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getting over being shy and being a normal puppy. Well he is all good even with other dogs and people, with the occasional growl like sound but I stop him from doing that. But at night he barks and barks when he wakes up at random times and won't stop. I tried to have lights on, tv on and nothing works. the only thing that does is me laying down infront of its kennel till it falls asleep and sneak away or stay asleep there, but when he awakes and I am not there he barks...loud and I am in an townhome so that does not work.
Does anyone know of a good way to fix this problem so I can get some sleep?

P.S. I don't want to take him out of the cage untill he is potty trianed but let mme know what you think any ways.

thanks bryant(owner) and harvey(dog)

This is called having a puppy. It should get better soon. Put a blanket or shirt that smells like you in the kennel. Radio or tv with light sound?

If when the dog barks you go and lay with it then it will continue to do so until it gets what it wants. It's going to be difficult but you really just need to ignore his barking. Try telling your neighbours the situation, that it is not used to sleeping on its own and may take a week or so to get accustomed to it. I'm sure they will understand.

Keep him in the cage and maybe raise it next to your bed so that he can see you, try not to let him nap during the day and take frequent walks or trips to the dog park. Chew toys are great for keeping them busy, find a local pet store that carries animal parts, they are fully digestible so you won't have to worry about him choking while you're sleeping. good luck.

When we were working with our dog at night, she wanted to be out of the kennel very badly. She was aweful, poop and everything everywhere in the kennel. Well, I decided I'd try putting it next to my bed. So I moved the kennel next to my bed so I was able to reach down to her if she was getting upset. By the end of the week, she was going in at night no problems, and the crying stopped cause she knew I was there. The first few nights just me putting my hand down there where she could smell and lick it, helped make her feel better. Of course now, she sleeps in bed, but she just needed to know she wasn't alone, and I was right by her.

You have only had one day with this dog, you cannot expect everything to be roses. He doesn't know you, and he is in a different place with different noises and smells, and he is feeling overwelmed and anxious. He will get accustomed to his new home over the next couple of weeks. The best thing to do when he starts to get vocal is to ignore him. He will give up and eventually go to sleep. If he goes more than 5 minutes without a quiet break, take him outside, walk him around the block or something.

Bryant

The first couple of weeks of having the pup in your home is a transition period for him.

He is used to being with his mother, litter-mates and the sights and sounds from the breeders house.

Be patient he will fit into your life in no time.

To make nights a bit easier for you , you may want to do a search for a snuggle puppy or try and make one yourself.

A snuggle puppy is a stuffed animal with a velcro opening on the underside which has a pocket. In this pocket you place a small heat pack (like the kind you can get at the dollar store to keep your hands warm in the winter) and it comes with a small device that has a heart beat like that of the Dam.

It helps greatly when you first bring your pup home.


Good luck to you and Harvey

I wouldn't get in the habit of laying down infront of his cage. Let him out and train him. I had a dog that was terrified of cages,crates, ect. So I had to train him to sleep on a doggy bed. He is wonderful and happier!

How old is the puppy? He is lonely and scared and honestly, only been with you 1 day! You have to allow a good couple of weeks for adjustments. Is the crate in your bedroom? That often helps. Or just sleep next to the kennel for a couple of nights in a sleeping bag and gradually move further away each night.

Having lights and tv on will make it worse. He doesn't need more stimulation when he should be sleeping. He's stressed out and getting used to a new environment.

Be sure the kennel is in your bedroom at night. I know it may be inconvenient if it's not already in there, but he needs to bond with you and feel safe and secure. He wants to be near his pack and you're the pack leader. Keep the room dark, quiet and cool. I used to drape a blanket over the crate at night so that the dog knows it's time to sleep. (Leave the front uncovered though so he can see you if he wakes up)

You're going to have to set aside a few nights a week to work on training him. If he's waking you up from barking anyway, you may as well be up and work with him. Practice putting him in during the day and letting him out a few minutes later. (Only ever let him out when he's quiet and calm) Always keep the kennel door open during the day and when you feed him, place the food in the back of the kennel so that he gets used to eating in there as well. The more he can feel comfortable with his kennel and trusting that you are near and won't abandon him, the sooner he will be able to sleep well. He must be desensitized to the crate and bond with you as his owner.

At night, when he barks, try making a loud noise to startle him such as shaking a can of change or banging a pot. (Be sure to not let him see you, as he will then associate that noise with you. It should be sudden, immediate, and seemingly out of nowhere to him) As soon as he stops barking, praise him for a few minutes just by talking to him. You can also just ignore him when he barks and again, when he stops barking, praise him quietly and calmly. Sometimes, just hearing your voice is enough to calm a dog. He may just want to be reassured that you're there and he's not alone.

You have to keep in mind that in the shelter where he came from, there were surely dogs that just barked all night long. When dogs bark at night or when they're home alone or confined, they're barking to call their pack to them. They're lonely and want attention. So by you going to lay near him, you're reenforcing that bad behavior by saying, "Hey, when you bark, I come over and lay near you" which is exactly what he wants.

It's also not fair to him to keep him separated from you if he's not in your room. Especially for an insecure puppy, he will feel as if he's being punished or abandoned. This is why outside dogs tend to bark so much more than inside dogs. Dogs are social and they're really not meant to be separated from their pack leader. It would be like your parents forcing you to sleep outside or downstairs by yourself when you're a little kid. You'd be scared and lonely and you'd have trouble sleeping. It's only natural.

Another tip is to be sure you always let him out right before bed and right when in the morning. Dogs work bets on a schedule, so try to stick to it. Also, if he is a puppy, he may need to go out once in the middle of the night for a while. If he's past that point, you may want to consider taking him out once in the middle of the night anyway just to reassure him that you're there. It will make him feel more secure to have a little break. Just be sure to only ever reward him with letting him out when he is quiet.

So, basically you have to think like a dog. Give him attention and rewards when he is quiet. Ignore him and give him nothing when he barks or whines. Keep plugging away on potty-training. When he stops having accidents in his crate, give him a dog bed in the crate, but leave the door open.

Best of luck!