Place to sleep
The place you choose for your puppy to sleep and rest should evoke only positive emotions in him. It should be warm, comfortable and close to those parts of the house that the puppy likes. It is allowed to place next to the small pet some thing or toy that is dear to him. You can leave the radio on at minimum volume. Before going to bed, try to pet and calm your baby!
It is important that your pet’s sleeping place does not have any additional functions, such as a place for punishment for disobedience. This situation will lead to additional stress. The kid will definitely decide that he is being punished.
Why, when going to bed, does the dog begin to spin around and “dig” its sleeping place?
This behavior of the four-legged animal is caused by the genetic memory of its ancestors - wolves. When going to bed, the wolves would tear up leaves or snow to make something like a nest, and then spin around in place, crushing the grass underneath them and preparing a rookery.
Review is a condition in which breathing patterns disrupt sleep. This is typical for both people and their pets. It most often affects brachycephalic breeds such as the pug, where the air passages become swollen and narrow. However, Chihuahuas may have stenotic nostrils or an elongated palate, which causes breathing problems, especially when the dog is lying down.
It's common for first-time dog owners to be surprised by how much time their new dog kisser spends sleeping. It's like they sleep all day, every day, and do some more! Of course this is not true, but how many dogs slept? And why did the dogs sleep so much?
The fact is that the safest and most functional sleeping position for a wolf was the “ring” or “curl”. In this position, the animal loses less heat, instinctively protects all vital organs, and the walls of the constructed “nest” also protect it from the outside. That’s why, obeying the call of our ancestors, our fluffy (and not so fluffy) little tails love to “dig” their bed before going to bed.
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While the exact amount of sleep your dog will enjoy over a 24-hour period varies, the average is usually between 12 and 14 hours per day. Additionally, while we humans sleep in one long block of 7 to 9 hours every night, your dog's sleep patterns are much more disrupted. Consequently, they need much more sleep to be as rested as we humans are.
Another reason you may find your dog sleeping a lot is because there isn't much to do for them. This is why you will typically find that working dogs sleep less than their domestic counterparts because they are stimulated for more time during the day.
No need to whine!
During the first week of your puppy being at home, he may start crying or whining pitifully before going to bed. This happens because the baby has a hard time being separated from the family and is used to sleeping with his mother and brothers and sisters. The main advice: do not get along with your pet, do not try to replace his mother: you risk teaching a dangerous pattern of behavior into a small puppy for life.
If your puppy cries or whines, leave him alone anyway. Allow a reasonable amount of time, long enough for him to calm down without your help. If crying continues for a long time, give the command “No” and do not condone such behavior under any circumstances. Try to somehow distract his attention, stay nearby, but do not cajole the puppy: otherwise he will remember that only crying and whining can achieve certain results.
Original post: Teaching Your Puppy To Sleep Through The Night. Source and photo:
Why does a puppy whine at night?
- One of the most important reasons is that he misses his mother. Until recently, he slept under her warm side and did not worry about anything. And now he has to sleep alone on a cold mat. No matter how cruel it may sound, it will pass. Usually after 4-6 days the baby gets used to the new environment - this is normal.
- Sometimes your puppy may whine because his stomach hurts. This can be caused by overeating. If, after weaning from mother’s milk, you immediately started feeding him “adult” food, the baby’s body might not be ready for this. The transition from milk to solid foods should be gradual. And if you have separated your baby from breast milk, feed him cow's milk from a nipple for the first time.
- Sometimes a puppy cries because he is scared. Avoid harsh sounds at night, talk to him gently, calm him down.
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Whining at night is a rather unpleasant phenomenon. And especially in an apartment building, where the neighbors hear the lingering songs of your new pet. Of course, you want to calm your baby down as quickly as possible, but how to do this correctly, without mistakes in parenting?
- The very first and most important rule is that you should not run to the puppy when he whines. In this case, he will think that he can call you this way and will whine even more. No matter how difficult it is, ignore the whining.
- In order for the puppy to sleep at night and not whine, he needs to be taken for a walk before bed. Having run around enough, the baby will sleep all night, not remembering his distance from his mother.
- You don’t really want to whine on a full stomach, so feed your dog properly before bed. This should be a nutritious diet, such as meat (but only if the puppy is already eating solid food). Leave a drinking bowl within walking distance of your puppy so he can drink at night if he wants.
- If the puppy does not stop whining, you need to tell him in a stern voice, “Ugh!” This is one of the first commands a dog should learn. If the whining continues, the command should be repeated. The dog does not understand the words of a person, but perfectly understands the tone addressed to it. And if the puppy is silent, he should be praised.
- Some dog breeders claim that a dog whines at night if it lacks attention and care during the day. Try to spend as much time as possible with your baby. Walk and play with him more often or just be close to him. At night, when the baby whines from being separated from you, put any of your things on his bedding. The baby will smell your scent and calm down.
- Sometimes a puppy doesn't sleep simply because he can't sleep. In this case, you need to place toys and teeth sharpeners next to his place. Perhaps the baby will become interested in them and take his mind off the whining.
- If the baby is about one month old, it means that he is still too young to be separated from his mother. But if this has already happened, place his bedding next to your bed. As soon as the puppy whines, lower your hand, pet and calm the dog. This must be done every time. The next night, the dog's sleeping area should be moved a little further from the bed. This must be done every night until the litter is in its rightful place.
- It happens that a dog whines not only when he gets to a new home. An adult dog may whine alone while you are at work. To avoid this, take your dog for a longer walk in the morning, feed him well, and leave him toys. A tired and satisfied dog will sleep the whole day.
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And remember, the dog cannot be locked in a separate room. Give her freedom of movement - the dog is exploring its new place of residence. And don’t even think about hitting the dog – physical force will lead to nothing good. The puppy will sooner or later stop whining when he gets used to the new place. And then he will sleep soundly all night, so that in the morning he will delight you with his ringing bark and the cheerful twisting of his little tail!
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How to toilet train a dog
A puppy should be taught to relieve himself in a strictly designated place at the age of 2 - 4 months. Tactics depend on the breed of the animal and the toilet chosen by the owner. Miniature pets, such as Chihuahuas, in apartment living conditions are often accustomed to a tray or a special oilcloth. Medium and large dogs are most often walked on the street or in the courtyard of a private house.
Be patient until you go outside
Most owners prefer their pets to spend time outdoors. Dogs not only relieve themselves, but also play and develop physical strength and endurance. Adult animals can wait until the next walk and not crap in the apartment. Due to their physiological characteristics, puppies up to eight months of age cannot endure for a long time, and the owner should know this.
Before the age of 4 months, puddles and more serious consequences on the carpet and floor are common. You should not punish the puppy, much less rub his nose in “dirty tricks.” Teaching a dog to be clean is a long process and requires endurance and patience from the owner.
Once the puppy reaches four months of age, toilet training should begin. Every time after waking up and feeding, the animal must be taken outside. When the pet does its business, you need to praise it and treat it with something tasty. Only after this can you play and walk with the dog. You should choose a place for the toilet outside that is quiet and windless, so that foreign odors and other animals do not distract the dog.
Until the age of 6 months, your pet should be walked at least 5 times a day. If a puddle does appear, you should not punish the puppy. At the age of six months, the frequency of toilet walks can be reduced to three.
Walk on oilcloth/tray
Recently, dwarf dog breeds have become incredibly popular in megalopolises and large cities: Yorkshire terrier, Chihuahua, toy terrier, Petit Brabançon and others. The miniature size allows you to organize a toilet for them in a city apartment. For this purpose, trays or special absorbent diapers are used.
The principle of training a dog to wear a diaper is to limit the free space. To do this, the puppy is fenced off from the rest of the room using boxes, providing him only with a place to rest and an absorbent diaper. Carefully observing the animal, it should be praised and treated with a treat at the moment when the puppy does its business after sleeping on a special cloth.
It should be placed on a diaper after feeding and active play, rewarding each time for a positive result. The fact that the puppy wants to go to the toilet is indicated by his behavior: he spins around in one place, sniffs the floor in search of a diaper.
Some dogs for some reason do not want to use a diaper. In this case, you can use newspapers. When the dog gets used to shitting on them, they can be placed in the tray.
For diaper or litter box training to be effective, it is important to choose the right location for it. To do this, you should watch the puppy. At first, the tray or diaper can be placed in the place chosen by the animal. Gradually, when the pet gets used to going where it should, the tray can be placed in a place convenient for the owner.
Relieve yourself in one place on the site
If the dog is kept in a country house or dacha, it will be convenient for the owner if the dog relieves itself in a designated area, and not throughout the entire area. You can teach this behavior by walking your dog after eating near the preferred toilet area. When the animal does its job where it needs to be, it needs to be praised and treated with something tasty.
This manipulation should be carried out every time you walk the dog. After some time, the dog will develop the habit of shitting in the same territory. But only if it is periodically cleaned.
Accustoming an animal to the “Place” command and cleanliness is the basis of canine literacy. Knowing your territory and unquestioningly obeying the owner is not an easy task, requiring patience and goodwill. Consistent actions aimed at developing the necessary skill will help to accustom your pet to cleanliness.
Prohibition
As a rule, most puppies are smart enough to understand their owner's actions.
But it happens that ignoring does not work. Then prohibition comes into play. Not to be confused with punishment! Otherwise, a persistent reflex will arise in the baby’s head: if they take him to bed, they will punish him. Naturally, he will in every possible way avoid the sleeping place at any time of the day. It is also important to remember that the ban is for life. That is forever. Otherwise, how will you explain to the dog that he needs to sleep today, but on holidays or in the presence of overstaying guests, you can play around at night?
What is the prohibition? It's about not allowing the puppy to wander around at night. Dog children are impressionable, and it will be enough to shush the little one. Some sources recommend hitting the naughty butt with a newspaper. But this is already akin to punishment, because puppies are afraid of the rustling of paper. For especially slow-witted or annoying dogs, you can advise tapping a newspaper on the floor. Usually after this the puppy becomes quiet and gradually gets used to sleeping at night. What if the scary piece of paper rustles again?
