# Some advice please...



## Martyn (Feb 8, 2012)

Hello all!! I have been looking at and taking advice for a while now from this site and have found it REALLY useful it's great! 
Our V arrived home with us 7 days ago and she is now 8 1/2 weeks old. She is an absolute star, we have named her Anushka and she has been an instant hit with everyone we meet. Her training is coming on in leaps and bounds, she has the come, wait and sit commands down to a T. She has only had a couple of accidents in the house and goes to the door and scratches when she is ready  
We are really impressed, the only down side is night and leaving her on her own. We are attempting to crate train her, she has no problem spending time in her crate during the day, she eats her meals in here and plays with toys. In the evening she normally falls to sleep with our 12 yr old Jack Russell in front of the fire, we collect her up and put her in thr crate and close the door. It's normally about an hour before she wakes up and goes crazy. The breeder where we got Anushka advised we slept with her in the living room so when she is asleep she can still see us. We have been on an air bed for a week now, and she has got no better. 
We want to go upstairs but the noise she makes is horrible and to be honest upsetting. She screams at the top of her voice and does not show any sign of stoping. Eventually she wil sleep in our room on the floor but she will be crated for short spells during the day.
Should we stay downstairs until she is better? Should we take her to our room? Am I expecting too much too soon? I really don't want her to start suffering seperation anxiety.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! 

Thanks guys.


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## INDRAJM (Dec 20, 2011)

I think it's a good idea to take her to your room. Put the crate next to your bed and when she wakes up and crys just put your hand in to reassure her that all is well. Remember she is just a baby and she needs to know you there and she's not alone. If you need the crate during the day bring it back downstairs with you or buy another one so you have one in the living room and 1 in your room.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

indrajm gave the advice I would give. I would add that they make a heating device that you put in the microwave for a couple minutes and it stays warm for hours. You can put that in the crate under a towel. The pup was used to sleeping with her litter mates and mother for the last 7 weeks and the warmth was comforting. 

Enjoy the pup and welcome to the forum.

RBD


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## mariposa (Oct 21, 2011)

We were having the exact same problem with our Penny, cried non-stop for the first two nights in the crate. The third night we put a t-shirt that my husband had worn inside the crate with her (lined her bed with it) and put a throw that we use all day over the crate (did not cover completely to allow air flow). It was like magic. She slept like a baby ever since in her crate. We did not have to put the crate in our bedroom.
We changed the t-shirt periodically. Always with our scent. We also added one of my husband's shoes because she used to lay on them when she was out and about in the house (loves the stink ja!). She slept laying on his shoe at night in the crate too. Good luck!


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## JillandDan (Sep 8, 2010)

We didn't bring our girl home from the breeder until she was 16wks. She slept in her crate there every night with our tshirts but was next to her sister. It was very hard for her to adjust at night. We started out with her crate in our room. We would lay on the floor until she was asleep and then we would sneak into bed. We did this for a couple night and then slowly moved her crate out to the living room. We still layed on the floor next to her until she was asleep. We gradually lessened the time we layed there until she was okay just going in and going to sleep. It took about 2 weeks for us. You will get through it just don't give in and let her out or she will learn a new trick that will be difficult to undo.


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## Martyn (Feb 8, 2012)

That's great thank you. I think we will invest in another crate for bedtimes and sell it when she is out of the puppy stage. I really appreciate the advice and the warm welcome! 
How did you guys get on leaving your dog in the house for the first time?? 

Thanks again!


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## Martyn (Feb 8, 2012)

Oh and have sent for the heat pad, thanks!


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Our Riley cried so loudly at first when we would put her in the crate. We found that playing a radio talk station or a sitcom show on TV would put her right to sleep. It seems like Vs get most upset when they feel like they are alone. The sounds of voices tricked Riley into thinking someone was still in the room with her even when we were gone.


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## kristen (Oct 18, 2011)

My guy is strange in the that he doesn't like to hear or see you if he is in his crate. It's like he feels that he is missing out, and that we must be doing something awesome such as playing with his toys without him. 
Us being near his crate never comforted him, it just seemed to aggravate him more. So, we put him in his crate in the livingroom, covered it, and went upstairs to our bedroom. He cried for a little bit, but then went to sleep...but I think we're the minority, and most V's like to have their slaves people around. 

Is she ever awake when you move her into her crate? It might be scary for her if she fell asleep in front of the warm cozy fire, and the woke up in her cold dark crate. I wonder if you try waking her up, getting her into her crate, and then waiting untill she falls asleep again before leaving her...?


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## anne_wilcrest (Oct 20, 2011)

*earplugs!*

i prefer the kind made for ladies/kids as they press less on the inside of your ear - but do muffle slightly less sound.

it will take a few nights to get used to, but for me, after living abroad and with crazy roommates and big cities, i now can't get to sleep without them - unless properly drunk... earplugs are better.

i've also read that it's scary for them to be moved during sleep (as @kristen mentioned)

i've been throwing treats in penny's kennel EVERY time to get her to go in on her own, and we are JUST NOW working on "kennel" (no throwing) her walking in, THEN treat.

i also second (or third) the covering recommendation, it also make their kennel less drafty. i use a very lightweight, single layer blanket and try to leave at least one of the sides up

good luck, stay strong and don't let her out while she's throwing a fit! it takes SO LONG to undo just one slip.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I still think the only question which remains unanswered here, is why isn't pup sleeping in bed with YOU??? ;D ;D ;D ;D Don't mind me, my dogs are allowed to sleep with me, but, I'm single!!!  

All the replies so far have sound suggestions, so I won't add anymore, except to say that the key is what Jillndan state and that is be consistent. Don't give in, otherwise pup wins and will be sleeping with you in now time.  (Which to be honest, is a pretty **** good thing to do!! they don't normally soil the bed either, just in case your thinking about it )


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

Welcome, Martyn!

Remember that this too shall pass. The first few weeks were so stressful. On top of not getting good sleep, hearing that wailing is unnerving for everyone. We all have to go through it (or most of us), and there's no easy way around leaving them and hearing them wail and coming home to the sound of a puppy crying bloody murder. As others have mentioned, they're babies and they'll forget. When your pup is older it won't happen and you'll remember how stressful it was and realize that it was just a hurdle you had to get through. You just have to develop a thick hide during this period and try to get yourself to think about something else or that it won't be like this for too long. Hope that helps. And as others have mentioned, do what you have to do to make sure that you don't give in so you can move past this as quickly as possible...


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Ozkar said:


> I still think the only question which remains unanswered here, is why isn't pup sleeping in bed with YOU??? ;D ;D ;D ;D Don't mind me, my dogs are allowed to sleep with me, but, I'm single!!!
> 
> All the replies so far have sound suggestions, so I won't add anymore, except to say that the key is what Jillndan state and that is be consistent. Don't give in, otherwise pup wins and will be sleeping with you in now time.  (Which to be honest, is a pretty **** good thing to do!! they don't normally soil the bed either, just in case your thinking about it )


Okay, okay... I have to add that Riley is now sleeping in bed with us after I was SO determined to have her sleep in the crate at night. She actually saved us $70 on our gas bill last month because she keeps us so warm at night. We turn the heater off when we go to bed. 8)


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## hzurkovic (Dec 9, 2010)

Hi,
Congratulations on your new puppy.
I would say keep her in the crate. Make sure that crate is covered and put a heating pad inside. Do not give in. It is very important and very helpful to have your puppy used to the crate. I know it is unpleasant to hear her wine and cry, but if she is fed, taken out to do her business, she improbably just missing her litter mates and their warmth. By putting a blanket over the crate and sneaking in a worm pad, the puppy should be more comfortable and cozy.
Good luck.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

threefsh said:


> Ozkar said:
> 
> 
> > I still think the only question which remains unanswered here, is why isn't pup sleeping in bed with YOU??? ;D ;D ;D ;D Don't mind me, my dogs are allowed to sleep with me, but, I'm single!!!
> ...


I wish I had a dollar for every new V owner who has sworn black and blue that there dog won't sleep in bed with them, only to talk to them months later and find that like most v's, they truly are happier and more content when sharing the bed. I don;t care how weird people think I am, I wouldn;t have it an other way! 

By the way, when the weather is warmer, they tend to sleep on there own, so lap it up in the colder months while you can!!


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## Martyn (Feb 8, 2012)

Wow! Great responses thanks guys, hope I can start giving some back soon!!


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

kristen said:


> My guy is strange in the that he doesn't like to hear or see you if he is in his crate. It's like he feels that he is missing out


 ;D They are ALL like that!


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## finch (Sep 19, 2011)

Ozkar said:


> threefsh said:
> 
> 
> > Ozkar said:
> ...



Haha, same story here. We have 3 dogs right now... 2 sleep in their own beds and the V sleeps in ours. We NEVER thought that we would have a dog sleeping in our bed all night but no surprise, she won.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

To them, it's how it should be!! ;D But I agree with them wholeheartedly!!!


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