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1.
The puppy won’t be sleeping much, so you
shouldn’t expect to, either.
2.
Sleep in sweat-clothes, or keep them beside
your bed in case the puppy wakes you up by crying, scratching and/or walking
around in his crate.
3.
Tire out the puppy before bed by playing with
her about an hour before you expect to be going to sleep. Let her wind down and
mellow out before you put her into the crate. A tuckered-out puppy is generally
more relaxed.
4.
Try different comfort items in the crate. Put
in a hot-water bottle (or microwaveable heating pad) wrapped in a towel—the
warmth is a reminder of the coziness of his lost littermates. A loudly ticking
clock can achieve the same result, and a piece of real or synthetic lambskin,
or a toy made of the same, can also be soothing company.
5.
If you have a wire crate, try putting a big
towel or blanket over the top and down two sides. This can make the crate seem
cozier, more den-like.
6.
Ask the breeder for a piece of cloth from the
bedding the puppy has lived in with her littermates. The familiar smell will
provide a security blanket when the young pup feels most insecure those first
few nights on her own.
7.
Keep the crate by your bed so you can hear
when the puppy gets restless and needs to go out. The puppy will probably cry several times during the night.
This is normal: there is nothing wrong with him, he just feels vulnerable.
8.
Do not verbally try to soothe a whining,
crying puppy in a crate. If you say, “Good boy, that’s okay,” you are praising
and reinforcing the whining.
9.
Don’t yell at the puppy, either. Raising your
voice and sounding angry will only make an anxious puppy more nervous.
10. Take the puppy out to pee if he cries or
whines, but keep it low-key: no playing, no festivities, just business. Praise
the peeing but put the puppy right back into the crate.
11. Do
not reprimand the puppy for crying in the early days. It’s a big thing to be
taken away from your litter and left to sleep all alone in the dark. You’d
probably cry a little, too.
12. The puppy has to go out to pee the VERY first
thing in the morning. Before you pee, she pees. You have better bladder control
at this point.
Copyright © Tracie Hotchner – Originally appeared in The Dog Bible: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know by Tracie Hotchner
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