New and in need of support!

Hi everyone, it's 1 o'clock in the morning and I'm on here which should tell you something about my life at the moment!

I've just become the proud (tired?) owner of a 7 week old huskamute pup called Ozzy. We've had him for only a week and I've discovered what hard work a dog can be!

I grew up in a household that always had a dog in it, so I thought I knew what I was getting myself into, but this is the first time, at the grand old age of 36, that I've actually had responsibility for a puppy myself.

He's a lovely little thing, very cute, but has seperation issues, especially at bed time, so I'm hoping there are other night owls out there to keep me company while he gets settled in.....

 

hey there having a late one tonight

 

I think I picked the only insomniac out of the litter! :frown:

 

lol we were the same when we got bobby where does Ozzy sleep?

and its ok if im not working im on here so you will have someone to chat to

 

We're keeping him downstairs - or should I say he's keeping us downstairs?! My husband spent last night on the sofa because every time he tried to sneak out Ozzy woke up and started howling. Looks like it's my turn tonight...

The problem we have is that there aren't many rooms we can keep him in. I live in a council house with really uneven floors and the only rooms that have doors that shut properly are the living room and our bedroom. Our bedroom is out of the question, there's too much in there for a puppy to go crazy about as I can't remember the last time I cleaned under the bed!

I know we're supposed to let him just get it out of his system and ignore the noise while he gets used to his new surroundings, but who can ignore a howling puppy? :

 

oh i know the feeling i live in an apartment block and when we got bobby he didnt howl as he hadn't found his voice but when he did by god the neighbours could hear him its hard to ignore them and bobby will still do it at times when we go out i had to spend the first week we had bobby in the bedroom on the floor sleeping next to his crate as that was the only way he would settle even though he will sleep in there through the day he now sleeps at the end of the bed (bad mummy) when we are in and knows to go right to his crate if he is in on his own.

You will get there he is young and needs to learn but at least you have the forum now it was a god send for me great people and loads of advice on it.

*Kara*

 

The solution is quite simple. Well to give you some sleep in comfort anyway.

Pop to pet's and home or somewhere (even Argos) and get yourself a crate. Then put the crate in your bedroom, preferably the same height as your bed so puppy can see you in bed. You should get some decent sleep that way. If he does wake you in the night there, it's because he needs the toilet.

If you wanted to carry on with crate training/toilet training you might want to get 2 crates so you can have one downstairs, or just move the first one around instead.

Crate training really is the easiest way to start with a new puppy It's not cruel like none experienced might tell you. If anything it's kinder as there will be less stress for you and puppy during toilet training!

There are loads of threads around about crate training, use you hopefully last sleepless night having a look

Welcome by the way

 

Having had puppies without crates and puppies with crates in the past I would never have a puppy without one again

 

I would dearly love to get a crate, but having just checked the Pets at Home website I think it's gonna have to wait another month or so as I totally skinted myself buying Ozzy!

Beginning to wish I'd kept my old stairgates, didn't think I'd need them when the kids grew up.....

Maybe ear plugs are cheaper??:lol:

 

i bought mine for an online store was cheaper Pet Supplies Store: Pet Planet, the UK's #1 Pet Store that may help a bit i dunno lol...... random but whats he eating as that may be helping keep him up at night too.

 

Just checked out your link and that def seems a cheaper option! Would hate to spend fifty quid on something that may or may not work. Just have to talk my husband into it now, I have brought the subject up before and he hasn't seemed too keen on it......

We're feeding Ozzy on a puppy food called "Natural Lifestages", meant to be all natural and groovy, and some dry food for him to get his teeth into, Baker's I think. Really want to make sure we don't overfeed him as he always seems hungry but the woman I bought him from is a friend of mine and warned me he was a "greedy pig!" In a nice way....

 

i would try changing the food too i don't want to sound like a bitch but when bobby was a pup we had him on bakers dry as thats what the breeder had him on too and he was well how do i put this a nutter he would have climbed the walls if he could lol

I changed him onto James Wellbeloved food which i get off that site too i have only had one delivery prob with them and that was sorted in 24hrs and they let me keep the toy they sent out wrongly aswell

he is now alot quieter through the day has enough energy to play but isn't climbing the walls he calmed down to the point i could have friends over without leaveing covered in hair and kisses lol..

these are only sugestions i would never tell anyone to do something i can only advise
and here im no expert far from it lol, ive only had bobby since he was 8 weeks he is only 11 months now.

*Kara*

 

Thanks for the tip on the dog food, will def try a change to something else after hearing about your pup!

Right, think I'd better try to get some sleep and hope everything looks better in the morning:

Sleep tight everyone....

 

sleep well hope you have a better time of it tomorrow keep me posted

 

hope you manage to get some sleep hun

 

Try putting a wanted add on your local freecycle! We get some now and again on ours.

Trust me you wont regret it ... besides a month is a long time in toilet training terms :lol: You could have him fully trained in less than that time!

 

I was thinking about that aswell there have been a few crates on preloved and gumtree in the past week and will prob be a hell of a lot cheaper than any shop.

hope that you got some sleep

 

Hi got my crate on ebay brand new for £ 24/ £3 post and packing

 

Thanks everyone for your advice and support!

Managed to get to sleep last night, started off on the sofa but Ozzy decided it was time to play and started to tug on my blanket and sleeves etc, at which point I had a few self-pitying tears (yes, afraid I did!) before he settled down. By this time I decided I'd had enough, folded my blanket, and marched out of the room so I could get into bed with my husband.

Ozzy opened his eyes and watched me leave the room, and I waited for the yelping and howling to start, but for a wonder it never did. Maybe he was just too tired to care!

A few nights of sleeping on the sofa shouldn't be that big a deal really, and you may be wondering why I got so wound up about it, but I suffer from sleep apnoea and until recently my chronic snoring was driving my husband out of our bed nearly every night, and about a week ago I was issued with a machine and mask to help me sleep properly - and silently. I've hardly had chance to use it! And given the fact we've only been married since November, I thought we would never get a proper night's sleep togther as man and wife!

I've heard of dog stress breaking up relationships and always thought these people couldn't have been that close to begin with, but now I can understand how these things can creep in and damage a relationship.

Anyway, not a brilliant night's sleep, but I did get one. In the proper place! :thumbup:

 

im soooo happy you got to go and sleep in your bed even if it wasn't a great sleep im soo glad he didnt wake you and wasn't shouting for you...

*Kara*