[pamelakay]

I agree that you shouldn't go to her when she's barking. I know it seems like they'll just keep doing it forever, but you gotta be a tough mama. If you just don't go to them at the beginning, they do stop. If you keep going to her, she thinks that barking is what will get her mommy to come take care of her..and then, that's when she won't stop the barking.

Also, when she whines to go to the bathroom or when it's the middle of the night and you want to take her to go potty...just go to her, don't pet her or make a big fuss, don't let her think it's playtime. Don't even really say anything to her. Just take her straight to her potty area, say a command if that's what you do (ie: "go potty"), then take her straight back to her pen and crate and go back to bed. Oh, and if this helps with getting more sleep instead of waking up every hour: maybe set an alarm every 2 hours or so so you can let her out to go potty on your own time. Gradually increase the time, and this will help her to learn how to hold it and also to not whine for you to come get her.

I did all of this with Luigi when I first got him, and he barks sometimes but then stops after about 5 minutes or so cause i NEVER go to him when he does that. He needs to know that barking/whining isn't what will get me to go over there. And I'm glad that he's getting the picture and only barks for that long. If I kept going to him at the beginning whenever he cried, who knows how long he'd be barking now.

Hope this helps! Just hang in there, you can do it! Good luck!