[Janev1000]

We are getting our puppy Scuffy on the 31st! We are all very excited and I am avidly reading both 'The Perfect Puppy' and bits of Ian Dunbar's book online. I am intending to take Scuffy out to the garden very frequently throughout the day but am really hoping that he can be left for the night, say 11pm-7am in a 36" crate with a newspaper area. However, am happy to take him out if he really whines to. My question is do your puppies get wet from the grass when you take them out last thing at night? It is getting so cold at night now and the ground is always wet. What if it's really pouring down? Do they then take ages to dry off before you can put them in their crate? - especially if it's 2am! I could use an unused concrete sideway not far from the door.

Also, many of you mention your puppies sleeping through till, say 5am. Do you let them relieve themselves and then put them back in their crates until you are ready to get up?

I know it's confusing to have two toileting areas and may take longer to fully house-train but it is suggested in the book and I am more than happy to go through this if we can get some sleep!!

I am also hoping to post some pics soon!

Many thanks
Jane

 

[ali-s.j.]

Hi Jane, I have never got up to let Izzy out at night. From the first night home she went into her crate, with a puppy pad at the front and was left, cries ignored until around 6am. After 2 nights she was dry. Izzy is now 5 months, and sleeps until about 6.45-7am. I get up with her then. You may find Scruffy can't hold it for 8 hours whilst he's very little.
If it's wet outside when Izzy goes for her last wee at night, she goes to bed wet!
Good luck

 

[Janev1000]

Thank you Ali. My friend just got another puppy and her breeder told her pretty much the same thing - 'close the door at 11 and don't go back until 7 -well we can always try! Scuffy is just like Izzy in colouring. Will try and post piccies in a minute!

 

[ali-s.j.]

I know some people do get up - my breeder recommended leaving her, it's very very hard when they're howling, so tiny, so cute, so upset.....but it worked

 

[Hfd]

Hi - I agree totally with Ali, we didn't get up with Billy, just a puppy pad in the crate and put to bed around 11pm. He whined for about 20 mins, and had us up at around 5.30am for the first couple of days and then was fine.
After a couple of weeks the puppy pad was always dry on a morning so we got rid of it. Billy now sleeps around 10.30pm to 7.30am and is always dry.
Good luck and enjoy your new puppy.
Helen x

 

[flounder_1]

We didn't get up with Lolly - she was in a 30" crate with no puppy pad. She only wee'd the first night and never again! She only had a short night initially though with hubbie (who's a night owl) taking her out at around 12 -12.30am and putting her in her crate then and I would get up around 6am. She would be desperate to go so I would go to the back door to get it open while my son let her out of her crate so she could dash straight outside!!! This slowly got longer when I noticed she was more interested in being fussed than going outside first thing.

 

[Janev1000]

Thanks for your comments. I am more of a night owl now that my boys are getting older (8, 13 & 16), so can put him to bed later too.

 

[Kerry24]

We put Pareto to bed in his crate with puppy pad whenever we go to bed, and ignore any whimpering/whining or other cute noises he's making (he does the perfect impressionn of someone being strangled too!). My OH then gets up with him in the morning, usually around seven apart from the last couple of days when my seven year old has been an early bird up at six!

At first we had a few nights where he'd pooed and weed in his crate, but now he never ever poos and hardly ever wees. Next job is to teach him that he needs to have a lie in on a Saturday and Sunday! It never worked with my children so I doubtit'll work lol

Kxxxx

 

[ali-s.j.]

You just need him to learn how to work the TV

 

[Janev1000]

I'm planning for my boys to help in the mornings at weekends. The 8 and 13 yr-old are usually up early enough, especially the 8 yr-old who is nearly 9, so they can help out when he is older. So if your puppy sleeps through until 5am, do you put them back in the crate until say 7am? Really don't want to be up at 5 on these cold and dark mornings!!

 

[colpa110]

I'm defintely a fan of putting them in the crate, shutting the door and leaving
them until the morning. You just have to go through the pain barrier for a
couple of nights and let them whinge/cry etc..as it's a case of short term
pain for long term gain ( she NEVER wee'd or pooed in her crate). Betty cried for the first couple of nights but has been quiet ever since. I can put her to bed at 10.30PM and leave her until 9AM and she is only 5 Months old. Weekdays I get her up at 7AM and pracitcally have to drag her out of her cage...lazy so and so. There is definately no rush to get outside for a wee. I think it's a case of starting as you mean to go on. Good luck!

 

[Janev1000]

OMG your puppy sounds heavenly!! Fingers crossed that my routine will work out like yours!! I can have no problems in being 'cruel to be kind' and found it worked wonders on my other three boys! I am a firm believer that it helps them in the long run to establish healthy sleep patterns.

Thanks for all your comments - I am getting very excited now - 7 more sleeps!!

 

[colpa110]

OMG your puppy sounds heavenly!! Fingers crossed that my routine will work out like yours!! I can have no problems in being 'cruel to be kind' and found it worked wonders on my other three boys! I am a firm believer that it helps them in the long run to establish healthy sleep patterns.

Thanks for all your comments - I am getting very excited now - 7 more sleeps!!

Ohh, she is very naughty in other ways!!

 

[S.Claire]

Until recently (Nacho is now 5 and half months old) I would get up at 6am and let him out for a wee and a pooh and then put him back in his crate - which i now leave open and shut the stair gate instead. I then go back to sleep until 8am every morning and he does the same. As long as you start how you mean to go on, whatever you decide I'm sure it will go well.

Nacho (fingers crossed no more accidents) goes from 11pm to 8.15am every night without any wees or poohs anywhere. I found it really helped taking his paper away after about 4 months so that he knew it wasn't acceptable inside anymore.