Night time problems

[Tina]

Ok so I may be at my wits end. Roger is 12 weeks now. I've been putting him in the puppy own at night and when we are gone. I work nights so when I'm at work he's in there. He has room for a good dish, his bed and puppy pads. I work in a hospital and work 12 hour shift so crating him that long would just be cruel. I only work 3 days a week so it's not like this is a 5 day a week thing. Anyway, the problem we have started having is that when I'm gone, he's fine in the pen. He just sleeps. He doesn't even really cry or so my neighbors tell me. But when we are home at night, he's started crying like worse then in the begininning and he's started ripping the puppy pads up and just being destructive. I have ignored the cries and everything but can't for the life of me figure what is going on. He's fine when we aren't actually home at night but now all of a sudden, it's like so horrible for him to be in there. I guess I could try and put him in his crate tonight in my bedroom and see if that helps. I just don't know if I do that, if that's going to cause more problems when I do have to go back to work or leave if he's going to freak out over the puppy pen. Any advice out there?

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

My guess is he hears you and does not want to be crated if you are home.  I would try the crate in your room so he is not so isolated.  He may cry when you first put him in when you go back to work, but my guess is he will settle in once you leave the house.

Chewing up the pad is par for the course based on my pup's standards.  Put an old blanket in the crate instead.  He may chew that up but at least there is no stuffing.  You are just beginning the puppy journey.  Have faith!  Have you looked at the Puppy Group?  Always a good place to read up on topics like this.  

Enjoy your puppy, who is so cute!

[Sheila & Finnley]

Gosh, poor Roger. (Cute name) I hope you don't take this as sarcasm, but it seem obvious to me that he wants some family time, and more attention. Does he spend crate time while you are home during the day, or is this just a night time thing ? I would bring him in the bedroom at night,

 (with crate) so he has the companionship he is looking for. Dogs like to be with their pack, and he is still quite young. There are lots of discussions on DK about this. Maybe he needs some before bedtime play to tire him out.

Hope you find a solution soon and get some sleep !

[Tina]

Thanks guys! I'm going to try the crate in my bedroom tonight ad see if that helps. And Sheila, I take no offense. ;) he is out of the pen all day with me. I only put him in there when we are gone or at night. Even when I get home after work, I keep him out and plop him on the sofa with me while I nap. I have given up my be for the couch on the nights that i work bc i feel bad if i lock him up all day while i sleep. He's always out and right next to us. When I'm off, he's always out playing and snuggling with us. He will sleep in his doggy bed next to the couch but usually he's snuggling on the couch with us. I do give him a good hour at least of play prior to bedtime and of course give ample time for him to calm down before putting him in there. Very rarely is he locked in the pen during the day when we are home. I feed him in there and his toys are in there so he goes in there from time to time during the day to grab a toy out or drink and even sometimes sleep especially when he knows he did something bad. I guess he's punishing himself as I never punish him by putting him in there bc I want him to associate it with good things not bad ones. I'm sure one day I'll look back and laugh at this and think it wasn't so bad, but for now it's BAD! Lol my last dog past 4 years ago and he was 12 so it's been 16 years since I've gone through a puppy phase. I guess I forgot how trying this can be. How quickly we forget, I guess. My last dog had bad separation anxiety as a puppy so I'm sure whatever I went through with him was ten times worse but I jut don't remember it. All I can remember is what a great dog he was to me and how much I loved him. I'm sure one day after we get out if this phase, that's us all I will remember about roger too and the crying will be a distant memory. Lol hoping that comes soon :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Tina, we share your pain. :-}  You are right in that this will pass and it will mostly be forgotten, but for now......  Sending hugs and wishes for a quick passing of this phase.

[Tina]

Ok guys just an update... I put Roger in the crate on my nightstand so he could see us last night and voila.... A restful night's sleep!!!! He cried at first for about a 2 minutes then settled in. He woke up at 3, took him out, he pottied and pooped and went right back in and slept until my alarm went off! Yay!!!! Lori, you were right! He just felt isolated in the living room. Now hopefully he doesn't cry all night when in at work and he is in the pen. Thank god for my daughter having activities in the evening so he will still be in his pen when we are gone so hopefully he doesn't forget that's where e goes when we are out and realizes we always come back ;)