# Help Puppy still not settling at night



## Kaz65 (Sep 7, 2008)

I have had my puppy now for 6 weeks. The first week she was great she slept through the night no problems. But since then she as been a nightmare she does nothing but bark. I have brought a Dap Diffuser this as helped a little as some nights she OK at first but then will wake up early (5am) and start barking on and off this can go on for an hour. But some nights she will start as soon as we leave her again this can go on for an hour one night it went on for two hours. We don't go down to her so it's not like she know she will get our attention.

Today I have brought a crate as I have heard this may help her to settle. Do you think I may have left it to late for the crate to work or do you think there is still hope. 

I have made it all comfy for her and put her in it with a treat she seemed OK while eating the treat but afterwords she didn't look to happy.
The best thing is my youngest cat keeps going in it she seems to love it.  

Thanks hope someone can help me out on here as I just don't know what else to do.


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## finoni9 (Sep 5, 2008)

No, from what I've read it's not too late - definitely should help - as in other threads - we found it best to keep Rocky in our room in his crate at night and it helped him to sleep well at night and had an overnight effect on us being able to leave him in the crate during the day without barking!

Hope you get a better sleep tonight!


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2008)

We left it til Zach was 5 months to crate train and he has took to it well.

I'd stop the cat going in it, not sure what others opinions are on this but its meant to be their own little den for relaxing. Chris suggested to put some tasty treats wrapped up in a blanket in there, this encouraged him in and kept him busy in there for a while. Make it fun for pup - toss her favourite toy in there, a Kong filled with her fave treats, etc... Soon she will associate it with all things good! Never put her in there as a punishment and take things slowly.

I would hope it would help with the barking. We didnt have barking as a problem but he was scratching the kitchen wall to pieces in the morning and when we werent around during the day. Now he seems to relax a lot more in there and sleep while we are out. After the first few days of him getting used to it and being fed in there I shut the door while I nipped upstairs to shower. He whined but I didnt come back down until he had settled. We then gradually built up the time and now he goes in there up to 3 hours while I'm out and sleeps in there all night.

One more thing, how big is the crate? It's meant to be smaller than you think, just big enough for them to comfortably stand up and turn around and lie flat out. Luckily Zach is comfy in his (its far to big for him at the mo) but your pup may take to it if you get a divider for the time being to make it small enough for him. 

Also we put a blanket over the top to make it a bit more cosy


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## Kaz65 (Sep 7, 2008)

louise5031 said:


> We left it til Zach was 5 months to crate train and he has took to it well.
> 
> I'd stop the cat going in it, not sure what others opinions are on this but its meant to be their own little den for relaxing. Chris suggested to put some tasty treats wrapped up in a blanket in there, this encouraged him in and kept him busy in there for a while. Make it fun for pup - toss her favourite toy in there, a Kong filled with her fave treats, etc... Soon she will associate it with all things good! Never put her in there as a punishment and take things slowly.
> 
> ...


I have kept the cat out ha ha couldn't believe it when she went in it. I have been putting her in it on and off tonight (left door open) she's had a sniff then come out. The longest she stayed in was 10 mins. I'm going to put her Kong in there with her tonight and her favourite toys. So fingers crossed she settles in it soon. Ive also put a blanket over it as the lady from the pet shop advised this.


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## Guest (Nov 6, 2008)

Kaz65 said:


> I have kept the cat out ha ha couldn't believe it when she went in it. I have been putting her in it on and off tonight (left door open) she's had a sniff then come out. The longest she stayed in was 10 mins. I'm going to put her Kong in there with her tonight and her favourite toys. So fingers crossed she settles in it soon. Ive also put a blanket over it as the lady from the pet shop advised this.


Cool, thats good ten mins! zach still doesnt stay in there of his own accord, think it will be a few weeks before he sees it as his den, but he is happy enough when we put him in there ourselves. Good luck with it x


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## Kaz65 (Sep 7, 2008)

Thanks put her back in as she fell asleep again up to now its been 5 mins so fingers crossed she stays in it a bit longer. (door still open)


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## Chance (Jul 8, 2008)

Chance never objected to going in her crate at first but would stay in the there if we put her in.

However, whenever she is 'missing' round the house she can usually be found in her crate. She has had two long walks today and spent the rest of her day in the crate (door wide open) apart from the mad half hour we had a little earlier on.


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## yellvis (Oct 31, 2008)

Kaz65 - do you give your dog loads of attention saying goodnight just before you go to bed? if you do then maybe that is the reason for the barking?? 

as hard as it is, we ignore our 5 month old beagle about 10 mins before we go up, even if he comes to us for attention, and then we just go upstairs to bed. sometimes he whines for about 20 secs only and then goes to bed, other times he doesn't whine at all.

we don't use a crate and he has the run of the kitchen and when he is left alone he doesn't bark or try to destroy anything . . . yet!!!!


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## Kaz65 (Sep 7, 2008)

yellvis said:


> Kaz65 - do you give your dog loads of attention saying goodnight just before you go to bed? if you do then maybe that is the reason for the barking??
> 
> as hard as it is, we ignore our 5 month old beagle about 10 mins before we go up, even if he comes to us for attention, and then we just go upstairs to bed. sometimes he whines for about 20 secs only and then goes to bed, other times he doesn't whine at all.
> 
> we don't use a crate and he has the run of the kitchen and when he is left alone he doesn't bark or try to destroy anything . . . yet!!!!


No we don't give her any attention when we go to bed. We walk out of the room calmly and quietly.

Last night was a complete nightmare. Put her in the crate the noise was horrific. I waited 20 mins and YES i gave in. I was greeted with a puppy full of poo she had messed big time in the crate it was everywhere very very loose. So I ended up bathing her and then had the crate to deal with.
Once I had a dry puppy I put her back in the crate but didn't lock it. I stood at the door for a while and didn't give any eye contact. Once she settled (out of the crate) i went to bed and she slept till 5.30.
I'm just so tired today haven't been able to function just hope tonight goes better.


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## yellvis (Oct 31, 2008)

Have you tried a DAP Collar on your dog? - it might help calm your dog down (if you don't know what a DAP Collar is it is a collar that releases pheromones similar to that of a dogs mother and in theory should calm the dog). We used a DAP collar on our pup when we first got him to help him settle in to his new home and it seemed to work fine, he didn't seem anxious or nervous on his journey from the kennels to settling in the house. Obviously we'll never know if this was helped by the DAP collar or if the dog was naturaly a relaxed dog, as we couldn't compare him to if he hadn't have been wearing the collar.

Also i put in his bed a t-shirt i have been wearing/sleeping in so that he has my smell with him and maybe that will help in calming your dog if you did the same??


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## finoni9 (Sep 5, 2008)

I would really try and let her sleep in her crate in your room to see if she settles - I know how hard it is when they cry and cry!


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## Mrs C (Nov 6, 2008)

I feel for you, my dog is doing the same in her crate.

Last night we went up to bed at 11.30 and she barked until 3.00am non-stop.

We have tried her in our room but she wouldn't even go in the crate upstairs.
She loves her crate in the day, just not at night.

My poor kids are so tired at school after being up all night.

Hopefully she will settle soon.


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## boxer1234 (Nov 11, 2008)

I know exactly how you are feeling with the tiredness! 

We have a 9 week old boxer puppy who for the first week we had him slept through most of the night in his crate which is in our room with us only having to take him out a couple of times each night. However last night when we tried to go to bed he cried and barked for ages and then wet himself, after we cleaned him up he went back to sleep and then wet himself twice more even though we had taken him outside to the toliet. He still then kept barking and the only way I could stop him was to take him out, cuddle him and then put him back in with my fleece for comfort. Any ideas/suggestions as to where we are going wrong would be gratefully received!


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## Kaz65 (Sep 7, 2008)

yellvis said:


> Have you tried a DAP Collar on your dog? - it might help calm your dog down (if you don't know what a DAP Collar is it is a collar that releases pheromones similar to that of a dogs mother and in theory should calm the dog). We used a DAP collar on our pup when we first got him to help him settle in to his new home and it seemed to work fine, he didn't seem anxious or nervous on his journey from the kennels to settling in the house. Obviously we'll never know if this was helped by the DAP collar or if the dog was naturaly a relaxed dog, as we couldn't compare him to if he hadn't have been wearing the collar.
> 
> Also i put in his bed a t-shirt i have been wearing/sleeping in so that he has my smell with him and maybe that will help in calming your dog if you did the same??


Got a Dap Diffuser had it now 3 weeks.


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

I put a hot water bottle in a teddy cover in our pups bed,she laid on it we never had a noisy nightAlso wear pup out with play just before you settle him/her in crate with bottle.


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## Kaz65 (Sep 7, 2008)

update on my Puppy 

She now loves her crate and for the past four nights she's slept like a baby. I haven't yet tried locking it again after what happen on the first night. :crying:

I must admit I tried the spray of water method :crying:. I put her in her crate and walked out of the room every time she barked I came in sprayed her with water then walked back out. The first night she barked 6 times then after that slept till 6.45 (Saturday) I got up as this is the time normally through the week my hubby takes her out. So I let her out in the back then after five minutes let her in and put her back in her crate. She barked again 3 more times again i sprayed her once with water. She then settled again till I got up at 8.30. I haven't had to spray her with water since. We now leave the room when going to bed and she quite.  :thumbup:

I didnt like spraying her with water but it seemed to have worked. :biggrin5:


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## Tasha (Sep 23, 2008)

weeks 8 to 10 are puppies first fear stage 

(children do this also a crawling baby will crawl off the landing and down the stairs bonk bonk bang!! however a toddler will register the element of potential danger and refrain)

think back to when puppy stopped sleeping all night what was different something disturbed her or upset her could be as simple as the thermostat on your central heating clicking the fridge generating or the creaking of the water going through the radiators that she doesnt hear through the day as its drowned out try playing a radio low by day so she hears it when its quiet and leave it on by night so if its noise thats disturbing her she wont be tuned to it


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## Tabbytails (Jan 28, 2009)

Glad things are coming together! it sounds like you are doing a great job, and really feel for you with the disturbed sleep.

With our last pup I found that a worn fleece of mine, left on the radiator and then put into her bed warm really settled her, would say 'goodnight' firmly and close the door, if she barked or whined for long and I went down she would be overjoyed to see me and leaping about, but I wouldnt make any eye contact or talk, other that 'no, go to bed', settle her back in with minumum of touching and leave again, after the 4th or 5th time she realised she wasnt going to get the cuddles she was obviously after and slept until morning, or was at least quiet!. When I went down I made a huge fuss of her and treats etc, she never did it again. I dont know if this will work if its anything other than attention or playing they want though.

If its disturbing the whole house you could try the method I did with the kids when they would call out and cry in the night for attention, I never let them come out of their cots, but I would sit beside the cot on the floor til they relaxed, then would sit quietly making no eye contact or talking, so they knew they werent alone but also got to fun out of the encounter either!. 

Then each night I moved further away from the cot towards the door until one night I was on the landing, the next night when they started crying and shouting I called quietly to them from our room (still in warm bed, yay!) and they stopped. With the pup you could try sitting inside the door for a short time til he settles, with him in his crate, but not making eye contact or stroking, maybe read a book or have ipod on, eyes closed, so the pup can observe you are there but hes getting nothing from the situation, and if hes getting no reward or interaction he will most likely get bored. You could gradually move out of the door each time so that in the end he cant see you sitting there.

Wondered too about noises, our heating makes a noise and the pipes expanding can make the floorboards creek! any chance he may be hearing something like that and feeling scared or thinking there might be an intruder?

Good luck, sounds like you are doing great! xxx


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## finoni9 (Sep 5, 2008)

Kaz65 said:


> update on my Puppy
> 
> She now loves her crate and for the past four nights she's slept like a baby. I haven't yet tried locking it again after what happen on the first night. :crying:
> 
> ...


Glad it worked out and you can have some sleep again!

We used the water spray with Rocky when he's being naughty and just won't listen, now if he doesn't listen (not often) we just have to pick the water bottle up and he immediately does what he's meant to!!


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## ad_1980 (Jan 28, 2009)

shortbackandsides said:


> I put a hot water bottle in a teddy cover in our pups bed,she laid on it we never had a noisy nightAlso wear pup out with play just before you settle him/her in crate with bottle.


We did that with my second dog. I can't remember what we did with our first, who's now in Rainbow Bridge.

We got a hot water bottle, with a water bottle cover and put it in his blanket and he was fine. Apparently if you do that, it will remind the puppy of his/her mother. So yeah it worked for us.


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## AlexT (Jan 16, 2009)

Hi we use to keep our puppy in her crate in our room for the first month or so then one day we took it into the front room were we sat so she could get use to it being there through the day and that night just went upto bed leaving her and she was fine but she has never kicked up too much fuss at night .


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