wordinista | Stuff 'n things

Dear Everyone On My F-List:

I have been a very bad Bunneh. I've been reading LJ (though not as obsessively these days), but I've hardly been replying to anyone. I just want to let y'all know that it's mostly related to being sick, but also trying to keep an eye on Darwin AND keep on top of my normal daily responsibilities. (This week I'm going to try and teach him that he does not have to have his nose directly up my butt 24/7, and the world will NOT end if I leave the room without him.)

I just realized that I haven't been commenting much, if at all, and it's been totally unintentional. I've also been doing precisely jack for writing.

I'm ALSO seriously reconsidering crate training Darwin overnight. I need to get some sleep, and more than two hours at a time. (Gotta say, I have newfound respect for new parents.) He's not sleeping through the night, and he SHOULD be -- but I'm letting him out every 2 or 3 hours. (He's slowly getting better -- one night he slept five hours straight.) The first night we tried keeping him in his crate, he started howling and wouldn't stop. I just hope I haven't created a bad habit in him. *sigh* I'm just so tired. It's already one in the afternoon, and I don't know where the day has gone -- not because I've been super busy and productive, but because after takinghim out, feeding him, and playing with him (which ran from 6:30-8:00), we both collapsed for a nap that lasted THREE HOURS. I hate napping. Despise it. It sucks up my day.

Any dog-owners on my f-list who can give some housebreaking advice here? (Having him sleep on the bed and then rushing him outside whenever he woke up was Tora-kun's tactic, and it seems to be working not well at all -- aside from the fact that there've been no potty accidents in bed, knock wood. Everyone I know has been recommending keeping the dog in its crate overnight until its fully housebroken, and I got such static from Tora-kun on that, it almost wasn't worth doing. And then there was the endless howling, which sealed the deal.)

I just want a full night's sleep -- six to eight hours, consecutively.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

he he, I wish Lil was a puppy sometimes they are just easier to tell things to and they might listen. I know it doesn't help you with Darwin.

Okay the first thing to do is harden your heart before you try to crate him. It is actually worse if you are trying to do it and give in than if you never try. So first You have the crate right? In it you have a snuggley (blanket, towel, once i had a dog that commandeered a kitchen rug), a toy or two, a small way to get water and lastly a piddle pad right? (yeah I know how much does one dog need) I find knowing the dog has everything it needs in its crate helps me not let it back out again. I am a push over for cute sad puppy faces.

Don't expect the first night to be perfect. Also prep teh boy first telling him it will be loud and he is not to chicken out. On this point I would if he is the type go for the manly he needs to toughen up approach. If you think that might work, you know your boys best.

Also if he is a howler like he was the first night, you may need sets of ear plugs for you both. the thing to remember is he really isn't being skinned by purple aliens even if he thinks he is.

I hope that helps.

I think the thing I had to get into my head was that, YES, I had to harden my heart and not think myself "cruel" for putting him in his crate all night. He's almost 3 mos old and should be sleeping through the night by now. He's not. That said, the "let's keep him in bed and take him out whenever he has to pee" school of thought was Tora-kun's idea. We've done it for two weeks now, and it's been the worst 2 week's sleep of my life. I can't help but be a little annoyed with him, since it was his idea, but I was the one getting up to take him out every two or three hours.

*sigh*

Well, we crated him last night, and there was howling. Lots of it. I'm hoping it won't take too long before he gets used to the idea.

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