The First Few Nights
When it's time for bed, take your pup outside one last time, and then put her in her crate in your bedroom. This may be the first big test of your resolve. You may get lucky, and have a pup that sleeps through the night. Or you may have a pup that cries and howls, bites or bangs at the crate door, and carries on for what seems like hours. If you go to the pup to soothe her, or let her out of the crate, you are teaching her that noise will be rewarded with attention and human contact (which is what she wants), and you'll create a lifetime of problems for yourself.
A SnugglePet may help your puppy feel comforted at night — she's used to snuggling with littermates, after all. This floppy plush dog contains a battery-driven “heartbeat” and a microwaveable insert for warmth. You can take out the inserts and wash the SnugglePet if your pup relieves herself at night.
Ignoring the dog's fussing may cause you to lose sleep for a few nights, but this is better than ending up with a dog that throws tantrums to get her way. Some say you should tell the pup to hush. Others suggest you bang on the top of the crate. But it's best to just endure the noise in silence and let the pup see that it doesn't work. Once she learns that there's no benefit to her whining, she will eventually stop.
