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Willow's Nighttime Ease

Moviedust

Moviedust

Well-known member
We have had Willow a week tomorrow. The first three days or so she had GI issues from all the stress, so we got up and took her out several times a night. Now her digestion is healthy, and she doesnt need to go out at night. However, she barks all night long. We've tried kenneling her, putting her kennel next to Cedar's, covering her kennel to block out light, putting her kennel in our bedroom, and putting her in the xpen.

The first night we had her, I eventually got up around 5:30 and took her with me to a guest bedroom. She slept like a perfect angel. I was told that her first fostermom let Willow sleep in bed with her, so Willow went straight from her Mill kennel, to vet kennel, to bedding with a person.

We really want her to be able to spend the night quietly in her kennel, but after a week of constant barking, our patience is running thin. I noticed this morning that Willow's left eye is bloodshot. I hope it isnt infected; I suspect it's related to her stress at night (it was fine yesterday).

We have not been very consistent on her sleeping arrangements. She did the best last night with the xpen; she didnt bark until 5am. Should we just consistently use one arrangement (xpen?) and hope she tires of barking? (I hope my marriage will survive !!)

None of the "tricks" I know to try have worked, so now I'm looking for more advice. Anyone have any ideas?
 
Many ex puppy farm dogs have a very bad time in a crate and generally I'd not recommend crating a puppy farm dog that has probably spent its entire life til now in a only a few feet of space. That is probably why she is terribly anxious. A crate from her perspective, is just another version of the nightmarish life she came from.

If she is happy in the xpen then I'd leave her there. Try leaving a radio on low as well; classical music is a good option or else talk radio. Don't respond to her barking (so maybe put her in an x-pen in a distant room ideally with Cedar nearby if you crate her). Eeventually she will learn no one responds to barking and it will stop but you may need earplugs for a while. This is common with rescues as well.

I'd pick the option you want to use long term for nighttime, but not the crate. As a matter of fact I simply would not crate her, ever -- or if you feel you really must, try again to very gradually introduce the crate when she has spent several months with you and come to see it as a place she uses for rest. You will have to start as if from scratch. I'd try taking the door off the crate however and let her use it as her den, with a bed and nice toys inside. But as noted I'd personally never use it with door shut for any reason other than when required to transport. She's had long enough in a cage. :) She sounds like she's doing really well overall!
 
Could she and Cedar be together in the expen during the night so she would have another body with her. She may find comfort in that. I would agree with Karlin with no crating for awhile. She needs to feel free. She may miss her sister also in some way....unfortunately she can not tell us.
 
karlin said:
Many ex puppy farm dogs have a very bad time in a crate and generally I'd not recommend crating a puppy farm dog that has probably spent its entire life til now in a only a few feet of space. That is probably why she is terribly anxious. A crate from her perspective, is just another version of the nightmarish life she came from.

If she is happy in the xpen then I'd leave her there. Try leaving a radio on low as well; classical music is a good option or else talk radio. Don't respond to her barking (so maybe put her in an x-pen in a distant room ideally with Cedar nearby if you crate her). Eeventually she will learn no one responds to barking and it will stop but you may need earplugs for a while. This is common with rescues as well.

I'd pick the option you want to use long term for nighttime, but not the crate. As a matter of fact I simply would not crate her, ever -- or if you feel you really must, try again to very gradually introduce the crate when she has spent several months with you and come to see it as a place she uses for rest. You will have to start as if from scratch. I'd try taking the door off the crate however and let her use it as her den, with a bed and nice toys inside. But as noted I'd personally never use it with door shut for any reason other than when required to transport. She's had long enough in a cage. :) She sounds like she's doing really well overall!
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I was told by her foster mom that she was crated with them at night and when alone and she had been fine. That's why I attempted crating her. I can understand why she wouldnt like it, which is why I put her in the xpen. I think we'll stick with that; we'll also try leaving some music on. It will probably just take time.
 
Mary said:
Could she and Cedar be together in the expen during the night so she would have another body with her. She may find comfort in that. I would agree with Karlin with no crating for awhile. She needs to feel free. She may miss her sister also in some way....unfortunately she can not tell us.
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Yesterday I left both Cedar and Willow in the xpen together for the first time for about 2 hours. Willow has no probably being close to Cedar, as she's used to her sister. Cedar, on the other hand, is taking some time getting used to being close to Willow. She's improving, though. She doesnt back away if Willow comes over and she doesnt have to face her if they happen to touch each other. In fact, just this morning they were actually PLAYING full force--nipping and pawing and chasing. It was great to see!

I might try putting them both in the xpen tonight since they are getting along so well. Cedar has been perfectly fine in her crate during all of Willow's antics. She doesnt bark along or anything. I'm sure she loses sleep like the rest of us!

The lack of sleep is what adds to the frustration the most (my husband is evil incarnate when he hasnt got a good night's rest!) and I'm concerned for Willow's health with all her anxiety. During the day she acts perfectly adjusted and happy, so the contrast between night and day seems even more exaggerated.

I'll just stick with it and hopefully she'll feel more comfortable soon.
 
Keep us posted on how she does. She is such a lovely little girl. If only she could tell us why the nights scare her so much. I wonder too if leaving a light on at night..maybe the dark brings bad memories. Hard to say why this didn't happen at the foster house. Maybe going thru one more change has been unsettling to her. Sounds like she is doing so well otherwise....bet in 6 months you will look back and this little piece of the picture that is so troublesome now will just be a little little memory. Hope you all get some sleep tonight!!
 
I'm a bad one to ask .....all of mine sleep in bed with us .... I wouldnt have it any other way :)
 
i sympathize with you. no sleep is hard. especially day after day. :(
sorry i don't have any suggestions. zack didn't like sleeping alone in the beginning, and he cried, but not for very long. the longest was about 10 or 15 minutes once, but usually it was under 5 minutes, even less than one. he gave up easily.

how old is willow?

i had zack in a crate in the beginning, in the kitchen. then i put an xpen around the crate and left the crate door open, and he seemed to actually like that, there were toys and padding inside the xpen. he learned how to leap over though. now he has the whole kitchen. I'm tempted to let him sleep with me (little does he know) but for now, because i don't have the flea situation under enough control, i don't want to start with getting flea eggs in my bed. but i may let him sleep with me some day.

i use a CD that plays crashing waves in my bedroom to drown out noises. I love the sound of crashing waves and can sleep to it.

i've heard from several sources that leaving a radio on for dogs at night can help, with calming music and unexcited voices.

good luck getting through this. maybe you can try crating your husband. icon_whistling
 
I don't think you should crate her either Moviedust. She has had enough of her life in a crate, poor love :(

Maybe, night time brings back bad memories of being shut away in the dark for her or something? You never know what those evil *******'s at the Puppy Mill do to dogs in the night.

I think I would put Cedar's crate in the X-Pen and let them do their own thing - you might come down in the morning to find them snuggled up together :D

If it's any consolation, we've had Charlie for 8mths & it's only in the last few weeks that Maxx has actually let him snuggle up to him - it all takes time & I'm sure that most of us humans wouldn't let a stranger snuggle up to sleep with us :lol:

Hope you get some sleep tonight - I'm evil if I don't get about 6 hours unbroken sleep too :badgrin:
 
Mary said:
Keep us posted on how she does. She is such a lovely little girl. If only she could tell us why the nights scare her so much. I wonder too if leaving a light on at night..maybe the dark brings bad memories. Hard to say why this didn't happen at the foster house. Maybe going thru one more change has been unsettling to her. Sounds like she is doing so well otherwise....bet in 6 months you will look back and this little piece of the picture that is so troublesome now will just be a little little memory. Hope you all get some sleep tonight!!
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Willow had been sleeping with her sister in a crate. None of the rescues were housebroken- I don't mean they had accidents-- I mean they didn't understand the concept. So in our home- that means you have to stay on tile.
We still have Willows sister-- she goes in a crate voluntarily for naps with the doors open, for treats- alone so no one steals it, and to bed. I don't know why Willow is having issues.

LOL-- at one time last month I had 15 cavaliers at my house overnight-- I am pretty sure no one would sleep well with that group in one bed.

Sandy
 
WoodHaven said:
LOL-- at one time last month I had 15 cavaliers at my house overnight-- I am pretty sure no one would sleep well with that group in one bed.

Sandy
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It sure might be fun to try once!! Just think--a cavalier comforter!! ;)
 
WoodHaven said:
LOL-- at one time last month I had 15 cavaliers at my house overnight-- I am pretty sure no one would sleep well with that group in one bed.Sandy
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:D :D :D Depends on the size of the bed I am sure Sandy. I have 5 sleeping with me mostly on top of my head and all the way down to my toes....can't move but they of course have to be comfortable. Then there is still a whole bed...room for more. :D :D
 
Moviedust said:
WoodHaven said:
LOL-- at one time last month I had 15 cavaliers at my house overnight-- I am pretty sure no one would sleep well with that group in one bed.

Sandy
Click to expand...

It sure might be fun to try once!! Just think--a cavalier comforter!! ;)
Click to expand...

No, even with 6 in the bed, they are terrible bedhogs. And heaven forbid you get up for any reason-- they all take my spot and pillow. Sandy
 
Bedhogs for the space you are in! And if you get up and come back...they seem to not have a clue what the work "move over" means!!!! :lol:
 
Now come on Mary, we all know that 'move over' actually means 'sprawl out and take as much room as you like' :lol:

Janet, was Willow fostered with you? I'm now wondering if she's just missing her sister. Everything always seems 50 times worse at night time for some reason, so whilst she might be OK during the day, the night times could be much different :| Let's hope Moviedust and Cedars got some sleep last night :flwr:
 
Bruce H said:
You all just have to teach the parallel comand :lol:
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Rotf-- Some of my dogs get parallel and perpendicular mixed up--- I sometimes feel like I am playing tetris. Sandy
 
:lol: Bruce, I've been trying to teach that to my hubby for over 20 years - what hope have I got with the dogs? :lol:

I sometimes think I should let them have them bed and just sleep on the doggy duvets :roll:
 
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