Night time problems!

[kono]

I need some serious help with my new B, Mia..

She's 10 weeks old now, so I have nothing but patience with her as she is just a baby, but I can't get a decent nights sleep at all!

She is a pretty good puppy for the most part.. she is great on walks, is very friendly with all other dogs and people. Doesn't pull on the leash, or whine for food. She is really angry at one part of my carpet, but other than that she isn't all that destructive.

The big problem is the crate. I've been reading the posts for tips on how to keep her from peeing and pooping in the crate, but I didn't see anything for excessive nighttime howling. She will sleep in my lap or at my feet for an entire night without so much as a stir… but if she is moved to the crate, she screams and howls. It pains me to ignore it, because it sounds so desperate, but I don't want her to associate her whining with me letting her out. But instead of getting shorter, the howling is getting MUCH worse.

I've tried plastic crates and wire cages. Changed types of blankets and pads. Put a ticking clocking in with her, and a small radio that is barely audible playing some light music. I even tried one of those thick rubber hot water bottles so it would feel like a body under her blanket (I'm sure you all can figure out how that one ended haha)

Any ideas??

[etzbseder]

If you're absolutely sure there's nothing wrong, but she just wants out, and you absolutely can't let her out, you could borrow a bark collar for a week or two. I know it's mean, but it'll get the job done.

[lvoss]

@etzbseder:

If you're absolutely sure there's nothing wrong, but she just wants out, and you absolutely can't let her out, you could borrow a bark collar for a week or two. I know it's mean, but it'll get the job done.

That is the absolute worst idea, you want the crate to be a positive place with only good associations. Using a bark collar would undermine all work to crate train her and make the crate a place associated with pain and fear.

[lvoss]

Is Mia crated during the day? or only at night?

What is your daily routine for Mia? What have you done to make the crate a positive place for her? Does Mia willing go in her crate at other times of the day? Have you talked with her breeder about what her schedule was like there?

[renaultf1]

@etzbseder:

If you're absolutely sure there's nothing wrong, but she just wants out, and you absolutely can't let her out, you could borrow a bark collar for a week or two. I know it's mean, but it'll get the job done.

OMG…you can't be serious...on a 10 week old puppy! Bad, bad idea...she is already scared enough so by adding in pain you could pretty much give up any "happy place" association with a crate. Wow...really bad. And IMHO bark collars are bad for adult dogs.

[tanza]

@lvoss:

Is Mia crated during the day? or only at night?

What is your daily routine for Mia? What have you done to make the crate a positive place for her? Does Mia willing go in her crate at other times of the day? Have you talked with her breeder about what her schedule was like there?

I agree, what is her schedule like? And if crated during the day… then I would suggest that she not be crated at night....

And where is the crate...? Is it near you in the bedroom? like next to the bed? That way she knows exactly where you are... and you are in the same room...

[etzbseder]

I used a bark collar with Medjai for a few days, and although he still whines in there when he doesn't know where I went, he loves laying in there with the door open when I watch tv on the couch. Medjai sleeps in my bed at night, but he definitely doesn't dislike the crate, it was just a difficult week for me when he had the bark collar. The only times I have to put him in the crate with the door closed are when he eats sometimes when he's taking the food to all the chairs, and when I go to class for an hour or so 4 times a week.

[etzbseder]

I completely missed the 10 week old part. You probably want to try to tough it out and make it all nice and fun for awhile first and see if she softens up to the crate. Medjai was about 9 or 10 months old when I had to do that.

[tanza]

As Lisa said, I would never use a bark collar… for any reason....

[kono]

The crate is unfortunately in the kitchen area of my apartment - my bedroom is kind of cramped for a crate of any type.

I try to make it seem like a more positive place by keeping her best toys in there, and giving her a treat whenever she goes in on her own to nap. She'll nap all the time in there or the blanket next to the crate on her own.. but as soon as you disappear for the night the howling just won't stop.

As for schedule.. right now I take her out at 5am, and again at 8am before I leave for work. I'll come home for lunch breaks, and spend about 45 minutes playing with her and take her out again, and then I'm home around 3-4pm and she's out with me all afternoon. I'm taking her for longer and longer walks during the afternoon. She does nap a lot during the day, especially on top of my feet. Maybe I should keep her from sleeping during the day so she is exhausted and can sleep thru the night? I don't usually put her in the crate until around 11pm or so… 6 hours in a crate a night doesn't seem that awful to me!

[dash]

why can't she sleep in the bed?

[Ninabeana26]

Dallas was a crate screamer when we were training him to sleep there at night. It just took a while for him to realize that his screams weren't getting him anywhere.

Although, if there was a way to get the crate next to your bed, you'd probably have quicker results. We would move Dallas' crate into the bedroom at bedtime so he could see us. That also helped in house training because he would wake up at usually around 3-4 AM, needing to pee, & I could easily take him out because I'd hear him start to move around in his crate.

It just takes some time, patience & ear plugs. :p

Oh I will mention though that now Dallas sleeps in bed with me because he is crated during the day.

[lvoss]

It sounds like you are crating her while you are at work and crating at night, is that right? That is a lot of crating and with the crate being in the kitchen so there is the added element of separation at night also, it all adds up to a lonely puppy. Dogs are social animals that really need to know they are part of the pack. If you could find a way for the crate to be in the bedroom so she is not separated from you at night that might help.

Is there are reason you don't want her sleeping in bed? If you are going to crate during the day, then I wouldn't recommend also crating at night. You may want to look into getting her a nice dog bed that you can train her to sleep on.

If you scroll down to Go To Mat this is one method for getting her started on learning to sleep on her own bed, http://www.dragonflyllama.com/%20DOGS/Levels/ByLevel/2Level.html

[kono]

I don't mind her sleeping in bed with me, for the most part. She's a neck and face cuddler tho, so sometimes she doesn't realize her claws hurt my face.

I do feel bad crating her at night, but my girlfriend said that once a puppy gets used to the bed she will absolutely refuse to sleep anywhere else.. I figured that might be a bad trend to start.

But it makes sense… plus the help with house training will be nice..

I will try to let her sleep in bed with me for awhile and maybe I can gradually switch her to a blanket on the floor next to my bed?

[lvoss]

If you want her to sleep next to the bed then you need to start that now not try to switch later. But she may be much more willing to accept sleeping in her own dog bed in your room then alone in kitchen.

There is another thread right now about beds with some good recommendations for some that you could get.

[lvoss]

Just because the sleep in your bed doesn't mean they won't sleep anywhere else but it is harder to retrain a new behavior than it is to just start with the one you want.

My male has always been a bed dog but there many nights he prefers to sleep in my computer chair.

[etzbseder]

It does all depend on the dog itself. Medjai will sleep easily in my bed or his crate. Even though his crate is next to my bed, he was comfortable when his crate was out in the living room as well.

[kono]

So last night I let her sleep in the bed with me and my girlfriend..

And it went pretty well.. she woke up at 2am and I took her out to pee real quick, and then she went back to sleep. The only real problem is she loves to pounce on Aly's hair and start gnawing on it, but other than that… no howling and I was able to get a decent nights sleep.

And the best part was no messes to clean up this morning - she definitely didn't want to go potty on my bed (Thank yooooooou) haha

thank you guys for the help hopefully she stays this wonderful

[Ninabeana26]

Dallas would try to knaw on my hair when he was a puppy too. Something about the texture they love? Haha. Anyway, just give her a strong NO when she does it, & move her away from the hair. Sometimes it is also a good idea to have something you can redirect her chewing to after doing this, like one of her toys. When she starts to chew on the toy vs. your girlfriend's hair, praise her big time. She'll get it in no time.

Oh & welcome to the world of bed hoggery. Hah. You will learn quickly how basenjis have this amazing talent of taking up the ENTIRE bed, with only one of them sleeping in it. Your girlfriend and you will be cuddled up to one side of the bed in no time :p

[etzbseder]

I think the hair eating is texture and smell because Medjai still can't resist some of my friends hair when they sit on the couch where Medjai can get to it.