Whaaaa! I need Help & Sleep!!!
 

I have had winston for about 4 weeks. I thought by now that he would be able to sleep longer in his crate than an hour before having to go potty. He wakes me up constantly and when I wake up on my own I take him out too. This totals about 5 times a night (not to mention just whining for fun in the crate). He also pees in his crate and it freaks me out.

The main problem is that I am a teacher and school is starting monday. How in the world am I supposed to get my sleep?!? I must have 8 hours or I feel like crap. I was considering a play pen in the back room with a spot for tee tee pads in a corner. My boyfriend thinks it is stupid, but sometimes, I think he is stupid too.

Also, Im quitting smoking (4 days now) and am very cranky! Please give me some advice on how to get some sleep!

Winston's mom,

I have had several friends who've used the playpen with much success. They had a pee pad, and a place for their puppy to sleep at night there.

I'm not sure that it will help you with potty training, in that you are not training him to hold it for long periods BUT you need your sleep, and since you aren't having much success with the crate, the play pen is definitely worth a try. :thumbup:

Be aware - he still might whine and cry for your attention.

give the playpen a shot it could be very helpful. it might also help if you let him sleep with you... btw-good job on quitting smoking!

I certainly feel your pain!!! My pup kept me up for about 5 weeks during the night, crying and barking. I finally put him in the bed with me and that was the first night that I slept!! Once you take that step, though, there is NO turning back. He feels it is HIS right to sleep in the bed all the time. My husband, needless to say, is NOT thrilled!! But, I am in a much better mood!

Well, I agree with what someone else said. That the playpen with paper down on one side and a bed and playing side would probably work, but that isn't teaching the pup to hold when he needs to pee.

And I also think that maybe you are giving in to him too much. When he cries, just let him cry and ignore him. He may not stop for some time now, because he's used of you answering to his cries. But if he figures he can get away with it, he will keep doing it.

This is what I do with Deegan, maybe it might help you too. He is crated at night, he goes pee before I put him in the crate, and I set my alarm for the middle of the night to put him out again (around 2:30-3am), then back in his crate until morning when I put him out to pee again. He plays while I get ready for work, then when I leave he is in the laundry room with paper down on one side of the room and a sleeping, eating and playing area on the other side.

This way he is not crated all day, and he is still learning to hold himself too.
It only took a couple weeks to realize that I wasn't going to get him every time he cried, and about the same time for him to stop peeing in his crate too. Just make sure that the crate is small enough that he doesn have enough room to pee on one side, and sleep on the other. But not so small that he can't turn around either.

I hope my suggestions help a bit. Just don't give up, and keep trying. He will eventually get it. Good luck!

You can set up an area either using a playpen, xpen, extra large crate, or small room(without carpet) with a babygate.

Hey there... I hope my advice helps.. When I got sam... he cried so much at night I was frustrated! So I called the breeder from where I got sam and her advice was to place the crate where your baby can see you. So I put Sam's crate on the night stand next to my bed where he can hear me breath and also see me..I tell you it worked. Sam would whine for the first 10 minutes and then fall asleep, so try that. Put the crate on your night stand at night and add a teddy bear and a blankee. Hopefully this helps you. ;)

Hi, I am new here. But I feel your frustration. My Lexi is 10 weeks old and we have had her about a week. She cries every night around 2 a.m. She is in a playpen and has a pee pad so she is only crying for me. I have tried different things including putting her in the bed with me and although she stops crying she continues to want to play or licks me over and over. I can't sleep when she is doing this, and I am also worried about her falling off the bed or me rolling on top of her.(Or my husband) My husband says to just let her cry but I have children and she is so loud I am afraid she will wake them. (And she has). I thought about moving her playpen to the garage for about a week but my husband said no. I am at a loss for what to do too. She gets soooooo loud.
Judy

I put the crate closer to my bed (I put it on a foot rest next to me). I don't take her out at the first whine because then she knows if she cries she gets it her way... But this way she at least then hears me breathing and knows I am close. If she wakes me up in the middle of the night, all I have to do is put my hand on the crate door and let her smell it to calm her down... If she cries for longer than 20 minutes, I know she has to go out...

We have done this from the start and it has worked great for us.

How much does your baby weigh???????????? His little bladder may not be large enough yet to hold it all night. Take him out to pee around 11 pm, put him in his crate beside your bed on a stand and take him out to pee again around 3 am. Any other time he cries, just stick your fingers thru the crate to comfort him, and place something in the crate with YOUR SCENT on it (old T-Shirt works well, and a stuffed toy.) He partly justs misses your scent and your voice, gets worked up and wants to pee.

Before you know it, he will be more comforted, you will sleep more, and eventually, you BOTH will sleep thru the night.

This was the only thing that worked with Gracie when she was a baby......................GOOD LUCK

This will also help with separation anxiety...............

I can only tell you from my experience. At night take him to PP every three to four hours. When they get about 4 to 5 months old, they should be sleeping 8 hours. As far as PPing in the crate, you are giving him too much room. Confine him to an area that he can stand up, turn around and lay down. Also put a cover over his crate at night. During the day, when you go to work, then it's playpen time. No that is not stupid, it's very smart.

Good luck on your No Smoking. I too quit. I used Nicorette Gum. Then had to wean myself off of that. It's been 15 months now since I've had a cig. I fast pace walk now every morning and feel great.

INSTANT SUCCESS & PEACEFUL NIGHT SLEEP
 

Buy a dogg bed. Put in on the floor next to your bed with a night light
near. Put potty pads in same room, but away from his bed.
Close the door - everyone in their own beds and sleep all night.
Pup will get up out of his bed during the night and pee on his pads
and get back into his bed and sleep.
If you see he is selecting a different spot to pee/poo - place a terry cloth
towel there. He will go on that! Leave his scent on the pad or towel
for a day and he will return to that spot during the night.
We never had a sleptless night! They remain quiet, knowing you are near. :aimeeyork Try it!

I think the playpen is a great idea. That's what I use. I put it right next to my bed and if she whines during the night I put my hand in and pet her or just leave it there until she goes back to sleep. There is room in the playpen for a wee wee pad.