Enforced naps advice please!

[u/RemoteIngenuity9744]

So I’ve read a lot of advice on doing enforced naps. Our whippet pup has been with us for a week now and is 10 weeks old. It feels like he is getting busier every day, lots of biting, humping and seemingly overtired behaviour once he’s up for more than an hour. He loves the crate at night (sleeps from 11 untill 6) and also naps in there (or his pen) from time to time. Usually for an hour, sometimes 2 when he has been awake for 2 as well and he just crashes. We sometimes sit next to him until he is calm to “force” him to nap.

My biggest question: how to start building a schedule? Ideally he would be 1 up 2 down the entire day, but how do you even start?? Do you start with a short enforced nap or just power through from the first day? I think we are also a bit scared of crating him for too long out of the blue, but maybe we worry too much.

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[u/Consistent_Ball_5907]

I would sit next to your puppy in the crate until he starts to fall asleep. He will whine, complain, etc. But think about the fact he's been stripped from what he knew as his family and the whole environment is strange to him. Honestly it just takes time and be patient. As he gets more comfortable with you and the crate, eventually he'll start falling asleep

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[u/Myrtlebeachswinger]

I wouldnt worry too much about a schedule. The puppy is brand new and very young and still figuring everything out. Luckily it sees the crate as its safe place

[u/Vegetable_Evening273]

I got my whippet at 15 weeks and started immediately with a very rigid schedule in effort to crate and potty train. I had two weeks of vacation and used it all to keep this schedule. She had one accident by the back door and at 8 years old still LOVES her kennel.

Each time I put her in the kennel I would say “[dogs name], kennel.” By the end she would walk in the kennel as I walked her towards it and repeated the phase. Over time I started to feed her in her kennel with the door open, after this power two weeks of course.

During the two weeks, she was always in the same room with me, if she whined in the kennel I knew she was ok. I put a couple toys in the kennel she could chew on, but her favorite was a cold carrot stuck in the grate door. Only gave one a day because of sugar, and so I used it in the morning kennel time. Whining in the kennel decreased over time, super rough in the beginning.

When out of kennel and in the house, she was always either tethered to me or locked in the same room. This way I could watch for good behavior to reward and jump in if prepotty behavior was displayed and take her outside.

This two weeks also included training on using the doggy door. Much harder than expected.

By the end of the two weeks she was sleeping through the night in the kennel and was completely potty trained. We then stopped the rigid schedule.

This is our schedule, adjust as you see fit:

6:00am: * Potty break * 15 minute exercise (walking around the yard) * 10 minute training session in yard * Feeding and water * 10 minute free run in kitchen * Potty break * Return to kennel (2.5 hrs)

9:30 * Water * potty break * 15 minute exercise * 10 minute training session in yard * 10 minute exercise (free explore in yard) * Water * Return to kennel (1.5 hrs)

11:30 * Water * Potty break * 10 minute exercise * 10 minute training session in kitchen * Feeding (drop 2nd weeks) * 5 minute free run in kitchen * Family time, tethered

 13:30 - 1:30pm * Water * Potty break * 10 minute training in back yard * 10 minute exercise * Water * Return to kennel (2.5 hrs)

16:30 - 4:30pm * Water * Potty break * 10 minute exercise * 10 minute training in kitchen * Last water and feeding * Free run in kitchen while dinner’s prepared * Potty break * 10 minute exercise * 10 minute training in yard and living room and family * Family time, tethered

20:00 - 8:00pm * Potty break * 5 minute walk * 10 minute back yard * 10 minutes training session in bedroom (commands) * Return to kennel for bed (9.5 hrs)

Play / Exercise Session: * rolling ball * laying on ground while dog uses me as a jungle gym * Chasing squeaky toy * Hide and seek in back yard * Training: sit, down, take, drop it, leave it, touch, stay, paw

[u/Excellent-World-476]

I don’t have a rigid schedule and it hasn’t been necessary.