Sleep Zzzzzzzzz (New puppies are NOISY!)

**ICNJess** · 02-04-2005, 09:07 AM

Well last night Kiki FINALLY let me sleep for quite awhile. The first night we had her, she slept in our bed. Then we found out she had roundworms. We put a quick end to that. The poor thing was suffering so much, but she's been to the vet and is on medication. Anyway, Sunday night (2nd night) we crated her. Boy did she scream. She screamed, cried, wailed for 8 hours. I was reading that you never give in, and you let them stay crated--so that's what we did.

My husband slept through the whole thing!! I, however, was a Frankenstein Zombie the next day.

Then Monday-Wednesday nights she cried, but it was getting better. It was no longer all through the night. Then finally, FINALLY, she only cried 2X. And once was because she ran out of food. So this weekend hubby, hubby has off, and has vowed to sleep on the couch with Miss Kiki so I can catch up on some Zzzzzz's. She looks so cute and innocent while she sleeps...but I know differently

We recently found out she is a very rare lab--a White Lab! She's very playful, and extremely smart...and despite her howling, I love her.

I'm also grateful that my foot is healing...I had toe surgery on Friday, and that HURT. Talk about a world of pain. I had to wear a wooden ugly shoe until Wednesday--also grateful that that "style" is gone!

Hugs,
Jess

**missychan** · 02-04-2005, 11:03 AM

Jess-

Boy, did you tell MY story!

We raised a seeing eye pup ( German Shepherd) a few years ago, we got her at 8 weeks. She had been through the ringer by the time she got to us... She was shipped (air) from Cal. to AZ with a stop in Salt Lake. Just she and her sister in a crate in the belly of the plane... In Salt Lake, they took the pups off the plane, and promptly forgot about them. They sat on the tarmac in the crate for over 11 hours, no water, no potty. They finally got here a day late. So- by the time we picked her up, she was already stressed to the max.

We brought her home, and had to do the "crate" too- one of the major rules with guide pups. As you can imagine, after the previous two days in the crate, she was terrified to go back in. She bawled and screamed and dug and hyperventilated twice... what a baby! I ended up sleeping on the kitchen floor for three nights with her before she finally settled in. I couldn't put the crate in my room, she had to learn to sleep "away" from the family... I felt SOOO bad! But- in the end, it was worth it. She got to the point that if she knew she'd been naughty, she'd run into the crate... if she was tired, she'd dig at the crate door until we opened it so she could get in.

I finally took the door off completely, and when it was time for bed, in she'd go. I don't know for sure that she stayed there all night, but she was always in it, sound asleep in the morning.

We had her for a year, and then returned her to the "school" for her final evaluation and med exam. She passed the evaluation with flying colors, and failed the med. Dysplasia in both hips. So- she had to be dropped from the program after all that work! But, as her "raiser" we got first dibs on her, and of course, brought her home for good. Let me tell you, she was NEVER so glad to see that crate!

And- I will NEVER have another pup without the crate again. The first few days are tough, but that crate training is wonderful. To this day, Miss Shanti still loves her little house... Anytime we go out of town with her, we take it, and she always settles right in to wherever we are. As long as her crate is there, she's happy.

Good luck with your baby, don't give in. It's worth it in the long run, I'll bet she ends up loving it.

Missy

**creatingkarma** · 02-04-2005, 12:02 PM

Kiki is a cutie! I have a white lab also. Hang in there! It'll get better!

***ICNDonna*** · 02-04-2005, 12:08 PM

I absolutely love puppies! Kiki is a little doll. I'm afraid our dal*****n sleeps on our bed. I just couldn't stand hearing her cry.

Donna

**dancemomof2** · 02-04-2005, 01:08 PM

Tough out the crate Jess it will end. Maybe take a towel to where you got her and have other doggie scents on it may help. Our Maggie made it through with a stuffed animal our older dog played with. Once she got security with that stinky toy, she settled down. She is 3 and still has to have that sstinky toy to sleep with. She will look for it at night if one of the other dogs has taken it out of her crate. Hope you get some sleep. We aren't so lucky with the big beast he does sleep in the bed also. He is 120 pounds and pretty much we sleep around him.

**Stephanie2004** · 02-04-2005, 01:44 PM

When my Boston Terrier was a puppy, I started him out sleeping in his little crate, which was up on the bed beside me. Then I moved the little crate to the foot of the bed. Then he graduated to a bigger crate which I moved to the floor beside the bed. Then next to the door, then in the hall, and finally in the spare room. Putting him in the crate consistently, but starting with it close and gradually moving it farther worked well for me. He too runs to his crate when he's tired.

**rhea** · 02-04-2005, 02:05 PM

As the proud Mom of a 7 year old Jack Russell and a 7 month old JRT/Beagle mix I know what you are going through. Although I don't crate them at night they do stay in there most of the day. When I am getting ready to go to work I just tell them to "get in your condo" and they both head in. I think they feel "safe". Stick it out, it is worth it in the end. And she is adorable!!! Hope you get some much needed sleep this weekend.

**ICNJess** · 02-05-2005, 08:20 AM

Hi all,

Well I'm glad to know that I'm not alone on this. We have a little blanket in her crate that is from the home where we got her, and she curls up on it when she goes in. We have to leave the crate door open though--she refuses to go potty in there. So we leave wee wee pads and newspapers around, and she uses them. I think she's teething...she chews on things differently...kind of looks like when a baby is teething on a teething ring?

Your stories were funny, and as much as I'd love to keep her crate trained, as soon as her worms are gone, I think we might take the bed off of the box spring and frame, and let Kiki have access on and off the bed. The first night she kept waking me up when she had to go potty--which was often actually. She has my bladder I think!

Hugs,
Jess

**SheriG** · 02-05-2005, 05:13 PM

Jess, I haven't been around very much, but wanted to say hi, and tell you that your puppy is sweet and adorable...she does have that shimmering glint of mischief in those eye!

I tried crate traing our dog ( who is now 5 )I couldn't do it...she sleeps with us every nite, she is such a sweet lil thing...a bichon, runt of the litter, she weighs about 9 pounds, is as cute as a button, but afraid of her own shadow! Dogs are wonderful companions, and the best thing is that you can cry, and vent and carry on ( always about our IC, of course! ) and they will just look at you, and love you, and be ready for a snuggle! So, enjoy, my friend! I am glad someone as sweet as you got a sweet new puppy to love! Hope you are feeling well, Jess!

Sheri

**lilbluedevil82** · 02-17-2005, 01:50 PM

how funny...My puppy is the same way..she wants to go out like every ten minutes...I always say the same, we must share bladders... she sleeps with me, I couldn't do the crate thing...I couldn't stand her crying....but she is just so sweet how can you resist that face.

**Debgail** · 02-18-2005, 12:31 PM

oh Jess shes just precious! I have a golden retriver and he was tiny..rescued from the pound. The only way I could get him to be ok in the crate was to put a breathable blanket over it when I needed to leave or if it was time to sleep. He quickly learned to selltle down and it became comforting to him.
Now he is a big fat lazy wonderful dog

BTW!!!!! I have a pedigree siamese 1 yr old and we just bread her....I am soooo hoping for kittens in the beg. of April!
Take care! Deb