# First night tips



## pauleady

We are picking up our new puppy in a few weeks. I have a crate and comfy bed to make a cosy 'den' but would appreciate any advice or tips for the first couple of nights until he settles.

Thanks,

Paul


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## holicon

hi, I've had Coco about 3 weeks now and by night 4 of crying I left my slippers outside his crate and we never heard from him. He always lays on my slippers so they must comfort him. Maybe put an old jumper in his crate. 

Good luck

Lois


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## lady amanda

LOL...pick up on a friday night so that you can have the weekend to help settle them.

first tip....tire out your puppy...they will sleep better.

The following is what I did, Being it my first puppy (not my first dog) this may not be what is "recommended" but it is what got us through

we had a crate with a blanket and a big toy to help take up some room in there too, night one she cried, we let her cry it out but by 3am I couldnt do it any more....so I went downstairs and she slept perfectly on my chest for 3 hours....untill I had to get up for work....we got her on a thursday...bad idea! lol.

After that for the next little while I would sleep near her crate on the couch, she would cry if she didn't see me....so for the first few nights I slept on the couch with her crate on the coffee table. so she could easily see me.

then the next couple of nights I moved her to the floor where she had to look for me, but she could still see me if she needed to.

then the next couple of nights I put her beside the couch, where she couldn't see me, but she could smell me and hear me....

then after that....I was back into my bed.

You can keep her up in your room too....I just wanted her accustomed to where the crate would be 99% of the time. 

every puppy is different....Lady was a little more difficult than what I have heard...but what works for your pup is best.


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## weez74

Hi,

Rosie (12 weeks old) has been with us for four weeks now. After some soul-searching and some advice from the lovely people on this forum, we decided to crate her downstairs from the very beginning. We halved her crate with cardboard boxes, so that it was just big enough for her (too big and they use one end of it as a toilet), I covered it with an old towel at night to make sure she knew the difference between night and day (probably overkill! I think she can tell without that!). 

She howled for a really short time the first night. But I made the mistake of setting my alarm clock for 3am, so I could take her out for a wee. When I put her back in the crate, she howled for about an hour! The next night, she howled immediately for about 45 minutes (we knew from experience with our kids that if you give in, it just teaches them to howl for 45 minutes every night because then you will come down - so we just lay upstairs listening until she stopped!) but then she slept through till the morning. I went down to her when she cried again in the morning, but made sure I didn't acknowledge her until she'd been quiet for a few minutes, so I wasn't rewarding her for crying. 

The crying got less and less and she hasn't cried for ages now, except for when she can hear us moving about upstairs in the morning - I think she thinks she's missing out on something then. 

I think you'll find your own way, but try not to get into patterns that you won't be able to cope with long term -we knew we didn't want her upstairs in our house, which was why we made the decision not to bring her upstairs as a puppy. Apart from that, do what feels right, I guess. Some people comfort the puppies for the first few nights - my husband and I are veterans of the sleep war - we have two kids under 4 - so we were able to ignore the crying without too much trauma!

Good luck - let us know how it goes.


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## wilfiboy

Nothing to add really. Just dont get stressed and rememeber they are only babies who have just left thier mum and litter mates. Keep it snuggy and warm like you said, a blanket from breeder and or something of yours, reward when they go in the crate and ignore when they come out so that you are not making coming out seem more appealing , difficult in the morning when they are happy to see you. Do what you feel comfortable with some really cry and others dont ... good luck and enjoy, look forward to future posts x


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## pauleady

weez74 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Rosie (12 weeks old) has been with us for four weeks now. After some soul-searching and some advice from the lovely people on this forum, we decided to crate her downstairs from the very beginning. We halved her crate with cardboard boxes, so that it was just big enough for her (too big and they use one end of it as a toilet), I covered it with an old towel at night to make sure she knew the difference between night and day (probably overkill! I think she can tell without that!).
> 
> She howled for a really short time the first night. But I made the mistake of setting my alarm clock for 3am, so I could take her out for a wee. When I put her back in the crate, she howled for about an hour! The next night, she howled immediately for about 45 minutes (we knew from experience with our kids that if you give in, it just teaches them to howl for 45 minutes every night because then you will come down - so we just lay upstairs listening until she stopped!) but then she slept through till the morning. I went down to her when she cried again in the morning, but made sure I didn't acknowledge her until she'd been quiet for a few minutes, so I wasn't rewarding her for crying.
> 
> The crying got less and less and she hasn't cried for ages now, except for when she can hear us moving about upstairs in the morning - I think she thinks she's missing out on something then.
> 
> I think you'll find your own way, but try not to get into patterns that you won't be able to cope with long term -we knew we didn't want her upstairs in our house, which was why we made the decision not to bring her upstairs as a puppy. Apart from that, do what feels right, I guess. Some people comfort the puppies for the first few nights - my husband and I are veterans of the sleep war - we have two kids under 4 - so we were able to ignore the crying without too much trauma!
> 
> Good luck - let us know how it goes.


Thanks for the info. Like you, we do not want the dog upstairs and intend to start the way we mean to go on, and also like you have young children, so sleepness nights are not uncommon !!!!! 

I will post some pictures when we get "Bailey"


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## JoJo

Hi Paul

Please tell us more about Bailey.... his coat colour, his parents, where you are getting him from, and of course post photos when you get him home, fab name by the way 

You have been given great advice from Amanda and Louise...my story is just like Louise's .... I am also a sofa camping mummy, ha ha ha yes first week on the sofa next to my little fella in his crate, but he was fine after a week when he settled into a routine ...... 

Most of all try to enjoy him... even at 3am, 5am 


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## DebMax

Hi,

I took Max home at weeks, he's now 12 weeks. I put his crate close to my bed, at first he cried, but, i ignored him. Now he's gotten used to it and i set my alarm for 2 a.m. to take him to his wee wee pad and i normally wake up at 5 a.m. and he does too along with me. He's adjusted to this and sleeps well (except i dont get enough sleep)  I luv him though and am happy to have him.


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## pauleady

Only six days to go now.............getting very excited !!!!


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## barrelman

I'd recommend ignoring the crying on the first night. I got up a few times to allow puppy a toilet break but Didn't acknowledge him. Stick with it its the only way they learn that crying won't make you come. It seems harsh but it's even worse if you let them get their way


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