My puppy won't sleep!

Oscar is a 12 week old pup and since the day we brought him home, he has been a very independent little guy. At present I am on vacation, so I have been at home with him since day one, making sure I leave him on his own now and again - so he doesn't get too clingy - and making sure every time I return things stay calm etc... Things have been going really well but all of a sudden his behaviour has completely changed (which I know is to be expected), only this behaviour is preventing him from sleeping:

He used to sleep very deeply and wasn't bothered if I was around or not. Now I can't even tiptoe out of the room without him shooting up and scuttling after me - no matter how long he has been asleep. I have sometimes waited half an hour before moving and he still follows me!

This is starting to be a problem as I can hardly do any of the things I used to do whilst he was alseep (i.e. mop the floor), or even move to use the computer! But more importantly he is missing out on vital sleep!

Today, I HAD to get on with a few things and because of this he has hardly slept at all and now, of course, he's overtired and will not calm down...ANY SUGGESTIONS???

P.s.: Obviously he is not crate-trained but that is an entirely different story...

Well its still early on enough to get him used to the crate. Where is he presently sleeping? In bed with you?
I think if you have him in the crate for a few hours a day, with a treat and maybe a toy, he'll start to get used to it, and even head to the crate on his own with time.
I think its very important to crate train him now, especially since you mentioned your moving, and although I dont know the circumstances, i feel a crate may prove to be a safe haven for him in any new environments. I left ginger crated till she was 6 months old, and then for about 3-4 months after that, I had her gated off in a small area, with her crate in there so she could sleep/play/drink water, whatever she wanted. Now shes got more room to roam and a couch, but when we travel with her, shes always got her familiar crate and we use it in the hotel rooms when we have to leave her there so we know no damage will occur- to her or the room!
Good Luck!

Ummmm, welcome to having a cavalier. And to the changes that happen as your puppy gets older. He doesn't need day long naps anyore -- and he wants to PLAY! :lol: He is not overtired at all -- this really doesn't apply to puppies as it does to human children. He is simply a puppy and they have non stop energy and want to play, play, play. This is what he will be like for the next year or so -- it is one reason some find getting an older dog a lot easier. Personally I prefer adult dogs; I find puppies too exhausting, but that is just me. :lol:

Were you familiar with the breed before you got Oscar? Just so you don;t get too worried or feel this is incorrect behaviour -- this is what they do -- they stick to you like glue. Oscar is also getting old enough not to need to sleep constantly as small puppies do, and he's doing what cavaliers do -- follow you everywhere. As one breeder puts it, once you have a cavalier you will never go to the bathroom alone again!

On a more serious side, this kind of behaviour is exactly what this breed has hundreds of years of breeding to do. People sometimes are not aware of this when they get the breed and one of the typical reasons cavaliers are handed in to rescue is that people see them as 'too clingy' or 'too needy' and don't like the fact that they follow you everywhere. Or they stick the dog outside where it will quickly develop separation anxiety behaviours because it is definitely not a breed that tolerates being left alone outside, nd then they want the dog rehomed. Cavaliers are neither needy or clingy-- they are doing exactly what it is in their very genetic make-up to want to do, to have you in eyesight at all times -- and preferably to be making a lap for them.

I send anyone who approaches me about cavalier rescue dogs to read this first, which you might find helpful:

http://board.cavaliertalk.com/showthread.php?t=10890

It's my warts and all information on the breed. Basically it is my attempt to explain breed *traits* and *behaviours* from the perspective of the positive and the negative. It's important to understand these traits are NOT the dog having problems, being too needy, misbehaving, etc -- it is just that two different people might see any given trait as a positive, or maybe a negative. Breeds have very strong and distinct breed behaviours that vary enormously from breed to breed and while individuals might have them to a greater or lesser extent, they are going to be pretty consistent in the basic traits.

You will never, ever have an Oscar who doesn't want your companionship and who will not want to follow you around while you are doing things. You can however train him to stay quietly in his crate while you do chores or perhaps to stay in a separate room. Try giving him a nice kong to chew on while you work.

A puppy is going to want (and NEED) a lot more interaction from you and will consider mops etc as toys to play with and will get excited by this new activity you have decided to do. He doesn't know it is 'work'. An older dog (eg older than a year) will have less interest in this type of play.

Hope that helps! BTW if I am say painting or washing the floor in a room I simply use a babygate across the door or a similar barrier. Dogs stay out, I get my work done, but they can see me. Sometimes I just put them all in a room with a chew while I get work done at home, like phonecalls. You can of course work around getting things done, but he IS going to follow you around constantly as part of his normal behaviour.

^ITA This is why I love this breed so much. Really miss that "in plain sight" feeling and having a pup scampering after you. They really don't sleep much at 4 months. This is when they are curious about anything and everything around them besides keeping you in sight!

Same thing happend to me and Fivos!!

Don't worry Oscar gets all the vital sleep he needs!!
Just don't change your habits... He will get used of all the things you do, and you will get addicted to him following you

Chester is exactly the same and he is just over a year now!

He can look like he is in a really deep sleep and if we so much as move in our seat he'll wake up & have a look at what we are doing. And if we dare to leave the room, he is straight behind us.

We have Chester in the kitchen when we are not there or need to do something & split it with a babygate. Could you do something like this if he isnt taking to crate training. At least then you have somewhere secure to put him if you do want to get on with things?

Karlin said:

Ummmm, welcome to having a cavalier. And to the changes that happen as your puppy gets older. He doesn't need day long naps anyore -- and he wants to PLAY! :lol: He is not overtired at all -- this really doesn't apply to puppies as it does to human children. He is simply a puppy and they have non stop energy and want to play, play, play. This is what he will be like for the next year or so -- it is one reason some find getting an older dog a lot easier. Personally I prefer adult dogs; I find puppies too exhausting, but that is just me. :lol:

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I'm aware of all of that and that's also the reason I planned on getting him at this time, so I can play with him and we can bond. It's just, I read somewhere that a puppy needs around 15 hrs. sleep. Oscar has never taken day long naps (he's always been very active - especially at night), but he didn't sleep at all yesterday during the day(sometimes he sleeps an hour or so) and I thought he must be tired out. He was soooo worked up last night, that I thought he must be in pain (he was panting heavily and he wouldn't respond to any redirection like sit or lie down - not even with treats , it was as if he wasn't really there. I thought: teething already? (and in a moment of paranoia: epilepsy??), anyway, I gave him a frozen wash cloth to chew on and he soon calmed down...we have an appointment at the vet today anyway and I will mention it.

Were you familiar with the breed before you got Oscar? Just so you don;t get too worried or feel this is incorrect behaviour -- this is what they do -- they stick to you like glue. Oscar is also getting old enough not to need to sleep constantly as small puppies do, and he's doing what cavaliers do -- follow you everywhere. As one breeder puts it, once you have a cavalier you will never go to the bathroom alone again!

Click to expand...

Yes, I read all the information on this site before getting Oscar and have bought books on dog training in general and other informative books on different breeds...I chose the CKCS on the information I had read on the breed as it suited best to our lifestyle. I had never heard of the breed (or even seen a Cavalier), before I bought the book. I actually moved away from my first choice of breed, as I thought a Cav would suit us better.

On a more serious side, this kind of behaviour is exactly what this breed has hundreds of years of breeding to do. People sometimes are not aware of this when they get the breed and one of the typical reasons cavaliers are handed in to rescue is that people see them as 'too clingy' or 'too needy' and don't like the fact that they follow you everywhere. Or they stick the dog outside where it will quickly develop separation anxiety behaviours because it is definitely not a breed that tolerates being left alone outside, nd then they want the dog rehomed. Cavaliers are neither needy or clingy-- they are doing exactly what it is in their very genetic make-up to want to do, to have you in eyesight at all times -- and preferably to be making a lap for them.

Click to expand...

I'm happy with the clingyness :luv: was just a bit worried he might be missing out on some vital zzzZZZ's...he obviously just doesn't need to sleep anymore...

I send anyone who approaches me about cavalier rescue dogs to read this first, which you might find helpful:

http://board.cavaliertalk.com/showthread.php?t=10890

Click to expand...

Indeed, this information (and other info I've read), was really helpful in order to make sure a Cavalier is right for us.

It's my warts and all information on the breed. Basically it is my attempt to explain breed *traits* and *behaviours* from the perspective of the positive and the negative. It's important to understand these traits are NOT the dog having problems, being too needy, misbehaving, etc -- it is just that two different people might see any given trait as a positive, or maybe a negative. Breeds have very strong and distinct breed behaviours that vary enormously from breed to breed and while individuals might have them to a greater or lesser extent, they are going to be pretty consistent in the basic traits.

You will never, ever have an Oscar who doesn't want your companionship and who will not want to follow you around while you are doing things. You can however train him to stay quietly in his crate while you do chores or perhaps to stay in a separate room. Try giving him a nice kong to chew on while you work

Click to expand...

Now that's the part I'm still working on!! He aint having nothing to do with Kongs (not even filled with a little peanut butter or low-fat yoghurt), or any other toys for that matter (not even my home-made ones he usually can't get enough of when he's on my lap), he just wants to be with me.

A puppy is going to want (and NEED) a lot more interaction from you and will consider mops etc as toys to play with and will get excited by this new activity you have decided to do. He doesn't know it is 'work'. An older dog (eg older than a year) will have less interest in this type of play.

Hope that helps! BTW if I am say painting or washing the floor in a room I simply use a babygate across the door or a similar barrier. Dogs stay out, I get my work done, but they can see me. Sometimes I just put them all in a room with a chew while I get work done at home, like phonecalls. You can of course work around getting things done, but he IS going to follow you around constantly as part of his normal behaviour.

Click to expand...

He is still not used to a baby gate either, he just whines the entire time I am trying to mop the floor on the other side and no form of bribary will do - not even when I give him what he so yearns for: one of my shoes!
So, even if it breaks my heart I just have to ignore him sometimes. I don't mind the following me around bit at all, I just don't want him to bite at the mop a.) because of all the chemicals, b.) because I can't get anything done... but hey ho!

I have 3 cav and all of them are like this even Sam who is over 8.

Gingers Mommy said:

Well its still early on enough to get him used to the crate. Where is he presently sleeping? In bed with you?
I think if you have him in the crate for a few hours a day, with a treat and maybe a toy, he'll start to get used to it, and even head to the crate on his own with time.
I think its very important to crate train him now, especially since you mentioned your moving, and although I dont know the circumstances, i feel a crate may prove to be a safe haven for him in any new environments. I left ginger crated till she was 6 months old, and then for about 3-4 months after that, I had her gated off in a small area, with her crate in there so she could sleep/play/drink water, whatever she wanted. Now shes got more room to roam and a couch, but when we travel with her, shes always got her familiar crate and we use it in the hotel rooms when we have to leave her there so we know no damage will occur- to her or the room!
Good Luck!

Click to expand...

He has a crate as I know how important it is to create a den atmosphere - a safe haven - and from the first day we brought him home, we fed him his meals in it; we played for hours with him while he was in it; gave him treats; told him he was a good boy etc. we even put a blanket on the floor in front of it so we could lie down and he would feel safer; and we are still doing this daily. We close the door while he eats in there and praise him afterwards. We have tried leaving him alone in it (thinking we might be overcrowding him and he might just want to get shot of us! :lol; the works! But he still will NOT stay in the crate when the door is closed (he goes absolutely nuts and although we have tried to ignore it - even for longer periods of time - we have had to give up for fear our neighbours might think we are mistreating him!) He certainly won't go and sleep in there of his own accord...I'm just hoping that one day he will accept it, especially if we ever need to travel. I'm not giving up. I was worried it might be getting too late for him to accept it, but you have motivated me to keep at it! Thanks!

Chester has never really taken to his cage either. He will go in there in the evening if he is tired but only if the door is open & when we are in the room. We do put him in there when we eat our dinner but he soon starts scratching to get out.

That's why we put a babygate up in the kitchen. Although, he does whine if he knows we are downstairs and he is stuck in the kitchen, but we have learnt to play deaf to this - not that we do it that much! He is fine when we are not around and if only my husband is upstairs he doesnt whine, just when he knows Mummy is around.

They are such lovely little doggies.

Oscars Mum-
Sounds like your all just getting used to each other! Im sure he'll get the hang of a crate or babygate as time goes on, and as long as you continue working on it. Ginger definatly cried/whined the first few nights in there, and it was heart wrenching, but we kept at it and before we knew it we were sleeping through the night! Now its like she knows when im leaving, she'll go over and wait by her crate...bc i give her a treat or two before I leave in the morning. When we are eating dinner she'll either chose to lay on the floor next to me, or go and lay in her crate which is in the dining area so shes close and comfy!
Oscars ADORABLE by the way. And so special because of his unusual markings!!

I went through the same thing when my dog was little. I used to put him to bed in the kitchen and close the door on him.

Gingers Mommy said:

Oscars Mum-
Sounds like your all just getting used to each other! Im sure he'll get the hang of a crate or babygate as time goes on, and as long as you continue working on it. Ginger definatly cried/whined the first few nights in there, and it was heart wrenching, but we kept at it and before we knew it we were sleeping through the night! Now its like she knows when im leaving, she'll go over and wait by her crate...bc i give her a treat or two before I leave in the morning. When we are eating dinner she'll either chose to lay on the floor next to me, or go and lay in her crate which is in the dining area so shes close and comfy!
Oscars ADORABLE by the way. And so special because of his unusual markings!!

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Thanks for the reassurance. He really is a wonderful little pup and he does so much already that I wouldn't have expected of him yet. I think you're right, we're all just getting to know each other and as soon as I understand him better, I might not worry so much!

Kelly said:

Chester has never really taken to his cage either. He will go in there in the evening if he is tired but only if the door is open & when we are in the room. We do put him in there when we eat our dinner but he soon starts scratching to get out.

That's why we put a babygate up in the kitchen. Although, he does whine if he knows we are downstairs and he is stuck in the kitchen, but we have learnt to play deaf to this - not that we do it that much! He is fine when we are not around and if only my husband is upstairs he doesnt whine, just when he knows Mummy is around.

They are such lovely little doggies.

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Chester sounds very similar to Oscar! What a cute pic of him too!:luv:

If you need to get on with a few jobs, I can always take that adorable little boy off your hands for an afternoon! :wggle:

*Pauline* said:

If you need to get on with a few jobs, I can always take that adorable little boy off your hands for an afternoon! :wggle:

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Great! I'll book his flight tomorrow! :rotfl: I wish I did live in the UK! I get home-sick quite a lot... I married an Austrian man so I'm now based in Innsbruck, Austria, but originally I'm from Guildford in Surrey.

Wow! Going slightly OT here....
I collect Elinor Brent-Dyer's Chalet School series (if you're English, you may know of them) and the first 12 or so books are set on the Aachensee, which is close to Innsbruck, I think? Only she calls it 'Tiernsee'.

Lisa_T said:

Wow! Going slightly OT here....
I collect Elinor Brent-Dyer's Chalet School series (if you're English, you may know of them) and the first 12 or so books are set on the Aachensee, which is close to Innsbruck, I think? Only she calls it 'Tiernsee'.

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To be honest I have never heard of the series, but I do know where the Achensee is! It is just 45 mins. drive from where I live and I used to work there!