I took over care of my elderly parents' 10-year-old 55-pound Portuguese Water Dog and had to train him to sleep in a crate. He was used to sleeping with them, hogging the whole middle of the bed, and getting up once or twice a night. The first night was miserable. I did sleep on the floor next to him because I knew it was such a shock in his routine. The second night I slept on the sofa in the same room as him. The third night I slept in my own bed. As a compromise, I did get up at 5am for the first couple of weeks, then worked my way back to 6:30, which is when I had to get up anyway. After the first week, he stayed dry all night. I discovered that peanut butter in a kong toy was a magic bullet for getting him to run to the crate. I saved it for bedtimes only. He had a favorite blanky he snuggled with in the crate and after that first week of misery, he was very happy. He's been gone for about six months now and I'm thinking about a puppy. Your video is very sensible and compassionate. Thank you.
Thank you. Dogs touch our lives in many ways and a dog in your life that you provide a loving, yet balanced approach is a wonderful thing. Your approach re the crate use sounds excellent, well done you.
Thank you for making these videos, Nick! We had a cockapoo when I was growing up, and I am very excited about getting another one when my husband and I move into a house with a yard. I think he's a bit more neutral to the idea out of fear of the dog being poorly behaved, but I feel much more confident showing him these videos to prove that we will be able to train our dog well with the right methods and time commitment. Thanks again!
Hi Nick, we’ve got an 8 week old cockerpoo puppy, on the first night he woke up around 6am and we had come down to a fresh morning poo in the crate, we have then been coming down in the morning around 5:40, at this point he is still asleep and he then wakes up as we come into the room and he will whine a little bit, we wait for him to stop then take him out to go toilet, he then comes back in and goes back to bed for short while… My question is, should we be waiting for him to wake up naturally and then for us to go down and let him out or are we okay going into the room and him waking up because of us coming down and then letting him out?
You’re looking over the longer term to go and let him out later and later as his control improves. Sounds like you’re off to a good start in any event. Maybe aim for a 15 minute delay each week or thereabouts so that you get more sleep in keeping with when he is ready to wake and do his business. Good luck and enjoy.
Fantastic video. We pick up our puppy Cavapoo in 2 weeks. Been a very long process but wanted the right dog for us and for the dog. Plenty of research is key
Great video. What are your thoughts on the crate being in the bedroom to get used to the sounds, breathing etc of us owners prior to shortly moving the crate downstairs?
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Hi Nick, many thanks for the quick response. I certainly agree with the start as you mean to go on ethos. I thought perhaps that being near the puppy in his crate would help me to identify crying related to the need to go and relieve him/her self part way through the night. I’m not sure how you would know that otherwise?
When we got a chihuahua puppy 15 years ago he cried and cried so we couldn’t get sleep. My husband wanted her in our bed to get sleep and felt bad he was crying. He then slept in our bed for almost rest of his life. Our next puppy we plan on changing the bad habits we made with our past chihuahua.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour I felt bad as our daughter came along and I made him sleep on his own because I didn’t want a dog and a baby in the bed. If you instil good habits early it saves you in long run.
We had a difficult first night, so we will see how we get on this evening. I only had three hours sleep and he is 12 weeks old. He doesn't like wet grass either. So he hasn't been keen to go outside on our walks. Although he was brought up in a big garden with his mum and lab. I will just have to persevere with him has he gets used to a new schedule. Previously, the breeders fed him at 6am and first walk after that. They also went to bed at 10pm. He is used to playing in his own garden all day. He doesn't like long walks and keeps on asking to be picked up and carried.
Do u lock the puppy in a crate overnight as I thought u shouldn't do that? I'm getting a new puppy on Monday, our first to be honest do I'm looking at pointers to train her correctly.
Hi Nick, I have read a lot of articles that suggest leaving a puppy to cry for long periods in its crate can cause alot of distress. Also an 8 week old can only hold pee for up to 3hrs. Our puppy goes to the toilet frequently throughout the day so I don’t want to cause the puppy distress by sleeping amongst its own mess at night. are you recommending not going down at all?
In the very first week or two I may return if the pup wakes at say 5am onwards, offer a toilet break and then back to bed as you’ll need to stay well rested yourself (this can be overlooked by some). There on in I don’t return and that I aim to create a routine that is something like 11pm to 6am crated with no returns and o from there. This can be seen as a starting point, as each dog differs and you’ll need to remain flexible. 👍
Not so much the wrong thing, as some will do this anyway for the first few weeks. Daytime sleeps in a crate downstairs could help the transition and plant the idea and expect that sleeping in a crate out of there bedroom is okay. If the landing is large enough, you could begin to locate it there for a week or more and then make the shift to downstairs when pup is ready. A puppy Kong with a dob of soft cheese inside can help when placing puppy inside to create a positive distraction. It'll be fine 👍
Thank you for your message. Please fill in my enquiry form answering the additional questions and I shall respond shortly. Many thanks. Nick www.alphadogbehaviour.co.uk/contact
So I guess it is out of the question my puppy falling asleep on my shoulders every night, she is 10 weeks now...trouble is in the morning she bits my ears and pulls my long hair. So I have had to wrap the blanket around me, all night so she cannot get my hair. It is getting annoying..we bought a soft dog cube with soft bedding, never knew about a crate..
It can help initially to be on hand at night in the first week or so, but then to move quite quickly to extending that time alone - how long often depends on the age of the puppy. But many owners need their sleep too, and I know that many pups can go 6,7,8 hours clean and dry. If there is a puddle then don’t sweat it and most dogs will become dry and able to sleep alone as a result. As always, each case is different and so adjustments might be made to help. Thank you. Nick
Thanks for this series, I'm making my way through them in preparation for picking up our puppy in a few weeks. Just wanted to ask, re sleep during the day. If Kiki falls asleep somewhere other than her crate should I move her into it so she always wakes in crate or is that not essential? If so, should I close the door? Also, if I leave her in the crate, for example, when doing the school run, if I return and she's crying should I let her out immediately or would that lead her to think I cried and she came back and let me out? I'd appreciate your thoughts, if you don't mind, Clare
I like to use the crate for daytime sleeps yes, as it creates a better habit for sleep day and night and the dog is less likely to stress in the crate in your absence. Wait for a quiet moment before letting a pup out of the crate should it cry. As long as you don’t rush to appear and let the dog out as soon as it demands it you should be okay. I close the door always as otherwise the pup may as well be in an open bed. Thanks and good luck with the puppy. Nick.
Hello Nick. Thank you for the video but I need a bit of clarity. On the 1st night that you said she cried all night. Did you leave her from 11pm-7am in crate without a potty break? If so did she potty in her crate?
I can’t recall now, but we did overall have about 3 wee accidents and maybe one poop. Timing of meals and water helps a lot - not too close to bed time.
We collect our first puppy next Friday and these videos have been invaluable. Just a quick question on the crate at night - do we not get up to take the puppy for a toilet break during the night? There is so much conflicting advice out there it’s hard to know what is best, many thanks!
I have had my Cavapoo for a week and a day now. She has a bed and a crate. She hates the crate so I put her bed on my bed and she sleep til 3 AM. I then wake up and she's on top of my head or on my pillow. lol, now she wakes up around 6 or 7 AM which is much better. I am trying to get her off of my bed and have her in the crate or to have her bed on the floor and she hates it. IDK what to do.
We have had our cockapoo for just under a week and I have just watched your video which is very useful. I aheva question about whether we should be leaving the door of the crate open at night? We have the crate set up in a pen and haven’t been closing the door. What do you advise?
Glad you found the video helpful thank you. You could probably continue the way you are, so if you wish to do away with the pen at a later stage, you may want to close the door, but your puppy may protest if you haven’t done this from the outset. Let me know how it goes
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Thank you so much for the reply . I'm going to have to watch your anxiety vids as I've got an houndeni here sorry can't spell it he keeps managing to open the crate door and getting out ! I'm assuming it must be that he'll go into the crate no problems but doesn't like the door shut I'm worried sick that he'll hurt himself thanks so much wasn't expecting a reply from you, I hoped somone might suggest something X❤️
Dogs often need to be habituated (get used to a crate) before closing the door. Dogs can escape crates if determined enough and this is a danger to the dog, so consider if this is the best way for now. Thanks
Ty Nick. I just got a teddy bear puppy. She is very yelpy and demanding when I place her in her play pen for the night . I’ve taken your advice and remove the Pee Pee pad out of it. She’s 9 wks old and we have a ways to go with training. Does anyone else have any tips or tricks for training? I have not taken her out on her leash yet. I was thinking maybe she’s too small right now.
It’ll settle as you persist and create a routine. You can introduce the collar and lead via smell and looking at it and hearing the various noises associated with it in the home, then the garden and finally in quiet areas of the park and then onwards. Good luck!
Hi Nick, Thanks for all your brilliant videos! Would you still leave your pup all night if the barking and crying turned hysterical? It's so awful to hear him getting himself in such a state. Cheers, Dave
Each case is different of course and whilst I am inclined to leave a dog alone at night I wouldn’t like to stress it unduly. You may need to speak to a trainer that could offer some further input of making the nights easier.
Provided the pup is well toileted before being placed inside, tired, fed etc., then 3 hours is perfectly doable. This can then be extended in keeping with the dog’s development. Thanks Eddie.
Yes. But it will need to be an area that is ‘puppy proof’, safe and secure and that will restrict its movement to a small room in your absence I suggest. Thanks
I’d avoid your room as you may well want to get him out at a later stage. Dogs in bedrooms can also feed into separation anxiety issues and so my own dogs sleep downstairs from day one and they don’t even hold the idea or experience of sleeping in my room. It’s not to say that it should not be done, but for best practice I would avoid.
Thanks for your videos--they are so helpful! How much sleep does an eight-week puppy need during the daytime? Do you put Ruby in her crate at regular intervals for a nap? Or just wait until she falls asleep, then put her in her crate for a nap? I will be getting a Cockapoo puppy soon, and I know puppies need quite a bit of sleep, but I don't want to let her sleep so much during the day that she is awake all night.
Thank you and glad they are helping. 8 week pups tend to rise and fall in terms of activity throughout the day. As long as the pup is allowed to expend energy (some are ‘lazy’, some are more active, so it does depend on your pup tbh), it will all work out, so try not to over think it in advance as you’ll find a routine after a couple of weeks I’m sure. I do place my pups in the crate for daytime sleeps, as it greatly helps the night time crate use and allows you to go do other things knowing the pup is safe and secure. I try to place the pup inside before they are fully asleep and they usually are so tired it works fine. Doing this from day one and sticking with it should work out fine for you. Good luck and enjoy the ride!
I've had my puppy 7 days now. He was dry the first two nights and then since then pee and poo. We put him to bed at 10 or should I say he takes himself to bed. A lot of people say that 7 hours is too long to leave pup. Am I leaving him too long? I get up when he cried yesterday morning as he pooed a lot. I'm currently sat downstairs (2pm) listening for him. If I leave him will he stop pooing or will it continue? I'm feeling pretty desperate right now. Ear plugs work but how do I know if he's wanting to pee? Hope this makes sense as I'm shattered zzzz
Hello Nick - can you help please - my 10 week old puppy has regressed somewhat in that she has started to poo in her crate at night. I have started to set my alarm again to wake her to take her out to the garden. She was great to start with but this is becoming the norm at night. I have her crate in the kitchen. Love your videos. Many thanks Catherine
We have a dog littler box on one side of her crate and her bed takes up the full other half so her only choices are to go or to sleep. This worked wonders for both the puppy and our aging dog.
@@dragonflysagatiaej4833 that's sounds like a great idea, although I'm wondering did it encourage them to potty in their crate when the litter box is no longer there and it's just a sleep place?
In the first couple of weeks you may need to get up in the night, but after that I’d leave the pup from 11-6 say and then work on increasing the early return time until you are waking as pre puppy times.
These videos are so helpful, thank you! Everything I have read so far suggests puppies need taking out every couple of hours through the night at first. Is this not the case? We will be getting our 8 week old cocker spaniel on Saturday.
Heya, I have the same question! Interested to know how you got on seeing as you will have had your little cocker for a few weeks already! I'm getting a cocker too called Frankie, he will be my second one! They are the most wonderful dogs, words can't explain ❤️
@@bekc1626 Hi! We will be getting our cocker spaniel puppy soon. It will be our first cocker (not our first dog :) How did you fare with sleep training? Did you get up during the night? Any other tips? Greetings from Belgium ;-)
@@zwamy01 Hey! Well my boy was very used to crates before I brought him home thanks to the breeder. I had a heartbeat recording I played through a portable speaker near his crate, along with covering it with a blanket, and I had it next to my bed. I only got up once or twice for the first 2 or 3 nights (the first night he peed outside, the next night he didn't at all so I stopped bothering taking him out) and after that he slept right through till 7am from then on, no need for toilet or anything. Many people say they need the toilet every couple of hours but this is absolutely not true during sleeping time, their system slows right down, and obviously my experience has shown even at 8 weeks old they can sleep right through no problem. However most pups cry throughout the night for at least a week or a few weeks! Every pup is a bit different and I may have just struck it lucky!
My puppy has been sleeping great through the night until fairly recently. It gets to about 6am and she now starts barking as soon as she wakes up. Should I ignore the barking and not let her out until she stops? Thanks!
Try not to come down any earlier as this can set you back. Stick to the return time. You may need to wait until the dog has a quiet spell and then enter quietly and calmly at your set time. Decide what your ideal return time is and work towards that as the pup becomes more settled in the coming weeks and months. Good luck!
@@AlphaDogBehaviour hi thanks for your reply! She is sleeping fine throughout the night now but like clockwork she begins to crazy bark at around 7am until I let her out. What’s annoying is this is when I have to let her out to go to work so it’s reinforcing the barking. Is there a way of training her to not bark as soon as she wakes up? Thanks!
@@camerondavidson3927 Bit of a conundrum isn’t it. As long as you stick to your guns and enter at the time you desire it is likely to settle down over time. A little trick that may help is to set an alarm in her room that you acknowledge for her to wake and expect your arrival. Let me know how that goes 👍
Thanks for the videos Nick. We tried this method last night with our 9 week old cockapoo... came down to him covered in poo. I don’t think I can do that at 4am every morning! 😩😭. He had a pretty good toilet routine that evening too. Also, what to do when you come to the crate and he’s SUPER excited? He was like a small hurricane!!!
Glad you like the videos thanks. Sounds like you’re off to a good start, but you can expect the occasional accident until a routine is established. Stick with it.
Hi Nick Great video! I've had my Cockerpoo for a week now and have followed all tips on crate and cover, she has slept great from 10/11 pm with no cries now but she has been waking up from 5 onwards - what do you recommend? I have been getting up thinking she will need a toilet break she does then has been going back to sleep. Should I leave her as ideally 7/8 would be better!? Thanks
Hello, During the day if you need to go out would you have puppy in a play pen with the crate inside as a bed? And then a puppy pad at one end of the pen? I have to go back to work part time but am employing a dog sitter to come in half way through so the puppy will be alone for 2.5-3 hours until the sitter comes in to take her for a toilet break outside and stay with her for a bit. Or would you try to avoid pads altogether? I have found your videos the most informative of all the puppy training videos so thank you very much!
It's not the best arrangement as puppies need TIME more than anything else. Your suggestion is not a bad starting point however. Let me know how it goes.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour I have a similar setup, playpen in kitchen with both crate and designated potty area. I close the crate at the moment and then get up at night to give potty breaks but wondering if I can just leave him to sleep in either playpen or unlocked crate so he can go potty when he needs to at night. Thoughts?
Hi Nick, Love your videos! Me and my partner have just picked up our 12 week old cockapoo along with her sister who is for her mum and dad. We’ve had the first few nights with them now and are starting to see some problems. I have read that getting two puppies from the same litter may cause some problems in the future as me and my partner are looking to move out within the next 6 months. Last night was the worst night by far as they both cried for about 3 hours and wouldn’t settle even though they had both been out for a wee & poo and a play before hand. They both play fight which gets out of hand sometimes and we have to step in to break it up. We are now considering getting them separate crates for them to go in to help with the separation and also the night time tantrums. What do you think? Any help would be greatly received! PS, Ruby is adorable!
Separate crates and separate training. I always avoid litter mates as they can be very hard work and can result in constant squabbling. Good luck and thank you for the contact.
What do you do if you end up with a puppy that is 4 weeks old? Should I set up a crate in a play pen with crate open so she can pee on her own then go back to bed. She does that during the day but not in a crate and pen. During the day she sleeps on her mat and we have pee pad and newspaper next to her mat and when she wakes up she pees there if I can’t get her to take her outside. Waiting for rest of the crate and pen to come in the mail. So this is gumming you the works
My puppy is still wetting the crate every night even though we remove his water a couple of hours before and take him out several times before bed. Is he just learning it’s ok to go in his crate?
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Thank you for replying, I have a crate divider and no pads in the crate, although for the last two nights I put a pad outside in the pen and left the crate open as it seems he needed to go at least two/three times during the night. He is being very good and not crying all night, but then he cries AFTER he’s toileted during the day! Little rascal!
In case anyone is interested, we followed Nick's advice and persevered with the crate, washing the bedding and cleaning the crate floor every day. Six weeks on and we've just had two nights in a row with a dry crate! Last toilet break about 10-10:30pm and we come down at 6am. Patience is key!
Very useful videos after some bumpy nights, thank you. Our pup now settles quickly.
I took over care of my elderly parents' 10-year-old 55-pound Portuguese Water Dog and had to train him to sleep in a crate. He was used to sleeping with them, hogging the whole middle of the bed, and getting up once or twice a night. The first night was miserable. I did sleep on the floor next to him because I knew it was such a shock in his routine. The second night I slept on the sofa in the same room as him. The third night I slept in my own bed. As a compromise, I did get up at 5am for the first couple of weeks, then worked my way back to 6:30, which is when I had to get up anyway. After the first week, he stayed dry all night. I discovered that peanut butter in a kong toy was a magic bullet for getting him to run to the crate. I saved it for bedtimes only. He had a favorite blanky he snuggled with in the crate and after that first week of misery, he was very happy. He's been gone for about six months now and I'm thinking about a puppy. Your video is very sensible and compassionate. Thank you.
Thank you. Dogs touch our lives in many ways and a dog in your life that you provide a loving, yet balanced approach is a wonderful thing. Your approach re the crate use sounds excellent, well done you.
Thank you! Very helpful information.
So very helpful! On behalf of myself & beloved 4 legged young one. 🐾
My puppy is so hyper and this helped me so much it’s so hard to calm her down thanks
soooo helpful where hoping to get the puppy
Thank you for making these videos, Nick! We had a cockapoo when I was growing up, and I am very excited about getting another one when my husband and I move into a house with a yard. I think he's a bit more neutral to the idea out of fear of the dog being poorly behaved, but I feel much more confident showing him these videos to prove that we will be able to train our dog well with the right methods and time commitment. Thanks again!
Thank you and good luck! 🐶
your puppy is so calm :)
She'd had a busy day, thank you.
I'm trying this tonight thanks X❤️
Thanks for the advice my dog is so loud
Thank you for helping us novices 😉
Hi Nick, we’ve got an 8 week old cockerpoo puppy, on the first night he woke up around 6am and we had come down to a fresh morning poo in the crate, we have then been coming down in the morning around 5:40, at this point he is still asleep and he then wakes up as we come into the room and he will whine a little bit, we wait for him to stop then take him out to go toilet, he then comes back in and goes back to bed for short while… My question is, should we be waiting for him to wake up naturally and then for us to go down and let him out or are we okay going into the room and him waking up because of us coming down and then letting him out?
You’re looking over the longer term to go and let him out later and later as his control improves. Sounds like you’re off to a good start in any event. Maybe aim for a 15 minute delay each week or thereabouts so that you get more sleep in keeping with when he is ready to wake and do his business. Good luck and enjoy.
Fantastic video. We pick up our puppy Cavapoo in 2 weeks. Been a very long process but wanted the right dog for us and for the dog. Plenty of research is key
Research is so important. Well done and good luck!
Great video. What are your thoughts on the crate being in the bedroom to get used to the sounds, breathing etc of us owners prior to shortly moving the crate downstairs?
You could by all means and some prefer that. I like to start as I mean to carry on. Good luck 👍
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Hi Nick, many thanks for the quick response. I certainly agree with the start as you mean to go on ethos. I thought perhaps that being near the puppy in his crate would help me to identify crying related to the need to go and relieve him/her self part way through the night. I’m not sure how you would know that otherwise?
When we got a chihuahua puppy 15 years ago he cried and cried so we couldn’t get sleep. My husband wanted her in our bed to get sleep and felt bad he was crying. He then slept in our bed for almost rest of his life. Our next puppy we plan on changing the bad habits we made with our past chihuahua.
I’m not inherently against dogs on beds, but it’s more than helpful if you know they can settle away from you also. 🙂👍
@@AlphaDogBehaviour I felt bad as our daughter came along and I made him sleep on his own because I didn’t want a dog and a baby in the bed. If you instil good habits early it saves you in long run.
Absolutely :)
We had a difficult first night, so we will see how we get on this evening. I only had three hours sleep and he is 12 weeks old. He doesn't like wet grass either. So he hasn't been keen to go outside on our walks. Although he was brought up in a big garden with his mum and lab. I will just have to persevere with him has he gets used to a new schedule. Previously, the breeders fed him at 6am and first walk after that. They also went to bed at 10pm. He is used to playing in his own garden all day. He doesn't like long walks and keeps on asking to be picked up and carried.
At 12 weeks it should be very short walks only and be guided by the dogs energy. Stick with it, it’s early days. 👍
Do u lock the puppy in a crate overnight as I thought u shouldn't do that? I'm getting a new puppy on Monday, our first to be honest do I'm looking at pointers to train her correctly.
Hi Nick, I have read a lot of articles that suggest leaving a puppy to cry for long periods in its crate can cause alot of distress. Also an 8 week old can only hold pee for up to 3hrs. Our puppy goes to the toilet frequently throughout the day so I don’t want to cause the puppy distress by sleeping amongst its own mess at night. are you recommending not going down at all?
In the very first week or two I may return if the pup wakes at say 5am onwards, offer a toilet break and then back to bed as you’ll need to stay well rested yourself (this can be overlooked by some). There on in I don’t return and that I aim to create a routine that is something like 11pm to 6am crated with no returns and o from there. This can be seen as a starting point, as each dog differs and you’ll need to remain flexible. 👍
We have had our puppy for 3 weeks, we have done the wrong thing by bringing her into our bedroom, how can we change this so she sleeps in her crate ?
Not so much the wrong thing, as some will do this anyway for the first few weeks. Daytime sleeps in a crate downstairs could help the transition and plant the idea and expect that sleeping in a crate out of there bedroom is okay. If the landing is large enough, you could begin to locate it there for a week or more and then make the shift to downstairs when pup is ready. A puppy Kong with a dob of soft cheese inside can help when placing puppy inside to create a positive distraction. It'll be fine 👍
Thank you for all these videos! So so helpful! Is there any way of talking to you directly regarding new pup please? 😊
Thank you for your message. Please fill in my enquiry form answering the additional questions and I shall respond shortly. Many thanks. Nick www.alphadogbehaviour.co.uk/contact
So I guess it is out of the question my puppy falling asleep on my shoulders every night, she is 10 weeks now...trouble is in the morning she bits my ears and pulls my long hair. So I have had to wrap the blanket around me, all night so she cannot get my hair. It is getting annoying..we bought a soft dog cube with soft bedding, never knew about a crate..
I'm confused about the not going to her at night when she has to go potty. Isn't that what you are supposed to do?
It can help initially to be on hand at night in the first week or so, but then to move quite quickly to extending that time alone - how long often depends on the age of the puppy. But many owners need their sleep too, and I know that many pups can go 6,7,8 hours clean and dry. If there is a puddle then don’t sweat it and most dogs will become dry and able to sleep alone as a result. As always, each case is different and so adjustments might be made to help. Thank you. Nick
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Thank you.
Thanks for this series, I'm making my way through them in preparation for picking up our puppy in a few weeks. Just wanted to ask, re sleep during the day. If Kiki falls asleep somewhere other than her crate should I move her into it so she always wakes in crate or is that not essential? If so, should I close the door? Also, if I leave her in the crate, for example, when doing the school run, if I return and she's crying should I let her out immediately or would that lead her to think I cried and she came back and let me out? I'd appreciate your thoughts, if you don't mind, Clare
I like to use the crate for daytime sleeps yes, as it creates a better habit for sleep day and night and the dog is less likely to stress in the crate in your absence. Wait for a quiet moment before letting a pup out of the crate should it cry. As long as you don’t rush to appear and let the dog out as soon as it demands it you should be okay. I close the door always as otherwise the pup may as well be in an open bed. Thanks and good luck with the puppy. Nick.
Hello Nick. Thank you for the video but I need a bit of clarity.
On the 1st night that you said she cried all night. Did you leave her from 11pm-7am in crate without a potty break? If so did she potty in her crate?
Totally wondering the same thing!
I can’t recall now, but we did overall have about 3 wee accidents and maybe one poop. Timing of meals and water helps a lot - not too close to bed time.
We collect our first puppy next Friday and these videos have been invaluable. Just a quick question on the crate at night - do we not get up to take the puppy for a toilet break during the night? There is so much conflicting advice out there it’s hard to know what is best, many thanks!
Sorry for the late reply. Personally, I go to bed at say 11pm and wake up at 7am. I don't return to the dog during that time.
I have had my Cavapoo for a week and a day now. She has a bed and a crate. She hates the crate so I put her bed on my bed and she sleep til 3 AM. I then wake up and she's on top of my head or on my pillow. lol, now she wakes up around 6 or 7 AM which is much better. I am trying to get her off of my bed and have her in the crate or to have her bed on the floor and she hates it. IDK what to do.
We have had our cockapoo for just under a week and I have just watched your video which is very useful. I aheva question about whether we should be leaving the door of the crate open at night? We have the crate set up in a pen and haven’t been closing the door. What do you advise?
Glad you found the video helpful thank you. You could probably continue the way you are, so if you wish to do away with the pen at a later stage, you may want to close the door, but your puppy may protest if you haven’t done this from the outset. Let me know how it goes
Just got my pup I'm worried about leaving bedding in the crate incase he chews it x
The vet bedding is strong and she’s to pull apart, so you should be good with that.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour
Thank you so much for the reply . I'm going to have to watch your anxiety vids as I've got an houndeni here sorry can't spell it he keeps managing to open the crate door and getting out ! I'm assuming it must be that he'll go into the crate no problems but doesn't like the door shut I'm worried sick that he'll hurt himself thanks so much wasn't expecting a reply from you, I hoped somone might suggest something X❤️
Dogs often need to be habituated (get used to a crate) before closing the door. Dogs can escape crates if determined enough and this is a danger to the dog, so consider if this is the best way for now. Thanks
Ty Nick. I just got a teddy bear puppy. She is very yelpy and demanding when I place her in her play pen for the night . I’ve taken your advice and remove the Pee Pee pad out of it. She’s 9 wks old and we have a ways to go with training. Does anyone else have any tips or tricks for training? I have not taken her out on her leash yet. I was thinking maybe she’s too small right now.
It’ll settle as you persist and create a routine. You can introduce the collar and lead via smell and looking at it and hearing the various noises associated with it in the home, then the garden and finally in quiet areas of the park and then onwards. Good luck!
Hi Nick,
Thanks for all your brilliant videos! Would you still leave your pup all night if the barking and crying turned hysterical? It's so awful to hear him getting himself in such a state.
Cheers,
Dave
Each case is different of course and whilst I am inclined to leave a dog alone at night I wouldn’t like to stress it unduly. You may need to speak to a trainer that could offer some further input of making the nights easier.
What’s the best kind of crate for a puppy have you heard of revol crates from diggs
Cheap crates are best avoided and can be identified by rough wire welding and light gauge metal. Amazon basics seem pretty good overall.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour have u heard of the website labs and Labrador
How do you expect the puppy to hold it's bladder for over 3 hours? Is the crate small?
Provided the pup is well toileted before being placed inside, tired, fed etc., then 3 hours is perfectly doable. This can then be extended in keeping with the dog’s development. Thanks Eddie.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Three hours sounds fine to me, but the video is suggesting EIGHT hours
When the dog is able, yes.
Can i put my puppy to asleep without a crate?
Yes. But it will need to be an area that is ‘puppy proof’, safe and secure and that will restrict its movement to a small room in your absence I suggest. Thanks
@@AlphaDogBehaviour I was thinking if he'd sleep in my room. I am a first time dog owner. Well will be in February.
I’d avoid your room as you may well want to get him out at a later stage. Dogs in bedrooms can also feed into separation anxiety issues and so my own dogs sleep downstairs from day one and they don’t even hold the idea or experience of sleeping in my room. It’s not to say that it should not be done, but for best practice I would avoid.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Ok. Thx
Thanks for your videos--they are so helpful! How much sleep does an eight-week puppy need during the daytime? Do you put Ruby in her crate at regular intervals for a nap? Or just wait until she falls asleep, then put her in her crate for a nap? I will be getting a Cockapoo puppy soon, and I know puppies need quite a bit of sleep, but I don't want to let her sleep so much during the day that she is awake all night.
Thank you and glad they are helping. 8 week pups tend to rise and fall in terms of activity throughout the day. As long as the pup is allowed to expend energy (some are ‘lazy’, some are more active, so it does depend on your pup tbh), it will all work out, so try not to over think it in advance as you’ll find a routine after a couple of weeks I’m sure. I do place my pups in the crate for daytime sleeps, as it greatly helps the night time crate use and allows you to go do other things knowing the pup is safe and secure. I try to place the pup inside before they are fully asleep and they usually are so tired it works fine. Doing this from day one and sticking with it should work out fine for you. Good luck and enjoy the ride!
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Thanks for the good advice!
I've had my puppy 7 days now. He was dry the first two nights and then since then pee and poo. We put him to bed at 10 or should I say he takes himself to bed. A lot of people say that 7 hours is too long to leave pup. Am I leaving him too long? I get up when he cried yesterday morning as he pooed a lot. I'm currently sat downstairs (2pm) listening for him. If I leave him will he stop pooing or will it continue? I'm feeling pretty desperate right now. Ear plugs work but how do I know if he's wanting to pee? Hope this makes sense as I'm shattered zzzz
It can take while for him to find a pattern for toilet breaks so stick with it and follow the video 👍
Hello Nick - can you help please - my 10 week old puppy has regressed somewhat in that she has started to poo in her crate at night. I have started to set my alarm again to wake her to take her out to the garden. She was great to start with but this is becoming the norm at night. I have her crate in the kitchen. Love your videos. Many thanks Catherine
Go back to basics and a routine that she was coping with. Avoid last meal too late as that may be the issue? Thank you
We have a dog littler box on one side of her crate and her bed takes up the full other half so her only choices are to go or to sleep. This worked wonders for both the puppy and our aging dog.
@@dragonflysagatiaej4833 that's sounds like a great idea, although I'm wondering did it encourage them to potty in their crate when the litter box is no longer there and it's just a sleep place?
This is a risk and a habit you’ll need to address later on, but if it worked for you and your dog then great ! 😊
Is it ok to have a cockapoo mixed with a poodle
Hi sir, how do you manage toilet break at night while you are sleeping?
In the first couple of weeks you may need to get up in the night, but after that I’d leave the pup from 11-6 say and then work on increasing the early return time until you are waking as pre puppy times.
Je recherche à avoir un cavalier King Charles jamais de responsable le pourquoi
These videos are so helpful, thank you! Everything I have read so far suggests puppies need taking out every couple of hours through the night at first. Is this not the case? We will be getting our 8 week old cocker spaniel on Saturday.
Heya, I have the same question! Interested to know how you got on seeing as you will have had your little cocker for a few weeks already! I'm getting a cocker too called Frankie, he will be my second one! They are the most wonderful dogs, words can't explain ❤️
@@bekc1626 Hi! We will be getting our cocker spaniel puppy soon. It will be our first cocker (not our first dog :) How did you fare with sleep training? Did you get up during the night? Any other tips? Greetings from Belgium ;-)
@@zwamy01 Hey! Well my boy was very used to crates before I brought him home thanks to the breeder. I had a heartbeat recording I played through a portable speaker near his crate, along with covering it with a blanket, and I had it next to my bed. I only got up once or twice for the first 2 or 3 nights (the first night he peed outside, the next night he didn't at all so I stopped bothering taking him out) and after that he slept right through till 7am from then on, no need for toilet or anything. Many people say they need the toilet every couple of hours but this is absolutely not true during sleeping time, their system slows right down, and obviously my experience has shown even at 8 weeks old they can sleep right through no problem. However most pups cry throughout the night for at least a week or a few weeks! Every pup is a bit different and I may have just struck it lucky!
@@bekc1626 thanks! We can't wait!
What was the weight of Ruby at 8 months old, please?
My puppy has been sleeping great through the night until fairly recently. It gets to about 6am and she now starts barking as soon as she wakes up. Should I ignore the barking and not let her out until she stops? Thanks!
Try not to come down any earlier as this can set you back. Stick to the return time. You may need to wait until the dog has a quiet spell and then enter quietly and calmly at your set time. Decide what your ideal return time is and work towards that as the pup becomes more settled in the coming weeks and months. Good luck!
@@AlphaDogBehaviour hi thanks for your reply! She is sleeping fine throughout the night now but like clockwork she begins to crazy bark at around 7am until I let her out. What’s annoying is this is when I have to let her out to go to work so it’s reinforcing the barking. Is there a way of training her to not bark as soon as she wakes up? Thanks!
@@camerondavidson3927 Bit of a conundrum isn’t it. As long as you stick to your guns and enter at the time you desire it is likely to settle down over time. A little trick that may help is to set an alarm in her room that you acknowledge for her to wake and expect your arrival. Let me know how that goes 👍
Thanks for the videos Nick. We tried this method last night with our 9 week old cockapoo... came down to him covered in poo. I don’t think I can do that at 4am every morning! 😩😭. He had a pretty good toilet routine that evening too.
Also, what to do when you come to the crate and he’s SUPER excited? He was like a small hurricane!!!
Glad you like the videos thanks. Sounds like you’re off to a good start, but you can expect the occasional accident until a routine is established. Stick with it.
Just give him a minute or so to calm before allowing out of the crate. Start requesting a ‘Wait’ before allowing out of the crate. 👍
Hi Nick
Great video! I've had my Cockerpoo for a week now and have followed all tips on crate and cover, she has slept great from 10/11 pm with no cries now but she has been waking up from 5 onwards - what do you recommend? I have been getting up thinking she will need a toilet break she does then has been going back to sleep. Should I leave her as ideally 7/8 would be better!? Thanks
Maybe set a minimum coming down time fo 6am say, and then gradually push that back by 15 mins per week until you and the dog are happy. 👍
Brilliant thank you!!
Do you need a crate for your dog to sleep in
Not essential, but it can speed up the toilet training issue and provide a safe and secure place for your pup on the first few months. Thank you.
Hello,
During the day if you need to go out would you have puppy in a play pen with the crate inside as a bed? And then a puppy pad at one end of the pen? I have to go back to work part time but am employing a dog sitter to come in half way through so the puppy will be alone for 2.5-3 hours until the sitter comes in to take her for a toilet break outside and stay with her for a bit. Or would you try to avoid pads altogether?
I have found your videos the most informative of all the puppy training videos so thank you very much!
It's not the best arrangement as puppies need TIME more than anything else. Your suggestion is not a bad starting point however. Let me know how it goes.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour I have a similar setup, playpen in kitchen with both crate and designated potty area. I close the crate at the moment and then get up at night to give potty breaks but wondering if I can just leave him to sleep in either playpen or unlocked crate so he can go potty when he needs to at night. Thoughts?
Hi Nick, Love your videos!
Me and my partner have just picked up our 12 week old cockapoo along with her sister who is for her mum and dad. We’ve had the first few nights with them now and are starting to see some problems. I have read that getting two puppies from the same litter may cause some problems in the future as me and my partner are looking to move out within the next 6 months. Last night was the worst night by far as they both cried for about 3 hours and wouldn’t settle even though they had both been out for a wee & poo and a play before hand. They both play fight which gets out of hand sometimes and we have to step in to break it up. We are now considering getting them separate crates for them to go in to help with the separation and also the night time tantrums. What do you think? Any help would be greatly received! PS, Ruby is adorable!
Separate crates and separate training. I always avoid litter mates as they can be very hard work and can result in constant squabbling. Good luck and thank you for the contact.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Thank you for the reply. we are doing everything separate now but unfortunately they are still squabbling.
Sorry to hear that. Google the term littermate syndrome and see how that resonates with you.
What do you do if you end up with a puppy that is 4 weeks old? Should I set up a crate in a play pen with crate open so she can pee on her own then go back to bed. She does that during the day but not in a crate and pen. During the day she sleeps on her mat and we have pee pad and newspaper next to her mat and when she wakes up she pees there if I can’t get her to take her outside. Waiting for rest of the crate and pen to come in the mail. So this is gumming you the works
Why so young? Pups should be taken at 8 weeks. Thanks.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour I agree. It just happened had no choice. And now I have her.
My puppy is still wetting the crate every night even though we remove his water a couple of hours before and take him out several times before bed. Is he just learning it’s ok to go in his crate?
The crate may be too big? Are you putting pads inside? I wouldn’t. Wash the bedding daily. Stick with it.
@@AlphaDogBehaviour Thank you for replying, I have a crate divider and no pads in the crate, although for the last two nights I put a pad outside in the pen and left the crate open as it seems he needed to go at least two/three times during the night. He is being very good and not crying all night, but then he cries AFTER he’s toileted during the day! Little rascal!
In case anyone is interested, we followed Nick's advice and persevered with the crate, washing the bedding and cleaning the crate floor every day. Six weeks on and we've just had two nights in a row with a dry crate! Last toilet break about 10-10:30pm and we come down at 6am. Patience is key!
Well done. This is not an easy subject to address as each dog is different, but this is a good starting point.
@@gbvsf1987 SIX WEEKS?!?