New Owner - New Puppy (9-months)

[TomPiv]

My family and I just adopted a Basenji mix from a local shelter this past weekend. I did all my research prior to adopting regarding the breed so I have an idea as to what I am getting in to (although that remains to be seen). Our puppy's mom was a basenji but no information on the father (looks like some sort of hound). She is a lot of fun to play with, sleeps a lot (when someone is in the room) and is getting used to all of her surroundings. We take her to potty after every nap, after waking and playing, and when she looks like she needs to go. I work from home so she's with me all the time and not in a crate … except at night.

We have our crate in the living room with a blanket over it to keep it dark. We sleep on the second floor. Every night (for the past three nights she has been with us) I have put her down to bed in her crate at 10pm and listened to her welp for about 20-minutes before becoming silent. She welps in the middle of the night (between 2:30am-3am) at which time I get up and take her outside to eliminate. Problem is after getting some fresh air she is full of piss and vinegar and ready to play. I stay quiet and just put her back in and head upstairs without saying anything. She welps for another 20-30 minutes before going back to sleep and is up again around 4am-5am welping some more. I get up again and take her out again but then just stay up and start the day.

My questions for anyone who has read this far is as follows:

• should we move the crate to our bedroom or leave it where it is
• am I doing the right things as far as crating or,
• am I too ealry in this to determine anything

Thanks for any information.

[krunzer]

Do you put something warm with her in her crate at night? Maybe she is cold at 4-5am and that is why she is crying. If you don't want her in your bedroom at night I think this is fine. B's do like being warm so just make sure she is warm. Ohh and we would love to see some pictures of her!

[LindaH]

I'd try moving the crate to the bedroom and see what happens. Our Basenji, Blaze, isn't happy unless his crate is in our bedroom…then he's a happy camper.

[TomPiv]

Thanks for the info. Last night was actually much better to start but much the same in how it ended.
Put in crate and "called out" for about 10 minutes (20-30 minutes prior nights) and then nothing until 3:30am when she had to go out. Only problem arose after she came in from the cold PA air she was ready to play and start the day (3:35am is a little early for me). Put her back in crate and she wimpered, whined and called out until 4:30am when I finally broke down and took her out so she wouldn;t wake the whole house to start both our days.
She is a lot of fun but I am starting to think she is mocking me.

[krunzer]

Awww I think she just wants to be in the big bed with her mommy!