Puppy "Training'

Updated on August 21, 2010
S.C. asks from Hersey, MI
11 answers

We have a new puppy! YIPPEE! :) :D
She is 6 1/2 weeks old. I feel bad for her though... She cries at night in the kennel. We have a small pet carrier that she sleeps in w/ an old small throw pillow.
Does anyone trust a very young puppy in a puppy bed at night??
I was also considering letting her sleep in our 3 year old choc. lab's kennel. It is a big one and even when the pup is full grown would still fit in there (she is 1/2 beagle 1/2 papillion). I was thinking that it might help her feel better at night. And my choc. lab girl is getting used to her, maybe on the verge of liking her. (They are laying by each other now, w/ help from my daughter!)
Also, baby pup has not had a night accident yet, can't say that she won't we have only had her for 5 days, But I have been getting up at night to let her out, except this morn. my alarm didn't ring... so she stayed in the little kennel for like almost 7 hours w/ no accidents.
My husband's cousin is a vet and he says to just do "tough love". But I don't even let my kids "cry it out"... it is hard to hear her cry at night, although she is starting to quit crying within minutes now, sometimes under 5....
Thank you everyone!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone! I knew I was on the right track, but was hoping for some advice on maybe making it easier! So I thank all of you for that, even just acknowledging that we are doing it right helps! I realized by reading some posts, that it also would not be a good idea for my older pup since that would take HER space away from her, and that dogs need a place for themselves. I do have the little kennel pointed right at the big one so the little pup can see the big one, and maybe that is helping. It is just still heartbreaking to hear any baby cry, whether a People baby or an animal baby... Than you all again :)

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S.R.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Try putting a hot water bottle filled with warm water and wrap it in a towel in her crate at night with her. Also if you have an old fashioned clock that ticks will help too. Just put it in the room where you have her. The water bottle makes her feel like she is still with her litter and mom and the clock sounds like her mother's heartbeat and is relaxing for them. You will be amazed. The period of time where they cry like this is pretty short and she should start going to sleep without crying fairly quickly. Good luck.

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D.G.

answers from Houston on

Congratulations on the new pup! I'm going through it right now too. Have had her since Friday night. If you use the bigger crate she might start going potty on the other side since she'd have room to sleep even if it was in there. I'd continue with the small one. The reason she's not going is because she doesn't want it in her bed. You shouldn't have to keep her sleeping in it forever, but during this time when she is potty training, she may wander the house while your asleep and go potty or get herself into something she shouldn't. If a few weeks she'll be ok when she knows the rules of the house. Put her kennel next to your bed so that when she cries you can put your hand down so she knows she's not alone.

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D.K.

answers from State College on

Congrats on the puppy, some of the crying is probably how young she is to be away from mom and litter mates, so it is great that you have a second dog. I'm also not saying it is always a bad thing if they are away from mom young, sometimes that is the best or only option. If your lab is on the verge of liking her I don't think I would force them to stay in the same kennel at night, since she won't be able to get away from the puppy if she chooses. You can try a stuffed toy with her or a t-shirt that smell likes you or another family member. That may make her more comfortable in her crate at night. We ended up with a 4 week old kitten and I have her a dog toy that was about 3 times her size, so she had something to cuddle up to at night (she was about a quarter of a pound when we got her). She is 4 now and carries the toy around with her sometimes and will alternate attacking and loving on it.

There are some toys for young animals that sound like they have a heart beat in them and can soothe some. I would be careful letting her out if she is crying, but doesn't need anything, they learn quickly that whinning will open the kennel door. It is hard I know. It sounds like she is adjusting since she is crying less and 5 minutes really isn't that long, especially if she is then quiet the rest of the night. Another thing you can try is putting her in with a couple of small treats or a kong with a little something in it, it will give her something to do for those first few minutes and may help her settle also.

It sounds like you are doing a great job with her, keep up the good work.

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K.G.

answers from Fort Wayne on

keep her in the crate at night. and be sure to let her out about every 3-4 hours. I put a very well made teddy bear in my pups' crate when she was really little it helped her alot. she would carry it arounf with her everywhere then around a year she played tug o war with our other dog and suffice to say it was shredded. but give it at least 2 weeks for her to get acclamated dont give in. that crate is a great cave for her to have peace and quite. leave it open during the day so she can go in and out as she pleases. also put a sheet or towel over it. it gives them a real sense of security. our pup is now 4 years and 120# (bullmastiff) and she will go in her crate when storms come through or just wants to chill. gl

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A.B.

answers from Saginaw on

when both my dogs were puppies we had the same problem...lots of crying when we put them in their kennels at night. :( it was so heartbreaking! so one night i decided to put a big stuffed dog in the kennel with my oldest dog and he didn't cry anymore! after he was fully potty trained we started letting him sleep with us but i think it is funny that that stuffed dog worked for both my dogs when they were puppies!

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K.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

My puppy was taken from it's mom at 5 weeks! Very sad! The breeder was not smart nor took good care of them. They were eating wet food and not nursing anymore so she was done with them (and she refused to pay for any vet visits which were due). Anyways, I warmed up her blanket and a stuffed animal in the dryer for her. She slept through the night.
Sounds like she is doing good with the potty training. Our pup can't figure that out. She is one of the few dogs that will pee and lay in it in her crate which is perfect size for her! :( Many pups go for 7-9 hours during the day with owners at work in a crate and hold it so I'm sure 7 hours at night is perfectly fine. Crying it out is best for the pup. Routine and showing you are boss is most important.
Best of luck!

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K.F.

answers from New York on

Train the dog not the other way around. Trust the judgement of your vet cousin. Perhaps letting the puppy sleep near the other dog or in the room with someone would be helpful just as long as this will be the pup's permanent assigned space. Please keep the pup kenneled, this way pup knows this is my space and also helps when having to discipline, it doesn't feel like discipline to the dog by just going to her own space. Congratulations.

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K.S.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Dogs for sure need their own space to go to to feel safe and being trapped with another dog and not be able to get away would not be good. I wanted to add even though you didn't mention it, our Lab taught our puppy when we got him potty training . We would let them out together and Skipper did what Hooch did it was cool to watch. Good luck and the crying does stop.

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M.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

She was way too young to be taken from her mother!!!!! We had a 6 week old puppy and a 3 month old puppy (at the same time), and the 6 week old had LOTS more issues, especially chewing on things (due to not nursing long enough). I would not trust yours out of the kennel. Probably the best thing would be if she could share with the older dog, give her someone to bond with and snuggle with. But if you don't trust the larger do to like this attention, then I wouldn't do that either. Do you have a space with linoleum that the two could be locked in that is bigger then a kennel? We had ours locked into a short hallway, that way they could be as close or far away as needed, but not ruin the carpet.

One other thing, see if you can use a hot water bottle (soft kind) and a clock, hearing the ticking and feeling the warmth of the water bottle will remind the puppy of mom. We also used this with our little one.

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D.P.

answers from Minneapolis on

I say you are on the right track and to stick with it! Putting her next to the other dogs kennel might help but don't think I would put them together.

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

1) Don't put her in a larger crate. That will give her more room to go potty without soiling her sleeping space, and she will go potty in the crate.
2) She is very young to be separated from her litter mates and mother..(if you have had her for 5 days already, and she is only 6 1/2 weeks old). Most pups are not recommended to be removed from the mother/littermates situation until closer to about 8 weeks. So she is very young. Just keep that in mind. I would not, however, put her in with your older dog to make up for that. Just be aware that she is very very young still.
3) If you do not have her crate in your bedroom, then move it in there near your bed. She may be crying at night due to separation. Just because she is in a crate doesn't necessarily precipitate feelings of separation, but if she is in another room from you altogether, then it will. Also, I would recommend putting a towel over half of the crate (if it is a wire style crate), to give the sense of a cave or den, so that she feels safe.

Be sure to take her out to potty last thing before crating her at night. And don't crate her for the night until you are going to bed also.

hth
Congrats on the new pup.

p.s.
You might find some helpful info here:
http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/new-puppy.html

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