How to Survive Caring for a Puppy
Set a routine., Systematically work toward getting your pup to sleep through the night., Play with your puppy., Drink a lot of coffee. , Take lots of pictures.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Set a routine.
Decide when the puppy will eat, sleep, go in the crate, and play.
This will help make your puppy more predictable, and will also make housebreaking a little easier. -
Step 2: Systematically work toward getting your pup to sleep through the night.
With crate training, the process goes as follows:
Get your pup acquainted with the crate.
When he goes to sleep, set your alarm for 2-3 hours later (try to set it for before he'll need a potty break).
Take him to his potty area and encourage him to do his business.
Remember:
Potty, not party.
Do not play, do not cuddle, do not give your pup the impression that overnight potty trips are good for anything but potty.
Take him back to his crate.
Repeat 2-3 hours later, again and again, through the night.
This will be awful for you but it'll teach your pup that potty breaks happen on your schedule, not his.
It will also hopefully avoid the situation in which he has to relieve himself so badly that he whines/yelps/barks desperately for your assistance with this matter.
Every night, increase the waiting period by 15 minutes.
If the first night you did potty breaks every 2 hours, the next night do them every two hours and fifteen minutes, the next night every two hours and thirty minutes.
Slow down if he ends up yelping or having an accident in his crate, though.
Eventually he should be able to sleep through the night without a potty break. , Not only will it tire out the puppy, but it will also make you smile and laugh, which will help reduce the stress that this puppy is creating. ,, Your puppy is growing right before your sleepy eyes, whether you realize it or not.
One day you'll forget about the torture and miss the fuzzy cuteness, so document it. -
Step 3: Play with your puppy.
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Step 4: Drink a lot of coffee.
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Step 5: Take lots of pictures.
Detailed Guide
Decide when the puppy will eat, sleep, go in the crate, and play.
This will help make your puppy more predictable, and will also make housebreaking a little easier.
With crate training, the process goes as follows:
Get your pup acquainted with the crate.
When he goes to sleep, set your alarm for 2-3 hours later (try to set it for before he'll need a potty break).
Take him to his potty area and encourage him to do his business.
Remember:
Potty, not party.
Do not play, do not cuddle, do not give your pup the impression that overnight potty trips are good for anything but potty.
Take him back to his crate.
Repeat 2-3 hours later, again and again, through the night.
This will be awful for you but it'll teach your pup that potty breaks happen on your schedule, not his.
It will also hopefully avoid the situation in which he has to relieve himself so badly that he whines/yelps/barks desperately for your assistance with this matter.
Every night, increase the waiting period by 15 minutes.
If the first night you did potty breaks every 2 hours, the next night do them every two hours and fifteen minutes, the next night every two hours and thirty minutes.
Slow down if he ends up yelping or having an accident in his crate, though.
Eventually he should be able to sleep through the night without a potty break. , Not only will it tire out the puppy, but it will also make you smile and laugh, which will help reduce the stress that this puppy is creating. ,, Your puppy is growing right before your sleepy eyes, whether you realize it or not.
One day you'll forget about the torture and miss the fuzzy cuteness, so document it.
About the Author
Lori Garcia
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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