# A WWYD (first night/sleep/crate etc)



## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

Well in 15 days (just 14 more sleeps, yay!) I will be bringing our gorgeous girl home, I have arranged to collect her first thing so she has the whole day to get used to us/the house but I'm really worried about the night time......

I've just bought a crate as had read a little about crate training & was thinking I would have it in our room at bedtime, at least initially, so she doesn't feel so alone (she is coming from a house with 4 other dogs to ours with no other dogs) but I'm not sure getting up every couple of hours is going to work (I have young children who have school the next day & odds on, I'll end up disturbing them)

Im thinking putting pads within the crate really defeats the purpose of having one, think she is paper trained (ish!) at the moment, so the only other thing I can think of, is to leave her in the kitchen at night time (sob) with the crate door open & paper by the back door? 

Not solving my first night blues dilemma  but can't see any other way round it.....any of your thoughts/experiances/suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :daisy:


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## susan davis (Mar 25, 2011)

Could you use a playpen? You put the crate in the playpen along with her water, a few chew toys. Use a washable pad/or a 36x36" human grade pee pad down. You can get them at a Walgreens or medical supply store. I got 5-6 of the washable kind, and wash every other day. (I have 3 chi's that use them)


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

good luck in keeping her in the crate........ Chis are made to snuggle in your bed........LOL....


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## Rach_Honey (Jan 13, 2012)

I second the playpen - room for everything and she is safe and secure! 




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## Lisa T (Sep 3, 2010)

These first few weeks are all trial and error and finding out what works for you, when mine were babies I put their crate next to my bed and a cardboard box with a puppy pad in next to the crate, when I heard them stir for the toilet I lifted them out of the crate and into the box where they could go. Apart from praise for going to the toilet I didn't really speak to them and they were put straight back into the crate, I didn't want them to think it was time to get up. As time went by they could hold themselves longer and longer until they were going right through till morning with no toileting. Also with the box being next to the crate I didn't have to leave the room so didn't disturb anyone else.


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## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

susan davis said:


> Could you use a playpen? You put the crate in the playpen along with her water, a few chew toys. Use a washable pad/or a 36x36" human grade pee pad down. You can get them at a Walgreens or medical supply store. I got 5-6 of the washable kind, and wash every other day. (I have 3 chi's that use them)



I can't really, I'm on limited space now as well & the crate is already gonna take up quite a bit, it's a biggish crate so I could put some paper/pad down in there but then surely it's just teaching her it's ok to "go" in her crate?! 

Jan896 - she's sooooo not sleeping in my bed! Well not while he's a pup at least, I have a daughter who still gets in my bed every night so we're at maximum capacity already & I'd be terrified of her getting hurt while she's so small! I have already bought 3 beds, lol, so not planning on her being crated for long, just till she settles & is housetrained really.

Ooooooh so confused/don't know what to do! Did everyone else just get up every couple of hours in the night?


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## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

Rach honey & Lisa T - sorry you must have replied while I was busy typing! Thank you
Lisa T, that def sounds more workable for our set up, thanks.

It's so hard, is such a long time since I had a dog & I was only a child so my Dad took care of all the tricky stuff! My only job was to play, oh I miss those days!


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## IwillcallhimGeorge (May 29, 2013)

Sarahchibird said:


> I can't really, I'm on limited space now as well & the crate is already gonna take up quite a bit, it's a biggish crate so I could put some paper/pad down in there but then surely it's just teaching her it's ok to "go" in her crate?!
> 
> Ooooooh so confused/don't know what to do! Did everyone else just get up every couple of hours in the night?


I did take George out every two hours in the day (and still do as he's only six mos.) and at least every three to four hours at night. I believe I got up at 1am, and 4am. Thankfully I didn't need to do that for more than a few weeks.

I used a pad in the crate at first too even though I was still taking him out every few hours at night. Here's what I did- He loved our cat's little scratching/sleeping half circle bed thingy. It was like a little den for baby George. I put that in the crate, pushed to the back and I put a pad in the front and tucked the excess under the little hut thingy. So he had a fully enclosed den that he could go in and out of inside his crate and that helped (mentally) separate the space.

You could get your pup a little cat bed, the kind that's closed in and has a little opening for her to go in and out, and put her in it when she's sleepy. Keep it near you, or where she can still see you, and see if she takes to it. Put it in the kennel as well and place her in it there too for naps. She'll probably love it. 

It worked so well! When he'd get up to start sniffing around or look for me (and had no idea that he needed to hold it till we got outside), he would just go on the pad. It made it so easy to keep the crate clean too. I really do think the key is to take the soiled pad out first thing in the morning and replace it with a towel for the duration of the day. You'll find what works for you. Just never leave a soiled pad in there. 

I also kept a pad adjacent to the crate opening so that would catch elimination if I woke him, or called him out of the crate for some reason. I eventually quit doing that too and started picking him up out of the crate and bringing him straight outside. George seemed to have a strong instinct not to eliminate where he slept. Anywhere BUT where he slept....another story.

At first, I had the pad all the time, but soon learned that putting it in only at night or when I left the house was best because otherwise, I was taking him out to potty often enough that he didn't need it. I wanted a clear visual/experience that the crate wasn't for peeing/pooping. I eventually phased it out as he could hold it longer. 

Now he can hold it from 10pm till 5 or 6am, sometimes 7am. He doesn't use a pad at all now. It was just a personal decision not to have him eliminate indoors at all.


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## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

IwillcallhimGeorge said:


> I did take George out every two hours in the day (and still do as he's only six mos.) and at least every three to four hours at night. I believe I got up at 1am, and 4am. Thankfully I didn't need to do that for more than a few weeks.
> 
> I used a pad in the crate at first too even though I was still taking him out every few hours at night. Here's what I did- He loved our cat's little scratching/sleeping half circle bed thingy. It was like a little den for baby George. I put that in the crate, pushed to the back and I put a pad in the front and tucked the excess under the little hut thingy. So he had a fully enclosed den that he could go in and out of inside his crate and that helped (mentally) separate the space.
> 
> ...


 Aw thank you, this could work really well for us, the crate is pretty big & I already have puppy pads & igloo bed at the ready so I will have a go at setting up later & post a pic  really appreciate your help, thanks (ps - how do you know when they can hold it longer than a couple of hours?! If you are taking them out every couple of hours anyway? Is it just that they've stopped going on those loo breaks?!)


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## Winstonsmum (Jul 2, 2013)

Sarahchibird said:


> Well in 15 days (just 14 more sleeps, yay!) I will be bringing our gorgeous girl home, I have arranged to collect her first thing so she has the whole day to get used to us/the house but I'm really worried about the night time......
> 
> I've just bought a crate as had read a little about crate training & was thinking I would have it in our room at bedtime, at least initially, so she doesn't feel so alone (she is coming from a house with 4 other dogs to ours with no other dogs) but I'm not sure getting up every couple of hours is going to work (I have young children who have school the next day & odds on, I'll end up disturbing them)
> 
> ...


I had the same dilemmas with Winston! Hehe you could seriously be me 2 months ago  

This is what we did, we tried to crate Winston at night but he cried so much we caved. He started sleeping on our bed, on the pillow with me and only ever woke me up once during the night (I was expecting it to be every couple of hours too but they are pretty good at night). It was usually around 4/5 in the morning! I had cushions everywhere though as he did fall off one night and terrified me so I literally made it puppy proof!

He then started growing up a bit and when we went to bed he didnt just fall asleep like he was and wanted to play/chew and bite our faces, so we put him in his crate on the floor next to me (by this point he was already used to his crate from the crate training I had been doing with him) and I put a towel over the crate so its all dark for him. This is our arrangement every night now, hes now 14 weeks and sleeps through the night! Even at 6.30 when I wake up, he is NOT ready to get up and usually wants his mumma to cover his crate back over and leave him for another hour or so! He knows when I put him in his crate in the bedroom at night, its sleep time


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## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

Winstonsmum said:


> I had the same dilemmas with Winston! Hehe you could seriously be me 2 months ago
> 
> This is what we did, we tried to crate Winston at night but he cried so much we caved. He started sleeping on our bed, on the pillow with me and only ever woke me up once during the night (I was expecting it to be every couple of hours too but they are pretty good at night). It was usually around 4/5 in the morning! I had cushions everywhere though as he did fall off one night and terrified me so I literally made it puppy proof!
> 
> He then started growing up a bit and when we went to bed he didnt just fall asleep like he was and wanted to play/chew and bite our faces, so we put him in his crate on the floor next to me (by this point he was already used to his crate from the crate training I had been doing with him) and I put a towel over the crate so its all dark for him. This is our arrangement every night now, hes now 14 weeks and sleeps through the night! Even at 6.30 when I wake up, he is NOT ready to get up and usually wants his mumma to cover his crate back over and leave him for another hour or so! He knows when I put him in his crate in the bedroom at night, its sleep time


 Aw thanks so much, I think you should write me a list of do's & donts from what you have learned in the past 2 months then! Hee hee, you sound like you've got it all pretty sussed out now! 
She will be 10 weeks old when I collect her (2 weeks today! ccasion7 I have emailed the lady today asking if she is paper trained etc at all yet just so I've got a better idea of how she's getting along so far......

When you say Winston only woke once in the night, did you just hear him mooching about & get up & take him outside?
Thanks again x


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## Winstonsmum (Jul 2, 2013)

Sarahchibird said:


> Aw thanks so much, I think you should write me a list of do's & donts from what you have learned in the past 2 months then! Hee hee, you sound like you've got it all pretty sussed out now!
> She will be 10 weeks old when I collect her (2 weeks today! ccasion7 I have emailed the lady today asking if she is paper trained etc at all yet just so I've got a better idea of how she's getting along so far......
> 
> When you say Winston only woke once in the night, did you just hear him mooching about & get up & take him outside?
> Thanks again x


Of course, anytime you need advice im here  were still learning as we go but bedtimes are definitely sussed hehe! 
As he was sleeping on my pillow, he would wake up and try to get to the bottom of the bed to go toilet as they dont like going where they sleep so id just feel him trying to climb over me, get up scoop him up, take him outside, tell him to go toilets and bring him back to bed. You cant make too much fuss when they do it during the night as they get all excited and think its play time lol!! X


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

Every pup is different, but I think Lisa had a great idea especially if you are tight for space!

I never put pads in Angel's crate. It's kind of crazy, but I always envisioned him stepping in his pee or poop and getting all nasty, smelly, yuk! 

I started him out in a crate, it was actually a travel carrier, and we still use them. Unlike ANY dog I haver ever had, he slept through the night day one! Of course,I was stupid and woke him up to potty! Then my vet said let him sleep if he's sleeping! So I did! And, unlike any dog I ever had, he only cried for about 10-15 min the first 3 nights! That's it! He sleeps in our bedroom along with our golden and the cat! 

He goes everywhere in his travel crate! I have a small one for the car and a bigger one for home. He just goes in it anytime he wants! He absolutely loves his crate! And I don't worry because it keeps him safe!

Can't wait to see pictures!


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## IwillcallhimGeorge (May 29, 2013)

Sarahchibird said:


> - how do you know when they can hold it longer than a couple of hours?! If you are taking them out every couple of hours anyway? Is it just that they've stopped going on those loo breaks?!)


I had the same thought at first! The only way I really knew was by what I saw at night and when I had to leave the house. And really not so much with the latter until he started holding it. 

I can't say I never had to change bedding, clorox a kennel, or keep a mop handy. Btw- I love my O'Cedar spray mop. I bought a few extra disposable pads for it and found that they can withstand a few washes. 

He still had accidents. But they were genuine accidents. Still has them sometimes. In fact, his kennel smells a little like pee right now. Going to wash his blanket tonight. 

George is still restricted from most of the house. He'll run to the back and pee or poo! I still have to watch him. He will let me know when he has to go, but I still don't trust him to have full run of the house. In two weeks, he'll have access to the living room AND the kitchen! This is big stuff, lol! If he takes advantage of that, I'll go back to basics for a while. 

Back to the pad-in-crate method - I think it's great for the wee babies just coming home. I wouldn't start a four-month-old pup like that. I think 12 weeks would be the limit. 

See how it goes. If it doesn't work well for you, there is lots of great advice on here!


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## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

Thanks all xx
Oh please oh please oh please let me get a sleeper like Angel (hey my daughter didn't sleep through till she was 3 so surely I'm due a sleeper? Lol)

I have a travel crate also so perhaps that would be more workable in the bedroom with a separate litter type box? While she's settling in.....None of the beds I've got are gonna fit in there so I'm gonna need more bedding! Jeez she's not even here yet & already has so many beds & sleeping areas!
I know we'll figure out what's working/what's not once she's been here for a while but I hate feeling unprepared! I like to be organised!

In fact, what I'd really like is for someone to come round, set everything up, say this is what you need to do & this is why....no takers?!.... No?! ....ah well, can't blame a girl for trying, lol


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## IwillcallhimGeorge (May 29, 2013)

I can't tell you how much money was spent working out what works and what doesn't. 
It'll be okay. I'd hold off on making any more decisions until you have her. 
P.S. I didn't let George sleep in my bedroom until he was semi house broken. He tee'd in the bed once or so and that's when he went to the crate at night in my room. Before all of that even, he was in the big crate in the LR. His travel crate is what i have in my bedroom. 


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## Angel1210 (Mar 14, 2011)

Sarah, relax! Everything works out in the end! 

Is this your first dog? I've had a few over the year, but this is the first one that is treated on par with a human! LOL! Love them, care for them, but every once in a while, we have to remember, they are an animal! We tend to put human qualities on them. But, I'm not so sure they don't already have them!! 

Sometimes I wish Angel wasn't such a sleeper! But soon we will be retiring and I can spend more time with him, even though he is already with us 24/7!


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## SarahJG (May 25, 2013)

I'd echo Angel1210's good advice - relax! We can give you advice based on our experience of our own dogs, but once you get YOUR puppy, you'll work it all out between the both of you. Every relationship is unique, and there's no 'right' way of handling it.


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## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

Angel1210 said:


> Sarah, relax! Everything works out in the end!
> 
> Is this your first dog? I've had a few over the year, but this is the first one that is treated on par with a human! LOL! Love them, care for them, but every once in a while, we have to remember, they are an animal! We tend to put human qualities on them. But, I'm not so sure they don't already have them!!
> 
> Sometimes I wish Angel wasn't such a sleeper! But soon we will be retiring and I can spend more time with him, even though he is already with us 24/7!


 It's the first dog i've had in my adult life if that makes sense, I've grown up with dogs (a labrador, samoyed & a pomeranian!) but this will be the first one that has been my sole responsibility! I've never had to think about what they eat, where they poop, where they sleep - that was all my Dads job - I only had to play with them & love them (easy peasy!)

The only thing I can liken it to is being pregnant & wanting to be prepared & plan everything in advance & of course you quickly learn that it doesn't work that way & I'm sure this will be the same, but, thanks, you've all been great - I've learned so much already & just can't wait to bring her home (12 more sleeps! )


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## Winstonsmum (Jul 2, 2013)

Only 5 more sleeps now Sarah hehe! 

You are so right, you plan everything down to a T then you bring your little baby home and realise all your planning was useless because they dont want to do what you have planned hehe  

Just remember with chis, consistency is key! Be prepared for lots of heart attacks when you take your eyes off them for just one second and they're gone, chewed fingers/toes/ anything your baby can get hold of, but most of all be prepeared for all the smiles and love your little baby will bring you


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## SarahJG (May 25, 2013)

This time next week you'll have your baby! It will be great: both easier and harder than you expect. In fact, by this time next week, you'll not be able to imagine a time when you didn't have a chi in your life. And remember that you can never post too many photos!


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## siobhancr (Aug 28, 2013)

When I first got my chihuahua it was sort of unplanned, so we got her a crate and put her bed with high, soft sides on one side of the crate and a folded puppy pad on the other as a just in case. And a water bowl. She still sleeps like this, and then has a crate/playpen upstairs and out of my room. I'd love to have her in the bed with me at night but I don't want to raise a difficult chihuahua, so bed snuggles are something reserved for the morning, when she wakes up and wants some love.

Really, it's up to you. I pick up any poo as soon as she does it in the crate, which isn't very often. She can sleep through the night if I get up when she does to take her out.

Just work out what's best for you. I personally like the crate. Then you can have her beside your bed and she will feel safer if she can hear you rustling and breathing (in my opinion).

Take her out right before bed and she could be fine until she wakes up (if you wake up when she does).

Good luck! I'll be interested to hear how you do.

View attachment 31402

This is her upstairs playpen. She has another crate downstairs (w/o the pen). 


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## Buildthemskywards (Jun 16, 2012)

I had mine in a crate with a section for the puppy pads at the other end. Mylo never ever used them from when we got him at 8 weeks. He always waited until the morning. Willow used hers but neither have gone in their crates since we took them out (except for a time when willow was ill and then got into the habit of going in the crate, which we got her out of)

I had them in the bedroom with me because I wanted to keep an eye on them and they have only just recently started sleeping down stairs. With Mylo I put my hand in the crate and he went straight to sleep, I did that the second night and after that he was fine. Willow whined for about a week for decreasing intervals and then she was fine too. I found having the puppy pad in there helped because then I knew she was whining to get out not because she needed to go the toilet so I was able to ignore her without worrying too much. I put some food and water in there with her and since I knew she had everything she needed I didn't have to worry too much. I started out with her in a playpen but she whined way more in there and wouldn't stop for a second. She seemed much happier in the crate. I guess it's a case of finding what works for you and that particular dog. Good luck!


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## stellasmom (Dec 10, 2012)

Sarahchibird said:


> Well in 15 days (just 14 more sleeps, yay!) I will be bringing our gorgeous girl home, I have arranged to collect her first thing so she has the whole day to get used to us/the house but I'm really worried about the night time......
> 
> I've just bought a crate as had read a little about crate training & was thinking I would have it in our room at bedtime, at least initially, so she doesn't feel so alone (she is coming from a house with 4 other dogs to ours with no other dogs) but I'm not sure getting up every couple of hours is going to work (I have young children who have school the next day & odds on, I'll end up disturbing them)
> 
> ...


Hi, I just brought home a new pup yesterday and yes, of course last night the night time crying started. So, what I did, Is put a little table bedside, (same height as bed) and put the crate on there. So that was it! All he needed to do was see me.. and he went through the night. not a sound and in the morning his crate is dry and he went potty outside! It worked wonderfully! Good luck!


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## Sarahchibird (Aug 5, 2013)

Hi,
Only just getting back to this, sorry & thanks! Well last sleep now & this time tomorrow we'll be trying it out for real, keep everything crossed guys (I'm sure you know by now that I will be reporting back! 
Xx


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## SarahJG (May 25, 2013)

Hurrah: it's the night before Christmas! Sleep well while you can - tomorrow night might be a little disturbed...


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## Gilly (Jul 17, 2011)

This will hopefully be me in a few months' time  A nervous wreck and paranoid that I do something wrong and create a spoilt brat of a dog  

Good luck for tomorrow....and looking forward to meeting your new baby


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## Buildthemskywards (Jun 16, 2012)

Oooh! Good luck!


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