Make Your Pup Feel Safe
Your puppy’s first night alone can be a terrifying one for both you and your dog.
There are several things that you can do to make sure your new friend’s first night by himself is a safe, comfortable and secure one.
The best thing to do is ease the transition between nights by your side to nights that your new puppy spends alone. This doesn’t mean he has to sleep in your bed! If you haven’t already, purchase a good quality, comfortable bed just for your pup. Acclimate him to the bed by showing him that the bed is just for him!
At night, place your dog’s bed near your bed so he can feel safe and secure knowing that you are right there near him. This will actually serve two purposes – your puppy will feel safe and you can minimize nighttime accidents during the first week or two by being able to take him out immediately when he signals to you he’s got to go.
Sleeping Outside Your Room
To acclimate your puppy to sleeping outside your room, slowly move the bed further and further away. This is best done over a few nights so the change is slow and not dramatic. For his first night alone, your puppy’s bed should be just outside your door. You can leave your door open or closed; whichever you feel would be most comfortable for your new dog.
You can even have the door open for the first night or two outside your bedroom and closed the next. Eventually, you can begin to move your dog to his room or the living room – wherever you would like him to sleep permanently.
When Your Puppy Cries For You…
On your pup’s first night alone, he is likely to whine and cry for you. Don’t give in and move him back to your room – you will undo all the progress you’ve made!
But it is also important that you don’t ignore your new puppy when he cries for you – he will only learn that his cries get him nothing. When he whines, get up and assure him that he is okay – pet him and snuggle with him for a few minutes before placing him back in his bed. This may take a few times before he gets the idea that he is going to be staying there for the night.
It might be a little annoying for you, but after a few times, he will get the picture.
Make Your Puppy As Comfortable As Possible
You can make your pup more comfortable by giving him a warm water bottle snugly wrapped in a blanket and giving him a ticking clock. A fan pointed in the other direction may also help him – white noise is great for new puppies when they’re getting acclimated to sleeping alone.
Just remember, as long as you are firm but not angry and give your pup lots of praise and affection when he begins sleeping alone, you two will fall into a comfortable sleeping routine in no time.