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I don't know if you've tried this but another thing you can do is cover his crate with a blanket. That way it will be completely dark and he'll know its bed time. This really helped with mine as well although I ended up just keeping his crate next to me as the comfort of seeing me helped him sleep. Best of luck! |
I consulted an trainer who was an animal behaviorist for some issues I was having with Buster. He had some suggestions for when he whined in his crate. He said to put a blanket over the crate and every time Buster whined to hit the crate lightly but enough to rattle it and to do this everytime he whined until he learned not to. Since the cage is draped he does not know what is causing the noise but that he is corrected everytime he whines. I must state that this trainer usually deals with severe aggression problem dogs and does not believe in using harsh methods. I tried this and it did work but I really had trouble with being the tough mommy. I prefer Buster sleeps in bed with me. He does go into his crate for periods of time now (without the cover) and does not complain after the initial, what the hey let me out. I still occassionally use the cover it helps when he is overloaded with excitement because it is like a sensory deprivation chamber. Sort of like when you put a cover over a bird cage. I only do this as a timeout and I remove the cover when he is quiet. I would not always leave the cover on because that seems excessive but once they get sleepy they usually calm down. Remember you are not punishing the dog but trying to retrain their current behavior. Good luck and I hope you get some sleep. They can tell when you are upset with them and if you are yelling at them they see it as you barking at them so they start barking back as they key into the energy. |
Having been up much of the night with Tallulah having digestive issues (she's ok this morning) I can sympathize with your sleep deprivation anxiety and anger. But sympathy is not going to solve the problem for you. We still have some bedtime problems ourselves, but we have a routine that's beginning to work. I got a DAP (pheremone) diffuser that is plugged in right next to Tallulah's mesh pen and my bed. That has helped a lot. We go to bed a half hour early now, and use that time for her to settle down and fall asleep next to me. Once she's been sleeping a few minutes, I get her up, cuddle her in my arms a little, and put her in her bed, all the time telling her in my best whisper what a good girl she is and how much I love her. She usually goes right back to sleep and stays in her bed until I get up. I really believe staying calm myself helps soothe her anxieties. As hard as it is, you're the grown up in this situation and you have to let go of the anger and frustration if you're going to solve it. You can't blame the dog for behaving like a dog -- you have to figure out how to help him with the anxiety issue on his terms, not yours. And especially do not punish him or yell at him for his behavior - that's just going to increase his anxiety and he won't understand why you're doing it. The others have given you some good suggestions so I'm not going to repeat them. You're experiencing what a lot of us have gone through (or are still going through) so trust me, we do understand what it's like to go without sleep. |
All I have to add is good luck! I don't think I will ever start the sleeping in bed part ... my Kody is doing excellent in his crate at night. He may whine for a couple of minutes but then he settles down and off to sleep. Puppies are a lot of work - I agree with newborn description given above. I drape Kody's crate at night too ... he gets easily distracted when me or my hubby gets up, this has helped a lot. |
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I have let them sleep in there room on some nights. I just wait till they are very tired and picked them up and go put on their beds. That usually works too. Also try putting a shirt of yours that has your scent on it in the crate. I do that sometimes when I leave for work and my two are acting sad. |
To those who don't remember, OP's family adopted this yorkie as a rescue in October, 2010, and he is somewhere around one year of age. |
I'll give a little sympathy as murphy's law says when sleep deprived all will go wrong. I'm a student, I'm broke and hey I get tired too and cranky too, so I feel your pain. It will get better, it just may take some time. I have a few things to add Be careful if you cover with a blanket, pick a light weight one and don't cover all four sides. I had a friend who lost a puppy because she left the dog in its crate for an hour (roomate was home) and the stupid roomate threw a blanket over the crate cause it wouldn't stop barking. when she returned the puppy was gone, it had no air. Needless to say the friend moved out and never spoke to the stupid roomate again, so I'm very paranoid with blankets over crates. Also try and reward quiet times. So if the puppy is in the crate and is quiet, give a treat and praise. then try walking a few feet away, the moment you get silence praise and treat. Instead of punishing the barking, and as you mentioned letting the pup get their way, reward the thing you want. Harley has just started barking when I walk away from his room, and I just clued in today that he's doing it cause he knows I walk back towards him and give him attention when he does it, so now I started rewarding when he is quiet after a bark. I hope that helps, be sure to give us an update! |
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I have been very fortunate in that every puppy we have had, I have never had one cry at night. When they are babies, I usually would fed them alittle Gerber Rice or Oatmeal cereal at night and having their little tummies full seem to help them sleep too. Maybe putting one of his babies in bed with him will help too. Once they sleep in your bed it is hard to ever go back, because they do want to be with you. I know its hard to be tired and sleep deprived but try to have patience, he just loves you and wants to be with you. They are just like babies. |
I understand your frustration. I tried to crate Teddi when she was little and she would just cry so I started the bed thing but realized in the last year that what would happen if someone has to watch her that won't let her in the bed then there will be an issue so I started putting her in a crate at nite occasionally. The first time she cried but I just told her to be quiet and after a few times she fell asleep. I now put her in the crate a few days a week and in my bed the other days so she is used to both of them. Her crying now isn't nearly as bad as it was in the beginning and nothing compared to when she was little. She is getting the hang of it now. You might want to start on a weekend or when you don't work the next day. Good luck!! |
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FOR MY PUP MILL RESCUE A CRATE WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA I USED A PLAY PEN INSTEAD...however if this dog was in a crate and this was broken by your behavior then you can go back to it (make sure your crate is large enough please too many people use too small and uncomfortable crates-would you use it in their shoes?) 1. consistency 2. just use a blanket and an attention getting knock on the crate not a crate jolting or rocking bang please 3 have you tried a (ticking) clock under the bed in kennel (or the ticking stuffies for pups) the ones for infants are cheaper and puppy safe too 4 I give a safe toy in the crate 5 put a blanket in with your scent on it 6 personally the dog crates are in my room next to my bed they see smell and hear me, but like I said now we don't even shut the door a year later they are comfortable and calm with their "safety area" AKA den/bed at night 7. consider Dogswell Mello Mut jerky before bed time it's homeopathic, organic and made from free ranging chickens (the small yorkie does is one stick cut into 6 equal pieces but you can give up to half a stick for a dog under 5lbs) |
Ear plugs. He'll get the message eventually. |
Getting a new dog or puppy is never easy it should be expected that there is going to be some things that are hard because they are having to adjust to there new home and everything that is new to them. It worries me that you are so angry about this because when people are this angry they sometimes do things with out thinking or without thinking rationally. Dogs can also pick up on how you are feeling and it can cause them to be anxious or act up.You need to remember he only knows what you teach him if you react and dont ignore the crying other then takeing him potty then he knows if he cries it is going to get him something. Maybe having a dog is not the right thing for you right now? I understand being tired but I dont understand being as angry as you sound its bad for you and for the dog. |
I have to agree with yorkieusa. You can't expect to take the yorkie in bed with sometimes and not other times. They don't understand. I can also sympathize with you because the day after I got Zoe our Shorkie, I fell down the stairs and broke my hip. I was in the hospital for a month and when I came out Zoe was totally out of control. Instead of using a crate I bought a play pen for her that seemed to work for awhile. What I'm trying to say is that once the damage is done it's kind of hard to undo it. Not trying to sound mean but if your mom is taking the dog upstairs with her why don't you let the dog sleep with your mom? I assume that when you go to college you are going to leave the dog with her or maybe I'm wrong. |
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