# 14 week old puppy not sleeping through night.



## Jo James (Aug 29, 2018)

Hi, we have a 14 week old puppy he is a Chesapeake Bay retriever cross curly coated retriever. He’s absolutely beautiful and doing really well - we have had him just over 5 weeks. He’s still not sleeping through the night: he wakes at least once (sometimes at 2ish as well) around 3-4 o clock for a wee and is wide awake around 5 O clock / which is when we wake for work so he has now replaced our alarm clock! We have a good bedtime routine which he is used to, we only leave a small amount of water in his bowl after 8, take him out for the toilet before bed- he goes to sleep around 10 o clock. He sleeps in a crate - which we have had to work really hard on because he absolutely hated it in the beginning- I genuinely didn’t realise a puppy could make so much noise!! When can you reasonably expect a pup to sleep right through? He is genuinely going to the toilet when we leave him out so he’s doing well to let us know he needs to go! 
He’s left alone for around 4.5 hours while we go to work - myself and my husband work different hours- and boy does he hate it he howls the street down for the first hour or so! (My neighbour told me!) we went back to work last week after having a few weeks off to settle him in- for the first few days I booked one of our neighbours (who also happens to be a dog trainer) to come and visit him after 2 hours but she said it’s putting him through the leaving process twice and he gets really worked up again when she has to leave. We left him for the full 4.5 hours today and he ripped his bed up! We had a lovely lab before Jasper/ but I can’t remember her waking through the night for as long or barking so intensely when we left for work (I realise they are all different!) just wondering if there’s anything else we could put in place? I make sure he is walked and played with, fed and toileted before I leave; We bought him an adaptil collar and we use the pet remedy spray- he has the radio on as well, I fill a kong with a bit of his kibble and chicken and freeze it and put plenty of toys and an antler chew in with him. He hated a blanket over the crate! Has anyone else been through something similar? any advice would be greatly received! I understand he’s only a baby and he doesn’t like being in his own!i just hate the thought of him being so distressed! Thank you


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## Jamesgoeswalkies (May 8, 2014)

In regard to sleeping through the night there is no hard and fast rule and everyone has their own way of doing it. Personally I expect my pups to need to toilet in the night until they are old enough to hold their bladder and sleep through (but I don't crate and mine have always just had a pad down at night when they are tiny, which means I don't have to get up). Some pups sleep through almost immediately others don't, so long as he is going to toilet and you don't switch lights on or interact with him he should gradually mature to being able to sleep through....

Not being settled when left is a little harder as puppies that are left to stress can develop separation anxiety (I noticed you said that you left him to 'make a noise' when introducing the crate) and I would be a little concerned that your pup isn't coping ....'howling the street down for an hour' is incredibly stressful for him. Did you work on leaving him gradually from the start (incrementally starting by leaving him for 15 mins and building it up to an hour etc)? If you didn't it may be work taking time of work to start again so that he can begin to understand the process of being left on his own. And if he doesn't like his crate use a play-pen instead.

Yes, all dogs are different but Chesapeake Bay retrievers are very much working line dogs and quite different to your average Lab so you may need to look at this when considering his routine. They are known for close contact with their human, too.

As well as perhaps taking time off to 'start again' with leaving him i would also suggest that you then employ a dog walker/sitter to come in and take him out in between for a short walk or play session to break up the time and give him a chance to toilet. I know your neighbour says that this is harder for him but if you reintroduce the idea of being left, 2 hours is about right to sleep before needing the toilet again.

J


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## Jo James (Aug 29, 2018)

Jamesgoeswalkies said:


> In regard to sleeping through the night there is no hard and fast rule and everyone has their own way of doing it. Personally I expect my pups to need to toilet in the night until they are old enough to hold their bladder and sleep through (but I don't crate and mine have always just had a pad down at night when they are tiny, which means I don't have to get up). Some pups sleep through almost immediately others don't, so long as he is going to toilet and you don't switch lights on or interact with him he should gradually mature to being able to sleep through....
> 
> Not being settled when left is a little harder as puppies that are left to stress can develop separation anxiety (I noticed you said that you left him to 'make a noise' when introducing the crate) and I would be a little concerned that your pup isn't coping ....'howling the street down for an hour' is incredibly stressful for him. Did you work on leaving him gradually from the start (incrementally starting by leaving him for 15 mins and building it up to an hour etc)? If you didn't it may be work taking time of work to start again so that he can begin to understand the process of being left on his own. And if he doesn't like his crate use a play-pen instead.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your reply! Yes we did work up to leaving him in his crate- over a few weeks- he did cry for a little bit and then went to sleep (we set up a camera to watch him ). Unfortunately, I can't book time off work as I work in a school and have set holidays. We are going to leave the camera on today - and see how he goes if he is that bad we will have to ask someone to pop in again half way through.. I feel terrible that he gets so upset! He's been fantastic with toilet training and we haven't used puppy pads. once he is past the teething phase and I am sure he won't chew the house he will have the sofa to himself when we are in work! 
He's doing so well in all other respects- he's such a bright little thing. Thank you for advice on toileting over night I just wanted to make sure that we are doing the right thing as I have read such conflicting advice


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## Jamesgoeswalkies (May 8, 2014)

Jo James said:


> once he is past the teething phase and I am sure he won't chew the house he will have the sofa to himself when we are in work!


That's why I suggested a play-pen set up (or gated area ie; the kitchen where they usually can't do any damage) as sometimes dogs who are not so sure of settling find it better when they can wander about a bit. Fingers crossed for you.

J


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## Jo James (Aug 29, 2018)

Jamesgoeswalkies said:


> That's why I suggested a play-pen set up (or gated area ie; the kitchen where they usually can't do any damage) as sometimes dogs who are not so sure of settling find it better when they can wander about a bit. Fingers crossed for you.
> 
> J


Thank you I will definitely look into this- he is quite big already - would he be able to jump over the gate? He does like his crate at night he goes in there himself when he is ready and falls straight to sleep- he knows we are only upstairs though. I am hoping for a lottery win so I can stay home with him!
Thanks again


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

His bladder just needs more training so try to gradually move his night time wee forward.

As for him howling when left it sounds like he has been very anxious in the crate (if crate trained correctly they shouldn’t get anxious - if they do it’s too fast).

A safe room behind a baby gate leaving the crate open or doing away with it completely might be best tbh.

Ideally, going right back to basics with working on the SA but that means being around all day.


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## Jo James (Aug 29, 2018)

Lurcherlad said:


> His bladder just needs more training so try to gradually move his night time wee forward.
> 
> As for him howling when left it sounds like he has been very anxious in the crate (if crate trained correctly they shouldn't get anxious - if they do it's too fast).
> 
> ...


He goes in his crate voluntarily in the night at bedtime- usually because I am playing on his nerves and he's fed up of playing with me I don't think his issue is with the crate it's more to do with us not being there bless him. my husband has the camera set up to his phone and has messaged me to say he fell asleep after barking for twenty minutes- I left at 8.20 and my husband will be home from work about 12.30 today as he leaves for work at 5, so we will see how he fares today, thank you for replying


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## Mickylar (Sep 4, 2018)

hi could you tell me what exactly you do to exercise him


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## Jo James (Aug 29, 2018)

Mickylar said:


> hi could you tell me what exactly you do to exercise him[/QUOTE
> He is walked at 6.30 in the morning - and again around 7 in the evening. The walks last around 40 mins - which I appreciate is long for a puppy but most of the time is spent sniffing and meeting other dogs! We go to the beach and to lakes on the weekend so he can go in the water. We take a ball with us so he can carry it I won't throw it for him to retrieve when we are out as yet (unless it's in the water) as he is still growing so fast - we don't want to damage his growth plates or compromise his legs. Our lab passed away due to complications to do with her cruciate ligament surgery and we would rather err on the side of caution. Where we live we are surrounded by mountains so he will have a lot bigger mountain walks once we feel he is ready for it- there are ponds for him to swim in too, at home we play doggy puzzle games with him, tug, fetch etc. We do 5 min sessions of obedience training at least twice and day and he goes to puppy class every week. He also sees my mothers dogs most days so he has a good play with them.


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## Jamesgoeswalkies (May 8, 2014)

> We go to the beach and to lakes on the weekend so he can go in the water. We take a ball with us so he can carry it I won't throw it for him to retrieve when we are out as yet (unless it's in the water) as he is still growing so fast - we don't want to damage his growth plates or compromise his legs. Our lab passed away due to complications to do with her cruciate ligament surgery and we would rather err on the side of caution. Where we live we are surrounded by mountains so he will have a lot bigger mountain walks once we feel he is ready for it- there are ponds for him to swim in too..


Sorry to hear about your Lab. I can now see why you have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever x curly coated cross though. Those walks sound perfect 

You are right to be careful with the retrieving. I know of a number of puppies who over stretched themselves running after (and jumping up to get) balls and frisbees. We start ours by rolling a ball along the ground.

You asked about 'jumping over the gate'. Non of ours try as they are brought up to understand if the gate is closed then they should stay on their side however you can get quite high baby gates which would discourage them trying anyway. We also have a solid 'play pen' set up with 4' sides. Hope pup is settling for you...............

J


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## Jo James (Aug 29, 2018)

Jamesgoeswalkies said:


> Sorry to hear about your Lab. I can now see why you have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever x curly coated cross though. Those walks sound perfect
> 
> You are right to be careful with the retrieving. I know of a number of puppies who over stretched themselves running after (and jumping up to get) balls and frisbees. We start ours by rolling a ball along the ground.
> 
> ...


Thank you! We love walking so we need a dog who can keep up- I think in Jaspers case it will be the other way around mind! We are very lucky where we live the beach isn't too far a drive and we have a big lake ten minutes away and plenty of mountain walks - which are quite steep so we don't want to stretch him too far until he's older. We looked at all the retriever breeds and the curlys and Chesapeakes really stood out to us and then we saw an advert for his litter and we thought 'it's meant to be' it's such an unusual cross too. 
The camera showed that he barked initially for twenty mins yesterday - then slept for two hours, ate his kong and slept until my husband got in.,, I think that's because I tired him out beforehand! I am ready for bed by 9 at night! I know he's barking initially- is that a sign of separation anxiety? Or would he bark the entire time if he had that? I will put the camera on the rest of my the week to see how he does, thanks again


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## Mickylar (Sep 4, 2018)

you are doing a really good job by the look of it...i think time will sort him out ..and paitience...it you could get home a bit more it would be


Jo James said:


> Thank you! We love walking so we need a dog who can keep up- I think in Jaspers case it will be the other way around mind! We are very lucky where we live the beach isn't too far a drive and we have a big lake ten minutes away and plenty of mountain walks - which are quite steep so we don't want to stretch him too far until he's older. We looked at all the retriever breeds and the curlys and Chesapeakes really stood out to us and then we saw an advert for his litter and we thought 'it's meant to be' it's such an unusual cross too.
> The camera showed that he barked initially for twenty mins yesterday - then slept for two hours, ate his kong and slept until my husband got in.,, I think that's because I tired him out beforehand! I am ready for bed by 9 at night! I know he's barking initially- is that a sign of separation anxiety? Or would he bark the entire time if he had that? I will put the camera on the rest of my the week to see how he does, thanks again


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## Mickylar (Sep 4, 2018)

Hi have a look at this blog from www.muttormorfis.com....hope spelt it right they are breaders of the same dog as youre one,they have a video 9mins long what was very interesting


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## Mickylar (Sep 4, 2018)

Mickylar said:


> Hi have a look at this blog from www.muttormorfis.com....hope spelt it right they are breaders of the same dog as youre one,they have a video 9mins long what was very interesting


Www.muttamorphosis.com...right spelling


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## Jo James (Aug 29, 2018)

Thank you for your advice! I think you forget the puppy years after a while! I do adore his little face though!


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