We are about to get our 8 week old tibetan terrier puppy.  On her first night home do we put her in her crate with the door shut? This seems a little harsh.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we can make the first few nights easier for the puppy and us? Thanks

Depending on where you want your pup to sleep, keep it company in that place for the first nights. If you want her to sleep next to your bed, it's easy to put a hand down for comfort if pup gets worried during the night. If she's going to sleep in another room, keep the puppy company in there for the first nights. Remember those will be the first nights without the comfort of its littermates.After a few nights when the pup has settled in with you, it will start to feel secure in its new home. Then comes the time for sleeping alone.  Sleeping alone in a crate behind a closed door must be very scary to a little pup. Good luck with your puppy, enjoy those puppy-months, they are gone only too soon.

Just spent my first night with new Tibetan Puppy, Possibly same Kennel.  Yes absolutely essential you comfort her in her room if you want her to settle there. Join and we can compare notes.

Hi Guest, this topic has been discussed many times on this board, this http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/cgi-bin/board/topic_show.pl?pid=581517;hlm=and;hl=first%20night#581517 might be useful.
We've tried a few different ways, ie puppy left where it will always sleep, in the crate and any noise ignored, with puppy taken out at intervals during the night, also having puppy upstairs in our room and the last method is what I've described in that thread, and I would now not do it anyother way.
HTH, good luck with your new pup
Emily

Sorry - can't seem to do links today, just copy and paste :)

I think the best idea is for you to sleep right in front of the crate for the first few nights.  Then gradually move further away until you're upstairs in your own beds.  That's if you don't want the dog in your bedroom ever.  If you do want the dog in your bedroom, then you can go for the more comfortable option of putting the dog in the crate by the side of your bed.  And then moving the crate away until it's where you want it.

that's what i did with the first night, spent it lying next to the crate with the door open so i could reassure the puppy, then gradually each night closed the door a little more ,moving further away until i could have the crate door shut and after that i managed to slepp in my own bed. Took around a week to get to this stage.