# Help for night time sleeping



## Ashklea

Hi all

We recently brought our new 8 week old vizsla puppy home - a gorgeous girl we've called Indy. We're both totally smitten (pic below) but after a very successful first night, probably due to the travel of coming home (45 mins of crying and then sleeping until 5:30am) our second night was a totally different story.

Her set up is a crate downstairs and ideally this is where we want her to stay. I've shared a bed with a Lab in the past and don't want to repeat the same experience of hanging off the edge of the bed again!

It's only our third night tonight but I feel like I need a bit of concrete guidance from Vizsla owners who have been through it. I expect it could last weeks but I'm not convince we really know how to do this in the best way for her. 

Our breeder told us to put her in her crate at night and just ignore her all night until the morning. We did this last night and she howled and cried for 2 hours and then woke and howled again for 30/45 minutes and then repeated the sleep and howl cycle until my partner got up at 5:30am (he usually wakes then and goes downstairs for an hour and then comes back to bed for an hour). At 5:30 he took her our she peed (her bed was a little damp) and then he brought her upstairs to see me and she fell back asleep on our bed - which like I said I don't want!

I've read conflicting things about if we should let her out during the night. I know she won't actually be able to hold it for that long but the breeder said not to go down as she'll see that as her howling/crying working to bring us back to her.

What is the most success way to do this?

In addition, her crate is attached to a puppy pen which has her water in. During the day she gets fed in her crate and has to walk through it to get water and we've been giving her nice treats in there and she has no issues with being in there until she notices the door is closed behind her and then shes a puppy possessed (even if she can get into the puppy pen). The crate has two gates. One the leads into her pen with the water and the other to the rest of our kitchen. During the day both gates are open and at night we close both. She has had a hot water bottle under her blankets at night and has a stuffed toy and the radio on 

I'm just looking for the right plan so that we can get this right for her (we know it'll take awhile but I feel like we're giving mixed messages).

Any help for Indy's success would be great


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## Ashklea

Ashklea said:


> She howled and cried for 2 hours and then woke and howled again for 30/45 minutes and then repeated the sleep and howl cycle


Sorry I meant to say she howled and cried for 2 hours and then slept for 30/45 minutes and then repeated.

Couldn't see the edit button!


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## Tabor

First Congrats on the new V, welcome 

A lot of people will suggest putting the crate in your room. We don't have Tabor's crate in our room and it has worked out very well. What works for some doesnt work for others..you'll learn your dog. (he's 7 months now)

Your breeder telling you to ignore her until morning sounds like terrible advice, they cant hold it that long. There was a point where we got up every hour, sometimes more, to take him out (it's miserable, it passes fast, deceased over time and it's worth it).

If the bed in her crate was damp, it's your fault. Honestly. That's something I had to learn, if the dog goes in the house...the blame is on you.
Dogs don't like to soil their crate, but if she's that young...she probably cries until she cant hold it..then pees...then repeats.

When she howls in the middle of the night, take her out, let her pee, celebrate(!!), then put her right back in the crate. Make her learn that crying will only get her to the bathroom, nothing more (and certainly not in your bed). Some people to say wait until the crying has stopped for a few seconds to let them out, I found that didn't always apply cause his crying usually stopped when he knew I was coming. 

You'll find different opinions on this but I do not have water in the crate. He's really only in there at night, or for an hour or two during the day.

Feeding in the crate is great. Also start teaching a 'kennel/home/crate' command now. Just grab a treat and reward her when she enters the crate, it's a happy place. 

I'm NO expert, this is what I did and it worked to our liking. 

Biggest thing, take tons of pictures...they don't stay wrinkly forever.


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## Ashklea

Totally agree that its our fault if she has accidents in the house - shes only a baby and has to learn where to go. Actually accidents in the house aren't that bad (except for the wet bed).

Nice to know that we could eventually be successful with keeping her downstairs.

We're going to start letting her out at night - I think we both knew she'd not be able to hold it that long but were following advice.

How long did it take you to get Tabor settled into sleeping in his crate at night? She'll only be there at night and a few hours a day while partner is at work.

This reply has taken me over an hour to write in between entertaining a freshly woken pup!


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## Tabor

Well unlike you, our first night was a nightmare. Instant crying as soon as he was put in...and it seemed non stop. 
The second was better and it has been an improvement since. 

Of course, some nights feel like a step backwards, but overall progression will happen quickly. 

It takes patience and work, which you're obviously willing to do. Don't over think it and enjoy the ride!


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## jld640

I set an alarm and woke Savannah up to pee every couple of hours so she never got to the point of crying. Pretty sure that won't work for everyone, but it worked for us. Exhausting several weeks, though.


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## Ashklea

Well she woke every hour and we took her out and she peed immediately. Took her back to her crate and she howled and cried for max 20 mins and then another hour sleep and the cycle repeated. 

Woke this morning at 7:45 to a silent house and us both feeling like we have a plan!! My plan includes earplugs for me and my partner waking me every other time she woke. I didn't even hear him take her out the last time. 

I'm a total cluts though and in my sleepy haze of taking her out I managed to trip over a solar light in the back garden ;D haha

I look at that face and I already know I'd do anything for her.


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## Tabor

Glad to hear it! Stick to the plan, it gets easier and is always worth it.


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## Rbka

jld640 said:


> I set an alarm and woke Savannah up to pee every couple of hours so she never got to the point of crying. Pretty sure that won't work for everyone, but it worked for us. Exhausting several weeks, though.


This is what we did too so there was no confusion about the crying being rewarded (didn't want to form a habit of that). We started with a 1 hour timer, gradually increasing the time until we knew he was ready for full nights... i.e. when one of us would go wake him up for a middle-of-the-night pee break and he'd glare at us like "are you serious" then curl back up and refuse to get out of his crate haha!
What some people recommend to ensure the dog doesn't confuse a midnight pee break with a play break: Don't make eye contact, carry your puppy to the pee spot, put her/him down, give pee command, praise or treat after going pee, then carry directly back to the crate.

Good luck! Enjoy your new pup, the puppy stage passes too fast :'(


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## 62707

We did the same thing with the earplugs, taking it in turn to get up helps...I also used a 'calm' holding type of cuddle for pup to make a connection that I wasn't playing or giving attention willingly, that I was just there to reassure and take him out for toilet. Hard when it's raining and he really didn't want to be out there under our umbrella so I'd just aimlessly walk the garden til he peed/pood. I think they get to trust that you will go to them every time if they neeeeed to pee etc. Once you find our plan and find the routine of them sleeping, eating, playing etc it's sooooooo much easier! Then you can do the whole ignore the screaming habdabs during the day, put pup in the crate while ironing, or hoovering, or cooking...they can see you but you will not be paying any attention. Then they have to have something to do, chew, play with or just sleep. I found our pup was fab until I actually sat down to read or on the laptop...then he'd be suddenly needing me again! But if I was actually doing something he'd happily hear me and be quiet!


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## bob c

Ashklea said:


> Ashklea said:
> 
> 
> 
> She howled and cried for 2 hours and then woke and howled again for 30/45 minutes and then repeated the sleep and howl cycle
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry I meant to say she howled and cried for 2 hours and then slept for 30/45 minutes and then repeated.
> 
> Couldn't see the edit button!
Click to expand...


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## raygun11

I have read in a few training books to maybe try having the pup's crate in your bedroom for a little bit until she gets used to it. Remember she is separated from her litter mates and her mum for the first time ever and she is not used to sleeping alone. If the crate is in your bedroom she can smell you, she knows you're there plus it makes it easier to hear for when she needs a mid-night potty break. Slowly start moving her crate further away from you (start with it right beside you, then a couple days later move it to the foot of your bed, then near the door, then in the hall way, etc.) 
Good luck!


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