Horrible night last night - don't know what went wrong! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

roxybc · 10-31-2008, 05:17 AM

Last night I was up really late, my husband had already gone to bed and at around 2:30am I put Roxy in her crate as usual and went to bed. About 5 mins later just as I was getting into bed I heard Roxy just start to wail and whine like I've never heard before! It was unbelievable, it sounded like someone was really hurting her. It was like she was literally screaming and having a panic attack! She has never ever done this before, and we've had her and been doing the same routine since mid August! Her barking went on for over 10 mins before I went in to check on her. I had tried clapping my hands and yelling "No" from our room down the hall which has always worked before if she lets out a whimper because she just doesn't want to go to bed. I normally just have to say No twice before she just calms down and goes to bed. I knew she didn't have to go pee since I had just put her out 5 mins before I put her to bed, so I figured maybe she had to take a poo, but no she just hopped back up on the couch and waited for me to sit down next to her before she attempted to go back to sleep. My husband and I both ended up getting up an sitting with her on the couch until she fell back asleep and then we tried to put her back in her crate, and literally had to force her in. We went back to bed, and she continued to wail and scream again for what seemed to be close to half and hour before she finally calmed down and fell asleep. She only slept on her own for about an hour when all of a sudden she woke us up again near 5:30 wailing and screaming again!!! So I tried clapping my hands and saying No, but that didn't work. I can't even remember what happened after that but I was ready to strangle her!!!! I was so tired and my husband and I had to get up at 9am. In the end at about 6:15 I came in and let her out to fall asleep on the couch with me. I also moved her crate closer to the heater because it has always been next to our sliding patio door, but I thought maybe she was really cold there since it was probably close to freezing outside and maybe she was feeling a draft. Once she fell asleep I put her back in her crate and went to sleep on the couch which is in the same room because I just needed to get some sleep! She whined a tiny bit, but not nearly as loud, and every time she did I just said a firm No. She went to sleep fairly quickly and I finally got some sleep!

I was so fed up with her last night I seriously wanted to just give her away! I don't know what was wrong with her!! Why would she be doing this now after we've had her for close to 3 months? The only changes in our daily routine is that I have been taking her for more frequent walks in order to burn off some of her extra energy. We went on a walk yesterday afternoon and it started to hail like crazy half way through so when it got really bad I picked her up and walked home as fast as I could. She wanted to get down when we got a little closer to home so I put her down and she walked the rest of the way home with her tail held high. The only other thing that we've been doing differently is that after she gets home from her walks she usually falls asleep pretty quickly, so the previous 2 nights not including last night we have out her in her crate and left to do some late night shopping.

Those are the only 2 things that have been different, and this morning after my husband left at 9:30 we both fell asleep on the couch until 12:30! She has been acting a bit weird since I got up which has been for about 45 mins following me around, but she has now fallen fast asleep on the other couch!

Can anyone help me out? I don't know what happened last night, and if I did anything wrong before to make her start screaming. I definitely do not want a repeat of this tonight, so any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this was so long!

bildio · 10-31-2008, 05:38 AM

Seems like she might be spoiled, i.e., prefers to be in contact with you, and not put in the crate, and she's letting you know.

nneessaa · 10-31-2008, 05:42 AM

I am not experienced with Yorkies, but I have a few suggestions. First off, you NEVER go to a dog when it is barking for attention. Don't yell at it, don't let it out. You do the best you can to tolerate the barking. Hopefully she will get it that the barking doesn't lead to your attention. Another thing is during the day you can encourage her to go in her crate with toys, treats, etc so that she thinks it is a good place to go. I am not sure what changed her attitude so suddenly, but I hope you can fix it.

Vanessa

TeresaM · 10-31-2008, 05:43 AM

How horrible for you all.

You didn't say how old she is. Gracie would act some like this with her teething and also when she'd be going through a growth spurt. She'd get all clingy and whiney, never did the screaming thing, but she sleeps in bed with us and would whine and moan a bit at times. Since she calmed down when you sat with her on the couch seems to me to say that she is just lonely. Combine that with perhaps not feeling well and the only way she has of letting you know is to scream. Could you move her crate into the bedroom close to your bed so that you could reach out to her if she starts to whine? Being pack animals the desire to be with their pack is great. It could be she is just really starting to realize that she's alone at night and simply wants to be with ya'll. Hope tonight goes better for everyone.

maxmom · 10-31-2008, 05:45 AM

Sorry you did not sleep, and sorry I can't help, I just have Max to sleep on our bed.

Ladyhawk · 10-31-2008, 05:47 AM

She may be going through a fear stage, they sometimes do this around 5 months old. Put the crate in your room and see if she will sleep there. Mine know that the crate is their bed but they want their bed to be where my bed is. The only problem with this is I now have 6 yorkies that sleep in my room.

Julie1760 · 10-31-2008, 05:47 AM

Maybe try putting her crate in your room with you? I think she just wants to be with you. Since it is the weekend, maybe try it tonight and see if it works for you. Good Luck!!!

Maria85 · 10-31-2008, 05:53 AM

I have been experiencing the same thing lately. Humps would go to sleep only to wake up after an hour or so and start screaming like a banshee... and he sleeps in a little pet carrier by our bed (DH would divorce me if I let Humps in bed with us).
Since I know DH has to wake up super early to go to work I've resorted to waking up, letting him out and taking him with me to the living room, I already have a pillow and a blanket there so I just cuddle him on the sofa, until he falls in deep sleep and then I just grab him and put him in bed. He is usually too tired to put up a fight by then, but it can be very tiring... Good luck!

roxybc · 10-31-2008, 05:58 AM

Hmm, the last couple of mornings when my husband has gotten up she has escaped and ran into our bedroom and jumped on top of me, so she definitly knows where we sleep. I had thought about putting her crate in our room last night, but I was worried if I did that, that whenever we would try and leave her on her own in the house (in her crate though) she would freak out even more. As for her age she is 5 months right now, and she is teething. I thought that may be the problem last night, so I also put a teething bone in her crate. When that didn't work I used some baby teething powder the breeder had given us. It's for teething babies, but she said she used it on her pups all the time, and I just had to dab the tip of my finger into it and put it on her tongue. As for us not going to her when she's barking, I know that's not what we're supposed to do, and I was really trying to hold out as long as I could, but my husband was getting mad, and wanted to go sleep on the couch with her, and I wouldn't let him do that, so I'd just try to enter the room during a calm break between the screaming. We live in a condo and I didn't want out neighbors to wake up and complain because we could get kicked out if there are lots of complaints.

Ugh, I don't know what to do. She's definitly rebelling right now. She's hopping up on the kitchen chairs and putting her head on the table and she knows she's not supposed to.

Up until now she was a dream dog! Always so quiet and well behaved!

Maria85 · 10-31-2008, 06:06 AM

Geez you couldn't have told my story better hahaha. What we did to avpid confusing him by moving the crate is we got one of those tiny carriers from argos, some bedding, a blanket, his teddy bear and a rawhide bone and put it by the bed, he only comes into the bedroom at night so he knows the carrier = bedtime. You could try that, it worked wonders for a while, but clearly we haven't been very successful. The other thing I've done for the past two nights (since DH comes to bed much later than we do) is to put him in the carrier and then put the carrier on the bed by my feet... he cries himself to sleep -usually lasts 2 mins or so- but once he is asleep i just put the carrier down. He woke up at 7.30 this morning yay!!

hugz4all4 · 10-31-2008, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julie1760

Maybe try putting her crate in your room with you? I think she just wants to be with you. Since it is the weekend, maybe try it tonight and see if it works for you. Good Luck!!!

I truly believe in crate training and I start from day one when I bring the puppy home. Its a safe place for them to be when you arent home and at night time especially when they are little like mine is (she is 4 pounds)
You cant take her out everytime she cries, she caught on very quickly that when she cries you came and got her and she will continue to cry knowing that you will just come and get her.
Try putting her in your room in her crate that way she knows your are there and not in the next room.

roxybc · 10-31-2008, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hugz4all4

I truly believe in crate training and I start from day one when I bring the puppy home. Its a safe place for them to be when you arent home and at night time especially when they are little like mine is (she is 4 pounds)
You cant take her out everytime she cries, she caught on very quickly that when she cries you came and got her and she will continue to cry knowing that you will just come and get her.
Try putting her in your room in her crate that way she knows your are there and not in the next room.

Well we have been crate training her ever since we got her nearly 3 months ago. She hasn't had any major issue except for last night. Like I mentioned I tried to hold out for as long as I could, but she was sooo loud and it really did sound as if someone was hurting her! I didn't want to spoil her even more by bringing her into our room, because I thought to her that would have made it seem like she won the battle.

She's a very smart dog also. I've just given her a kong to keep her occupied while I type this, and she knows that in order to get the treats out the way I pack it, she can't just lick them out, but she has to knock them out, so she jumps on the couch and throws the kong off of it! I think she has a little human brain in her head!

Anyways, have I completely "ruined" my chances of a silent night's sleep again if I were to put her to sleep in the living room as usual tonight, or will we have to have her in our room from now on? She is pretty much potty trained in the day because we mainly just keep her in the living room and she knows to go to the door if she wants to go to the bathroom. I don't want her to actually start sleeping in the bed with us, because I'm worried she will pee on it or in our room. She can hold her self for about 8 hours over night in her crate though.

Brodi mom · 10-31-2008, 06:27 AM

Ladyhawk what part of Virginia do you live?? I to have 6 yorkie babies.. 3 adult and 3 young ones.. Pm me for your home email address. DO you breed?? Love these yorkies babies

amandawash · 10-31-2008, 06:44 AM

Wow!! You guys are way tougher than I could ever be.... both my boys are crate trained, and have never had any problems like that. However, if one of them started screaming in the middle of the night, I would be there in a second to comfort them. As she has never done this until now, I would be willing to bet something honestly scared her. I would think if she just wanted attention she would whine a bit and maybe bark, but the screaming thing breaks my heart.

Ranger had a bad dream once (he was in bed with us but under the covers), and let out this horrible scream. We both woke up immediately and I grabbed him out from the covers and he was shaking and crying. He was scared to go back to sleep and cuddled so tight against me the rest of the night, which he never does.

I would absolutely put the crate in your room, and possibly next to the bed. If she is just protesting she may whine but if you could put your fingers through the door she should settle right down. You should be able to eventually move her crate to the floor. Just a thought...

roxybc · 10-31-2008, 09:54 AM

So I've been working with Roxy all day today. When she's been out of her crate in our living room I've been going in and out of the door and leaving her alone in the room for short periods of time as much as I could. I've also been unlocking, opening and locking our front door while leaving her alone in the living room. I've been putting treats and toys in her crate so it's exciting when she goes in, and I've also made her lay down in it, and gave her treats for that too, When she had another nap this afternoon I put her in her crate, and just stayed in the room while I ate lunch and watched TV. She was up watching me for a bit, but then fell asleep no problem. As our final "exercise" for today I turned the TV and the lights off and walked out of the room for 5 mins while she stayed in her crate. She was fine, but I didn't want to push it and have her start barking, so I came in after 5 mins and let her out. She didn't even run out of her crate like she does when I usually open it, she stayed laying down for a few seconds, and then made her way out. Now she's laying on the couch beside me, so hopefully last night was just a really bad night for her.

10-31-2008, 05:17 AM	#1
roxybc Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 83	Horrible night last night - don't know what went wrong! Last night I was up really late, my husband had already gone to bed and at around 2:30am I put Roxy in her crate as usual and went to bed. About 5 mins later just as I was getting into bed I heard Roxy just start to wail and whine like I've never heard before! It was unbelievable, it sounded like someone was really hurting her. It was like she was literally screaming and having a panic attack! She has never ever done this before, and we've had her and been doing the same routine since mid August! Her barking went on for over 10 mins before I went in to check on her. I had tried clapping my hands and yelling "No" from our room down the hall which has always worked before if she lets out a whimper because she just doesn't want to go to bed. I normally just have to say No twice before she just calms down and goes to bed. I knew she didn't have to go pee since I had just put her out 5 mins before I put her to bed, so I figured maybe she had to take a poo, but no she just hopped back up on the couch and waited for me to sit down next to her before she attempted to go back to sleep. My husband and I both ended up getting up an sitting with her on the couch until she fell back asleep and then we tried to put her back in her crate, and literally had to force her in. We went back to bed, and she continued to wail and scream again for what seemed to be close to half and hour before she finally calmed down and fell asleep. She only slept on her own for about an hour when all of a sudden she woke us up again near 5:30 wailing and screaming again!!! So I tried clapping my hands and saying No, but that didn't work. I can't even remember what happened after that but I was ready to strangle her!!!! I was so tired and my husband and I had to get up at 9am. In the end at about 6:15 I came in and let her out to fall asleep on the couch with me. I also moved her crate closer to the heater because it has always been next to our sliding patio door, but I thought maybe she was really cold there since it was probably close to freezing outside and maybe she was feeling a draft. Once she fell asleep I put her back in her crate and went to sleep on the couch which is in the same room because I just needed to get some sleep! She whined a tiny bit, but not nearly as loud, and every time she did I just said a firm No. She went to sleep fairly quickly and I finally got some sleep! I was so fed up with her last night I seriously wanted to just give her away! I don't know what was wrong with her!! Why would she be doing this now after we've had her for close to 3 months? The only changes in our daily routine is that I have been taking her for more frequent walks in order to burn off some of her extra energy. We went on a walk yesterday afternoon and it started to hail like crazy half way through so when it got really bad I picked her up and walked home as fast as I could. She wanted to get down when we got a little closer to home so I put her down and she walked the rest of the way home with her tail held high. The only other thing that we've been doing differently is that after she gets home from her walks she usually falls asleep pretty quickly, so the previous 2 nights not including last night we have out her in her crate and left to do some late night shopping. Those are the only 2 things that have been different, and this morning after my husband left at 9:30 we both fell asleep on the couch until 12:30! She has been acting a bit weird since I got up which has been for about 45 mins following me around, but she has now fallen fast asleep on the other couch! Can anyone help me out? I don't know what happened last night, and if I did anything wrong before to make her start screaming. I definitely do not want a repeat of this tonight, so any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this was so long!

10-31-2008, 05:38 AM	#2
bildio Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Havre de Grace, MD Posts: 1,536	Seems like she might be spoiled, i.e., prefers to be in contact with you, and not put in the crate, and she's letting you know. __________________ *Niko (3 yrs) Gus (5 yrs)* *Squirt (17 yrs - RIP)* Last edited by bildio; 10-31-2008 at 05:39 AM.

10-31-2008, 05:43 AM	#4
TeresaM Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: TX Posts: 3,358	How horrible for you all. You didn't say how old she is. Gracie would act some like this with her teething and also when she'd be going through a growth spurt. She'd get all clingy and whiney, never did the screaming thing, but she sleeps in bed with us and would whine and moan a bit at times. Since she calmed down when you sat with her on the couch seems to me to say that she is just lonely. Combine that with perhaps not feeling well and the only way she has of letting you know is to scream. Could you move her crate into the bedroom close to your bed so that you could reach out to her if she starts to whine? Being pack animals the desire to be with their pack is great. It could be she is just really starting to realize that she's alone at night and simply wants to be with ya'll. Hope tonight goes better for everyone. __________________ If you think dogs can't count, put 3 biscuits in your pocket, then give him only 2. Gracie Ruth & Boo & Yogi & RIP Annie B. & Bonnie Lane

10-31-2008, 05:45 AM	#5
maxmom Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Florida Posts: 2,307 Blog Entries: 1	Sorry you did not sleep, and sorry I can't help, I just have Max to sleep on our bed. __________________ maxmom My belongs to Max and Sophie Mei

10-31-2008, 05:47 AM	#6
Ladyhawk YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 2,808	She may be going through a fear stage, they sometimes do this around 5 months old. Put the crate in your room and see if she will sleep there. Mine know that the crate is their bed but they want their bed to be where my bed is. The only problem with this is I now have 6 yorkies that sleep in my room. __________________ Tami

10-31-2008, 05:42 AM	#3
nneessaa YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Cupertino, CA, USA Posts: 516	I am not experienced with Yorkies, but I have a few suggestions. First off, you NEVER go to a dog when it is barking for attention. Don't yell at it, don't let it out. You do the best you can to tolerate the barking. Hopefully she will get it that the barking doesn't lead to your attention. Another thing is during the day you can encourage her to go in her crate with toys, treats, etc so that she thinks it is a good place to go. I am not sure what changed her attitude so suddenly, but I hope you can fix it. Vanessa

10-31-2008, 05:47 AM	#7
Julie1760 Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Packer Country!!! Posts: 666	Maybe try putting her crate in your room with you? I think she just wants to be with you. Since it is the weekend, maybe try it tonight and see if it works for you. Good Luck!!! __________________ •·.·´¯`·.·•Julie •·.·´¯`·.·• Chloé & Myah

10-31-2008, 05:53 AM	#8
Maria85 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: London Posts: 76	I have been experiencing the same thing lately. Humps would go to sleep only to wake up after an hour or so and start screaming like a banshee... and he sleeps in a little pet carrier by our bed (DH would divorce me if I let Humps in bed with us). Since I know DH has to wake up super early to go to work I've resorted to waking up, letting him out and taking him with me to the living room, I already have a pillow and a blanket there so I just cuddle him on the sofa, until he falls in deep sleep and then I just grab him and put him in bed. He is usually too tired to put up a fight by then, but it can be very tiring... Good luck!

10-31-2008, 05:58 AM	#9
roxybc Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 83	Hmm, the last couple of mornings when my husband has gotten up she has escaped and ran into our bedroom and jumped on top of me, so she definitly knows where we sleep. I had thought about putting her crate in our room last night, but I was worried if I did that, that whenever we would try and leave her on her own in the house (in her crate though) she would freak out even more. As for her age she is 5 months right now, and she is teething. I thought that may be the problem last night, so I also put a teething bone in her crate. When that didn't work I used some baby teething powder the breeder had given us. It's for teething babies, but she said she used it on her pups all the time, and I just had to dab the tip of my finger into it and put it on her tongue. As for us not going to her when she's barking, I know that's not what we're supposed to do, and I was really trying to hold out as long as I could, but my husband was getting mad, and wanted to go sleep on the couch with her, and I wouldn't let him do that, so I'd just try to enter the room during a calm break between the screaming. We live in a condo and I didn't want out neighbors to wake up and complain because we could get kicked out if there are lots of complaints. Ugh, I don't know what to do. She's definitly rebelling right now. She's hopping up on the kitchen chairs and putting her head on the table and she knows she's not supposed to. Up until now she was a dream dog! Always so quiet and well behaved!

10-31-2008, 06:06 AM	#10
Maria85 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: London Posts: 76	Geez you couldn't have told my story better hahaha. What we did to avpid confusing him by moving the crate is we got one of those tiny carriers from argos, some bedding, a blanket, his teddy bear and a rawhide bone and put it by the bed, he only comes into the bedroom at night so he knows the carrier = bedtime. You could try that, it worked wonders for a while, but clearly we haven't been very successful. The other thing I've done for the past two nights (since DH comes to bed much later than we do) is to put him in the carrier and then put the carrier on the bed by my feet... he cries himself to sleep -usually lasts 2 mins or so- but once he is asleep i just put the carrier down. He woke up at 7.30 this morning yay!!

10-31-2008, 06:27 AM	#13
Brodi mom Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Charlottesville virginia Posts: 171	Ladyhawk what part of Virginia do you live?? I to have 6 yorkie babies.. 3 adult and 3 young ones.. Pm me for your home email address. DO you breed?? Love these yorkies babies

10-31-2008, 06:44 AM	#14
amandawash Lovin' my R & R Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Middleton, Idaho Posts: 2,152	Wow!! You guys are way tougher than I could ever be.... both my boys are crate trained, and have never had any problems like that. However, if one of them started screaming in the middle of the night, I would be there in a second to comfort them. As she has never done this until now, I would be willing to bet something honestly scared her. I would think if she just wanted attention she would whine a bit and maybe bark, but the screaming thing breaks my heart. Ranger had a bad dream once (he was in bed with us but under the covers), and let out this horrible scream. We both woke up immediately and I grabbed him out from the covers and he was shaking and crying. He was scared to go back to sleep and cuddled so tight against me the rest of the night, which he never does. I would absolutely put the crate in your room, and possibly next to the bed. If she is just protesting she may whine but if you could put your fingers through the door she should settle right down. You should be able to eventually move her crate to the floor. Just a thought... __________________ Amanda 's Ranger & Ryder

10-31-2008, 09:54 AM	#15
roxybc Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 83	So I've been working with Roxy all day today. When she's been out of her crate in our living room I've been going in and out of the door and leaving her alone in the room for short periods of time as much as I could. I've also been unlocking, opening and locking our front door while leaving her alone in the living room. I've been putting treats and toys in her crate so it's exciting when she goes in, and I've also made her lay down in it, and gave her treats for that too, When she had another nap this afternoon I put her in her crate, and just stayed in the room while I ate lunch and watched TV. She was up watching me for a bit, but then fell asleep no problem. As our final "exercise" for today I turned the TV and the lights off and walked out of the room for 5 mins while she stayed in her crate. She was fine, but I didn't want to push it and have her start barking, so I came in after 5 mins and let her out. She didn't even run out of her crate like she does when I usually open it, she stayed laying down for a few seconds, and then made her way out. Now she's laying on the couch beside me, so hopefully last night was just a really bad night for her.