Early days.... Questions

Hello

I've just joined the forum as I brought home a new 10 week old staffy pup on Friday, Chester, and I'm looking for some advice please.

I know it's very early days yet, but he's crying almost as soon as were out of his sight.

The first night at home he cried and howled for ages when we first put him to bed, but then managed with only a few whimpers until about 3am before I gave in and got on the sofa with him.

Lastnight we put his bed in our room with the intention of moving it further away over time and eventually getting it downstairs. He wouldn't stay in his bed and I ended up putting him on our bed, where he he then slept silently all night.

I do have a crate for him and the little time that he's spent in it, he hates it whenever the door is shut. Will he finally settle if I persevere with the crate? How long do I leave him crying? Is it better whilst training him if we're out if sight while he's in it? I need to get him used to being in it as he will alone in the mornings and I'd prefer to start him in that than risk all the chewing.

Sorry for all the questions on my first post, Im just very conscious of the fine line between making him feel safe and loved in his new home and not making a rod for my own back by not starting as we mean to go, if you know what I mean.

Thankyou x

Hello @Rachel Lofts welcome to breedia and such an adorable cute staff

Rachel with both my first two staffs...to stop the crying and whimpering at first because with my 2nd staff Tyson I had to crate him as chewing started but from young pups and to help training them...I got a box large enough and high enough where they couldn't get out put down a nice warm blanket in it and because Chester as come from his mom, you've now replaced her, so if you have an old slipper it's a comfy zone for him put that in the box as well and then put it the side of your bed...I used to take mine out at 12 at night, then 4am and again at 7am and it quickly trains them but if you need your sleep for work etc...then I would leave him in the box until he whimpers then put him out to make sure he does his mess...I would suggest doing this until he's at least 12wks old, that's 2wks for him to adjust, then move him to his crate

I'm a little allergic to dog dander so have never been a fan of dogs sharing my bed. Personally, I would continue with the crate, and try to make it as much like a snuggly den as possible, by covering the top and three of the sides with a blanket. It is easier to have the crate in your room, as you will be able to comfort him without having to change rooms. This may help with the housetraining too.
He is bound to be missing the sensation of snuggling with his littermates, so I would put a couple of puppy sized Teddy Bears in his bed - charity store ones are quite good enough as they will eventually get weed on, (check that they don't contain those plastic beads though). I always used to recommend having a ticking clock in the room - to simulate the rhythm of a heartbeat - and until he reaches the alligator stage, you could give him a gently warmed hot water bottle too.

Hi @CaroleC I wished i'd have thought of a ticking clock

Luckily dog dander is one thing I am not allergic to, so Lexi and then Pereg slept on my bed.

With Tikva, she went into her crate in my bedroom at night from when I brought her home at a far too young age, but as I was bottle-feeding her she woke me by eeping when she wanted feeding, and she had two [of Pereg's toys] and the shirt I had worn when I collected her, in her crate. And she did not know any difference, just that when she eeped I would get up to feed her.

I did try to give in for a couple of nights and let her on my bed but being scrambled over and my ears being treated as if they were for nursing, not forgetting the one time she fell off my high bed, it was crate for night. And it still is.

Good reminder Juli. A T-shirt that you have worn is comforting too!

Remember this?

He ended up on our bed lastnight and didn't make a sound all night. Do you think I should avoid doing this? x

If you are prepared [and happy] for Chester to always sleep on your bed, it is up to you. I did not have a dog for many years and Lexi was a sort of spur of the moment thing. I knew that people up the road from where I lived had puppies [out-door moms so always puppies galore which nobody wanted]. She had never been in a house and the first couple of nights she slept on my slippers at the side of my bed until she could get on the bed.

When Pereg arrived I had moved to a different bungalow and for physical reasons had a much higher bed, and until she could get up on it I just used to hoik her up. Lexi one side, Pereg the other.

But Tikva, apart from a couple of nights when I felt guilty about her being alone because she was so very young, went into her crate at night and there she stayed except when she eeped for a bottle during the night. And then back into her crate . Her crate is hers, just as my bed is mine, and her crate is in my bedroom so I can always hear her should she need me.

He slept lovely from 8.30 lastnight until 4 this morning in his bed at the side of ours

What a good boy!

OMG Juli...it reminds me of when I had Tyson being a red...so cute

Rachel I think it's a bed job … I never had mine on the bed but it's everyone to their own in my opinion