# First night with Rufus!



## Anna (Dec 6, 2011)

Hi all,

We collected our little bundle of fluff yesterday, named Rufus! He was very good all the way home. Very playful for the first 30 minutes then slept most of the way. He was nervous when we got home, wouldn't go down on the floor immediately but soon got over that. Loved exploring the house and went to toilet on the newspaper straight away. So far keeps going where he should but not sure how long this will last

We played with him nearly all evening, out for a wee and then put him in the crate for the night. He wasn't happy at all, cried, howled, barked and this went on for quite a while. I was completely expecting this but maybe not quite so loud. Anyway after a while we gave in and bought the crate up into our room. He cried again for about 15 minutes but then settled down and slept till 6.15am this morning. He woke me up whining and as soon as I took him downstairs he did his business! 


Now I am wondering what to do tonight, should I just try him downstairs again or move the crate to the landing and gradually get him downstairs. Any advice would be much appreciated. 

Anna x


----------



## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Yayy little Rufus is home  You know pictures will be in order soon  Haha.

I think what most people try is to gradually move the crate back down to the kitchen, although ours sleep on blankets in our bedrooms so personally I couldn't help there! You could also try wearing an old t shirt & then putting it in the crate with him at night so that he can smell you as if you're near him. Good luck! x


----------



## Soo (Dec 16, 2011)

I agree with Laura about moving the crate a little further away each night to let him gently get used to sleeping away from you.

Its really hard going for him and you doing the cold turkey way and it can take a few nights and if you give in you are back to square one again. It works but hearing them cry is not good neither is lack of sleep.

Enjoy your pup!


----------



## Anna (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks you for your advice. T shirt is a good idea, will try that one. 
It is really hard doing it cold turkey, I just worry about our neighbours, they have three young children. I had warned them about the new arrival and they said not to worry but it's hard not too. 
We will persist tonight and see how it goes


----------



## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

No problem  I hope he settles for you quicker tonight!
I know what most people mean abotu their neighbours  Although personally i'm not guna lie I didn't care if mine were kept up haha. They've got two border collies (had them about 18 months now) & everyone is about of the house by 7.30am monday to friday, they're left in a pen in the back garden (right next to my bedroom window) & thy bark all morning! It does my bloody head in, especially when I want a lie in. So I wanted them to have a few nights where they knew what it felt like lol. Although i'm not sure if they heard Poppy or not tbh.


----------



## mandym (Jun 5, 2011)

sounds like rufus is settling in well.I always put the crate at the side of my bed hen my pups are little,its close enough to reasure when they get upset but still safe in the crate.its a huge step leaving mum and siblings so i feel this way its a little bit easier on them then once settled you can start the gradual process of moving the crate to perhaps the kitchen xxx


----------



## Turi (Jun 28, 2011)

Hi Anna,

Congratulations on Rufus coming home! What a lovely first day with lots of playing 

I wouldn't worry too much about the fact that Rufus has joined you on the first night. A lot of experts recommend this anyway - as Mandy says it's already a traumatic experience having been separated from Mummy and sibblings let alone sleeping by himself. Perhaps keep him in your bedroom until he settles and then slowly edge his towards the door, then out into the hall etc... 

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Turi x


----------



## maplegum (Mar 10, 2011)

Hi

I actually have had Ruben in my bed with me each night since he came home so I never had any 'crying' issues.

I agree with Turi, they are only babies and they must be so confused and scared in those early days. I say keep him in your room, at the end of the day, it's really not a big deal having him close to you... it makes for a much calmer puppy, owner and house.

xoxox


----------



## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Haha we're the same as above! Izzie settled really quick in the kitchen as a pup, but after about 6 months or so we started letting her sleep in our rooms  So obviously Poppy would not settle in their on her own, so after a week or so of her howling the house down every night we decided to let her sleep in our bedrooms (she used to mess in her crate every night - must have been due to stress, because as soon as she got to our bedrooms she stopped).

But it's always down to personal preference, some people don't want dogs in the bedrooms or to stay in their full time, so it depends how you want to bring your doggy up  xx


----------



## Anna (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks for all your replies ladies. 

I wouldn't really have an issue with him sleeping in our bedroom but we really want to crate train him and looking long term we can't have the crate in our room. We had to have it blocking our wardrobes and this would just be a nightmare. 

Anyway last night, my Husband said let’s try him again downstairs, I was a little more hesitant after reading your replies. We agreed to give it a go and the little monkey was very suspicious of the crate, I put in a few toys which he has become attached too and one by one he took them out. So funny to watch. He also was off his food last night so I decided to fill the Kong with some rice and chicken and put that in the crate along with the toys. He went in and started to nibble at the Kong, so U quietly closed the door. We went upstairs and he cried for about ten minutes then went quiet. I thought this was too good to be true and he must be playing with the Kong. I was wrong, I woke up at 6am this morning and no noise from the little man. I got ready for work and when I went downstairs he was just sitting there looking at me. I let him out and his did his business, no mess again in his crate 

I am not getting to excited as I know things can go backwards, but fingers crossed!


----------



## S.Claire (Sep 1, 2011)

Anna that is fantastic. It took Nacho a long time not to have an accident overnight (4 months) I think. Also a good 6 days of crying for half an hour everytime he went to bed when we first got him. Now, Nacho will go in his crate whenever he is tired... He loves it! There will be ups and downs no doubt but excellent start xxx


----------



## doddsy (Dec 14, 2011)

hi 
our pup barney is 14 weeks old we got him at 8 weeks his crate is in the kitchen but we leave his crate door open all night but keep kitchen door shut he does his toilet on a puppy pad during the night some nights he goes dry all night (the last week or so) the first three nights he howled and cried during the night but we just ignored him and never went down once to him then after that we never hear a thing until 6 30 ish in the morning and that was the advice we got of our vet it is hard to ignore them but in the long run its worth it 
also our vet told us that it is best to keep crate door open during night so puppy doesnt get stressed let him out before bed time you will toilet train him just the same


----------



## Sequin (Sep 17, 2011)

Congratulations! So pleased everything is going well.


----------



## Anna (Dec 6, 2011)

Sorry I haven't replied sooner, had a busy weekend as you can all imagine. Rufus is doing really well. We moved him into the dining room on Friday night and he cried for 15 minutes but then was quiet until the morning. He seems to accept that this is his area for the night but he doesn't go in it in the day. I have put treats in there but he just puts his two front paws in and reaches to get them! They certainly aren't stupid are they! 

We are really enjoying him, hard work but wouldn't be without him. I really need to work out how to upload some pictures, most are on my phone. Any help would be great!


----------



## lady amanda (Nov 26, 2010)

use photo bucket....there is even a phone app...tho it doesn't work on my black berry...then you can just copy and past the img code into your post.


----------



## Anna (Dec 6, 2011)

Hope this works! :


----------



## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Handsome boy!


----------



## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Very cute! & lovely colouring  Reminds me of my Poppy! x


----------



## Anna (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks Karen and Laura, we think he is very cute but are bound to say that. 

Karen, would love to meet up sometime, once Rufus is allowed for walkies!


----------



## Laura(L)Izzie (Sep 9, 2011)

Of course you're bound to, but it's an actual fact that all puppy AND adult cockapoos are gorgeous  So it's knay to be biased! Lol


----------



## Fifi (Aug 11, 2011)

:iagree: Lovely puppy, enjoy it goes fast :undwech:


----------



## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

He's gorgeous! What cross is he and where is he from? Love his colouring in the second pic - you can really see the mix of colours in his coat.


----------



## DONNA (Jan 7, 2011)

Wow your doing really well im impressed.

Must admit Buddy still would rather sleep outside his crate in the day but when i say bed late at night he takes himself in there now,keep with it your doing really well dx


----------



## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

Same here Donna! He'd much rather sleep under my feet!


----------



## Anna (Dec 6, 2011)

Jane, 

We got him from a breeder near Kiddermister, she is an experienced breeder but her first litter of cockapoos. He is a working/miniture cross, the mum is the breeders working spaniel. 

I am back at work but my Husband is at home with him and he said yesterday and today he has been in his crate to sleep during the day  Last night we went to puppy training which was really good, felt like we learnt a lot in just one hour and we have homework set!!!! When we got home Rufus went to sleep on my feet whilst I was cooking dinner, this is obvioulsy a cockapoo trait!


----------



## Janev1000 (Oct 4, 2011)

Thanks Anna. Yes, cockapoos definitely love to sleep on feet! They are just adorable.


----------

