Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:693
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| 01/31/2010 12:51 PM |
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I would really appreciate all your opinions please 
Everyone I speak to seems to have a different take on how you should treat a new puppy on its first night home.
Some people say you should put it in the crate and go to bed, if it cries, completely ignore it and only go to it a few times to go pee.
Other people say you should put the cage next to your bed so that the pup is close to you.
Others say you should go to it if it cries each time.
Personally, I think for the first night I might sleep on the sofa bed in the living room (where Hogan's crate will be) and not go to him when he cries, but take him out twice or so througout the night for pee. After that, I plan to sleep in my own bed, but go down at the same time each night for pee.
I hope to be consistent with him so he gets used to the routine. I don't think I want to go to him when he cries because I don't want him to learn that crying/whining = mummy appearing.
What are your opinions? What did you do with your pups? Is it a good idea to stay with him for the first night? I want to make sure he is ok.
Thanks, Shelley |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:6748
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| 01/31/2010 1:19 PM |
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| I have always put new puppies in a box (before crates) or in a crate next to my bed. I have a crate that opens at the top in addition to the normal door. I leave the top open so that I can reach down and touch the pup for reassurance. I always make sure they go out right before I go to bed and do their business, then I put them in the crate and sit on the side of the bed so they can see me and read or something until they settle down and go to sleep. Then I quietly go to sleep too. Seems to work. I have only had one that cried much at night (not a shorthair), but my shorthairs have never cried when going to be. If I hear them at night getting restless, I usually get up and put them out (no noise or talk) before they get to the whining stage. As soon as they do their business I scoop them up and back to bed. After they are consistently sleeping through the night, then I move their crate away from my bed, but still in the bedroom. If they do well there, then I would move it on to the permanent location. All mine have their own beds in my bedroom so I have never worried about moving them away from the bedroom. That said, Belle (my oldest) typically sleeps in the family room. Halo (second oldest) sleeps in the front room or the bedroom. Ringo (my baby) sleeps in the bedroom and usually in bed with me. They have all picked their place to sleep, and frankly it makes me feel safe, because no one can get in the house without going by one of my dogs first. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
     
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:2737
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| 01/31/2010 1:36 PM |
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We were lucky (!) since we had a 6 hour drive with Bo when we brought him home. That plus all the excitement made him a very tired puppy the first night.
We had sent along a blanket to the breeder so mom and littermates could get their scent on it and that went in his crate first night. He had trouble falling asleep, so I set with him beside his crate, in the dark until he fell asleep then quietly put him in the crate and shut the door. The crate was in a bedroom beside ours (we had no intention of having the crate in the bedroom) and shut the door to that room.
We were very lucky also because he was a great sleeper from day one ... after a couple of nights of sitting with him at bed time, he managed to fall asleep all on his own. My husband was in charge of responding to cries during the night (which ALWAYS meant he had to go) and after a few weeks hew was sleeping through the night.
Go with your instincts ... if he JUST went out for a pee, likely he is crying for attention -- ignore that. If it's been an hour or two, he may actually have to go again for the first few weeks. After about three months he should be waking you up no more than once a night for a "real" pee. And eventually he sleep right through the night. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Marie
Wisconsin
MH
Posts:2662
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| 01/31/2010 1:38 PM |
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| I pretty much have done what Bev does. Start a new pup in a box by my bed so I can reach down and pet. In the bed I have it lined with a soft blanket and stuffed animal for the puppy to cuddle next to simulating the litter mates. .. Like too how Bev has her dogs sleep in different rooms as no night person could enter your house unnoticed. Best wishes with your new puppy. What ever method you chose for first night should work well. |
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Marie and Rocky, a tall, high energy GSP
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab18/Annette_Merryfield/100_0285.jpg?t=1287205231 |
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lfb
UK
MH
Posts:183
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| 01/31/2010 1:48 PM |
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| My two had a (stinky) blanket that had been with the mum and littermates for a couple of weeks and the breeder gave us a soft toy that had also been with them. Both joined us in the winter months so I had a Snugglesafe heat pad which is warmed in the microwave to cuddle down with. They also had a little snack (warm rice pudding and digestive biscuits!) before bedtime so to avoid waking up hungry. They started off in crates in a room downstairs, but both now sleep in the bedroom! |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:2439
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| 01/31/2010 2:17 PM |
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I did something very similar to what Bev did...though I used my cage and not a box...
I put the cage in my bedroom next to my bed. Let Blitz out to go potty and put him in his cage, then I sat in bed and read for a bit. He went right to sleep. I have the motherly instinct so I heard him when he rustled around so before he cried or whined I let him out (without turning on any lights, actually I got that from having my babies for night feedings I did it all in the dark) and then back into the cage.
He is now 7 months old and sleeps in bed with my son and we moved the cage to the computer room. The change never bothered him, though he was confused when I told him to lay in bed with my son the first couple nights, but now he loves it!
Even if you intend on keeping the cage in the living room you may want to start with it in your bedroom. I think sleeping on the couch next to the cage the first night might be confusing and not work out well in the long run, but every dog is different.
I also wore a t-shirt the same day I picked him up so all day long it got my scent and his mixed and I put that in his cage as his cage snuggly! |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2553
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2554 |
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easyedwin
Birmingham, AL
MH
Posts:128
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| 01/31/2010 3:33 PM |
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Crate in bedroom 5 ft away. She whined for ten minutes the first night. Then, she went directly to sleep, and has now for 3 weeks. |
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Why do real estate developers ruin so many landscapes? |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:3916
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| 01/31/2010 3:36 PM |
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I play it by ear. I have no idea about a puppy I never met before.
What I do believe firmly is - don't treat an animal special in the begining if you don't intend to treat the animal this way its entire life.
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"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle
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MelB
MH
Posts:1196
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| 01/31/2010 3:53 PM |
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| mine always go in a crate in my bedroom for the first 4 months, once they are sleeping through the night they go into the living room with the rest of the pack at night. As said above, if they have been sleeping for a few hours and then cry I do let them outside to potty, but then it's right back into the crate and any further whining is totally ignored so they learn it's bedtime, not play time! |
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:112
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| 01/31/2010 4:48 PM |
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Cooper has always been a very good and easy sleeper. We also put a stuffed animal, a blanket from the breeder, bearing his mom's and siblings' scent, along with a shirt off either my or my husband's back in his crate each night. The first night we put the crate five feet from the foot of our bed. He had a long day of travel and fell asleep right away without whining. The following night we did the same thing. He cried a bit, and after a few minutes I got up and moved the crate next to my side of the bed so he could see me. He's been sleeping next to my side of the bed since night #2.
Personally, I think it would make an easier transition for your puppy if you are able to put his crate next to your bed for the first few nights, weeks or months. At nine months old we are now at the point where we keep our bedroom door open, allowing him to sleep elsewhere in the house. Thus far he still prefers to sleep on his dog bed next to us. But I think it's only a matter of time before he starts sleeping on the bed in the guest bedroom. 
I think a blanket or plush toy with the mom's/littermate's scent and a shirt off your/your husband's back will make the first night go smoothly. Good luck on night #1! |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:693
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| 02/04/2010 6:01 AM |
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| Thank you for all the replies, fingers crossed he will be okay! |
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keanmu
Czech Republic
MH
Posts:304
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| 02/04/2010 6:22 AM |
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| Persoanlly, I think you should start as you wish to continue. I don't want Baira on the bed with me or even in the bedroom and I don't want her relying on someone being with her through the night. So, the first night she was home she was crated and left in the living room. I got up twice to let her pee. There was a little noise through the night which we ignored and the second night she was silent and has been ever since. I know everyone is different but I think it depends on where your dog will sleep in the long term. |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:2439
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| 02/04/2010 6:31 AM |
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I agree with doing what the long term plan is and not babying them the first night...
We intended on keeping the cage in our bedroom till we moved and then depending on where we moved would determine it's new location which was hopefully gonna be sleeping with my son...which is what happened!
I found in just my owning 1 GSP that these guys are smart and catch on quick so you have to make sure in any training that you are consistent and train how you want it to be right from the start. Now with that said I was also able to train my dog to go from the cage in my room to sleeping with my son very quickly and easily...though the first week he was so confused about not going "kennel" at bed time I had to pick him up and put him in my son's bed. |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2553
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2554 |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:693
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| 02/04/2010 7:27 AM |
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Unfortunately I can't have the crate in our bedroom - we sleep in an attic conversion up a steep ladder - it would be impossible to get the crate up it! I also don't want Hogan to sleep with us in future - I would love him too, but would worry about him falling down the hatch which is open as it has no cover.
I think taking from all the advice - I am going to tire him out, then put him in the crate and go to bed fairly late. I'm going to ignore any whining/crying but come down several times in the night for pee.
Does that sound ok?  |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:6748
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| 02/04/2010 8:30 AM |
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| That sounds like an excellent plan and it makes perfect sense considering you bedroom situation. Heck I would be worried about me falling through the hatch. LOL Good luck with your pup. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna)
Yellow Rose GSPs
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:693
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| 02/04/2010 8:33 AM |
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Tell me about it, it's a nightmare if you need a pee in the middle of the night, making it down a ladder and then a flight of stairs in the pitch black!
I think the main thing I have got from this thread is start as you mean to go on! |
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zimbass
MH
Posts:236
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| 02/04/2010 10:16 AM |
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| I'm weak in this department. I'll start with the crate in the room next to the bed, but the pup will end up in bed with me and Buddy. I just feel my dogs go in the crate alll day when I'm at work, I feel guilty putting them in a crate at bedtime also. |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2095
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2532
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:2439
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| 02/04/2010 10:35 AM |
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I think you got the right idea and sounds like you have your plan. I bet you can hardly wait!
I never worried about the time in the cage because I am home all day with them. They don't get much cage time maybe 5 hours a week and that is probably about 2 - 2 1/2 hours about 2 days a week...though as a puppy with potty training I did use the cage for when I had to shower, or do stuff where I couldn't watch him! |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2553
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2554 |
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erikacarrillo
La Honda, CA
MH
Posts:229
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| 02/04/2010 12:12 PM |
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| Koda cried a lot the first week or so, but the more we ignored it, the less she whined. I would keep the crate somewhat close to you, at least so she can see you, but avoid going to her unless you know she has to pee. We didn't need to take Koda out during the night at all, but I'm sure this varies. We take her out right before bed and first thing in the morning. When the whining got out of control, we would give a sharp "eh" or "shh," which calmed her down. Good luck! |
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gharner
Middletown, PA
MH
Posts:512
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| 02/04/2010 8:30 PM |
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| The breeder told us that Dax as well as the rest of his brothers and sisters would always sleep through the night without going out or even moving from their sleeping place. Because of that, I didn't take him out at all in the middle of the night....and he slept through the night just fine. I kept him up for a little while to be sure he was really tired, then I lured him into his crate with a treat, and when he was calm, shut the door. He did whine for a few minutes but would stop when I put my hand down to the crate. I think the first week he would wake up once or twice per night but only for about 30 seconds, then when Id put my hand to the crate to comfort him he would lay down and go back to sleep. He has slept through the entire night though after the first week. We go to bed at 10:00-10:30ish and wake up in the morning around 6:00-6:30. |
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