10 week old puppy won't sleep at night

[pdepierre]

I am new to the Frenchie breed and we have an 10 week old puppy. We have had him for 2 1/2 weeks and he is adjusting great except at night. We have him crated at night and he won't sleep for more than 2 hours at a time - often as little as 45 minutes - without waking up crying. We are getting up so he can potty and each time he does squeeze out a little, but it doesn't seem like that is what he needs. We are limiting water after 7 pm., the crate has the top and 2 sides covered with a blanket, and he has a full belly. We have owned Mastiffs before and they slept through the night by this age, or at most only got up once. Is this just the way it is with this breed, and if so how old are they before they sleep all the way through?

 

[Dreamer]

he could be adjusting to being alone - my frenchie was ~14 weeks when we brought him home and he would indeed wake up at least once per night to potty but also he would cry a lot- especially during the first couple of weeks, since before then he'd always been in a group with his litter mates. It must have been quite the change for him! Some things that helped us through it: I moved the crate on top of my nightstand so it was facing me, so he could be very close and not feel alone (this helped the most). I found quiet/soothing music (we did classical on low volume) also helped settle him down. Give them treats every time they go in the crate and move the crate to the primary space during the day & feed them their meals in the crate - basically associate all things positive with the crate.

 

[Cbrugs]

Frenchie’s are velcro dogs and always will want to be with you. Plus he’s still a baby and adjusting. If you are crate training, you will just have to be consistent. Once you start taking them out because they are crying, they will keep doing it. Of course, taking them out to potty/poop is different and that will need to be done as they can’t hold it for very long at that age.


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[Mechadogzilla]

Hello Pdepierre, I just got a new 8 week old puppy this past weekend. The second night, we went through what you are describing. On the third night, I slept by his crate in a sleeping bag, and there was no whimpering. The next night, I laid beside his crate for only about a half hour, and then he was fine. Last night, he was fine in his crate without me being on the floor beside him (his crate is in my bedroom). I think it does have to do with feeling the dog not feeling alone - not only with Frenchies but many dogs. I think Dreamer and Cbrugs had some great advice. Good luck with your new family member.

 

[Cbrugs]

Hello Pdepierre, I just got a new 8 week old puppy this past weekend. The second night, we went through what you are describing. On the third night, I slept by his crate in a sleeping bag, and there was no whimpering. The next night, I laid beside his crate for only about a half hour, and then he was fine. Last night, he was fine in his crate without me being on the floor beside him (his crate is in my bedroom). I think it does have to do with feeling the dog not feeling alone - not only with Frenchies but many dogs. I think Dreamer and Cbrugs had some great advice. Good luck with your new family member.

Wait...did we know you got a new puppy!? Maybe I just missed the post. But in any event...congrats as I know you were looking.

 

[Stuart]

We got our 8 week old 2 weeks ago. He has been sleeping in his crate on top of a desk at night so he can see me. The first few nights, whenever he woke up I would pet him softly in the crate and not speak to him until he feel back to sleep. Over the next few nights I would only put my fingers in the cage and touch him. Last night we moved the cage to the floor and he only required two touches during he night. We don’t feed him after 5:00, pick up his water at 6:00. I have a sound machine playing white noise right on top of the crate. The other thing we do is in the morning, we leave him in the crate while we make the bed. BUT- he isn’t a fan of being left alone in his living room crate and pen. I may try the noise machine or leaving the tv on. Good luck!

 

[pdepierre]

Thanks so much for the advice - we will try this tonight and see how he does

 

[pdepierre]

Thanks - will try laying by his crate which, like you, is in our bedroom and will also add the noise machine as suggested by others. Thanks so much for your help.

 

[FroxerMom]

Lots of great advice for all these new Frenchies in their lucky new homes!

 

[2bullymama]

Thanks - will try laying by his crate which, like you, is in our bedroom and will also add the noise machine as suggested by others. Thanks so much for your help.

Also try giving him a dirty t-shirt of towel with your scent on it that he can sleep with.


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[Stuart]

How are things going?

My little man woke up at 4:05. We went outside, he took care of business, and went right back to sleep! I had to wake him up at 6:00!

 

[pdepierre]

No luck - we ended up letting him sleep in bed with us. We have never had this issue with any other dog we have had - feeling like a bit of a "fail" Frenchie parent! Now that he sleeps in bed with us he sleeps through the night no problem. Not ideal but on the otherhand I don't hate having him snuggled up next to me

 

[mattcantwin]

No luck - we ended up letting him sleep in bed with us.

We have never had this issue with any other dog we have had - feeling like a bit of a "fail" Frenchie parent!

Now that he sleeps in bed with us he sleeps through the night no problem. Not ideal but on the otherhand I don't hate having him snuggled up next to me

Owner - 0

Frank - 1

For what it's worth, can't beat the feeling of a Frenchie snuggled up against you.

 

[dermich]

pdepierre - This is exactly what our first Frenchie did, we put the cage at the same level as the bed just 1 foot away so my wife could put her hand (fingers) in the cage otherwise he would not stop Whining (12 weeks)
We eventually left the door to the cage open at night figured he wasn't going anywhere and my wife could rest her hand in the cage. At about 16 weeks, we woke up one morning to snoring and a little furbaby laying next to our heads.
He never got in the crate again.

PS - Second ones (2) are starting to get this way as well, but they are much less needy because there are two to entertain themselves (not telling you to buy another one)
We still do get whining from these two as well, but they sleep in their crates and usually stop after a few minutes.

 

[Dreamer]

I'll pitch in my "frenchie fail" crate story too. He was doing OK in it, not whining and whatnot but every single night before bedtime/crate time as I brush my teeth he would just his paws up on the bed and make direct eye contact with me while displaying the saddest face he could muster. I could only withstand so much of this. Eventually I broke and let him start sleeping on the bed with us... he was so happy lol. It's good to get the crate fundamentals down though... all I have to say is "crate!" now and he will come running into the room into his crate and look at me for the treats I still crate him any time I leave and he is pretty chill with it.