How to help your puppy sleep quietly at night

After a few days in his new home, poor little Yankee was having a little difficulty adjusting to his new setting.  After his first few days his Mom says he is still crying at night.  I discussed the things that help make transitions easier.  One disadvantage for Yankee was that since his Mom works during the day he is spending the day at Grandma's house until she comes home from work.  It is a lot for a puppy to transition from one home to two homes.  But puppies are very resilient and Yankee will adjust to his new routines very soon.

Every puppies experience will be a little different.  I wanted to share some things I have read that help a puppy to sleep quietly at night...

Most puppies when moved to a strange place, cry for the first week or two. It is completely normal and it is because they are frightened, they do not understand where their littermates went or where their mother is. They basically want attention and many new dog owners become worried that the dog is just not happy with them. The best way to sort the problem out is to ignore it. It can be hard to do because it is the same as hearing a baby crying for help and not going to help them. It tugs on the heart strings and it is difficult to ignore.

However, if you do ignore the problem then the puppy will eventually realize that crying does not help and that they will still see you in the morning. Some puppies do not cry at all, others cry for a few nights, whilst some simply will not give up for a week or two. So, just persevere and you will notice that the problem does go away, just as long as you do not give the puppy any attention whilst it is moaning.    Anonymous

 Here are my best tips for night time....

- Use the crate as a bed for all the puppies naps during the day so he associates his crate with sleep

- Use a carpet sample in his bed, since that was what he is use to***

---Use the 'blankie' for the litter smells.

-  Routine is very important.  Keep to a regular schedule.

-  Make sure the puppy is very active in the late afternoon so he is plenty tired.

- Don't let puppy nap a few hours before bedtime

- Take puppy out to the potty right before bed.  

- Put him to bed at a regular time, when the rest of the house is quieting down.

- Put him in his crate, and close the door.  If he cries you cannot take him out or you are rewarding him for crying and he will cry to get his way.

- Keep the puppy crate in your bedroom so he can be near his new pack.

- If he won't settle down after half an hour, then move him to another room, so you can get your rest.

- Bring him back to your room the next night, and try again.  Eventually he will see it as a reward to be in your room, and he will realize that crying only moves him to another room.

***You may remember from an earlier post that I chose to use carpet for the puppies bedding because then he will know that carpets are beds, and not places to pee.  So far it looks like this theory is really working!

Feel free to comment on this post, or email me to share any ideas that work for you!

Update on Ginger

I just recieved this update on Ginger...

Ginger is doing great. She loves her Crate and honestly night time crying has been minimal. She is an absolute joy and really well mannered. And let me tell you litter box training rules. Not one accident in the house (knocking on wood as I type this)  Our kids couldn't be happier. Thank you for checking in. I hope all is well with you and your family. Talk soon.    ---Wade

Thank you for this update, Wade.  I am so thrilled to hear that everything is going well! 

The Best Bedding for Puppies

One of our puppy Moms shared her experience with crate training in case it will help others....

"In case it helps other families struggling with the crates, we figured out the missing link.  It was the carpet you used in the crate.  We went out and got a piece to fit in the bottom of the cage and Bella has been sleeping through the night ever since.  We were just using a soft round fleece bed like they sell at Petco but it wasn't working.  She now sleeps on the carpet piece and puts her head on the fleece bed.  Too cute!!"

Thanks for sharing this Jackie!  I did send a piece of carpet with three families who asked for one, but since some of them had become pretty funky I hesitated to hand them all out.  Now I will know to have more on hand for next year.   I am so glad you shared this with us!

Crates are a great thing!

The families of new puppies are now involved in the process of crate training.  This is an important thing for a young dog since it helps with outdoor potty training, and also keeps your puppy safe, when you cannot be with him/her.   Our litter spent time in a large crate as a group, but they did not spend much time alone in a small crate.  I will incorporate more individual puppy crate training into my program for future litters.

I wanted to share some information to help you all in your crate training efforts.  ....Keep the crate positive, by introducing it when the puppy has already spent a lot of his energy in playtime.  Put him in it for a few minutes at a time and give him treats when puppy is quiet in his crate.  Avoid rewarding your puppy for whining in his crate by taking him out when he complains.

Here's some more extensive tips from the Humane Society.


Step 1: Introduce your dog to the crate
Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room. Put a soft blanket or towel in the crate. Take the door off and let the dog explore the crate at his leisure. Some dogs will be naturally curious and start sleeping in the crate right away.  If yours isn't one of them:

• Bring him over to the crate, and talk to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is open and secured so that it won't hit your dog and frighten him.
• Encourage your dog to enter the crate by dropping some small food treats nearby, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If he refuses to go all the way in at first, that's okay; don't force him to enter.
• Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If he isn't interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days.

Step 2: Feed your dog his meals in the crate
After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate.

• If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, place the food dish all the way at the back of the crate.
• If he remains reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the dish a little further back in the crate.
• Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can close the door while he's eating. The first time you do this, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until he's staying in the crate for ten minutes or so after eating.
• If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate, don’t let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so he'll keep doing it.

Step 3: Lengthen the crating periods
After your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you're home.

• Call him over to the crate and give him a treat.
• Give him a command to enter, such as "kennel." Encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand.
• After your dog enters the crate, praise him, give him the treat, and close the door.
• Sit quietly near the crate for five to ten minutes, and then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, and then let him out of the crate.
• Repeat this process several times a day, gradually increasing the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time you're out of his sight.
• Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you mostly out of sight, you can begin leaving him crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting him sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.

Step 4, Part A: Crate your dog when you leave
After your dog can spend about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when you leave the house.

• Put him in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the crate.
• Vary at what point in your "getting ready to leave" routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere from five to 20 minutes prior to leaving.
• Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged—they should be matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate, and then leave quietly.

When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key to avoid increasing his anxiety over when you will return. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so he doesn't associate crating with being left alone.

Step 4, Part B: Crate your dog at night
Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night, and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when he whines to be let outside.
Older dogs, too, should initially be kept nearby so they don't associate the crate with social isolation.
Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with his crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer, although time spent with your dog—even sleep time—is a chance to strengthen the bond between you and your pet.

Potential problems
Whining. If your dog whines or cries while in the crate at night, it may be difficult to decide whether he's whining to be let out of the crate, or whether he needs to be let outside to eliminate. If you've followed the training procedures outlined above, then your dog hasn't been rewarded for whining in the past by being released from his crate. If that is the case, try to ignore the whining. If your dog is just testing you, he'll probably stop whining soon. Yelling at him or pounding on the crate will only make things worse.
If the whining continues after you've ignored him for several minutes, use the phrase he associates with going outside to eliminate. If he responds and becomes excited, take him outside. This should be a trip with a purpose, not play time. If you're convinced that your dog doesn't need to eliminate, the best response is to ignore him until he stops whining. Don't give in; if you do, you'll teach your dog to whine loud and long to get what he wants. If you've progressed gradually through the training steps and haven't done too much too fast, you'll be less likely to encounter this problem. If the problem becomes unmanageable, you may need to start the crate training process over again.


Here's a nice video from the humane society about crates and the pen as an alternative for longer periods of time.

http://video.humanesociety.org/video/775461494001

Hope this helps!

Update on Remy (Tigger)

From Remy's new Mom...

Remy did great on the ride home.  Didn't sleep but just gave lots of kisses and looked around.  He spent the day on the schedule you gave (Bob is a real stickler for schedules)!  And so far no accidents at all--uses his litter box every time.  Doesn't like his crate but my daughter is at PetSmart getting a "cage-like" crate right now and hopefully he'll like that better because it's more like the one he was in.  Kate gave him a stuffed teddy bear of hers for company and he carries it all over the kitchen.  Right now he's sacked out on the sofa sleeping while I get a little reading and computer work done.

Thank you so much for being  such a good puppy mom.  You did a great job and we love him SO much!!      --  Kit

Peaches Goes Home

Yesterday afternoon, the last of our puppies, Peaches, went home.  Her new mom seems excited and ready to begin raising her little puppy.  She decided to keep the name Peaches.

We really enjoyed having the special time with Peaches during her last day with us.

These were a few photos we took on her last day.

Tigger's new name is Remy

Here's a note from Bella's (Scarlet) Mom,

Just wanted to let you know that Bella has been doing awesome.  She only whined for 10 minutes at the beginning of the car ride and then quickly fell asleep for almost the whole ride home.  She has been enjoying sniffing her new environment yet still following us when we call her.  She has even mastered the small steps on our deck.  Having the litter box has also been a huge help.  She peed and pooped in the box.  The only challenge so far was her not wanting to stay in the crate with the door shut.  She has been comfortable going in and exploring it on her own but isn't comfortable being in their with the door closed.  It might be a long night.

I have attached some pictures.  Hope you enjoy seeing how happy she is.  We'll send you some more soon.

Thanks again, Jackie


















I am so appreciative for notes like this.  It is so fun to see Bella at her new home and know she is doing great!  The pictures were sent from her family.

Here's a side note:  I embellished the top photo of Bella using an online photo editing tool, www.Picnik.com.  It really is a very user friendly awesome tool for having fun with photos, or just improving them.  It has been a great help to improve my own photos for this blog.

----Mary 

Still saying Goodbye...

Today I said good by to our little teddy bear, Tigger (Remy).  His new Mom and Dad were so happy to be bringing home their baby.  All their children have grown up and moved to their own homes....so little Tigger (Remy) is going to be spoiled (in a good way!)

I forgot to take out my camera...again!  I just get so focused on making sure the puppy gets, his blankie, litter and paperwork...I forget pictures!

But luckily I got a few pictures over the last couple of days of me with my little darlings.....

 ....And you can see how they love me too!

So now all we have is Peaches.  I used the puppy pen to create a gate to block in the family room.  I put Peaches in there with her litter box.  (Now that's pretty brave to give an 8 week old puppy free reign on a carpeted floor....Yahh litter box!)   Being in the family room keeps Peaches close to the activity, without being underfoot in the kitchen.  (It's an open floor plan)  She seems to be pretty content.  Dixie goes in there and gives her some love and attention and the kids play in there too.  So she definitely is not being ignored.

Tigger gives me good bye kisses!

Next Years Waiting List begins....

Yesterday we had a visit from a family who has been following this blog and wants to bring a puppy home from next years litter.  The kids were so happy to see the puppies before they had all gone home!

A busy day! Lots of Good byes

Scarlet with her new best friend.

Today I said good bye to Scarlet (Bella), Toffee ('Bruno') and Taco ('Yankee').

We sent each of the puppies home with a 'puppy blankie'.  These fleece blankies are full of the smells of the litter and are provided to the puppies to give them a piece of familiar scents amongst all the unfamiliar smells of their new environment.

Toffee and Peaches enjoy their puppy 'blankies'.

I forgot to get pictures of everyone, so I will just put up my last pictures of Toffee Bruno and Taco Yankee.

Dixie seemed fine  She did run around the yard barking after everyone was gone.   I think she smelled the friends that came....and she might have been looking for the puppies that had left.  But she did not seem upset when she came back to the house.  I guess she was doing her duty to make sure no puppy was left outside. 

Be a good boy Taco!

I worried that Peaches and Tigger might feel the loss of their syblings so I brought them into the family room this evening to play with us.  I put the litter box in the middle of the room and let the puppies run around to their hearts content.  Dixie was happy to be with the party.  The puppies each ran to the litter box to tinkle once during their playtime.  I was glad to see that even though they had free reign in the kitchen and family room, they still had the good sense to find the litter box.  After that I put them to bed, and they seemed content.

I hope that Scarlet (Bella), Toffee (Bruno), and Taco (Yankee) are adjusting to their first night away from their syblings.  This will be Ginger's second night, so hopefully she too is adjusting.

We'll miss you Ginger!

Ginger's family came to get their little girl today.  They decided to keep the name Ginger.  Ah that is nice.  I thought she was a little Ginger!

So they took their little girl home...Such a mixture of Sadness and Joy for me!   I think of Gingers adorable face, too cute for words...I won't be cuddling her anymore.  And then I think of the smiles on the children, even more precious.   I know Ginger will be sooo well loved.  Its fantastic!

How I wish all you families a lifetime of puppy love!

Puppy Pics 7 1/2 weeks old

Peaches and Scarlet

Tigger

Ginger

Taco

Scarlet

Bringing Your Puppy Home

This weekend our puppies turn 8 weeks old and will all be going home to their new families.  It is an exciting day to bring a puppy home, but it does come with its moments of anxiety.  Hopefully if you know what to expect ahead of time, you can relieve some of these anxieties.

First of all, when the puppies ride home, it is not uncommon for them to cry or whine.  Just driving in the car itself is something new.  When I took the pups to the vet, a few of the pups complained very loudly in the car.  They just were not sure about the motion of the vehicle.  On a long car ride, your puppy might also get car sick.  So be prepared with a towel for him to sit on.  It is recommended that you come with a companion so that someone can drive and the other person can hold the puppy.  This makes it a little easier on the pup.

Your puppy will miss his litter mates a bit as well.  If your pup cries, he is not crying for Dixie, as she does not spend very much time with them anymore.  She does romp with them sporadically during the day....but she has stopped nursing them completely over these past few days and she has been separating herself from them naturally.

You can relieve the litter separation your puppy is feeling by letting your pup be near you as much as you are able.  You will quickly replace his litter.

It is hardest for the puppy at night time, because he has always had a furry friend to curl up with.  It is not recommended that you sleep with your dog...but I have known several people do this for the first few days to get through the initial loneliness the puppy feels.  Do not lock your pup up in a basement or laundry room if he whines or cries...it will only add to his anxiety.  The best thing to do, is to tether your puppy to your bed, so that he can be near you, smell you and hear your breathing.  As long as he is tethered, it is unlikely he will soil your rug.  You can also put the litter box within his reach so he can use it in the night if he needs to.

Being close to you is comforting to him, and will help him bond to you.  He will go to sleep much easier.  If he seems happy in his crate, then you could also crate him in your room.

If the puppy has been sleeping quietly for several hours in the night and then wakes up and starts crying again....chances are he needs to use the potty.  You will need to take him to his litter box if it is not within his reach.  In time his bladder will mature and then he will sleep through the night.

Health Guarantee and Preventative Care

We guarantee that your puppy will be sent home with you healthy and free of diseases to the best of our knowledge.  We have had a recent veterinary good health report to further ensure the health of these puppies for you. If you take your puppy to a licensed veterinary within 3 days after your date of purchase and the vet finds an unforeseen congenital abnormality, it is your options to return your puppy for a full refund.  You must present to us a written health report from your veterinary stating the defect.   

If your puppy is exposed to an infectious disease after it leaves here, we cannot be held responsible, and this is not covered under the health guarantee.  

We also cannot guarantee that your puppy will never develop any health problems, just like a pediatrician cannot guarantee that a child will never develop any health problems in the future. Some things are just not able to be predicted.  Our parents are free of diseases, disorders, and health problems, or we would not breed them.  That means the puppies are less likely to develop problems.  However, we cannot guarantee that puppies will never develop a problem.

First Shots and Deworming ---A trip to the Veterinary

Yesterday the puppies visited the veterinary, Dr. Sharon Kensik from Lees Hill Animal Hospital.

Dr Kensik checked each puppy individually to listen for genetic defects.

She checked their hearts for heart murmurs, their eyes for signs of cataracts, their ears for ear mites.  She checked their mouths for a good bite and cleft pallet.  She looked over their whole physique to see that they had a sound structure.

Happily, all the puppies were reported to be in good health.

Dr. Kensik announces that all the puppies are in excellent health!

The vet techs then weighed each puppy and gave them a dewormer.

The puppies were not too happy to get their first set of shots.

The Vet Techs seemed to genuinely enjoy seeing our adorable puppies.

These booster shots will need to be repeated in three weeks.  Be sure to mark your calendars so you don't forget to make an appointment to see the veterinary for your puppies boosters around May 23.  At that time, your veterinary will also prescribe Heart Worm medication that you will need to administer monthly throughout the year.  Your veterinary will also start your puppy on Flea medication.  With the weather heating up, it will be very important to protect your puppy from parasites.

I will send home with each family a Puppy Packet with their individual shot records, Registration papers, and other helpful information about caring for your new puppy.

If you don't already have a veterinary and groomer in mind, do your research now.  Ask your friends for their recommendations.   You will find that veterinaries vary tremendously in their fees and routine procedures and patient manner.  I like to call ahead before a visit to know what procedures are routine, and what I can expect for a bill.

Grooming the Schnoodle Puppy

When the puppies were just 4 weeks old they got their first nail trimming.  This was to help Dixie not get scratched by the puppies while they nursed. 

Last Saturday I did some more puppy grooming.  I always exhaust the puppies first with a good romp outdoors so they will be less squirmy when I groom them.  Then I went to it...

1. Clipping the fur on the Pads of their feet

I'm only 7 weeks, but I am getting pretty fluffy!

It is important to clip the fur around the pads of the puppies feet.  Long fur collects dirt and germs, plus it is prone to getting matted which can be rather uncomfortable.  The puppies feet fur was already long and thick.  I trimmed it down around the nails and between the pads of their feet.

I spent all my energy in playtime, so I am pretty relaxed right now.

2. Clipping Toe Nails
After clipping the feet fur, I was able to see the toe nails quite visibly.  I used specially designed dog toe clippers to trim each toe nail on the front and back paws.  When you take your puppy in for his first hair cut, you might want to ask the groomer to show you how to clip the nails.  Their are also a lot of good instruction online. You have to be very careful not to clip the wick or you will cause the dog to bleed.  It is advisable to keep Styptic powder on hand as it will stop the bleeding of a toe nail.  Happily, I have never needed it.

Mom gives me tummy rubs to reward me during grooming.

3. Trimming the Fur around the eyes
It is important for your puppy to be able to see, and we also don't want excessive fur to be a breeding ground of bacteria around your puppies eyes.  Today I trimmed the fur that was at the corners of their eyes and cleaned away any goop that had accumulated.  I used a pair of round nose scissors, especially for cutting fur, so I wouldn't risk any injury.

4. Trimming the Anal area.
It is also important to keep the fur trimmed short near the puppies anus, so that the fur in this area won't trap feces.  If puppies get a dried poopy butt it is unsightly, unhygienic and very uncomfortable for the puppy.

I am a good puppy even for grooming!

This was all the grooming that was necessary for the 7 week old puppy.  But it will be good for you to continue to do these same grooming activities with your puppy.  The puppy will need to be groomed all his life, and he better get use to being handled early on, or he will be a problem for the groomer.

Look!  You can see my eyes!

As the summer heat sets in, your puppy will also need his body fur trimmed.  The groomer will also routinely pluck fur from inside the dogs ear canal.

Do you like my manicure?

Grooming your puppy is not just to make them look good.....it is a NECESSARY aspect of your Schnoodles health.    Ear infections and overgrown toenails are very painful.  Allowing a dogs fur to get matted is cruel because matted fur pulls at their skin and is very uncomfortable for a dog.   Please take the grooming requirements of your Schnnoodle seriously.

Even if you take your dog to a regular groomer, it is a good idea for you to get use to some of the minor grooming in between visits.  I love a freshly groomed dog!  You can see their beautiful eyes.  They look cute and everyone wants to cuddle with him.  And as the primary house cleaner in my home, I just feel better knowing that our dog is fresh and clean enough to sit on my couch.