Hi,we've had our Jack Russell pup for 3 weeks now,she is 12 weeks old and still cries at night.She sleeps in a crate downstairs with a night light.She has improved... we're down to 20 minutes every night after we go to bed from 4-6 hours lol.We play with her before bed,she has 2 or 3 walks through the day and goes out to potty before bed.We've been staying up until about 1.00am and getting up at 6.30.She almost housebroken,no accidents in the house for the last week.She goes to the back door when she needs out.(she never soils in the crate and uses it happily through the day for naps or just to escape the kids!)
Last night she escaped!! We had been out through the day in the car and the clip for the tray had come undone without us noticing,she dug at the bottom (don't know how as she has a basket in there that fills it)until the tray pushed out and then squeezed out the small gap it left,she then scratched at the door and barked and cried until I had to go down and put her back in the crate... securely this time)then she cried for her usual 20 minutes and went to sleep.Will she eventually stop? I'm a bit worried that it may just become part of her bedtime routine if it goes on much longer.
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks x

I am pressed for time. Check the ''What does a puppy need?'' sticky, https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802

I may say more tonight.

It is unusual for a puppy to be that persistent in crying at night for so long. Even before I discovered that nifty lay down trick, most of our puppies quit after no more than a week. I really was desperate the night I first tried it. I was tired, beat and needed to get to bed. The puppy had the neighbors dogs barking. Nothing worked. Since then, I have used it with at least a dozen puppies, and it works every time.

Hi labman,thanks for your replies.It is unusual I know,I've never had a dog who was so insistent either,maximum is 4 nights I think.She's a great puppy otherwise,as I mentioned she goes to the door to go out,she does sit,down,up,wait,leave,paw... she's fantastic.It seems almost like part of her settling down routine,I'm a little concerned that it's more habit now than real sorrow.It doesn't escalate at all,just mournful crying,a few yips,a 2 minute scratch at the bottom of the crate and then she settles.I don't think it's separation anxiety as she doesn't display the same behaviour when she's left in the crate in the car(same crate,we take it out)or if I pop out through the day.Do you think that leaving her for longer periods through the day gradually would help?I work from home so she's with me most of the time.I crate her at times through the day but obviously she knows I'm still here.
Thanks x

I don't know that leaving her in the crate longer in the day time would help or not. I strongly believe in crating a dog when you can't watch it, but seldom crate mine when I am around.

Have you tried putting the crate in the bedroom with you? She just might be lonesome. Sometimes just hearing someone else breathing is all they need. Dogs are pack animals and it is not at all natural for them to be alone. Sometimes we make problems more complicated than they need to be. She is probably just lonesome.

Hope this helps,

Molly

Well last night Tess only gave a short yip and whine and went straight to sleep!! I always play with her before bed but I decided to walk her briefly too last night so I took her around the block at about 10.30 then had our normal play... which seemed to do the trick.I'll stick to that routine for a few nights and see how we do.
Thanks so much for your replies,at least when my kids worried me I could call the health visitor/doctor/my mum etc lol.It's nice to have someone to ask about the pup!
Tracy xxx

Labman, I wanted to thank you for the lying down trick. It works really well! There are a few wimpers but nothing like the loud whining we have experienced in the past. My wife and I take turns and we will probably do it for another week than we'll see what happens.

Putting the crate in the bedroom is a good idea, also a hot water bottle works wonders/