# Night time routine issues...HELP!!



## CharlieRich17 (Aug 8, 2017)

Hi all,

I'm desperate for some advice regarding nighttime routine. We brought Albie home four nights ago at 10 weeks old. He's getting used to the crate (which is based in the living room) fairly quickly and will now go on to play with his toys or take a nap of his own accord, provided that the door is left open. The only way that he'll settle with the door closed is if one of us is next to him. 

I tried sleeping upstairs and letting him cry it out last night but he howled non stop for over an hour and a half. In the end I waited for a gap in the crying and came down to sleep on the sofa at which point he settled immediately. 

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? From what I've read the crying has only lasted for twenty minutes for others which is making me worried I'm doing something wrong. 

Any advice much appreciated!


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

From all I’ve read and experienced, they’re creatures formed of habit - often very quickly. This is good and bad 😊

As many will say, try sleeping next to the crate, or having it in your bedroom. As the pup settles more, you’ll be able to move it further away. When it’s totally at ease with being alone, it will be ok. 

4 nights is still pretty early, but an hour an half of crying is pretty long for such as small pup. It may take extra time to rewind that behaviour that is starting to be learned/habit. Whenever something isn’t working, take a few steps back and start to create the right behaviour. It can feel maddening simple and slow, but then things start to click with the pup and it goes quick. 

We had him in an open crate, in a pen, next to the bed. We moved the crate further from the bed, then in the doorway, and finally downstairs. That took less than 2 weeks. At the time it seemed like he’d never be happy on his own going to bed, now it’s hard to see what all the fuss was about!


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## CharlieRich17 (Aug 8, 2017)

Thank you so much for the advice. I think I may try having the crate in the bedroom and then gradually moving it further and further away.

The thing I really struggle with is distinguishing between the cries. I'm never sure whether he's just lonely or he actually needs the bathroom and I'm worried that he will soil the crate. He's doing really well with house training so I don't want to set him back in any way.

Fingers crossed I get the hang of it soon!


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## cfriend (Dec 22, 2016)

You could try starting the crate out in your bedroom and gradually moving it downstairs.


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

He’s whining because he’s on his own, can’t get to you and not used to it. Put another way, he’s trying to train you do get what he wants 😉


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## CharlieRich17 (Aug 8, 2017)

He's definitely got me wrapped around his little finger! He actually slept for 4 hours last night before starting to cry. I took him to the bathroom, put him back in his crate, didn't interact and went upstairs. He cried for a while but I ignored it and he eventually settled down until about 630 this morning...progress!!

Still cries relentlessly when I go upstairs or even to the bathroom but I'll keep working on the training and hopefully we'll get there


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

Lucky is fine going to bed. But he doesn’t like being left alone / the door shut on him, he wants to be with me all the time!


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## CharlieRich17 (Aug 8, 2017)

Think I spoke too soon on the progress front. I've just put him to bed, bearing in mind he was shattered from his puppy class this evening, and he's been howling for 45 minutes with no sign of letting up. 

I'm getting so worried that the sleeping situation just isn't going to improve. I feel like I've made a huge mistake at this point ?


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

It will improve. Be patient and try new things. Habits - including bad ones! - form v quickly. 

Try very short periods left on his own in his sleeping area in the day. Literally start with a few seconds at a time. Feed him there and leave the room. Tiny simple things like that to build up his confidence that being alone is ok and you’ll be back. Any simple ideas like that to create positive reinforcement. And take care not to reinforce things you don’t want.


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## Claire&Oscar (May 14, 2017)

Hi I just wanted to reassure you that it does get better! Oscar started off with the same issues you refer to, but he is now brilliant at going to bed and sleeps through the night. You could try using a stuffed Kong in the crate at bedtime so that its a positive experience? We give Oscar a special treat of Kong paste at bedtime and he loves it - he only ever gets the paste at bedtime and he literally charges into his crate at bedtime to wait for his Kong and we don't hear a squeak from him until morning. We also put a snuggle blanket in with him at bedtime and when we close the crate he doesn't notice as he's licking his Kong.
We don't allow dogs upstairs so we followed the option of putting his crate in the kitchen with quiet music and a night light initially, and put him out to wee every few hours then straight back to bed. He quickly learned the routine.
Good luck!


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## CharlieRich17 (Aug 8, 2017)

Thanks all for the reassurance! 

Unfortunately Albie fractured his leg yesterday which has really set us back (I posted a separate thread for advice!). He's on crate rest but we're both to nervous to leave him unsupervised at the moment as he's so distressed and unhappy. I suspect we're going to create a monster...just when he was making such good progress as well!


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## LuckyCockapoo (May 29, 2017)

Poor poor thing. 

Have confidence, they will sense and react to you. You will get everything settled and it will be fine, it just takes some determination and repetition at times. 

Hope he’s ok soon.


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