New whippet puppy advice please

[Jenny Baird]

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I have a 11 week old whippet puppy, having trouble getting her to sleep overnight, she wakes up and cries a lot. She has a warm bed and fluffy companion, but she just wakes up every 2 hours. She wakes and has a poo on the puppy pad. Despite going during the day. Any ideas I’m exhausted.

 

[JoanneF]

Remember she isn't long from having been taken from mum and littermates, she likely feels alone and anxious. At night, it's a good idea to have her bed in your room to start with so she knows you are close by. You can put a hand down to stroke and comfort her if she gets distressed. Please don't ignore her, you wouldn't ignore a crying child and leave her in an empty room.

Comforting her when she is distressed is fine and will strengthen your bond. Unfortunately many people make the mistake of allowing a puppy to cry in the hope that they grow out of it, when actually all they have done is cement in the puppies mind that being left alone (or whatever is causing the crying) is indeed a terrible thing, and for many dogs this fear becomes a learned habit.

Gradually you can start moving the bed away to outside the bedroom door, near the room you want her to sleep in, and eventually into that room. With puppies learning, everything is done in little steps, and if anything starts to fail, you go back a step and stay there longer.

Also in your room you are more likely to hear her if she moves and needs out to toilet. With young puppies it's too long to expect them to hold on all night (their little bladder and bowels aren't big enough or strong enough) so set your alarm for a couple of times in the night.

I hate puppy pads. They just give mixed messages about whether indoor toileting is allowed or not and create confusion. The best way to toilet train is to aim to have every toilet outside so take her out more frequently than she needs, and massively reward outside toilets .

 

[Jenny Baird]

Remember she isn't long from having been taken from mum and littermates, she likely feels alone and anxious. At night, it's a good idea to have her bed in your room to start with so she knows you are close by. You can put a hand down to stroke and comfort her if she gets distressed. Please don't ignore her, you wouldn't ignore a crying child and leave her in an empty room.

Comforting her when she is distressed is fine and will strengthen your bond. Unfortunately many people make the mistake of allowing a puppy to cry in the hope that they grow out of it, when actually all they have done is cement in the puppies mind that being left alone (or whatever is causing the crying) is indeed a terrible thing, and for many dogs this fear becomes a learned habit.

Gradually you can start moving the bed away to outside the bedroom door, near the room you want her to sleep in, and eventually into that room. With puppies learning, everything is done in little steps, and if anything starts to fail, you go back a step and stay there longer.

Also in your room you are more likely to hear her if she moves and needs out to toilet. With young puppies it's too long to expect them to hold on all night (their little bladder and bowels aren't big enough or strong enough) so set your alarm for a couple of times in the night.

I hate puppy pads. They just give mixed messages about whether indoor toileting is allowed or not and create confusion. The best way to toilet train is to aim to have every toilet outside so take her out more frequently than she needs, and massively reward outside toilets .

Thanks for that, we get up every time she cries, give her a cuddle and take her out, that’s why we are so tired, she is the same wherever she sleeps, then when we get up to be with her she’s full of mischief. Hopefully she’ll get better still early days, wouldn’t swap her for the world.

 

[JoanneF]

When you get up during the night, it would help to teach her this is toilet time and not play time. So up, outside to toilet, back in, settle; all with minimal interaction with you. She is a little young to learn a settle down cue, but you could start teaching it. Having her beside you in your room means you are there on hand to tell her to settle (or whatever word you choose to use). This video will help - and Kikopup has loads of other excellent short videos on YouTube too.

 

[Ari_RR]

... we get up every time she cries, give her a cuddle and take her out, that’s why we are so tired...

This is the best way that I know of, and will pay off soon. Yes, good night sleep is a luxury for the moment, but not for long, IMO you are doing just fine, stay the course ;-)

My only suggestion - alternate if you are more than 1 person doing it. 1 night one stays on the couch next to her bed/crate, the other one takes the bedroom and sleeps through the night, next day the other way around.

 

[JudyN]

Where does she sleep - is she in your room with you, or elsewhere? I second the advice to make night-time trips really boring. No cuddles, eye contact, speech - apart from a brief 'good girl' when she toilets. And on lead if it stops her wanting to play in the garden.

Also, as Ari says, if you can arrange it so only one person is being disturbed each night it will be so much easier.

 

[Jenny Baird]

Thanks for all your advice, we have started the alternate night duty, funny thing was she slept from 11 til 7 last night, maybe just a one off but hopefully we will get more nights like that.