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A guide to your puppy’s first nights
The first few nights with a new puppy can be tough. This guide gives you a simple, step-by-step plan to help your puppy feel secure, build their independence, and get everyone a better night’s sleep.
With practice this will help you achieve:
- Getting a better night’s sleep.
- Building your puppy’s future independence.
- Creating a positive crate experience.
What you'll need
- A crate or puppy pen
- A tasty filled Kong or other safe chew
- Your puppy’s food for training games
- A lead for toilet trips
Step-by-step
- Prepare for bedtime: Throughout the day, build positive feelings about their crate or pen by leaving the door open and tying a tasty Kong inside for them to enjoy. Before bed, use their dinner for a few minutes of calm training games to tire them out mentally.
- The final toilet trip: Just before bed, clip their lead on and take them to their potty spot. Keep the energy low and boring. Use your cue (like “Be Quick”), wait for them to go, then give a calm “good job” and one treat.
- Keep them close: For the first few nights, your puppy’s crate needs to be right next to your bed, close enough for you to touch. This builds a secure attachment, which is the foundation for future independence.
- Gradually increase the distance: After a few nights, you can slowly start moving the crate further away—first across the room, then eventually to just outside your door if its final destination is downstairs.
Top tips for success
- What if my puppy wakes up crying? Do not let them “cry it out.” Calmly take them for a boring toilet trip, then pop them back in the crate. You can scatter a few pieces of their food to help them settle again.
- Is my puppy just hungry? It’s possible! If they were used to feeding from their mum frequently, a small scatter of food or a Kong in their crate can help them settle back to sleep.
Members only
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Feeling exhausted by sleepless nights?
The first week with a new puppy is a huge adjustment. If you're struggling and need a personalised plan to help you and your puppy get through these early challenges, a Puppy Head Start session is the perfect way to get my one-to-one support.
