Our 9 week old dalmation puppy is settling in just fine now (he can already sit, give a paw and fetch - about as well as can be expected for his age anyway!!!!)

He craves attention, and as long as he is awake has to be with us, no problem - he is a dal after all. But at night he is put in his bed in the lounge and the bannister gate shut, but he wont stay put, he sits at the gate whimpering and crying for ages and ages. But if we put an item of our clothing in his bed he will jump straight in, curl up on it and go to sleep. Either that or we let him in our room with us, but we dont want to encourage that, at night he currently has the run of the lounge, dining room and kitchen.

Is this something he will grow out of?
are we always going to have to let him sleep on our clothing?
should we try to avoid giving him our clothes?

At the moment he is sleeping on Kate's dressing gown because he cried for half an hour before I gave in and put it in his bed.

thanks

Stu

Most pups will settle quicker if they have something they feel comfortable with, in this case an item of your clothing. I wouldn't think this is a problem in itself; but the best person to answer questions about Dals is Jeangenie, who has 4 of them, and lots of Dal knowledge. Hopefully she'll be along later.

liberty:)

He's only a baby - give him a piece of clothing you can live without and the smell of you will eventually wear off, and he will learn to live without it! You are lucky he settles with a piece of clothing, my old boy slept with us until he was five months :D

Edit - and I know for a fact that Jeangenie sleeps with Harry - and Harry aint her husband. :D :D rofl

Chloe, :D :D
Now you've let the cat (or should I say Dal) out of the bag :D

liberty:)

its true - they both sleep under their spotty blankie, heads on their spotty pillows, wearing their spotty pyjamas (harry goes naked) :D :D :D

Errrr .....hello?! I'm listening, you know! :D

don't be embarrassed....but you can go back upstairs now JG - Harry hasn't been a puppy for 5 years :D :D :D

Chloe, you promised you wouldn't tell ........ ;) :D

Hi Stu,
Ignoring the others (I'll have words with them later!!)........... Don't worry, he is being a perfectly normal dal. They love their people, and hate to be alone. If he sleeps better with an item of your clothing, then all well and good - it means he thinks of you as being safe - his secure rock in an uncertain world. Just as toddlers need their 'sucky', or blankie, or whatever, so do many pups. And they grow out of them when they're ready. If itmeans you all get to sleep at night - let it be!
:)

LOL.

cheers guys, the missus said just to let him have the clothing but I wasnt sure if it would be a lifelong thing that he would never grow out of.
Looks like I'll just have to buy a new dressing gown for the g/f!!

Stu

OOPS - just noticed I cant even spell my dogs breed correctly in the first post

If that was me, I'd chuck all my old clothes in with the dog and insist on a new wardrobe :D :D

ssshhhhhh!!!

she doesnt need any encouragement to spend all my wages on her wardrobe as it is!!! I have to walk around in rags because shes spent all my money on her clothes ;)

blah blah blah - typical male :rolleyes: :D :D

am i guessing right here? chloe and stu are a couple

oh no sorry, i read it wrong AGAIN! as dizzy always tells me i MUST concentrate and read thoroughly before replying :rolleyes: lol sorry no offence meant got carried away with the talk of mating :D

HA HA HA HA HA i've done it again!! this isn't the mating post is it!!! i was reading that one and got all mixed up again.... oh dear, think i need to go to bed :o

busted. :D :D

no seriously, the only obsession I have right now is buying horse rugs...and leather trousers...and I have a delivery from Next coming on Monday...aaaargh!! help me

chloe, repeat after me.........

my name is chloe and i am a shopaholic.

I can't do it.... I can't.....

yes you can its easy.....ready..after 3

1...........2................3