# Puppy still crying all night after 2 weeks, help!



## Loriogdq

Hi folks, I need some advice here please!
We brought our 8 week old Golden Retriever puppy home 2 1/2 weeks ago and are having trouble with him still crying all night.
He sleeps in a crate by the bed with a nice pillow, a shirt that smells like me, and a couple of plush toys. He also has my three other dogs laying near his crate at night. 

The puppy is still screaming, barking, and crying loudly at night, often all night. He will typically scream and cry for 10-20 minutes, then sleep for up to an hour, then ask to go out to do his business. He will wake and get restless and softly cry to go out. We will then take him out (not while he is crying) and he always does business immediately outside. Since he poops about 6 times a day, he usually has to poop at least once overnight in addition to peeing.

But then the cycle begins again with the screaming. We are taking him out as much as every hour, around 6 times a night. I don't mind taking him out to do business at this point, but the screaming half the night has me worried that we have a real problem, and of course we are very tired. I think if he was not so agitated, he would be able to hold it better through the night with fewer potty breaks, but I'm afraid he will have accidents because he gets so worked up. He has soiled his crate before within minutes of going in, although never overnight, so I am maybe a little paranoid about this.

I need some advice about how normal or not normal this is at this point, and what I should do about this. 

Thanks very much for any help!


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## TooneyDogs

Touch can be a key ingredient to reassuring a scared puppy. Having the crate close enough to reach down and touch the pup with just a finger or two....even letting them nibble a little, is often enough to calm them down. 

Puppies need to be close....reallly close to the rest of the pack. It's a survival instinct. Even a few feet away can be quite scary. I gradually move the crate as the pup learns/grows.

This is also the best time to teach the Quiet or SHHH command...softly, quietly.


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## RedyreRottweilers

I don't think it is normal, I don't think that many bowel movements are normal either.

What are you feeding him? I would get him a digestive supporter IMMEDIATELY. Nature's Farmacy has a good one. http://www.naturesfarmacy.com


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## TooneyDogs

Red Rott brings up a very good point....puppy screaming and crying can be a medical issue. Since this is a new puppy I assumed you had a vet check done when you brought him home. If not, you need to go now. 

As for the poop, 6x is normal especially if you're feeding the usual 4x a day at this age.


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## briteday

1. Get a vet check

2. feed the dog 3-4 trimes per day at regular times

3. pick up the water bowl at least one hour before bedtime

4. potty rule of thumb...puppy can WAIT (they cannot HOLD it until 6 months or older) no more than the number of hours equal to age in months...2 months = no more than 2 hours


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## yappypappymom

The first few nights after I got my pup I slept with him on the couch(ok, I still do this a few nights out of the week still) just so I could be there to comfort him & so I could be there immediately let him outside..after a few nights thinking he was used to the house & everything, I closed the door to his kennel when he was asleep (he already choose to lay inside of it cuz its cozy for him)..anyhow I went on up to bed thinking.."no problem-how easy that was"...well, when he did finally wake up locked up & alone, he began screaming, which woke the whole house...noone was too happy.
Anyhow, I went back to sleeping on the couch, except I took his kennel with me, set it on a step-stool right beside me-(literally), & closed him in...Guess what???...worked like a charm!!
When he woke up & needed to go outside, I was right there(all he had to do was wimper to wake me), so-I got points for helping house train him, & since he got to see me while the door was closed he learned not to freak out & have a panic attack, we got the kennel="nice place" thing down smooth.
Now, I can sleep upstairs with no problem, & he can sleep in his kennel downstairs with no problem ...*'cept for the snuggly couch potato nights, but, those are just for fun* 

Guess I babbled alot, but, I did want to ask you if maybe you could try placing his kennel on a chair beside your bed(with his door facing you) & see if that helps him some?


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## Loriogdq

Hi, and thanks for the replies and suggestions! I knew to expect fussing the first several nights or week, but I really am concerned that my puppy has a problem since its been going on so long and it is so intense.

I should have given more info in the first post, I realize now.

-The puppy (Wally) is eating Innova Large Breed puppy food, 3 times a day, plus quite a few small treats as we are doing a lot of training. 

-I remove water about 1 1/2 hours before bedtime.

-Wally was vet checked and fecal checked (normal) at 7.5 weeks by breeders vet before coming home. He was then given another exam my vet at 8.5 weeks after I'd had him home a few days, as required by my breeders contract. Both exams revealed a healthy puppy. I have discussed this with my vet recently and she feels that he may be on the road to separation anxiety because of his extreme persistent distress.

-In all other ways he is a normal happy interactive puppy, doing well with training and has a non-fearful gentle temperment. Except of course overnight in his crate. 

-His crates (one downstairs, one in the bedroom) are large crates with a divider to make them appropiately sized as he grows. I don't know if I can really arrange it so that he is in touching distance at night unfortunately. I appreciate the suggestion and will see if I can do it, but honestly I don't think it will work well.

-He does not like confinement particularly if I am nearby, such as crating when I am home or overnight. He really carries on with the screaming and barking in those circumstances. He is doing well in the crate if I leave the house - which is never for more than 1.5 hours. He usually is crated once or twice a day for 30-90 minutes, plus overnight.

Is it possible that he needs more crate time and less time with me? He is with me and the other dogs all day except for very short crated times once or twice a day. I wonder if he needs to learn to be more independent?


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## Labsnothers

I have never had much luck with the old clock or radio tricks. What I do is lay down by the crate like I was going to sleep there. Usually a puppy may fuss a little, but then settle down and go to sleep. Once it is asleep, you can get up and go to bed.

Back before I discovered that trick, I don't think we ever had a puppy cry more than a few nights before accepting being crated. Since then, it has worked for us for at least a dozen puppies, maybe more. I was tired and desperate on night after an all day drive to pick up the puppy and it had the neighbors' dogs howling. 

Most of our 7 week old puppies did very well with one trip out at night. You may want to make sure it runs around a little on its last trip out. That stimulates the body to empty its bowel and blader.


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## Cracker

Loriogdq said:


> -He does not like confinement particularly if I am nearby, such as crating when I am home or overnight. He really carries on with the screaming and barking in those circumstances. He is doing well in the crate if I leave the house - which is never for more than 1.5 hours. He usually is crated once or twice a day for 30-90 minutes, plus overnight.


Are you SURE he is doing fine on these times when you leave the house? That there is no evidence of excessive salivation or stress when you go? Many people think their dogs are fine, especially in a house where no neighbours can tell you your dog is screaming for half an hour each time you leave.




> Is it possible that he needs more crate time and less time with me? He is with me and the other dogs all day except for very short crated times once or twice a day. I wonder if he needs to learn to be more independent?


Yes it is possible. You may want to take a look at Dr Karen Overall's protocol for relaxation and adapt it to the crate to see if you can work on his SA tendencies and make it less stressful to be in his crate when you are and are not there.

I had to do a LOT of ignoring of my dog as she is an SA dog. YOu may also want to check out the book "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell. It's available at www.dogwise.com or at her home website.


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## TooneyDogs

Loriogdq said:


> Is it possible that he needs more crate time and less time with me? He is with me and the other dogs all day except for very short crated times once or twice a day. I wonder if he needs to learn to be more independent?


There are 2 basic approaches to the crating issue: Crate away from you and ignore all crying or crate close/offer reassurance/security. Both methods work....the choice is yours. As puppies grow and gain confidence, they learn that being alone can be OK. 

Rewarding quiet, calm behavior is key with both methods. Too often, that's the piece that's missing in the crate training.


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## Loriogdq

Thanks again for the suggestions for techniques and products. 

After moving some furniture out of the bedroom, I was able to move Wallys crate to right next to my side of the bed so he is as close as I can get him. My bed is very elevated so he is still a few feet below me but as close as I could manage (previously the crate was by the foot of the bed). I'm happy to say that the first night like this was an improvement. The fussing was down significantly, and he only needed 3 potty breaks. So I am cautiously optimistic that this will work for us and we can start getting some sleep.  Thank you for this idea and keep fingers crossed that Wally will continue to do better in his new sleeping spot.

Cracker - you are right that I can't be absolutely sure he is doing well crated in my absence, however when I return home, be it 10 minutes or 1 1/2 hours, he is sitting or laying quietly in the crate in no apparent distress. So I am assuming that he calms down ok when I am gone. I don't know how else to judge that.


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## HORSEandHOUND

A puppy taken from mom at 5 1/2 weeks is going to have psychological damage and will definitely have gaps to his social skills. 
Get a Comfort Zone diffuser and set it up near the puppy's crate. This mimics the pheromones momma dogs give off when they are whelping and will put your pup at ease. Also keep the crate close enough to your bed so that you can teach your puppy to be quiet. Putting your fingers through the crate when the puppy is quiet, and taking them away when the puppy is not quiet will quickly teach him quiet equals attention.


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## Loriogdq

Hi Horse and Hound,

Sorry about the confusion in from the wording in the first post - we got Wally at 8 weeks old and he is now 10 1/2 weeks old. 
I also have had a Comfort Zone DAP diffuser right next to his crate from the day he came home, which had no effect. Thanks for the suggestion though.


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