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Urgent Help Needed


Jono00801

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I have just rescued my first husky he is 8 weeks old but the issue is none of us got any sleep last night as all bear did was howl and bark all night! I ended up sleeping on the sofa while he was in his crate but this made no difference to how he howled can any one please tell me how to stop this so that this won't happen again tonight? Thanks

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Was last night your first night with him? He is probably missing his old familiar family and feeling a bit unsettled. Could try putting on a bit of low level background noise like a quiet radio to see if that helps.

Also If he's not used to being in a crate then it's not unusual for them to voice their dislike initially. There are some threads on here about crate training that might be worth a look for some ideas. White noise is usually one of them and items with your scent is another (although I appreciate as he's not yet familiar with your scent right now that might not work. Were you given anything like a blanket or toy when you took him home? That would have a familiar scent on it). toys to occupy them, creating a den by placing a blanket over the top of the crate etc.., DAP diffusers and collars release a calming pheromone that is supposed to help but I've not tried that one myself.

It will take him a while to adjust, some are quicker than others. But eventually they do get there. It's a bit like having a newborn baby at first:a good nights sleep is hard to find, lol. But over time as they adjust it does get easier.

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This may be something that you will need to work on unfortunately as Bear is very young and has a lot to take in currently at such a young age.

This is even more pertinent if he is a rescue Husky as that may imply that he has not had the best start in life but please forgive me if I am incorrect in my assumption.

Nixy's suggestion is a very sound one although your Husky may still need some time to start the bonding process with you and your family so you probably need to spend some quality time with him today, (don't get too soppy with him but ensure that you are always firm but fare - says me the master of soppiness when it comes to dogs)!

Exercise is the other important factor, (although you are severely limited to what you can do currently due to his very young age), but he needs plenty of exercise so that he is as tired, (as he can be), by our bed time!

If Bear continues to whine and/or howl there is always a possibility that he is not feeling well so a visit to the vet, (if only to introduce yourselves), is always a good idea - plus the fact that a quick check over by the vet will put your mind at rest.

Whatever happens do not give up as things will improve, (but probably not overnight), as these animals are very special and you will be well rewarded in a few months time!

I am certainly no expert and I can only provide you with my advice which has been gleaned from my limited experience with Huskys and I am sure that you will receive some good advice throughout the day as this is a great forum.

Oh I nearly forgot - welcome to the pack, (I mean forum)!!

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does he only howl/bark at night or during the day too? it could be fear of being locked up in the crate. you'll need to work with him on the crate training, i.e. start using it during the day, put nice treats or toys in there, and close the door. let him want to go in, after he beg to get in, let him in, leave the door open. slowly work towards closing the door, but open it as soon as he is done playing with toys/eating the treat etc. from there slowly build up waiting time for the door to be opened with you in the room, then next step is wait for you to come back and open the crate door, you can just leave the room and immediately (5 secs) come back, and slowly increase the time. the main thing is don't open the door when he is anxious or excited, if you can teach him 'sit' command already, have him sit every time before the crate door is open.

 

also try putting a blanket over the top of the bench when it is sleeping time(during the day too).

 

good luck and enjoy the precious puppy :-)

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He is fine during the day my kids and I play and entertain him he is not yet allowed on walks until the 9th as that's when his second set of shots are he is slowly learning sit but he still is unsure of his name yet I have now covered his crate to make it more like a den thanks Emma and I am working on not going back in when he's crying but as he's little I keep thinking he might need the loo so have to let him out as he's working so hard on house training and he's never been miss treated he was born in a shelter as the mum was a SPCA secure :( thanks for the time advice Molly I will work on that during the day in hopes it helps for tonight :) here's a few pics of my baby bear post-12371-14118950388055_thumb.jpgpost-12371-14118950564662_thumb.jpg

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He is a cutie!

Things will get better.

I can also vouch for the 'blanket draped over the crate' advice as Luna prefers her crate to be 'secluded' and private and she is far more relaxed than when the crate was 'open'!

I suspect it also prevents drafts as well as providing a little privacy - both of which are welcomed traits of their natural habitats - the den!

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What a stunner, more pics please, I also have a Bear !

It can be exhausting with a new puppy but so worth it. Exercise is important, but don't forget you need to tire him mentally as well, one we used to do was place a treat on the floor and put a lightweight plastic cup (the cheap disposable sort) over it, the first couple of times I showed him how to knock it over, after that he figured it out, with masses of praise, and the treat of course. We worked up to 3 cups until he figured out it was easier to knock them all over in one go the cheater !!

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Hang in there! I had a similar issue when I brought home my first puppy and 3 things helped me. First, I slept on the couch too. I would do this for another night if you can - helps the puppy adjust. Second, don't let him nap in the evening. I would play, carry him around, take him on a walk around the house, whatever you have to do to keep him awake until bedtime. Third, don't give in. It WILL get better, and quickly. Earplugs are your friend here.

 

Some may disagree, but I think it's better to risk an accident in the crate than it is to give in to the howling just in case he needs to potty. If you restrict water before bedtime and he goes out before bed, he should be okay for the first few hours. If he starts howling in the middle of the night after being quiet for a few hours, see if you can get him to calm down and take him outside - no playing. Otherwise, try your best to ignore it and know that this is totally normal with all puppies.

 

Good luck!

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We always had the puppy near us, in the bench next to bed. This way I could hear if he/she cry and act fast to let them out in the yard. Charly was very good at giving cues that he had to go. Molly was more difficult as she peed when she had to!! So I set my alarm and wake up every 2 hours then slowly every 3 hours.

I thought I was being dedicated to her house training until our trainer told us that puppy needs to build up its muscle to hold the pee.. So too frequent potty break wasn't necessarily a good approach. Since then we managed to get her hold from 11pm to 4am then 5am and now at 5.5 months old, she wakes only around 6.30 or sometimes 7am.

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When we brought Duke home, we had the same issue. We didn't sleep at all that first night. He was in the crate in our room. What we did was eventually move the crate right next to the bed instead of across the room. Every time he whined, i would stick my fingers in there to let him know i was still there. it didn't totally eliminate the crying, but it helped to comfort him some. wish i could tell you it stopped immediately, but it's like having a baby. you don't get much sleep initially. he did begin to cry less and less as time went on. but even once he got comfortable with his crate, there were the middle of the night bathroom trips still for quite a while. he didn't begin sleeping through the night until about 3 months old. 

whatever you do, don't put the puppy in the bed with you. i know it's tempting, but this will create a habit very difficult to break. also, as long as you know he doesn't need to go to the bathroom, don't get him out. you can talk to him and pet him through the wire, but getting him out will only teach him that crying will get him what he wants.

 

good luck!! the first few weeks were more difficult than having a newborn in my opinion, and i have 2 kids!

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With Nikko I had many sleepless nights for the first couple of weeks.  I agree to limit water intake at night, about 2 hours before bed and do not give in to the howling/whining.  You WILL have to take him out several times per night, probably every 3-4 hours for awhile.  I found it helpful if their crate was next to me and if he started in I would tap the top of the crate. 

 

Good luck and hang in there , it gets better!

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