New cocker spaniel puppy whines all night...help!!

pinkfeather

I bought an american cocker spaniel 12 week old puppy yesterday. I understand that he has just been taken away from his mother and siblings and will be scared and alone for the first few nights. Last night i left him alone in his basket and he barked and whined. In the end I felt bad for the neighbours so I brought his basket next to my bed and he slept all night there. I don't want to ruin him like this as I know we will have to leave him alone for a while at some point. Has anybody had any experience with spaniel puppies. How long do they whine for until they get used to being on their own? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

andreac

Ok, ill say this, you just have to be tough and ride it out for a few nights. Thats the only way this pup will learn to be on its own at night.

By bringing it upstairs, it has learned, i whine, i get attention.

I suggest getting a crate and using it as your pups bed.

Tire the puppy out just before bed time, make sure it has done its business etc just before you put it to bed, then leave a small treat with it and just leave the pup in the kitchen or whereever you want it to sleep.

But if you are crate training you will have to get up during the night to let it out to the toilet as it cannot hold it in all night in the crate.

Dogs will only whine as long as they are getting the attention from it, so start as you mean to go on. It could take a night, it could take 3 nights, all dogs are different, but you have to be tough and not give in, its the only way.

But if you really tire the pup out before bed time it will help.

Also try leaving a radio on low for them too, it might help.

are you serious

definitely +1 for Andrea's comment

Your pup is going to have lots of energy and as it gets a few months older its energy levels are going to grow and grow, a friend of mine has a cocker and we are always comparing the energy levels of his and mine. That said at 12 weeks it shouldnt take much to tire him out

It should however not take too long for your pup to realise he is safe on his own and that his bed/cage is a safe place to be on his own. My pup took a bit longer than most I think because we baby him the whole time sometimes when we arrive in from work I just want to go to bed but cant because he will bounce himself off every wall in the kitchen unless he gets walked!!

Anyway... Best of luck with your pup and if you need any help or advice everyone on here is always only more than happy to help Post some pics of your new addition!!

pinkfeather

andreac wrote: »

Ok, ill say this, you just have to be tough and ride it out for a few nights. Thats the only way this pup will learn to be on its own at night.

By bringing it upstairs, it has learned, i whine, i get attention.

I suggest getting a crate and using it as your pups bed.

Tire the puppy out just before bed time, make sure it has done its business etc just before you put it to bed, then leave a small treat with it and just leave the pup in the kitchen or whereever you want it to sleep.

But if you are crate training you will have to get up during the night to let it out to the toilet as it cannot hold it in all night in the crate.

Dogs will only whine as long as they are getting the attention from it, so start as you mean to go on. It could take a night, it could take 3 nights, all dogs are different, but you have to be tough and not give in, its the only way.

But if you really tire the pup out before bed time it will help.

Also try leaving a radio on low for them too, it might help.

thankyou so much, i will try this. I have left the pup in the downstairs toilet for 1 hour today with his bed, his bowl and a pee pee pad, also a few toys. when he went quiet for more than ten mins i went in and praised him. I am going to do this tonight too when he goes to bed. am I doing right?

are you serious

Although you have the right idea I think the toilet space is far too small! If the pup gets used to being on his own he will still not sleep all night, he will want to play with his toys.. running around and jumping on them because they might get away

Try if you can cordon off an area in the kitchen with chairs or something like that

cocker5

OP - have a cocker spaniel.... they are fab dogs - congrats...

But its only been the first night... your dog has just been seperated from its mother / other pups... so they are bound to whinge... my cocker creied, howled, dug at the kitchen door for 2.5 months... i kid you not...

firstly the down stairs toilet area is far too small... leave your dog in the kitchen, with his toys, maybe a luke warm hot water bottle... and try leaving the radio on low.... as the other posters you have to cruel to be kind... once you put him to bed... DONT go back down to him... also play with him before bed it will knacker him out!

Best of luck

RosieJoe

Not already suggested but you could call into your neighbours to explain the situation and to let them know that you are trying to resolve the whining.

ruben

:)
Sorry OP for this minor hijack.

Andreac recommended a crate, which would be relatively small?
Then Garkane suggested that the loo was too small - ((but is bigger than the crate, yes/no?)(and was thanked by Andreac) )- Then Cocker5 suggested the kitchen - bigger again

Sorry if I'm being dense.
Which is best?


Just to clarify - getting a new dog on Thursday and was going to crate her but now I dunno:)

hdowney

you deffo have to be strong and not bring her to bed with you. my friend got a jrt just before christmas, and he was a complete baby about it. could not handle listening to her whinge (the last dog he had had was when he was a kid and hadn't done the parenting bit so hadn't a clue) and no matter what i said he couldn't help himself so he took her up to bed with him. ok fair enough if he is happy for the dog to sleep on his bed. but he has babied her to the point if you go out of the room and shut her in she will throw a strop. she won't be left on her own to go out.

and he is STILL as bad. he still thinks he can't go out for an hour or two and leave her unless there is someone to mind her. i cannot get through his thick skull

**Vai**

ruben wrote: »

:)
Sorry OP for this minor hijack.

Andreac recommended a crate, which would be relatively small?
Then Garkane suggested that the loo was too small - ((but is bigger than the crate, yes/no?)(and was thanked by Andreac) )- Then Cocker5 suggested the kitchen - bigger again

Sorry if I'm being dense.
Which is best?


Just to clarify - getting a new dog on Thursday and was going to crate her but now I dunno:)

Best to put the crate in the busiest room in your house. Long as its big enough for the dog to stand up and turn around without hitting the sides too much, its big enough. In fact if the crate is too big it might lead to accidents of the pee variety. Saying that, I bought a crate thats big enough for 2 fully grown GSDs (I only have 1) and Ive never had an issue. They dont need a big room around them when they're in the crate.

ruben

Yes, that's what I thought about the crate.

I'm really just more curious about what looked* like conflicting advice by the same posters.



*Looked like that to me:)

**Vai**

I think andrea was talking about crate training and garkane was talking about a no crate situation (correct me if Im wrong). There are differing opinions on it but I would definitely recommend a crate from the first day u get the dog.

are you serious

ruben wrote: »

:)
Sorry OP for this minor hijack.

Andreac recommended a crate, which would be relatively small?
Then Garkane suggested that the loo was too small - ((but is bigger than the crate, yes/no?)(and was thanked by Andreac) )- Then Cocker5 suggested the kitchen - bigger again

Sorry if I'm being dense.
Which is best?


Just to clarify - getting a new dog on Thursday and was going to crate her but now I dunno:)

Hi Ruben, both myself and Andrea would be of the same opinion I think. My view on the down stairs bathroom as a bad idea is based on the fact that the puppy will want to play at night when your sleeping.

I would however recommend a crate as toilet training aid they are fantastic (not that i used it ) kind of contradicting my own ideas I know but I just see the bathroom as a very secluded place where the pup will not have any interaction at all as Vai said any stories I've heard about using the crate have been good.

This all said every pup/dog is different. and yours may not like the crate. If you do get a crate, make sure its big enough for the dog when it is fully grown then all you need to do for when it is still a pup is use a board to make the size smaller to suit the pup. The reason and thinking behind this is that the pup/dog will not want to soil where it is sleeping!! Be prepared to get up several times during the night to let your new addition out to pee then as the weeks progress it will get longer between toilet times, eventually lasting all night.

At the minute my rottie pup 9months old lasts all night most of the time, sometimes he will wee once and never does his #2 inside anymore thank god.

Patience is the biggest word when toilet training. When its toilet time try using a word when you want your pup to go when you bring it out, and lots of praise once the job is done, I simply say go wee's and it works great if I'm rushing out and need him to go before I leave him in the house for a few hours.


Best of luck and I hope this has clarified it up a bit.

Tedette

I have a King Charles spaniel who cried all night when I got him first, he slept on a little dog bed and did his business on the kitchen floor every night. Someone told me pups have no bladder control until they are 12 weeks so training before that is pointless, once he was 12 weeks I got a crate in Argos for him. It was a God send, he slept in it all night without any whinging or crying and he never did his business in it, he wouldn't go into it voluntarily at the beginning, but with a bit of praise he soon got used to it. I let him outside first thing in the morning and he pretty much trained himself after that. He is quite happy now to be left alone. After a few months when I was confident he was house trained I didn't put him in the crate/cage anymore at night and he sleeps quietly all night on the sofa.
Good luck with your wee pup

AtattooedChick

Hi, I have been looking for an American Cocker Spaniel for years. I need a little friend for my Golden Retriever and I have been in touch with the IKC and they tell me that they are quiet rare. Could you please tell me where you got your little guy? I hope your little puppy has settled in to his new home

concur4u?

and old sytle clicking small clock in with the bedding the pup thinks this is an other heart beat of the litter

aisher

I got a new puppy five weeks ago and we got a crate which has been brilliant! For the first 3 weeks I had to get up each night around 3 a.m. to let her out for a wee/poo and again around 6 am but now she is sleeping right through the night - I put her in the crate around 11.15 and she stays there until we get up around the 8 o'clock mark. Has never soiled the crate -she would whine at the start but if you just wait for a couple of minutes they normally settle. I really thought we were going to have sleepless nights for weeks but its been great - make sure the crate has no room for her to create an area to soil - if you want to buy a big crate for her to grow into just make sure you block off part of the crate or you may find she will make a sleeping area and an area where she can soil. During the day my puppy will often go into the crate for a rest to get away from the kids - best money I spent.

MangoLime

I know it can be torturous to hear your little puppy whining at night but you CANNOT give him attention, otherwise he won't settle into his new surroundings.

However, for the first few days or even weeks it can help if you put a hot water bottle under his cushion(I assume he has a cushion/blanket of some sort) in the basket. This mimicks the warmth of the mother and can help puppies settle down. Also, placing small toys or teddies around puppy mimicks the feel of his brothers and sisters next to him

We tried these techniques with our dog and it worked like a charm she has no problems going to bed now!

Good luck!

DBB

Aisher, you're a great advertisement for crate training, and more's the point for your textbook attention to detail, the secret of your success! Getting up during the night is a nuisance, but the results are great and quick to come!
One more thing I'd suggest OP... Make sure puppy has a full tummy before going to bed at night. A full tummy, an empty bladder and bowel, a warm bed in a crate, and lyric fm on in the background! A recipe for a sleepy pup!

ISDW

DBB wrote: »

Aisher, you're a great advertisement for crate training, and more's the point for your textbook attention to detail, the secret of your success! Getting up during the night is a nuisance, but the results are great and quick to come!
One more thing I'd suggest OP... Make sure puppy has a full tummy before going to bed at night. A full tummy, an empty bladder and bowel, a warm bed in a crate, and lyric fm on in the background! A recipe for a sleepy pup!

Hmmm, take out the crate, and that sounds like a recipe for a sleepy me:D

RuthieC

I have a six month old cocker spaniel, and she did exactly this for the first while. Then the vet, and a few other dog owner friends, recommended DAP. You can get it at most vets. I bought it in plug form. Basically, it releases the scent of a lactating mother and calms down puppies and also dogs with anxiety. It was honestly like a magic switch. The product did say that you'd have to use more than one plug... one plug lasts a month... but after the month she was settled and fine. I couldn't recommend it more!

misschoo

concur4u? wrote: »

and old sytle clicking small clock in with the bedding the pup thinks this is an other heart beat of the litter

For a pup now 2 days away from it's mum the above advice & a warm "hot" water bottle had always worked for me!

JustAThought

Aaaaw, I feel your anguish! The drive home with my new pup was the most horrific drive of my life; I still get the horrors thinking about it and hearing my poor puppy's screams.
But! I got a crate!!!! A big one. Laid half with paper just in case and the other half with a thick snuggly blanket and toy, lured her in with a super treatand she LOVED It!!! Almost a year and a half later and she still loves it, considers it her den, where she goes to sulk when she dosnt get her way, and for a snoooooze after her walk, or to hide a new toy/ yoghurt pot!
For the first while I had the horrors about locking her into a crate but all the books said to do it. I shut the door at night ( she wasn'ttoo happy but I gave in a treat immediately sp that helped) she wouldn't soil hercrate so she was trained in no time. Best Money I ever spent! And I didn't have to worry about retraining her for the car... Crate trained for the car by default! Just tyr and be strong and only go down to reassure or check once, but don't take her out unless for the toilet and then straight back on with a warm blanket and a bit of petting and love
: )

Just a quick one; puppies live to chew. If you choose to use a hot water bottle be so careful if she chews it the hot water can burn her so easily: dogs have a lower threshold for hot. I warmed blankets / towel on the radiator and mine loved this. MUCH safer, and no small chewed parts to choke or burn

Be strong with the whining!!! You don't want to end up like pal who 6 years on still has to sleep with her dig who hates her husband and growls at him!!! Mega disaster!!!!

maxkeogh

hi i also have a 12 whinger pup at night. But the think is he is very unresponsive during the day is this normal

DBB

What do you mean by unresponsive, exactly?

ABajaninCork

Yeah, I feel your pain OP! My Shih Tzu did nothing but whine for the first two weeks we had him.

In the end, we did the same as Just a Thought. Got him a crate, lined one side with vet bed and the other with newspaper. Got a cheap ticking clock to help him settle. In the end, we also wrapped one of my husband's t-shirts (the one he'd be wearing in the day), wrapped that round the clock and hey presto! Dog slept through, only calling us when he wanted to do his business so we'd take it in turns to get up and see to him.

It'll pass soon enough. Next thing to do is his potty training! When he wakes up, eats, drinks and plays, put him out to do his business, and praise/treat him when he does. My dog was 'dry' within 2 weeks.

Good luck to you and welcome to the little guy!

falabo

andreac wrote: »

Ok, ill say this, you just have to be tough and ride it out for a few nights. Thats the only way this pup will learn to be on its own at night.

By bringing it upstairs, it has learned, i whine, i get attention.

I suggest getting a crate and using it as your pups bed.

Tire the puppy out just before bed time, make sure it has done its business etc just before you put it to bed, then leave a small treat with it and just leave the pup in the kitchen or whereever you want it to sleep.

But if you are crate training you will have to get up during the night to let it out to the toilet as it cannot hold it in all night in the crate.

Dogs will only whine as long as they are getting the attention from it, so start as you mean to go on. It could take a night, it could take 3 nights, all dogs are different, but you have to be tough and not give in, its the only way.

But if you really tire the pup out before bed time it will help.

Also try leaving a radio on low for them too, it might help.

Very good advise, can I add "leave a tshirt with your scent". Good luck with the puppy ! :-)