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Old August 8th, 2008, 08:54 AM
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Unhappy HELP!! Suddenly not sleeping well in crate

When we got Magic at 12 weeks, she was sleeping in a crate, right thru the night, from the 2nd night we had her. Gradually, for the last few weeks, she has been waking up in the middle of the night, to go out to pee which is not a big deal. But putting her back in her crate was becoming a problem and she'd whine for a bit and then go back to sleep. Well that has been getting worse and worse. Now, for the last few nights, she fights when we put her in the crate and night and whines for a really long time. She'll wake up in the middle of the night and cry and cry, even if she's recently been out to pee.
I use a baby monitor so I can hear her and at times I've had to turn it off so I can get some sleep! Anyway, I don't know what's wrong, why she has regressed like this. She has done so amazing up until now with the crate, we were extremely pleased with how well she adjusted to it. I don't know what to do with her now. At 3am this morning, my husband took her (and her crate) and slept downstairs on the couch. When I went down this morning, her crate door was open and she was sleeping on the couch with him!! (So cute, but I'm thinking "oh no! ") Could it be maybe that she's outgrowing it, she needs a larger one? I don't have the measurements handy but she can still stand up and turn around in it, although she has put on 2 lbs. since we first got her. Hmmm, maybe I've answered my own question?!
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Magic - black mixed Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Malteze, Bichon (bn Feb 19/08)
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Old August 8th, 2008, 08:57 AM
aslan aslan is offline
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have you or dh been home alot recently, then gone back to work as in vacation. Puppies are like little kids, they will test you to see what they can and can't get away with. Do you cover her crate with a towel. Have you been having thunderstorms lately. As you can see it could be several different things.
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by aslan View Post
have you or dh been home alot recently, then gone back to work as in vacation. Puppies are like little kids, they will test you to see what they can and can't get away with. Do you cover her crate with a towel. Have you been having thunderstorms lately. As you can see it could be several different things.
Hi Aslan,
No, nothing really has changed routine-wise. My husband is a stay-at-home dad so he and the kids are around alot. We don't cover her crate with a towel because it's pretty dark in the room already at night and the type of crate we have is more like a travel carrier, plastic with some cut-outs on the sides, so it's more enclosed than the wire-type ones.
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My furbabies:
Bruno - grey short-haired domestic (bn Aug. 04)
Smuckers - black & white long-haired (bn June 06)
Magic - black mixed Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Malteze, Bichon (bn Feb 19/08)
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:10 AM
aslan aslan is offline
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hmmm ok lets try, how close to bedtime do you take her out to piddle, etc. try playing fetch with her to tire her out. She may just have a little extra energy than before. But don't go through and comfort her as this is enforcing the behavior. If she has to go out to piddle take her, and right back to bed. Tell her to lay down, go to bed, whatever it is you tell her. Even if she starts crying keep going, don't look back, no shhhh. And turn the baby monitor off.
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by aslan View Post
hmmm ok lets try, how close to bedtime do you take her out to piddle, etc. try playing fetch with her to tire her out. She may just have a little extra energy than before. But don't go through and comfort her as this is enforcing the behavior. If she has to go out to piddle take her, and right back to bed. Tell her to lay down, go to bed, whatever it is you tell her. Even if she starts crying keep going, don't look back, no shhhh. And turn the baby monitor off.
We always take her out to pee right before bed, even if she was out just a short while before. Do you think it's ok to play with her right before bed and get her all riled up? I guess maybe play but not put her to bed right away. Give her time to settle down.

I worry about not using the monitor for the entire night (this is the mommy in me talking!) I get anxious if I can't hear her if she's crying. Just a habit I'll have to get out of I guess!
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Smuckers - black & white long-haired (bn June 06)
Magic - black mixed Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Malteze, Bichon (bn Feb 19/08)
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:34 AM
aslan aslan is offline
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see i'm not a mommy, my kids were grown when i got them The whole point is to not hear the crying, 'cause little mommy heart break and then they have to go through and make it all better. Right!!!!
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:41 AM
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Originally Posted by aslan View Post
see i'm not a mommy, my kids were grown when i got them The whole point is to not hear the crying, 'cause little mommy heart break and then they have to go through and make it all better. Right!!!!
Yes, although we don't really go in to comfort her, just to scold her and tell her "no!, go to sleep!!" But I guess even doing that is too much!

P.S. What do you think about getting a larger crate?
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My furbabies:
Bruno - grey short-haired domestic (bn Aug. 04)
Smuckers - black & white long-haired (bn June 06)
Magic - black mixed Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Malteze, Bichon (bn Feb 19/08)

Last edited by Bluecatt; August 8th, 2008 at 09:46 AM.
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:47 AM
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Hi Bluecatt..

this is what I did when Bree was little, it worked for me but may or may not work for you.. (I am also a mother so I know what it's like)

we would make sure the pup is tired at night BUT an hour before last pee time we would make sure it was quite time.. then out for the last walk and then in to her crate..
if she cryed and I know she just went out, I would wait 5 mintues if the crying stopped or calm down even for a second I would wait for another 5 mintues.. if it continued I would go down stairs with a night light and check on her. no bright lights...if all was good then I would go back to bed, I would not talk or anything just check.. and wait another 5 mintues..
depending on how old she is you might have to take her out again.. doggies go through growth spurts also..
But if I did take her out I would let her go pee and poop if she needed and then right back in her crate..

I hope this helps..
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Bluecatt View Post
Yes, although we don't really go in to comfort her, just to scold her and tell her "no!, go to sleep!!" But I guess even doing that is too much!

P.S. What do you think about getting a larger crate?
the crate should only be big enough for her to stand up and turn around in..
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Old August 8th, 2008, 09:49 AM
aslan aslan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluecatt View Post
Yes, although we don't really go in to comfort her, just to scold her and tell her "no!, go to sleep!!" But I guess even doing that is too much!

P.S. What do you think about getting a larger crate?
aslong as she has room to stand up and turn around the crate she's in is fine.
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Old August 8th, 2008, 10:30 AM
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Do you think she's just too attached? My husband thinks that she's just around me too much!! She is truly a mommy's girl. Because I work all day, she goes absolutely berzerk when I get home. As soon as she hears me put my car alarm on she's racing to the front door and jumps all over me. My husband says after I go to bed at night and he stays up with her for a while, she's always trying to go to my room and get up on our bed to get to me.

Also, when we drive back and forth to the cottage, she sleeps on my lap the whole way, we don't put her in her carrier. Could this have anything to do with it? I don't want to have to put her in her carrier now that she's used to staying with me in the van. And I think her going to sleep at night, in her crate, in the dark, in the same room every night has nothing to do with sleeping on my lap in the van. Thoughts??
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My furbabies:
Bruno - grey short-haired domestic (bn Aug. 04)
Smuckers - black & white long-haired (bn June 06)
Magic - black mixed Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Malteze, Bichon (bn Feb 19/08)
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Old August 8th, 2008, 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Bluecatt View Post
Do you think she's just too attached? My husband thinks that she's just around me too much!! She is truly a mommy's girl. Because I work all day, she goes absolutely berzerk when I get home. As soon as she hears me put my car alarm on she's racing to the front door and jumps all over me. My husband says after I go to bed at night and he stays up with her for a while, she's always trying to go to my room and get up on our bed to get to me.

Also, when we drive back and forth to the cottage, she sleeps on my lap the whole way, we don't put her in her carrier. Could this have anything to do with it? I don't want to have to put her in her carrier now that she's used to staying with me in the van. And I think her going to sleep at night, in her crate, in the dark, in the same room every night has nothing to do with sleeping on my lap in the van. Thoughts??
it could.. I don't know very much about seperation anxity.. I stay home all day and when my hubby comes home, bree runs to the door very happy to see him. since she was 4 months she slept in our room not on the bed..
when we went anywhere and we brought Bree as a pup she would always sleep on my lap, until she got bigger, then we put her in the back seat..
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Old August 8th, 2008, 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by Bluecatt View Post
Yes, although we don't really go in to comfort her, just to scold her and tell her "no!, go to sleep!!" But I guess even doing that is too much!
even negative attention is ATTENTION. you are doing what she wants, attention, and actually reinforcing this behavior.

i'd make sure the crate is the right size for her to comfortably lay and turn around in and i'd put the crate in the same room as you. When i crate trained my dog, I kept the crate right next to my bed, as you would w/ a newborn in a bassinet. We eventually moved the crate to the other side of the room, but it's still IN our room. my dog uses it happily, with the door left open.

is there some reason the crate cannot be in your bedroom? dogs like to sleep with their pack.

my dog is a 50-60lb mix. Our crate is for a 60-80lb dog. just to give you an idea. We have a 2nd one that is actually for a 100lb dog. My dog prefers plenty of room to "nest". he has an old queen size comforter in there to snuggle in.
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Old August 8th, 2008, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by jessi76 View Post
even negative attention is ATTENTION. you are doing what she wants, attention, and actually reinforcing this behavior.

i'd make sure the crate is the right size for her to comfortably lay and turn around in and i'd put the crate in the same room as you. When i crate trained my dog, I kept the crate right next to my bed, as you would w/ a newborn in a bassinet. We eventually moved the crate to the other side of the room, but it's still IN our room. my dog uses it happily, with the door left open.

is there some reason the crate cannot be in your bedroom? dogs like to sleep with their pack.

my dog is a 50-60lb mix. Our crate is for a 60-80lb dog. just to give you an idea. We have a 2nd one that is actually for a 100lb dog. My dog prefers plenty of room to "nest". he has an old queen size comforter in there to snuggle in.
Thanks Jessi, maybe we'll try putting her in our room. We actually did that one night at the cottage during a stormy night. I only had to tell her "no, go to sleep" once after she whined and she was quiet the rest of the night. The only thing that concerns me is us waking her up. Both my husband and I are up a few times a night to pee but I guess she'd get used to that.
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My furbabies:
Bruno - grey short-haired domestic (bn Aug. 04)
Smuckers - black & white long-haired (bn June 06)
Magic - black mixed Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Malteze, Bichon (bn Feb 19/08)
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Old August 8th, 2008, 11:59 AM
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I have an 11 mth old, so i had the baby in the bassinet not that long ago... and also in my room, every night, are my dog and my 2 cats. I was up ALOT with a newborn, and everyone else was fine. My dog will lift his head if I get up, but he'll stay where he is.

If you need to let the dog out during the night, (which I did too when my dog was a pup) I'd always make it "business like". out, pee, bed. no soft talking, no patting, no cuddling... out, pee, bed. sounds a bit militaristic, but it gets the job done, and doesn't leave expectation of play or any "awake" fun time.

try it out for a week or two, see if her behavior improves (and your sleep!)
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Old August 11th, 2008, 11:18 AM
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Originally Posted by jessi76 View Post
I have an 11 mth old, so i had the baby in the bassinet not that long ago... and also in my room, every night, are my dog and my 2 cats. I was up ALOT with a newborn, and everyone else was fine. My dog will lift his head if I get up, but he'll stay where he is.

If you need to let the dog out during the night, (which I did too when my dog was a pup) I'd always make it "business like". out, pee, bed. no soft talking, no patting, no cuddling... out, pee, bed. sounds a bit militaristic, but it gets the job done, and doesn't leave expectation of play or any "awake" fun time.

try it out for a week or two, see if her behavior improves (and your sleep!)
Well, my husband bought her a bigger crate on Friday AND we had her sleep in it in our room for the weekend. I'm not sure which was the magical ingredient but she slept much better - whined for a few seconds at bedtime and slept thru the night all weekend. I just wonder now if we'll be able to move her out of our room back into her regular room

Thanks for all the advice!
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My furbabies:
Bruno - grey short-haired domestic (bn Aug. 04)
Smuckers - black & white long-haired (bn June 06)
Magic - black mixed Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Malteze, Bichon (bn Feb 19/08)
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Old August 11th, 2008, 11:55 AM
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i would work on the crate in a separate room in the daytime at first

stay with her when she is in it for a few minutes, you dont want the crate to mean you are leaving.

then start leaving/coming back for increased amounts of time.

let her sleep in it in your room if it works for now, and once the amount of time has built up, transition to the other room.
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Old August 11th, 2008, 12:48 PM
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Big was always happy with his crate but only if it was in a corner, against but not touching at least two walls. The only issues we had after we figured that out was when he freaked out for a few days and wouldn't go into the thing without a LOT of cajoling. I finally noticed that a spider had moved in and built a web behind his crate. He doesn't like bugs. Once I moved the spider, he still wasn't thrilled (probably thought we were stupid for not finding it sooner) so we relocated his crate to another corner of the office and after much sniffing and poking and scraping of blankets, he settled back in.
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