Potty Training / Sleeping through the night

[Jean]

First question.....how large is the crate? It should be no bigger than room for the dog to lay down.

That's the size of my soft carrier. It's like a code--"hush, time for bed". And it works like a charm.

Always in my bedroom, but I never reacted to the first whines.

With top somewhat open, can even hang my arm down for a pet should Blaze seem restless.

Stay firm and like I said, check our your crate size. If dog whines, speak to the dog, but don't get up. Tell her quietly to hush.

I'll second Barb. Husband and my bedtimes are waay early since we are elderly (our one granddaughter once told us that it was still "broad daylight" out when we turn in) but so far Blaze doesn't act up--"early" is his bedtime too.

Night doesn't seem to be my housebreaking problem (and Blaze is just 3 months old)--daytime is.

Good luck with your pup.

 

[Hanne]

My personal opinion:
Really so sorry to read that we think we can block a little puppy into a small cage and think that - it can wait - this is a misunderstanding, a little puppy have no control. "they have to go they have to go"

As soon as a little puppy can totter out of the big box they usually are born in, they seek even out of it, to make pee ore poop, until then, their mother clean them.
Therefore, it is in their nature to seek away from where they are staying.

So, it is evil !! - Is it better to be in his own pee ore poop.

Sabrina has not even been in the family for one month, she has lived her life in a shelter, she really needs as much support as they can possibly give this little soul, and she needs her people hear her and provide care when she needs this.

Qzze - Yes, Shelties are smart, so smart that even, if we make our mistakes so we can correct them, and this loving little soul will understand it.

Give her all the contact, care, and all the love your family can give her, that she needs.
So solves everything, and you will get a little happy dog rest of her life.

 

[Qzee]

So last night we moved her crate in our bedroom. Last potty break was at 10pm. At about 4am I heard Sabrina growling (that silly puppy play growl) but it stopped quickly. She didn't bark until 5am when our alarm went off. No accidents in her little crate (that fits her bed and has about 5" in front of her bed by the door for her toys). We didn't get a great night sleep because we were expecting her to bark, but she didn't.

We are super happy for the great advice, it worked! Thanks everyone...

 

[Jean]

My personal opinion:
Really so sorry to read that we think we can block a little puppy into a small cage and think that - it can wait - this is a misunderstanding, a little puppy have no control. "they have to go they have to go"

And when they have to "take care of business", they are taken out (remember that they are loved and not allowed to lay in pee or poop.) It's just that nighttime is for sleeping--not playing. Honest, we aren't evil.

While I LOVE the idea of puppy sleeping in bed, whenever I have a pup in bed (I was a "Dog Auntie" before I got Blaze) I end up with little sleep out of fear that the pup will try to jump off and hurt itself and a nighttime of puppy play just seems wrong--I gotta get some sleep. This way pup is safe and we both get needed sleep.

Glad Sabrina is getting with the program and not making her mom overtired.

 

[Hanne]

Jean - sorry I have not written it more clear (poor English).

I write a little -I mean little tiny cage.

Not taking the little puppy out when it becomes restless, but ignore it, either because it is in another room or people feel a little puppy can control its needs, and believes it will have to wait, and the result is that it must lie in its own pee and poop.

That's what I seemed - evil against a innocent little puppy, that do not have other options (not that people are evil)

Was the cage bigger and very best that it could go a little outside the cage -x-pen(?) then it had a chance to do its business there, the case is quite different.

I have read all your previous posts also about how you have your little puppy at night and seemed absolutely that your solution is fine, you have the important contact with the puppy, provide safety, and take it out when you feel your puppy needs -In my opinion, it does not get much better.

(The fact that I personally am against blocking puppies inside small tiny cages is quite another matter and has nothing to do with my above post
I'm not saying that a puppy should be in the people's beds, it is their own decision, I tell just what I have good experiences with, and maybe I can save a little puppy from prison )

 

[missjenneygirl]

Right now I have a litter of pups that are 8 1/2 weeks old. Each puppy sleeps in his/her own crate (size 100 vari-kennels). They go to bed around 9pm and get up at 6am.
They are all doing very well through the night. Their bedding is a towel, and if it is damp in the morning, no big deal. They have quickly learned to stay dry, and we do big hugs and kisses in the morning. The last meal is at 5pm, so they have plenty of opportunity to "take care of business" before bedtime.

They have learned the "hurry up" cue to squat (we say it in a sing-song voice) when ever we see them eliminate. So now, all 4 squat in unison, when I say "Hurry up!" It is very funny to watch.

We have raised all our puppies this way, and any puppy moving on to a new home, is well on their way to understanding their crate, and outside elimination.

I feel if you continue to take the puppy out in the middle of the night, you are training the puppy to that schedule. There is no physical difference between my puppies that stay dry all night and your puppy who wants to go out every 4hours. It is how you train them. A predictable schedule, and consistency.

 

[missjenneygirl]

I should add, there is plenty of time to spoil your puppy, have him sleep in your bed, etc. But the foundation of housebreaking and manners has to be in place first. How else would the puppy understand acceptable behavior when it is an adult?

 

[Hanne]

I should add, there is plenty of time to spoil your puppy, have him sleep in your bed, etc. But the foundation of housebreaking and manners has to be in place first. How else would the puppy understand acceptable behavior when it is an adult?

A puppy in bed or not, has absolutely nothing to do with good behavior.

I have in the last 30 years had German Shepherds.
They have all been very well-behaved (as I have often received comments on), and friendly dogs -all have lain in my bed when they were puppies, where we at the same time clenched close ties.

No, it is the daily being together that gives good behavior.

 

[missjenneygirl]

I totally agree, a puppy in bed has nothing to do with good behavior. I was speaking mostly to housebreaking.

I think we are talking apples and oranges. You are addressing the idea of raising one puppy at a time, and I am addressing raising a litter of puppies. Some stay here, and some to go families. I feel it is my responsibility to give these pups a consistent start. I think it is important that puppies learn to settle themselves, and gain self confidence. Structured time alone, ie., sleeping in a crate by themselves helps them achieve this. If they are constantly attached to you, how will they behave when you have to be gone all day? They can become anxious, or bark out of boredom.

If I didn't use crates as they got older, and just kept them in expens or a corralled off area, believe me, housebreaking would take a lot longer, and I would be living with messes every morning.

New families appreciate that when it is the appropriate time, their new puppy rests comfortably in it's crate, settled and quiet.

 

[Qzee]

Well it has been a few days since we have started bringing Sabrina's crate into the bedroom at night and she has been doing great! No accidents in the crate, no whining/crying in the middle of the night. My problem has been solved

In fact we have pushed her a little farther - I am now feeding her breakfast before bringing her out. I was taking her out to pee and then bringing her back in to eat, then back out to poop. She can hold it well enough so I only have to take her out once. I now get up at 5am with my husband - I feed the dogs & cat - take both dogs out to go potty (one at at time of course) and I am back in bed by 5:15am... It takes me anywhere from 10-15mins to do this. I can then go back to sleep for almost an hour before my alarm goes off. My husband leaves the house about 15mins before I get up - so they are being supervised for all but 15mins.

The 2 dogs are locked in the kitchen until I get out of bed. They usually lay back down until I wake up. Then they play, play, play.

This puppy has been so simple compared to my Labrador. Shelby, the lab, was an aggressive chewer and I had to make sure she always had new toys to chew on and drain her brain down with playing games & learning tricks. Granted, Sabrina has Shelby to help her make the correct decisions. I do believe the lab has taught Sabrina to dig on purpose (Shelby is not a digger) so Sabrina gets in trouble. LOL