My 12-week old baby hav Ceylon is turning out PERFECT in every way - he is affectionate, loving, eager to please, and he loves people (other dogs, not so much, but we will start taking him to puppy socialization classes this weekend so that should help - to be honest, he is only afraid of dogs larger and older than he is, which is normal I think for a puppy, and once he gets used to them he is fine, so I think this is not a major issue as long as we socialize him). He is extremely affectionate, and loves to be played with and petted, and is responding to training very well, travels in the car easily, and gets (and thrives on) LOTS of love and attention.
I tried the first night I got him to keep him confined to the kitchen (with his open crate available to him) during the night, but he started crying and I couldn't take it, so I took him into my bed. He then slept in my bed for a couple of weeks perfectly - - within a day or two, he was sleeping through the night without having to go to bathroom at ALL, and was perfectly content to sleep in my bed. I was so excited! I really wanted a dog that would sleep with me or with my daughter at night... For about the last week or so, though, whenever I try to take him to bed with me he gets very restless... I finally ended up putting him back in the kitchen a couple of nights ago, where his crate is (which he very voluntarily chooses to sleep in most of the rest of the time when he is tired - sometimes he will nap on the couch next to me, but most of the time he chooses to sleep in his crate all on his own) and now he just seems to prefer sleeping in his crate at night, rather than sleeping with me!
I know logically that I shouldn't be concerned - I should be happy that he is happy to sleep in his crate (and I am, sortof). Heck, my biggest concern when getting him was that he wouldn't deal well being alone, since I knew that havs were velcro dogs and had problems with separation anxiety, so I was very worried about the few hours a day that he would have to be left alone eventually (I did hire a pet sitter for most days for now so that he wouldn't be left alone much as real small puppy, but eventually, he will have to be left alone for 4-5 hours a day)... and during the few days that he has had so far to be left alone so far for a few hours at a time, he has done just absolutely GREAT - he seems VERY happy to spend the hours mostly sleeping in his crate.
And I know also that his preference for sleeping in his crate is not at all a reflection on how much he loves me or my daughter, since he loves us to death - when he is
not sleeping, he is ALWAYS demanding love and petting and play and attention, and his absolute and unconditional love for us is apparent. And I also somehow know that he *will* end up sleeping with either my daughter or myself at night eventually (somehow, I just know that, from knowing him)... but I get, well, a bit jealous right now when I see him sleeping contentedly in his crate, nevertheless. Even though I know I
should be glad, and even though I
am glad, I am still jealous that he doesn't prefer to sleep with me instead.... ugh, I know I shouldn't be, but I am