# First Night at home



## Charlie-Brown (Aug 19, 2014)

Hi we are about to bring our new puppy home he will be 
8 weeks +4 days 
We have a 30" metal crate/cage for car & home 
All padded out with quilts , bed and hot water bottle
I have read about having puppy in your bedroom
For the first few nights and taking him out for toilet.
It's been 12 years since our last puppy a Westie
And we left him in his bed downstairs he cried a little
And went to sleep all night and we never had him 
In our room as I was worried that was a bad habit
We may not be able to break?
Can you please tell me your experiences please
So I know the right thing to do


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

hello first i must say welcome to ILMC.this is a wonderful place to start your puppl off right. all the people here are wonderful and friendly.I never put ginger in a cage, we just house broke her with a lot of love and patents, and as far as being in the bed room. after she was housebroken.she now sleeps with me and the wife. Now i don't say that this is the way to do it .you have to do your own thing..but this is the way we did it and it worked out just great.we have a very loveable puppy and two very happy people I'm sure you will do just fine just remember lots of love and understanding and you will be fine please keep us up to date ok,,lumpy


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## Hollysefton (Sep 28, 2013)

Firstly welcome!!! Secondly, there's no right or wrong way! Personally I used a crate with Murphy as I thought it would be easier for house breaking(it did) I had him in his crate by my bed for a week, then I moved the crate to the door, then the landing and gradually downstairs. Some ppl endure, leave them downstairs from the beginning (I just love my sleep and couldn't deal with the crying)

Some people have their dogs in their beds, some ppl crate, others don't. It's really what u find best for you. 

The first week we sectioned the crate into a sleeping area and a puppy pad. He would wake up every few hours and jump over the little divide pee on the pad and get back into the sleeping area. Some people get up every few hours for wees. (Don't worry they learn to hold it quite quickly) I found he had a few accidents the first few nights. I had clean vet bed and blankets ready incase of accidents. It's in there nature to move away from the sleeping area to go toilet, and if confide in the crate it teaches them to hold it until they get out. But at 8 weeks they can't hold it very long, so hence the sectioning of the crate. 

When I got Murphy I was so obsessed getting everything 'right' that I feel I didn't enjoy the puppy experience as much as I could have, so try not to stress, work with your pup and see what's best for him. As long as u get into the same routine every day that's what matters. 

Anyway, hope this helps abit, I'm used more people will share their experiences. Relax and enjoy, and obvs post lots of pics of your little fella! Colour, name and info too! 

Holly x


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## Goosey (Aug 22, 2014)

I would also say there's no right or wrong way to do it. I bought Molly a cage which I set up, also a bed both were in my kitchen. She never cried not even from day one and I got her at 8 weeks. I never locked her in her cage she just chose to go in it on her own. As for going to the toilet I just took her out in the night a few times, until she could hold herself for longer. 
She now has the run of the down stairs all day and happy to take herself off to bed which is still in the kitchen ( removed the crate a few months ago ) . This is where she's happy to sleep. I've always had dogs and none have ever slept up stairs, but that's my preference . Your choice but that's what I did. Molly is now 6 months. Good luck hope all goes well


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## Charlie-Brown (Aug 19, 2014)

Thank you
This is giving me lots to think about!
33 sleeps till our new arrival 
X


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## Florida Cockapoo (Aug 24, 2012)

We do have a crate, but Piper is not in it a lot. She is trained to go to her "room" when we need to confine her. But most of the time she is free to roam the house now that she is potty trained. Now when she feels like she will go to her "room" on her own. The door is open for her to come and go... Even the cat goes in the crate to nap.... LOL 

As for the bedroom. It's not a bad habit for us. Before she was potty trained I had her in a cat carrier that split in two. I put the bottom half on my night stand and that is were she slept until we could trust her not to pee in our bed at night. Piper does sleep with us now. She has had 1-2 accidents at night after training. But she has always gotten off the bed and did it by the door. So she knows she shouldn't, but had to go. She did it in the bed only once when she was really little and got excited.

Piper is an excited peeing dog. But now we can control that, by knowing when it will happen normally meeting "new" people.

Good Luck with your new baby.


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## sophiecutiepoo (Jul 2, 2014)

Hollysefton said:


> Firstly welcome!!! Secondly, there's no right or wrong way! Personally I used a crate with Murphy as I thought it would be easier for house breaking(it did) I had him in his crate by my bed for a week, then I moved the crate to the door, then the landing and gradually downstairs. Some ppl endure, leave them downstairs from the beginning (I just love my sleep and couldn't deal with the crying)
> 
> Some people have their dogs in their beds, some ppl crate, others don't. It's really what u find best for you.
> 
> ...


Congratulations on your new baby! I am sure you are super excited to welcome him home. New puppy parent jitters are the best. We have had our little girl for about a month now and what an adventure it has been! 
I definitely agree that it is important to enjoy the puppy experience and not to be too obsessed with getting everything right. My husband has to gently remind me that it is okay if Sophie has the occasional accident when I am in the other room and not able to catch her. Enjoy your baby. 
We crate Sophie in our room and she does not make a peep. Basically, she sleeps wherever we are. She loves her humans.  I think there is no right or wrong way however. Your puppy will learn to like his sleeping spot wherever it is once he learns that it is a safe place all his own. 
Post lots of pictures of him once he arrives!


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## meloww (May 14, 2014)

Ahhh it feels like forever we were working out Willow's sleeping spot....4 months goes so fast. We tried her in a crate the first 2 nights, but she would howl and bang against the metal, it was such a horrible sound. For me, personally I didn't like it, not that that means it wouldn't have work with patience. Anyway we ended up losing the crate and moving her to the kitchen with a big comfy dog bed. 

We had her in the kitchen with the following set up for the first few weeks until she calmed down:
- Ticking clock (to mimic her mothers heartbeat).
- Hot water bottle wrapped in an old top of mine so she had a comforting smell.
- Radio on low.
- Toilet pad next to the back door.
- Toys, chews.
- Kong filled with peanut butter before we left.

We never went down at night when she howled, we just invested in some good earplugs. 

4 months later we just have to say "bedtime" & she rushes to the cupboard where we keep her kong & don't hear a peep out of her all night.

Best of luck with your puppy & enjoy <3


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## sugerlump (Oct 6, 2012)

i do the same thing.that kong is a wonderful thing ,i give it to her when we go out .she loves it


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