# Keeping pup awake



## lilhoosier32 (Feb 23, 2011)

So is this wrong? It seems mean in a way so that's why I'm asking. I am sort of trying to keep my puppy awake during the day, or will cut her nap short, in hope that she will wake up fewer times during the night (right now she wakes up once every hour). Thoughts on this? She is 8 wks


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

Do you respond to her whens he wakes up at night? If so, she is going to keep waking up. At 8 weeks I'd say you should take her out at most 2 times during the night (unless you sleep excessively). So if she is waking up every hour.... ear plugs!


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## lilhoosier32 (Feb 23, 2011)

I do wake up and let her out whenever she cries, but she always goes potty. I am afraid she will mess her crate if I don't let her out. Maybe I should just try it and see?


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## Kobi (Oct 26, 2010)

If I took Kobi out every hour, he would pee (sometimes he whines for it, not when I'm sleeping though), and he's almost 7 months.

I think you'd be fine making her wait at least 2 hours, probably 3, before taking her out at night. However, the more you respond to her whining, the more she will learn to do it.


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## lilhoosier32 (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks, that was great advice. I did two hour intervals last night and no accidents even though she whined a bit in between. i will try 2.5 tonight and see how it goes.


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Ruby is going on 11 weeks and when she was at 8 weeks we were getting up every few hours at night to let her out. I asked my breeder about it and she said stop that right away because they will get used to it. We were so worried she would mess in her crate. We tried it one night - put her in from 10pm-5am and she did great and held it all night. She cried but we ignored it. Not even 3 weeks later now she doesn't make a sound in her crate at night. We are slowly trying to increase her amount of time in the crate at night - 5am is way to early for us 

I think stopping this behavior immediately is the right thing to do and it worked for us. Also, it is amazing how quick their bladders grow. We were taking her out constantly and now she runs to the door when she has to go and it is not so many times a day. Hang in there.


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

My experience has been that puppies get better with waking at night fairly quickly. We took Pumpkin out a 2-3 times a night for the 1st 3, then 2x, then nothing by 9 wks. Remember, she is still a very young pup who may be whinning as she adjusts to her new home, crating etc. I personally would not try to keep her up during the day. Puppies need their sleep, and her sleeping in the day is very unlikely to have an effect on her nights. She will come around. Good luck & congrats on the new puppy


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

At 8 weeks they are going through allot of changes. They need their rest. I wouldn't try to keep them awake and I would go by this rule of thumb with regard to how long they can hold it. 2 months - 4 hours at night, 2 hours during the day. 3 months - 6 hours at might and 3 hours during the day. 4 months - all night or day while crated. This assumes the water is taken up 2 hours before crating and they go out before crating. After hard play or allot of water intake allways take them out.


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## lilhoosier32 (Feb 23, 2011)

Well last night I went from taking her out every 1.5 hours to every 3. She pooped AND peed in her crate. Whats weird is that she does 2.5 hrs just fine during the day. No water or food after about 7pm. she does still cry every hour or two at night, but I feel like thats improving. I think most of you are right about her just being young, and I need to be patient. 

She also naps a lot in the evening before going to bed. Not sure if that would do anything. She might also feel too separated and anxious sleeping in another room, but I dont want to change that. Thanks for all the advice, we are working on it!


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

What kind of crate do you have? Is it too large or have a divider in it? She may go on one side for potty and be able to sleep in other if too big. 

I had Ruby sleeping more than 3 hrs in the crate without potty breaks the first few days of bringing her home at 8 weeks and moved up to 7 hrs within 5 days. 

From what I read on this forum, dogs don't like to go potty where they sleep so maybe something is not right where she sleeps. Make sure there a no blankets in there until she can hold it for a while.


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## lilhoosier32 (Feb 23, 2011)

more than half of the crate is blocked off, and it is entirely covered with a blanket. I have a towel for her to lay on, but I'm switching to newspaper since I don't have a washing machine 

It does seem that she can't hold it quite as long as other 8 wk puppies I've read about on here. It shows during the day too. She has to poop WHILE she is eating. I can't even wait until she is done to take her out. I'm sure she'll catch up though. It's just that I would really like to catch up on my sleep...


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

You have a young pup, & like babies, they vary in their habits/developments a lot! IMO, you have a pup that just needs time. It would not be fair to expect your gal to go more than 2.5 hrs regardless of what other V pups were/are doing at her age. 8-9 wks is barely old enough to leave momma much less expect him/her to fit our class, work, &/or social schedule. As a mom of 3 (not including pups), I empathize with sleep loss! Lack of sleep stinks, but your pup needs time. She will come around in the coming weeks. Yep, weeks probably not days. Hang in there. You are doing great


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

Don't use newspapers it's not healthy. Better nothing but the plastic pan on the bottom of the crate. Make sure you clean the pan immediately with the proper pet urine cleaner and follow the directions. Also, not one inch extra in that crate! Only enough room to lay down. 

Make sure the food and water is taken away 2 hours before crating and she goes out and does he stuff right before bedtime and all will be fine. Then you can ignore the whining be assured that it is just her way of getting you to keep her company and she really doesn't need to pee! This way you can put those ear plugs in and sleep for 4 hours. Trust me it will work. Let us know how it goes. ;D


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

Yes, I agree about not using papers, as well your puppy will probably destroy the papers, and eat them. (not healthy)


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## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

We did not have Holley so young but I know when we got her at 16 weeks we got up once per night with her. She would cry other times but we just let her go. What we found helped was having her crate in our bedroom for the first couple nights and laying on the floor by it until she settled in for the night. We continued this when we moved the crate into the living room for a few nights. She is now at the point where we have to wake her up to go out.


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## minnere (Jul 8, 2010)

We have had Pacer since 8 wks and I do not remember getting up more than once a night to let him out. That would've been about every 4 hrs. I agree, I would be careful what you put in the bottom. We still can't put anything in the bottom of Pacer's and he's 10 mths because he eats EVERYTHING!!! (Including the plastic handle that was connected to the outside of the top of his crate! How he got ahold of that one I will never know!) It's hard to ignore the whining but start now! Good luck!


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## lilhoosier32 (Feb 23, 2011)

Yeah I got the memo on the newspaper from her very quickly yesterday afternoon  I put her in there with the paper for 5 min and I heard tears right away. So now I am just putting her in the crate without papers, just the tray. I feel so bad; that environment is horrible for sleeping. I am putting soft things in during the day when I am here, then I am taking them out at night. I made the crate a little more closed off today but it seems so compact--just enough to turn around and curl up. So her bed is nothing soft and has not much room to move. I just feel bad. Eek. I hope she will be ok with that for a couple weeks. I did every two hours again last night and no accidents. With the smaller crate, I will try every three again tonight and ignore her whines. Nervous about the mess she might make once again, but hopefully it goes well :-\

Thanks for everyone's advice!


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## AlbaF (Feb 22, 2011)

Bit late in this thread..when you said she goes potty. Is this is poo (British expression) or potty offer excited. Have 9 week old V, with whom we were up a few times in the night to start. Now thankfully only the once now. During those times we just let her out to wee, didn't speak, stroked until she was settle in the cage and then back to bed. Is it possible that pup got excited it the cage and went (urinated) before you had a chance to open it,. and because possible scent is still there it has become a vicious circle. You will get there. Good luck


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

I see the problem now. You have a same symptoms my wife has with our Copper.  You think the dog is a baby! If I didn't have experience training dogs, Copper would be walking around with these on.

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&...dNIPp0gH57anMAw&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1020&bih=597


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