marriage help: My wife and I just bought an english bulldog. - Help.com

My wife and I just bought an english bulldog.

He was 3 days from being 6 weeks old when we brought him home. He whines and cries when he isn’t getting attention. Especially at night. He wakes up a few times throughout the night whinning but it only lasts about 5-10 minutes and stops, but at around 3 or 4am he wakes up and doesn’t stop whinning until we come let him out. He is taken outside immediatly but doesn’t go potty. All he does is continue whinning and jumps all over our feet. He sleeps in a crate, but with the door open and puppy pads behind the crate so he can go potty. We have a baby gate containing him in an area where his crate is to keep him from running around the house peeing and pooping everywhere. He is giving a full water dish and food at night and there is still food and water by the time he wakes up. He is given his toys at night also. I’ve read lots of posts about ignoring your dog until he’s quiet but two-three hours of whinning? Where does it end? I don’t want this to devolope into anger and behavioral problems in the future. He is now almost 7 weeks old. One more thing I tried was a “Petsafe” ultrasonic bark contol and that didn’t even phase him. How much longer are we going to have to put up with this and should I leave him crying and whinning until 6am when I get up for work. Also I’ve heard not to let him out of his crate until he quits whinning but this is almost impossible since he doesn’t stop crying and whinning, until we let him out. I’ve also tried pennies in a can, saying quiet in a sturn voice. Nothing works. I need help.

This open post was written 1 year ago | V/U/S: 318, 4, 4 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post


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DOG, Water, marriage, food, toy, Door, Ultrasound, house, running, infant (How Tags Affect Reciprocity)

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~LazyDaze~ offline Verified User (2 years, 6 months) Long Term User Shouts: 309 #
An Undisclosed Location | 1 year ago (6 minutes after post)

Water in a spray bottle is another method but to be honest it is attention he is after, the only way id to ignore him and then give him attention when he is calm and doing as he is told, if he doesn’t stop whinning then don’t go near him.
It will be a rod for your own back if you give in now, if he knows that makeing noise for long enough will get him attention then he has no reason to stop.
You said he has everything he needs so he won’t suffer through being left for the night, I know it is hard to ignore but it works similar to a toddler having a tantrum, you give in to give yourself an easy life but in the long run it serves no one.

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Kimmi 22 offline Verified User (2 years, 6 months) Long Term User Shouts: 1 #
An Undisclosed Location | 1 year ago (32 minutes after post)

Welcome to the wonderful world of having a puppy :) Now you know why so many dogs are homeless, because people have no idea what they are getting into and low and behold can’t take the interupptions in their lives anymore and opt to getting rid of the dog. “You must consistatantly ignore him. OR..pull the crate next to the bed everytime a peep comes out of him bang on the top of the crate and say NO. Make it a loud racket so that he realizes that everytime he cries this is the loud racket that comes after it.I hope that this works and if it does not then youll have to revert to the total silent treatment of ignoring his bad behavior but it must be consistent for however long it might take. When he eventually stops reward him/her by giving him a treat. But only when the dog is silent for a little bit. I wish you good luck and future full night sleeps :)

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Mayor offline Verified User (1 year) Long Term User Shouts: 166 #
An Unknown Location | 1 year ago (37 minutes after post)

Sounds like he has a severe case of separation anxiety. You need to seek a dog behaviorist ASAP. They are great. Most of them have studied dog psychology for many years. My own personal opinion is tire him out before bedtime. Take him for brisk walks, runs, or have him jog along side your bike. That will tire him out and he’ll be too exhausted to cry for too long. He’ll just look to eat and go to sleep. Also try putting a night light by his doggy bed. Also you can try to play soothing music at night. My dog had real bad separation anxiety until I started playing music for him when I left the house. The other thing I did which I think is very important is I stopped greeting him with excitement and a high pitched voice. The calmer you are with your dog the less he’ll miss you when you’re not around. You also have to ignore this behavior. Do not give into it. If you give in you are just telling him it is okay to whine and keep a lot of noise at night.

Good luck

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sidhuj0 offline Unverified User #
An Unknown Location | 8 months, 3 weeks ago (3 months, 4 weeks after post)

i just got an english bulldog, her name is “Stella”, she is all white with 1 brown year on the left, soo cute… we have one of those metal gates, she stays in there all the time when we are not home, for about 6 hrs… she has her bed and toys, and put water for her in a bowl… and dog pads, so she can do her thing when we are not there to take her out… once i feed her i wait 10 mins and take her outside, tell you dog to go pottie, and go pee… it works and once she does that give her a treat…then i play with her for about 15 mins, and put her back to then pen… she whinnes for 2 mins, and then she stops and plays with her toys… i have never put my stella in a crate.. when we go to sleep we turn all are lights off and have a small light that is not bright… when she whinnes in the morning that means she needs to go outside and do her thing..

Try to set a time, for her to eat, go outside and do her thing, and play, and keep on repeating it, so she is use to it…when shes alseep and shes awake take her outside rite away…

its a pain in the *** but you will get use to it like i have..

good luck with your puppy,

i’m still trying my pup to sit still and she wont… lol

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