What can I do about my Lhasa puppy crying at night? Until a few days ago she was sleeping downstairs in a crate quite happily with her brother. Now the brother has gone to a new home and she is not happy to sleep in the crate at all, I now leave it open and she does go in it to sleep, but not at night - in fact, she's not happy to be downstairs at all once we have gone upstairs. Last night, In an effort to get a little sleep and appease my neighbours (who must think I'm torturing her!), I grabbed a spare duvet and slept downstairs with her in the conservatory. I know this was probably a huge mistake. What should I do buy some ear plugs or what? Do I continue to give into her demands for company at night, or tough it out in the hope that it will stop soon? HELP!!!!!!!

Sharon

Every time you go to her your making it worse.
Like children she has to know the rules but you are giving her mixed
messages, Thats worse than leaving her to cry.
You should make up your mind either that she has to sleep there or
you take her to bed with you. Once you have decided get the ear plugs
in and don"t go down. After a couple of nights the whineing will get less
and less. It is hard but do not make it harder.
good luck.

Sharon, make a trip to your local charity shop and buy a big teddy. Make sure to check that the teddy's eyes and nose are very secure and that it doesn't have any bits that could be chewed and swallowed tho'. Works for my puppies every time ;-)

I know how you feel! I have got an 8 1/2 week old lab pup who we have had since saturday and was until last night he was getting better he was down it waking us up crying once - started off at three times on saturday night! Anyway last night it was back to three times i was trying to leave him but hubby decided he had to get up to him and put him back to bed - every time he cried so i am expecting less sleep tonight!

I do agree you have leave them and let them cry unfortunantley. He is even trying it during the day as well now if i shut him in for any reason just to get my attention. He has the whole kitchen to himself!

Oh and tried the teddy - didn't work! great toy though loves it to bits!

Yes, I tried the teddy, hot water bottle, alarm clock etc. Tonight I'm going to try to be tough and leave her to it. Sounds cruel - probably more cruel to my husband who has to get up very early - but, hopefully she will soon learn that we haven't abandoned her for good, just for a bit of 'shuteye'! Still don't know what to do about the neighbours though.....

Sharon

If you are finding the neighbours and your patience wearing thin, try what worked with one of the pups I bred.

Go down to the kitchen, and silently take her into the garden, give a command of busy or whatever, thengo back in and ignore her completely while you make a pot of tea, finish the washing up or whatever. she will find your lack of interaction boring and eventually lie down, then with minimum fuss leave the room!

Do this each time (except the toilet bit if you have only just done it a half hour since). What she wants is your attention, when she dinds that she is being ignored once it is night she will give in.

i guess your pup is still very young? As there will be a lot of loneliness here; we took our pup upstairs for a few weeks, then once she had gained confidence in herself and her home (your pup is maybe wondering what on earth has happened and where is his brother?) moved her downstairs. I don't remember her crying at all, may have helped that we left the bedroom door open so she could hear us.

I think leaving them to cry does work, but i would find it very hard :) and also it's harder on the pup. YOu do need either a comforter (such as the teddy suggestion) or to consider something alternative such as - bringing pup upstairs.

HOwever what works for one may not work for all - ah, the joys of puppy training ;)

Good luck anyway

lindsay

Our first Elkhound behaved like this, and as we lived in a terraced house at the time we were worried about our neighbours. So we used to go down and sleep on the bedsettee. When he was 6 mths old our neighbours went on holiday and I decided the time had come to go back to my bed, equiped with ear plugs, a radio and gritted teeth I set off to bed. It was awfull the first night, better the next and he has not made a sound since, unless it's urgent and even then he does it under his breath, so all those 'shoos' and 'be quites' when he was a baby must have got through but he did not wish to be left so he just kept on shouting. Jackie H

Sharon

Just wondered how you got on last night? I managed to convince huubby that Bailey should be left and when he start crying at 1.30 this morning we did leave him and eventually he did get bored and went quiet. But unfortunatley he started up again at 5.40 and wasn't quiet again before we had to get up at 6 (hubby has to go to work) so don't know if will have the desired effect yet! But i am going to perserve and have another go tonight!

Let me know how you get on, its quite nice knowing you aren't the only one going through this! :)

Tracy

Sorry I haven't replied to everyone - computer problems. Anyway, last night I was expecting the usual crying from Tilly when I tried to go to bed, and was bracing myself for yet another night on the sofa ( not that I mind too much as she doesn't snore like a certain human I know!), but it didn't happen. She slept downstairs and I didn't hear a peep out of her all night!
P.S Does anyone know if Dougal in the Magic Roundabout was a Lhasa Apso?!!!!

Sharon

I think I read years ago that he was. don't mind the new series, but I hate the new Zebedee voice! The spaced out rabbit also had a beter voice before :(