Puppy nighttime poo and other issues

[Dakotas Mum]

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Hi all, been reading some threads and so many helpful people here I thought I'd ask for some help. 

We have an 11 week old Sprocker, been home for 3 weeks. Normal teething issues for all of us as we settle in but lots of positive things. 

But just would like some advice on how to deal with stuff so I'm on the right track. (I know there isn't a one way fits all!)

Pup is up in the night. Totally expected this and one of us has been on the sofa alternate nights. She is shattered by 8:30pm and we try and keep her up but it's a losing battle. She gets out in the crate around 9:30-10pm after out for a wee / poo if needed. 

She goes in the crate no problem and settles fine. First wake up around 11-12 for a wee. 

Goes back into crate again fine and settles. Then it becomes more random. Good night is out for a wee and poo at 3:30am. But sometimes it is 1:30am / 2:30am etc. 

She was then waking for the day around 4-5am. But think I've sorted that with putting on her harness. It seems to have a effect of calming her. And she goes back into crate ok. Before she would be full on puppy mania mode. It's not helped by face we have cats (I'll come one that next!) 

So first questions. We've tried feeding early and later to stop night poo with no joy. Should I try much earlier like 4pm?

Is it ok to use the harness like this? I've seen the thunder jackets and wonder would that be better?

Do we try stretching the wakings? I think I'm going to move back to bed with a baby monitor  but don't want her to have to poo/wee in crate as she has been so good  

Cats - we have 2  one is just avoiding and fine  the other wants to play and isn't very bright and so just sits there as she jumps on him  the cat is rather sturdy but she is getting rougher  it isn't aggressive but just rough play. Is it ok to let them get on with it? Cat has lots of places to get away but usually chooses not to! She just gets utterly hyped wanting to play  

Separation issues - totally our fault as I work from home so I'm here most the time  and my partner has also been working st home so we've tag teamed her care up until now.  But I need to start being able to leave her even for 20 mins for school run.  I started yesterday with 8 mins and she wasn't pleased. But did the wait for a break in bark / whine then went in.  This has been first time in crate daytime closed and 'left' (I had just fake left but she didn't know thst)

so should plan just be increase the time? I left her with a filled kong yesterday and first 4 mins were fine whilst she ate it. Need to fill and freeze kong today so last longer too.

Thanks for any tips on any of it!

 

[JoanneF]

Hello and welcome.

I'lI try and pick up on some of your points, if i miss anything ( i have no experience of cats other than what I have read) others will be along soon.

Night times - my first thought is that it is still early days and her body is still settling into the changes she is experiencing so she may just need more time. Also, when puppies poo, it isn't always the last meal that they have had that is being pooed. You can get a good idea of her digestive timings by adding a few kernels of sweet corn to a meal. If you wanted to change the timings of meals, I would actually be inclined to feed later rather than earlier. This may also alleviate another possible cause of her waking; hunger. But changing her routine too much isn't ideal so try to find a pattern and stick to it. I also would be inclined to let her sleep at an earlier time, rather than keeping her up until 8.30. So if she falls asleep at 7.30 / 8.00 or whatever just let her, then wake her at the time you are going to bed - 10.30 /11.00?

It's fine to keep her harness on as long as there is no risk of her getting it caught on anything. If it is working there is no need to buy a thundershirt, especially as she will outgrow it in ten minutes.

A baby monitor is fine but ideally have her crate in your room. You can gradually start moving it away when she has a more stable night routine. This would also mean she is less likely to panic if she wakes and you aren't there.

Which brings me on to leaving her. Keep on with 'fake' leaving her but I would try to be back before she gets upset. So kong, shoes and jacket on, out then back in. Gradually increase the time. Keep at it, a frozen Kong when she is tired and therefore likely to fall asleep straight after is a great idea. Maybe not use banana for that kong because of the sugar content - you dont want her bouncing about on a sugar rush! Learn, if you can, the different sounds of a distress cry and a frustration cry. I wouldn't leave a young puppy distressed, but you are right to wait for a break in frustration demands for attention before responding.

Hope that helps!

 

[Dakotas Mum]

Thanks for that 

we tried the later feeding and still had a nighttime poo. Think we just need to accept it for now! 

We cant do crate in bedroom for a couple of reasons. It is the cats safe spac, and there really isn't room for it. At the moment I'm pretty confident that the night time waking are for a wee/poo and that 4am wanting to play is just puppy excitement. We discovered the harness trick by accident (desperation!!) so I'm going to try that for a week and see. 

Just left her asleep to donthe school run (takes me 11 minutes in total from leaving arriving home) she hasn't moved asleep! Have left radio 4 on  has same effect on me

I think I will try the earler bedtime tonight and then lift her at 10pm or so to go out. We are both so tired after 3 weeks of very little sleep but my partner is away rest of the week now so I am going to work really hard to improve the sleeping for all of us. She is a much happier puppy when she has more sleep!

 

[JoanneF]

At this stage she is going to need a night time toilet visit regardless of when you feed her, so you will need to keep that routine for a few weeks - at least it's not winter! Well done on the school run though. Do you walk or take the car? You might think about taking her with you sometimes. If it's in the car it would be a good way of getting her used to it. If you walk, could you take her in a carrier, or a sling? It's a great way of getting your puppy exposed to the new world safely - you can't let her walk in case she goes somewhere an unvaccinated dog has been  (and it's borderline too far, and it would take you ages anyway) but taking your puppy out before second injections in a carrier or sling is immensely helpful for their development. 

 

[Dakotas Mum]

We drive, she has been on it quite a lot.  Before this week was carried and then yesterday walked as ok with vaccinations now. 

She is great in the car in a crate in boot. We did 2 1/2 journey at weekend twice with lots of stops and she was brilliant. (We had built up to that over a couple of weeks) 

 

[gypsysmum2]

I agree with all the above. You are doing really well, just stick with it. Trust your instincts.

Harness was a great discovery. Will have to remember that one

The cat situation is best left for the cat to sort out.

If you want to have control for, say, other cats in the neighbourhood then the following might help.

Put the cat in a cat carrier and put the carrier up high. Train the puppy to give attention to you with a word such as "leave" and reward for puppy taking attention away from the carrier.

When this is achieved, move the carrier to a lower surface and train the "leave" again.

Next, put the carrier on the floor and carry on training the leave. Practice all over the house and garden.

Next, put a lead on the puppy and go to a room where the cat can escape up high and let it free to roam the room. Train puppy to leave when asked. The cat can negotiate the gates but you still have control of the situation.

If you are not attending Puppy Socialisation classes, run by a member of the APDT, then I strongly recommend that you do. They may appreciate you taking your lovely, calm cat along to one of the classes for the other pups to experience