Hi, i have brought a choc labrador 2 weeks ago, she is 12 weeks old now and she is the perfect apart from 1 thing.  She sleeps soundly till 2.30 - 3.00 am in the morning but then we just can't get her back to sleep.  Has anyone got any suggestions as unfortuantley our neighbours have complained to our local council instead of us and we now have a 28 day notice to sort it out.

What kind of exercise does she get and when?

At the moment she isn't supposed to go out for any walks because she does'nt have her second jab untill tommorow, but we do take her out for half an hours walk a couple of times a day(lunch time and about 8-9pm) and then we just play with her in the garden and the house roughly for a couple hours a day (about 5pm)

Hello and welcome to the forum :)

Well seems your neighbours are not the most hepful - hard to believe that the council are being so unsympathetic with a 12 weeks puppy!

Anyway, firstly, were this me I'd have a chat with the neighbours and explain this is very much a temporary problem as you're trying to train a very young puppy and, like any human baby, when distressed for any reason they make a noise.  Explain that you've sought advice on how to get over this temporary glitch and ask could they please be patient in the meantime :)

Onto the puppy.  I don't leave pups to cry and whine - they do so because they are distressed which could be for a number of reasons.  I'd suggest that you may have to set up a timetable of 'events' which are possibly better suited to your pup's immediate needs until the little mite is able to keep dry and clean overnight as well as feel secure.

1. Ensure your pup's meals are spread out well through the day.  For eg. 7-30am, 12-30pm, 5-30pm and 10-30pm.  Pups have very small tums which is why at this age they need 4 meals a day - they also therefore get hungry quicker and need to have meal times spread across as large a time frame as possible :)   This helps prevent your puppy crying through hunger
2. Ensure puppy has toiletted fully before bedtime.  Stay up if necessary later than you would normally to ensure pup is comfortable for a night's sleep.  A full night's sleep for a pup of this age is anything between 4-6 hours only so set your alarm to get up BEFORE you expect the pup to wake and take it into the garden to relieve itself.  Don't play with or excite the pup in any way - calmly allow it to toilet, praise of course but not too excitedly, and return pup to it's bed.  This helps prevent your puppy crying through needing the toilet or being being soiled
3. And TBH, this is my main feeling here - don;t leave the puppy to be afraid or distressed on its own.  If you haven't already done so, have the puppy sleep in a room with you or if not practical take up temporary residence yourself in the room the puppy sleeps :)  This doesn't have to be a life long situation by any means but if your puppy is scared or feels abandoned it will cry just as loudly as one which is hungry or soiled.  Build the pups confidence gradually to accept periods alone and pre-empt times when it may wake up so that you can attend to it's most basic needs without it having to holler and bring the house down :)

I'm sure with a few minor adjustments in your current regime (which TBF I can only guess at!) you will very quickly resolve the issues with your neighbours and, importantly, have a routine that works best for the puppy and your family so peace is restored for all.

HTH, best wishes Teri

I definitely agree with Teri... if possible have the pup in your room, or you in her room. She is probably waking up in the middle of the night with no mum, brothers or sisters and feeling very lonely. You may even find that if she can just hear you ie, snoring, breathing, moving in bed, she will settle down again. I got a lot of hassle from my father in law for allowing my pup to sleep in the bedroom (not in our bed) but it has turned out very well. She gets up in the night, pokes her face into mine to make sure that I am still there, and then goes back to her crate. Doggy night breath isn't ideal but who really cares about that!!?
PS: Can't believe your neighbours, they could have at least had a word with you first. Some people seem to enjoy upsetting others.. what a sad life for them.

Thankyou i will try your suggestions

Thankyou i will try yours and teri's ideas

> but we do take her out for half an hours walk a couple of times a day(lunch time and about 8-9pm)

thats a lot of walking for a pup that age! an hour a day for a 12 week old?

>> thats a lot of walking for a pup that age! an hour a day for a 12 week old? <IMG class=qButton title="Quote selected text" height=10 alt="Quote selected text" src="/images/mi_quote.gif" width=20>

Agree with you Astarte I was thinking that, I thought 15 mins a day walk plus unlimited games etc was the recommended amount for a young puppy & gradually increase it as the pup grows? I could be wrong though!

Personally I would not take a puppy out if they were not fully vaccinated.  I don't see why you would take the risk when you have a garden you can use.  Unless you mean you carry puppy about for socialising?  As others have said an hours walking would be far too much for such a young puppy.

You need to be sticking to the 5mins per month they are old rule - it works very well and alot of people use it.

Some really great ideas and advice on here.  Having just come out of the puppy stage can wholeheartedly recommend having pup in a crate next to you, it does work.

no your right! the guideline rule is 5 mins per month of life till your at full walks so fifteen mins a dayfor a 12 weeker. also agree with isabel

As everyone else has said, Im suprised that the pup is getting so much lead exercise. I wouldnt take a pup out for at least a week after the second jab. Until then we have short lead walks around the garden on the soft ground, and lots of puppy restling and games around the house. Usually try to time it so they are awake and using energy before bed time so they are tired and actually sleep. As Teri said, a few adjustments, and having a set routine and the pup will soon get the hang of it.
Good Luck

I agree that exercising isnt going to tire your pup out, just cause problems, so try something different. Mental exercise can be more tiring, so try more training and concentration work. HOWEVER you need something that is going to work in the short term because of your unsympathetic neighbours....so I would recommend keeping pup in your room in a crate. Do this all night, not just when she cries.  Most pups like this, and then only squeak for a wee break. Another alternative is to set your alarm for 2 am before pup wakes naturally, then take her for a wee in her sleepy state. She may well go off to sleep on her own when you bring her back in. This worked for a pup I had once.

I agree with the idea of having pup in your room absolutely, and dont worry just because they sleep in with you at first doesnt mean they always will .......Unles you want them too !!!!!!!!!!

Um I am going to stick my head above the parapet, there is no way I would have a dog in my bedroom. Both pups slept in their crates from day 1. Have you tried, when she crys, which is for attention. Popping in and putting a radio on low so she has the noise? Our two (maybe we were lucky) were crate trained and didn't cause us any problems. They have to learn their behaviour from us as owners, a bit like children, if they are fed, dont need a wee, they have to be taught to sleep in their bed not mine!
When ours are ill, we get up at 1am 3am and check them, then go back to bed.
I am really anti dogs in bedrooms there has to be one area thats not hairy or doggy. They have their own crates, are with us at home in the kitchen and lounge, all day in our office and thats it!!
Some pups do need reassureance that you are "there" if they have a snuggly bed, a den area that they feel safe in and prehaps a gentle humm of noise they should settle.
28 days is a long times grace to get the pup settled but dont get upset or angry because of the noise or it will make things worse, patience and gentle repetative action should do it.

hi there i have a 13 week old puppy  who also likes to whine quite a bit a night time ive had him for two weeks now and he seems to love his crate just not at bedtime.the dogs (i have another two) have their own room with a sofa  and i assumed that he would want to sleep with them i suppose hoped he would sleep with them. my neighbour is pregnant at the moment and not very well and i also have young kids who have school in the morning. and it is very loud at nite time when they whine and bark. i let him up to my bedroom and put him at my side of the bed . but after that 3am call of nature it is very hard to get him to settle again. i am confident that he will grow out of it as all my other dogs did.
i have a stair gate and my older two wouldnt dare go up stairs  now unless i called them up and they both slept at the foot of my bed for a while as puppies.

good luck x

whistler, just cos a pup starts in the bedroom with you doesnt mean it stays there and wont convert to being out of the bedroom.  My pup (now 6 months) was in a crate beside the bed so I was close by and could hear her waking to want to go out, after only 6 weeks she was in a crate on the landing and another 2 weeks late had the run of the household with the other dogs at night.  Its the first time I have tried this immediately and it was the best thing ever and I would do it again with every pup I have in the future.

> just cos a pup starts in the bedroom with you doesnt mean it stays there and wont convert to being out of the bedroom

Completely agree dvnbiker :)  The 'start as you mean to go on' attitude is rather old hat and not entirely rational in every situation - IME it's far better to build bonds and maximise instilling security as much as house training at this tender stage than to add even more stress to an already anxious youngster.

I only ever have pups in with me and would not allow a puppy bred by me to go to a home where the new owner intended to let it cry itself to sleep :)

> Its the first time I have tried this immediately and it was the best thing ever and I would do it again with every pup I have in the future.

Good for you!
regards, Teri

I agree too, mine all started in with us in the bedroom and none of them sleep there now, they both have their own beds in the kitchen but puppies have so many new things happening they need that wee bit of comfort that knowing you are near gives!

> just cos a pup starts in the bedroom with you doesnt mean it stays there and wont convert to being out of the bedroom.&nbsp;

I'm trying to be open minded about this but I really, really don't want dogs in my bedroom.  Has anyone had success with this method when there are no other dogs that the puppy will be joining downstairs and he is having to learn to sleep independently?