8 Week Old Puppy

Hi Guys,

I know I have come to the right! We finally got our new boy last week. He does an amazing job of fetching the ball, tug of war, chewing toys etc. I have most things under wraps with knowing mostly what the deal is and have a good idea how to train him. However, the one thing I am less confident with is sleeping overnight. For the first few nights I have woken to his cry let him out for pee and taken him back in had a play then gave him a cuddle to sleep. The next night I ignored the cry a little longer and put him out for his business and put him back on his bed to go back to sleep with a calming pat. Although we have the newspaper and puppy pads down he has refused to use them even at night thus far or even in the day because we have got him outside to go after waking up and feeding. When we have needed to sleep we have just let him sleep with us and he has stayed asleep longer than when he was on his own or he has woken but gone back to sleep. I know that's probably not the best thing to do but when you need sleep yourself you gotta get it one way or the other.

Now that we have made it through the first 4 nights I need a new plan for the 5th. I have him in the laundry its not that big, we have his food in there, newspaper-puppy pads down, door closed. What methods could I try from here to get him to stay in there and sleep all night? Like, how much pain do I need to go through with his whining? Do I still need to get up but make him wait? Tell him no when his whining? And is a tap on the nose with your finger ok when they do test the boundaries of biting and chewing on humans? I am not talking a hard tap just a tap to get his attention and a firm no with the finger pointing down at him? and then give him a more appropriate toy to chew on?

Thanks in advance!

When we tried to leave Dusty at night in her crate she cried for about 20 - 30 mins for the first night and then cried about half an hour later then we heard nothing until about 4 am when whe woke for a wee. Took her out let her we gave her a treat and came back in, put her back in her crate then went until 7 am before getting up again. Next night she cried again for about 10-20 mins then woke up about 5 am. What has happened is she cried for a little and eventually learned that was where she was to sleep and that the cry would not work although for every minute she cried i was sat listening hoping that she would stop and saying that if it went on for more than 5 mins i would go down. You got to be a little tough or he will have you wrapped round his paw

If you are not going to have him sleep with you the best thing you can do is ignore the whinning. If you respond to it he will think this is how to get attention. I would advise against tapping the nose at all. It could result in him becoming reluctant to being touched on the head.

I think you need to decide whether your pup is going to sleep with you or on his own in the laundry room, then stick to it! You will get some whing/crying for a couple of days, but he will settle. You need to just ignore it. I've always put a pup to bed around 10pm-ish and then got up at 4am to let it out for a wee & then back to bed. I usually do that for the first couple of months.

Please don't tap your pup on the nose, however lightly, you will make him head shy - it looks awful when anybody tries to touch a dog's head & they shy away as though they're going to be hit!

The best way is to give a firm but calm "No!" and then turn away from him, don't look at him, don't touch him - no interraction at all until he calms down.

The chances are that he will cry a lot at night as Staffies adore people and crave human contact. You may want to leave a radio on for him, just turn it on quietly, maybe find a talky station or quiet music. Rocky sleeps on the bottom of our bed at night and we still put music on for him. He has his own classical collection on the ipod

Was just curious about the tap on the nose. thank you everyone for your advice. I am really trying to work out what level of tough and punishment I need to go for the message to get through. I will find some more blankies I think to try keep him warmer and a radio for sureight have him listen to 90's rock lol I am all for different strategies as not all will suit like with a child for them to reslpond.

After reading some posts today I tested a few things put and already had a positive reaponse from Bud so I amvery happy and happier I found this forum too. I hope he responds tonight and we can sleep past the cry's. I do know with my old staffy she took a week or two to settle in but I think it was a tad easier with because she was 12 weeks old when she was taken home (also 13 years ago so harder to remember what we did to get through the cry's at night). I hope to find more info here because its helping me help my wife with strategies also she hasn't experienced a puppy like this before as in of her own and going through this stage.

toomuc wrote: I am really trying to work out what level of tough and punishment I need to go for the message to get through.

Everything your dog does (good & bad) is just a natural 'behaviour'. We just need to let the dog know which behaviours are acceptable & which ones aren't.

Try, as far as possible, to reward good behaviour and ignore bad (in our eyes) behaviour. Luckily, the stafford is a very 'people' dog so will hate being ignored & the penny drops quite quickly. Obviously there will be times when you can't ignore something, but usually a firm "No!" or "Leave!" (always a good one to teach) will do the trick!

He nibbled my toe (barely touched me but wanted to try this out regardless) and gave a yelp he stopped looked up at me and left me alone! i would say its a good technique. At the backdoor he needed to stay outside for while youngest child was in bath and getting out (she is a little weary still but coming around) and Bud cried at the door I told him no with my finger waving so he knew i was serious left him and his cries stopped then he tried again but he wasn't as loud. I said no by which time I was ready to let back in aaited for his cries to stop + 30 seconds and let him in and still wagging his tail at the end of it!

Just be consitant as others have said. You do feel mean but if your strict with them and set boundaries to begin with then it makes your job 100 x easier in the long run.

toomuc wrote:He nibbled my toe (barely touched me but wanted to try this out regardless) and gave a yelp he stopped looked up at me and left me alone! i would say its a good technique. At the backdoor he needed to stay outside for while youngest child was in bath and getting out (she is a little weary still but coming around) and Bud cried at the door I told him no with my finger waving so he knew i was serious left him and his cries stopped then he tried again but he wasn't as loud. I said no by which time I was ready to let back in aaited for his cries to stop + 30 seconds and let him in and still wagging his tail at the end of it!

It does get through to them in the end, and done positively you will have a happier dog at the end of it!

Good luck , all the advice here is good and patience and determination are the keys

its funny looking back now but the next night after doing this post the boy stayed in the laundry all night the novice mistake i made was keeping food in with him and since taking that out giving him a pit stop bf bed his making it through to 6:30 which is a good alarm. for some added comfort for ive left the tv on so that sound can b soothing in a way i hope but its working now. i put him in a soft crate and is enjoying his safe place when he sleeps through the day away from the kiddies. my youngest is has grown to like him as in confidence being around him so its all looking up atm just need the cat to come to terms and not b so scared.

kathytake2 wrote:Rocky sleeps on the bottom of our bed at night and we still put music on for him. He has his own classical collection on the ipod