[Bazanese]

I'm picking Wilf up in a couple of weeks when he's 8 weeks old (see current profile pic)
I'm a bit nervous about his first night away from his Mum and siblings as I remember the first night alone with the other breeds I've had. Their howls and cries broke my heart. Any advice on first night distress please?

 

[ShamaMama]

From ShamaPapa:

I spent the first few nights with Her Royal Highness. We had a pee pad in her pen so she didn't have to go out over night. I set up a sleeping bag and blanket next to her pen and slept there the entire first two nights. On the third night I moved a little further away, but still within view. The next night a little further away. On night five or six I was back in my bed and she was happy as a clam in her pen and has been ever since. I don't know if that will work in your case, but it worked for us.

 

[krandall]

I'm picking Wilf up in a couple of weeks when he's 8 weeks old (see current profile pic)
I'm a bit nervous about his first night away from his Mum and siblings as I remember the first night alone with the other breeds I've had. Their howls and cries broke my heart. Any advice on first night distress please?

It depends a LOT on what your breeder has done with him. The breeders I have bought puppies from, and what I do for the puppies I raise is to make sure they are comfortable sleeping in crates by themselves here, in my home, before sending them to their forever homes. They go home with a stuffed animal ampnd a blanket that smell like their mom and their litter. So there is rarely any fuss at all when they are tucked into their crate at night.

They MAY need to get up during the night to potty during the first week or two, and I instruct people to do this with minimal talk, gently, but no excess cuddling, and pop right back into bed. If they haven’t pottied in 2-3 minutes, STILL tuck them back in bed, EVEN IF IT MEANS YOU NEED TO GET UP AGAIN! You do NOT want a puppy to get the idea that prolonging potty time gets them to stay up longer! I don’t send puppies home until 10 weeks, so they often don’t need to get up at all at night at that age; certainly, by 12 weeks almost all are done needing it.

But it is rare that a puppy who has been started well will howl his first nights home. It can happen, but it’s unusual. IF it happens, I would talk to my breeder for suggestions. She probably knows (and may have already mentioned to you) that this is a particularly needy puppy for one reason or another. She may have some insight into how best to work with him.

 

[Bazanese]

It depends a LOT on what your breeder has done with him. The breeders I have bought puppies from, and what I do for the puppies I raise is to make sure they are comfortable sleeping in crates by themselves here, in my home, before sending them to their forever homes. They go home with a stuffed animal ampnd a blanket that smell like their mom and their litter. So there is rarely any fuss at all when they are tucked into their crate at night.

They MAY need to get up during the night to potty during the first week or two, and I instruct people to do this with minimal talk, gently, but no excess cuddling, and pop right back into bed. If they haven’t pottied in 2-3 minutes, STILL tuck them back in bed, EVEN IF IT MEANS YOU NEED TO GET UP AGAIN! You do NOT want a puppy to get the idea that prolonging potty time gets them to stay up longer! I don’t send puppies home until 10 weeks, so they often don’t need to get up at all at night at that age; certainly, by 12 weeks almost all are done needing it.

But it is rare that a puppy who has been started well will howl his first nights home. It can happen, but it’s unusual. IF it happens, I would talk to my breeder for suggestions. She probably knows (and may have already mentioned to you) that this is a particularly needy puppy for one reason or another. She may have some insight into how best to work with him.

thank you Krandall. Sound advice.

 

[Bazanese]

From ShamaPapa:

I spent the first few nights with Her Royal Highness. We had a pee pad in her pen so she didn't have to go out over night. I set up a sleeping bag and blanket next to her pen and slept there the entire first two nights. On the third night I moved a little further away, but still within view. The next night a little further away. On night five or six I was back in my bed and she was happy as a clam in her pen and has been ever since. I don't know if that will work in your case, but it worked for us.

Nice one ShamaPapa. I'll get my camping gear ready

 

[Pucks104]

I chose to put the small puppy crate on my bedside table or on the bed. If the puppy whimpered, typically briefly, when tucked back in after the potty trip, I put my fingers in the crate door briefly. It seemed to reassure the puppy I was close by so it could settle back to sleep.

 

[krandall]

I chose to put the small puppy crate on my bedside table or on the bed. If the puppy whimpered, typically briefly, when tucked back in after the potty trip, I put my fingers in the crate door briefly. It seemed to reassure the puppy I was close by so it could settle back to sleep.

Definitely!!! 💗

From ShamaPapa:

I spent the first few nights with Her Royal Highness. We had a pee pad in her pen so she didn't have to go out over night. I set up a sleeping bag and blanket next to her pen and slept there the entire first two nights. On the third night I moved a little further away, but still within view. The next night a little further away. On night five or six I was back in my bed and she was happy as a clam in her pen and has been ever since. I don't know if that will work in your case, but it worked for us.

This is a wonderful idea if you re not going to have the puppy's crate by your bed!

 

[Cassandra]

I think it also depends on where you plan to have puppy sleep in future. If you read through many threads here, many of us let them sleep next to us in their crates. The sounds and smells of humans help. I would slip a finger thru crate openings to let her know I was there but also say settle down. She is the first puppy I let do that..the others were locked far away in a kitchen with an old clock wrapped in blanket and they all cried…she did not! Yes, expect to get up several times and learn to tell the need to go to bathroom noise from other sounds. As noted above, make it strict business..no playtime on nightly outings. If you do not plan to let the puppy/dog sleep in bedroom, best to not start. others can share how they handle that option

 

[Tom King]

He needs you to be strong and quiet at night. No babytalk, and if you feel anxiety, he feels anxiety.

 

[NotAMuggle]

Piper slept through the night soundly from night 1. No howling or complaining or 2am potty breaks (i got her at 10 weeks though).

She’d wake up early usually between 530-630am to pee and start her day in the beginning though. By 5ish months she was sleeping in until I was ready to wake up and start the day, which is usually 830amish. =)

 

[Melissa Brill]

I would be a little concerned that the breeder is sending them to their new home just at 8 weeks - but regardless of age, a crate by the bed where you can stick your fingers in and a toy or blanket that smells like his mom and siblings will help with the transition. I know some people will send a small blanket to the breeder in advance so that they can put it in with mom and the pups before you pick them up so the smell gets on it.

Perry was 8 months old when I brought him home and I planned to have him in a crate downstairs. Tried that the first night (or I should say for about 5 minutes the first night) and he was very distraught, so I brought his crate up and put it beside my bed so I could put my fingers in it, and he was perfectly content, not another sound out of him.

 

[krandall]

I would be a little concerned that the breeder is sending them to their new home just at 8 weeks - but regardless of age, a crate by the bed where you can stick your fingers in and a toy or blanket that smells like his mom and siblings will help with the transition. I know some people will send a small blanket to the breeder in advance so that they can put it in with mom and the pups before you pick them up so the smell gets on it.

Perry was 8 months old when I brought him home and I planned to have him in a crate downstairs. Tried that the first night (or I should say for about 5 minutes the first night) and he was very distraught, so I brought his crate up and put it beside my bed so I could put my fingers in it, and he was perfectly content, not another sound out of him.

There are some otherwise good breeders who send them home at 8 weeks. It is not my choice, but they are adamant that they need to be with their families and bonding at that age. I believe there is still a TON that I can teach them and that they need to learn to learn in the litter at that age, plus, plus I do not give first vaccines until 9 weeks, so don’t want them to go home until after that. Finally, there is often a fear period around 9 weeks, and I feel that they are safer to weather that with their litter than in a brand new home. But as I said, there are breeders who are very reputable who disagree. So I would not TOTALLY reject a breeder just on this. But I would be VERY careful with an 8 week ild puppy. It puts a lot more responsibility on the new owner.

 

[ShamaMama]

From ShamaPapa:

Our breeder also had Her Majesty crate and pen trained from the beginning so that helped in transition to our home. Also, when we visited the breeder when Shama was only 2.5 weeks old, we brought one of my dirty t-shirts and one of my wife's dirty t-shirts. The breeder agreed to line Shama's bed with them so she would learn our smell. When we visited again at 5 weeks and picked her up at 9.5 weeks, she came right to us, and so did all the other dogs as they knew our smell too apparently. I like to think that it made the transition a little easier for Her Royal Highness to adjust to leaving her mother and sibling.

 

[Tom King]

Piper is one I started

 

[krandall]

From ShamaPapa:

Our breeder also had Her Majesty crate and pen trained from the beginning so that helped in transition to our home. Also, when we visited the breeder when Shama was only 2.5 weeks old, we brought one of my dirty t-shirts and one of my wife's dirty t-shirts. The breeder agreed to line Shama's bed with them so she would learn our smell. When we visited again at 5 weeks and picked her up at 9.5 weeks, she came right to us, and so did all the other dogs as they knew our smell too apparently. I like to think that it made the transition a little easier for Her Royal Highness to adjust to leaving her mother and sibling.

Honestly, as a breeder, while I honored the request of the family who did this, I found it difficult, and if ALL the families had done it, it would have been chaos! As it was, I ended up needing to launder these items before sending them home because... well, puppies! LOL! The puppies are attracted to EVERYONE at that age. I HAVEN'T done this for my "bought puppies", and just having something with them from their litter, provided by the breeder, has been lovely and comforting for them.

If you live close enough, what I WOULD suggest is that you visit your puppies prior bringing them home so they get to know you!!! I think that is a lot more meaningful.

 

[morriscsps]

Snuggle Puppy!!! Fezzik was great with his and slept through the night no problem. They are on sale.

 

[Pucks104]

Issac loved his too. Pepper wasn’t interested. But Issac slept with his until he was 6-7 months. He eventually seemed to get too hot so doesn’t sleep with it now. DH says he is dealing with too many hormones.

 

[Svetlana Tatiana]

I just picked up my little love bug, Lana, on Tuesday and what I did was put her kennel on the bed in the spare room and I slept next to her and she slept from 9:30pm to 3:45am and when she woke up I took her out and she did her business and then we played around and I put her back in the kennel at 5:15am and she slept until 7am and last night she went to bed at 9:30pm and she slept until 6:45am and I also took her out as soon as she woke up. The breeder also gave us a blanket with the mom's scent and I also believe that is helping. I don't want to jinx myself but this is going a lot better than expected........good luck! Also, during the day I am brining her to my work so when she's not being held or playing she's getting in some strong power naps but she seems to know her limits and will go in her kennel and just crash and as soon as she wakes up I take her outside to do her business and it's also helping with the potty training.

 

[Melissa Brill]

I just picked up my little love bug, Lana, on Tuesday and what I did was put her kennel on the bed in the spare room and I slept next to her and she slept from 9:30pm to 3:45am and when she woke up I took her out and she did her business and then we played around and I put her back in the kennel at 5:15am and she slept until 7am and last night she went to bed at 9:30pm and she slept until 6:45am and I also took her out as soon as she woke up. The breeder also gave us a blanket with the mom's scent and I also believe that is helping. I don't want to jinx myself but this is going a lot better than expected........good luck! Also, during the day I am brining her to my work so when she's not being held or playing she's getting in some strong power naps but she seems to know her limits and will go in her kennel and just crash and as soon as she wakes up I take her outside to do her business and it's also helping with the potty training.

I would suggest that you NOT play with her when you take her out at 3:45 or you might accidentally create a monster who thinks that it's perfectly acceptable to always play at that time OR starts to get you up because she wants to play (and doesn't need to potty) at that time

The recommendation for middle of the night pottying is to take them out - no talking, etc. and then put them right back in their crate, all very quietly and calmly, so they understand that any getting up at that time is purely to potty and then right back to bed.

 

[Pucks104]

I would suggest that you NOT play with her when you take her out at 3:45 or you might accidentally create a monster who thinks that it's perfectly acceptable to always play at that time OR starts to get you up because she wants to play (and doesn't need to potty) at that time

The recommendation for middle of the night pottying is to take them out - no talking, etc. and then put them right back in their crate, all very quietly and calmly, so they understand that any getting up at that time is purely to potty and then right back to bed.

I agree that night time potty trips are all business no play.