate inside a playpen. We just used the crate.

I can't imagine raising a puppy with one.

They actually work extremely well. They keep your puppy safe, as you can’t watch them 24/7.

It's not difficult to keep a puppy safe without a crate. Being able to freely move around is healthier for their development both mentally and physically.

Have raised 4 golden retrievers - 2 with a crate, 2 without. The latter two (both crated) were toilet trained much earlier, had fewer accidents and in general slept right through the night, with minimal fuss from very early on. We phased the crate out from 9 months onwards. As someone who had never used a crate before I now would not raise a puppy without one. Hope this helps 👍

I've raised 9 giant breed pups without crating. All toilet trained very early and slept well from 8 weeks of age. None were prone to tantrums or chewing. I will always advocate raising puppies without crating.
Hope this helps 😁

My puppies move freely around most of the time. I don’t think you quite understand how you can use a crate. You don’t just put them in there and leave them. 🙄

If we're playing the 'I've raised' game...in the last 20 years, I've raised 11 Goldies. I've never used a crate.

I win.😄

Edit: I should clarify, those are ones I've raised to adulthood or kept past the initial 8 week point of sale...

I understand the use of crates perfectly, thank you for your concern about that.

Everyone makes their own decisions about raising a puppy. So long as they are loved and cared for, whether you use a crate or not, doesn’t matter. Crates aren’t cruel if used correctly. I’ve used a crate for my last three puppies and all three grew up into healthy, confident dogs.

I know, the "I've raised" game is utterly childish but it was the "hope that helps" that made me see red 😆

It didn’t sound like you know, given your comment about puppies being allowed to move around freely.

I did make me laugh 😃

Me too. In any case you win 😉

I concede defeat.