Topic: sleepless nights...

[sarah]

I have a twelve week old terrier cross puppy who we have had for a month now. I was expecting sleepness nights to start with and sleepness nights is what we have had.  How long does this last? He is a very good pup and very bright and quick to learn.  We are making slow progress and he will sleep well for (say) two out of three nights and lull us into a false sense of security and then he will have a dreadful night when he whines and barks for hours and scratches the door (he's in the kitchen - not crated but has a den and lots of paper/water/toys ).  We ignore this as per advice from 'everyone'.  But I am starting to wonder if I am not just creating a traumatised dog! will this ever end or should I admit defeat and lethimsleepinthebedroom? ???

[betula]

Afraid we were wimps,after following all the advice we were not getting any sleep so into the bedroom she came. ;D

She now prefers to sleep downstairs,sometimes she comes into the bedroom if she feels like it.  ;D

[mummybunny]

same here  ;D We tried to keep our dog Angus downstairs when he was a pup. We decided to see what would happen if we let him do his own thing. He still comes up checks on the kids then checks on us then settles for the night at the top of the stairs  ::)

[gypsy]

My terrier was very strong willed. It was important for me to be pack leader from the start, so I called her upstairs and told her to get on the bed and stay there. Most nights we followed this pattern, unless she misbehaved, then she would be ordered downstairs. I had to be 'the boss', and make the decisions, or she would have dominated the household.
Sadly she is no longer with us, but had a happy life, even though she didn't make the rules.

[betula]

Gosh,Belle westie made the rules from day 1 and still thinks she is pack leader   ;D

[lorna]

All our previous dogs  were allowed the run of the house, no problems (except for first couple of nights) however when we got Elsa she was kept shut in the kitchen during the night as my late husband was severely disabled with arthritis and I was afraid she would jump on the bed and hurt his legs.(bungalow) I would be woken several times each night. She was three when Charlie died and I suffered her behavior for another two years. Then I wasn't well and one night I literally threw her on my bed, oh sheer bliss lol no more sleepless nights. She spends first few minutes on my bed then goes and sleeps in the doorway of the kitchen. Only downside is that now she has arthritis I have to lift her down off the bed when she wants to go in the kitchen!!!!!! She is now nearly 11.

[Manouche]

Following advice we left our puppy Jake downstairs in his crate ( it is now in the car for travelling only) !
To many sleepless nights and he then had his bed transferred to the bedroom but it was on the bed he wanted to be.....we gave in and for many months he slept on the bed.
Now he comes up for a cuddle, lays down and when the light goes off he gets up and goes downstairs to sleep in his bed under the kitchen table or dare I say it on the sofa.
We believe he suffered from separation anxiety, so did the dog trainer at puppy classes. He is now a very happy four year old and a very well balanced boy who is happy to be left for up to four hours while we go out.
The rest of the time Jake is with us visiting family, going for pub meals and camping.
So happy we made the right decision for him and us.

[betula]

We have two dog beds bwe also have two settees,collie on one settee westie on the other,we find ourselves

saying excuse me may I sit down please??

It's a dogs's life  ;D

[sarah]

Thanks for the replies. Well after a month of good and bad nights and stress on both sides I decided that I couldnt quite understand the logic of seperating him from the 'pack' and he now goes to bed at night as usual in his den in the kitchen but with the door open and later in the night comes into our room and settles happily in another dog bed. He has made no demands to come up on our bed and I wouldnt allow it anyway so as long as he doesnt disturb us I am happy for him to be in our room. I think it is helping with the housetraining too as he is not weeing and pooing from stress and he is clean and (mostly)dry through the night.  ;)

[betula]

I am so glad about this. :)

Both our dogs quickly gave up on coming onto the bed,maybe with all the snoring and rolling from side to side they quickly decided there are better places to sleep without being disturbed. ;D

I know it is not considered to be hygienic to have them on the bed but after several sleepless nights hygiene does suddenly appear to be not that important  ;D ;D ;D