# Puppy's First Night



## Alcibides (Feb 14, 2012)

Our Hav puppy is coming home in a couple of weeks and I'm wondering about where we should put his crate the first night. I wouldn't mind having it near our bed and putting a hand in for comfort as needed, but what about the potty possibilities. Do they mess their crates in the beginning? Lucky will be ten weeks when he comes home. If yes, is that an issue in a bedroom? (his regular area will be in the kitchen of course) Or do you fashion the crate with a puddle pad or what? I think I'd prefer having him near and providing comfort that first night (and I'd really not like to sit up in the kitchen with him) rather than closing the door so I don't hear him cry downstairs. But how is it managed? And if he sleeps his first night in our room, will he expect that forever (not necessarily a bad thing...but wondering). THanks in advance for any experience you can share.


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## ClaireVoyant (Jan 26, 2012)

Dogs are naturally "pack" animals and a pack is all puppies have ever known before that first night. They don't typically "go" in their crate as long as its the proper size (small) but because their little bladders are so tiny, it means they must be taken out frequently in those early weeks. After a couple of months, they're old enough to hold it eight hours or so during the night, but will still need frequent breaks during the day . But a puppy not taken out frequent enough, may have no other choice but to go in the crate . . .thats not a good place to be as they're often extremely difficult to housebreak.


Congratulations on your new Lucky . . .cant wait to see pictures


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

I kept Brody in a small crate on a table by my bed. I was lucky, he slept through the night from the day I got him (his whole litter did too, apparently). I always planned on him sleeping on the bed when he got bigger, so that wasn't a concern of mine. I do think it comforts them to see/hear/smell you and it's definitely much easier to hear them if they do whimper cuz they need to go potty.


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Baxter took awhile to settle into crate sleeping--he cried for several nights. You don't want to get them out every time they cry -- or it will take forever to crate train them. But, when they're little like that, you do have to make sure they don't need to go potty. When Baxter sounded frantic, I'd carry him outside, put him down, tell him to "go potty" and then, whether he did or not, take him right back to the crate.

It really isn't very long before they can hold it all night.


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## Alcibides (Feb 14, 2012)

*Thank you*

Thanks for the help with that. All makes good sense.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kodi has always slept in his crate. I know a lot of people start them off in the bedroom, but that really wasn't feasible for us. (DH didn't want a dog in the beginning, though Kodi now has him COMPLETELY wrapped around his paw) So his crate was downstairs, and for the first week, either I or my son slept next to him on the couch.

I think he was 11 weeks when we brought him home, and from the beginning, he could go from about 11PM to 6AM, but younger puppies will need you to get up during the night with them, at least once. 

I have RA, and I just can't stay up that late at night, so once he was feeling secure, and had proven he would reliably use his litter box in his ex-pen, we just left his crate door open inside his ex-pen, and he started pottying himself if need be during the night. He has a bigger crate now, and it is attached to the outside of his ex-pen, but this is still his "bedroom" arrangement. He has his littler box and a water bottle in the ex-pen, available when he needs them, but he sleeps in the attached crate. 

He also stays in his "room" (by his own choice) when we are out of the house. We tried leaving him loose a few time, and always found him in his "room" when we got back. So we went back to closing him in. Both he AND we feel more secure that way!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

here's some tips on the First Week at Home. http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/puppys-first-week-home-8-9-weeks


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

My intent was to have her sleep in the crate next to the bed, up high enough to see us, but she cried and we put her in bed with us to play and settle her down and that was that, she's been a bed-dog since day one and lets me sleep in as late as I want, so it works for us.

If you do the crate, I've read they like to be able to see you, although, some people have managed w/o the elevated crate.

Congrats on your puppy!

Kara


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## Alcibides (Feb 14, 2012)

Soooo....if the puppy sleeps in a crate by your bedside, must the room be quiet? We often fall asleep in front of the late news or watch a late late night movie. Will puppy sleep through if we put him in the crate at 11 or does he need a quieter place to sleep?? thank you thank you


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## Grindstone50 (Feb 13, 2012)

My girls have gotten used to the crate and yes I had the crate within reach so I could reassure. I DID get them up (I had 2 brought home the same time.) around 3 oclock for the first few weeks. The tv may be a distraction, but then again you can cuddle with the pup during that time, and let him/her out just before you go to sleep! 
Congrats on the new addition! 
Patience is key in the potty training, it does take a lot of time and SELF-DISCIPLINE!


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## Atticus (May 17, 2011)

Atticus slept in the crate on my bedside table right at my face level. I took him for a final pee before bed (10:00) he was dry all night and he got right out to pee first thing in the morning (6:00) Puppies get really tired and sleep a lot! They are usually exhausted from all the excitement of the first day so hopefully you will have an easy night tho not everyone does! They seem to adjust to peoples schedules. I waited till Atticus was housetrained to have him in bed all night. I know many people have a really hard time with that but he was pretty easy in that area. I'm retired and was able to take him out all the time so that I'm sure helped a lot. He is SUCH a snuggle bunny I can't wait to go to bed to cuddle with him! Good luck, enjoy, be prepared for frustration,and great joy!!!


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## Alcibides (Feb 14, 2012)

Thanks all. I really appreciate your experiences and help. Can't wait to welcome this puppy home.


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## Kalico (Jan 11, 2012)

Congrats on the new pup! Our first pup (a lab) cried all night for three weeks, and would even cry when we confined him in the same room as us. He'd also bark when we left the house. He finally learned to be quiet in a crate, but it was horrendous for awhile! Our new Hav pup hasn't cried since day one. We can hardly believe it. She's fine whether we are in the room with her or not. It just depends on the pup, and you won't know until you get him/her. I think you will find that whatever plans you have before he/she comes home, most will get tossed out the window once the pup is there, because you can never tell what they're going to be like or need until you have them home!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Atticus said:


> Atticus slept in the crate on my bedside table right at my face level. I took him for a final pee before bed (10:00) he was dry all night and he got right out to pee first thing in the morning (6:00) Puppies get really tired and sleep a lot! They are usually exhausted from all the excitement of the first day so hopefully you will have an easy night tho not everyone does! They seem to adjust to peoples schedules. I waited till Atticus was housetrained to have him in bed all night. I know many people have a really hard time with that but he was pretty easy in that area. I'm retired and was able to take him out all the time so that I'm sure helped a lot. He is SUCH a snuggle bunny I can't wait to go to bed to cuddle with him! Good luck, enjoy, be prepared for frustration,and great joy!!!


Kodi doesn't WANT to be in bed with us all night. He LOVES to snuggle in bed in the evening, and again, Dave lets him out of his pen in the morning and he dashes upstairs fro another half hour of snuggle time before I get up, but if you don't take him down to his crate, he will start to whine and complain somewhere around 10:00 until you ask, "Wanna go to bed", at which point he does his little head tilt thing (which means you've said the right word) and leap off the bed and wait for you to take him down. The funny thing is, he COULD go down by himself... the bedroom door isn't closed, and his pen is open too. But it's important to him that you go down with him... just like a little kid who needs to be "put to bed". They are the most endearing little creatures!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kalico said:


> Congrats on the new pup! Our first pup (a lab) cried all night for three weeks, and would even cry when we confined him in the same room as us. He'd also bark when we left the house. He finally learned to be quiet in a crate, but it was horrendous for awhile! Our new Hav pup hasn't cried since day one. We can hardly believe it. She's fine whether we are in the room with her or not. It just depends on the pup, and you won't know until you get him/her. I think you will find that whatever plans you have before he/she comes home, most will get tossed out the window once the pup is there, because you can never tell what they're going to be like or need until you have them home!


It can depend on the pup, but I think this is another place where the right breeder can help tremendously. Kodi's breeder started putting the pups in separate crates at night, side by side, so they could all smell each other, about a week before they went to their families. Kodi slept through the night without a peep starting on night one. We DID make sure that someone slept near him for the first week, just in case, and to help him feel secure, but there was no problem at all.


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## Cosmo (Dec 21, 2011)

I understand everyone has their preference as to where they want their pup to sleep. As far as giving a puppy security, is there really a need for the dog to see you while he sleeps? I thought since dogs have an amazing sense of smell it would be enough for them to feel secure via their sense of smell. I do not think a puppy needs to sleep in the same room in order to feel secure. I have read that it is a good idea to place a personal article of clothing in his crate as security blanket.


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## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

Cosmo said:


> I understand everyone has their preference as to where they want their pup to sleep. As far as giving a puppy security, is there really a need for the dog to see you while he sleeps? I thought since dogs have an amazing sense of smell it would be enough for them to feel secure via their sense of smell. I do not think a puppy needs to sleep in the same room in order to feel secure. I have read that it is a good idea to place a personal article of clothing in his crate as security blanket.


Most, if not all, havs are what they call a 'velcro dog'. They are needy when it comes to attention from thier owners. For me, personal article, hot water bottle, ticking cloack etc. all didn't work.

When i brough Oreo home, we put him in his expen in the kitchen with his crate but he would cry, whine and bark at night. We would ignore him because if we attended to him, it gives him the impression that if he whines, someone will come.

This went on for about a week and couldn't stand it anymore. We put him in his crate and in our bedroom, elevated first by a small table so he can see me. Not a peep, though he did wake us up early as it's unserdtandable because of his small bladder.

Oreo now sleeps on the floor of our bedroom witht he crate open. He doesn't like to sleep in bed (and we don't let him on the bed). When he's ready he will go into his crate to retire for the rest of the night.

Once more thing you might come across is separation axienty. Oreo had that. We couldn't be out of his sight for more then 5 seconds or else he'll go ballistic. We tried to lock him in his expen when we went out but would come home to poopy mess in the expen with little paw prints of poo on the floor. He would also bark and bark and bark. We started to train him on separating by closing the doors to the kitchen at for short periods of time and lengthen the time we went in to see him.

Now Oreo is more independant and when we go out, he'll just lie on the mat by the door till we come hom. No more barking or accidents *knock on wood*


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