[Mnavone]

I have a male Pomeranian who will turn 3 in March. My boyfriend and I thought it was time for us for get a new puppy. He's a 9 week shepherd and pit bull mix. When we picked him up we were told all the puppy siblings were having a hard time adjusting to sleeping alone. We are attempting to kennel train the new pup because my Pom is kennel trained, and it's wonderful. The pups first night was a total nightmare. He whined, barked, and howled for hours non stop, because we both had to work the next day we had to take the pup from his kennel into our room, for our own sanity. After talking to people and researching, we have now moved his kennel into our room, we completely cover it while at work, we bought a heart beat pillow ( we heard good reviews that it helped puppies sleep at night alone), put one of our shirts with our sent in the kennel, filled a jug with warm water (so he felt like he was sleeping next to his siblings), we've put chew toys and even tried bones in there. We've turned a fan on, and the tv so he hears sounds. We also familiarized him with the kennel by praising him when he went in alone, but he howls non stop, keeps the entire house awake all night. I know every dog is different but we didn't have these problems with my Pom at all. I even Downloaded a dog monitor app and just watch him howl all day long. We're all running on lack of sleep and patience, and we think his separation anxiety is so bad we even discussed returning him to his previous home. I can even tell this is taking a serious toll on our Pom. Are there any suggestions or tips we haven't tried that we can? Please help!

 

[icemaiden]

I haven't had the problem myself, but my friend with GSDs did. She crated her new puppy for a few nights, but he just screamed and screamed. So she let him out, he then slept in her bedroom, quiet and happy. And hasn't been crated in the house since, He's now 2 years old.

She takes him to work every day, where he is crated, quiet as a mouse.

May a playpen might be an alternative? How long are you away from home? Could you get a dog walker to pop in at lunchtime to take him for a walk to break the boredom?

 

[Foshizzle11]

I agree with icemaiden, maybe a play pen instead. Do you walk him before bed? Maybe he just has too much energy?

 

[PacificBlue]

How long have you had him? I had the same problem with my doxie mix; it's really common. I've had friends with this problem also. I think that in most cases, it's really a matter of the puppy becoming comfortable in his new home and moving past his previous life. For my friends and I, all of our dogs got past this issue in a month or less. It took my Dachshund only about a week. If this has lasted much longer than a month though, it could be an entirely different issue.