Nala is not sleeping!

[LuvmyMal]

Well this has been going on since we brought her home, I figured it would take a week or so to get into the swing of things, and some nights she will sleep and others we are awake, last night she only slept 2 hrs then was up for atleast 2 when I finally had to keep moving her from room to room so we could sleep, it would not be bad if she would just not bark and howl. With Tonka she would get a little upset then we would comfort her and right back to sleep she went, I have tried everything, even putting her in bed with us and lying on the floor beside her crate.  Does anyone have any suggestions? I work for a bankruptcy attorney and with this new law we are slammed and it is hard enough to keep up with things, but even harder when I am not getting any sleep.
Thanks

[RedyreRottweilers]

She is working you hard.



1) no more coddling her for making noise
2) put the crate RIGHT by your bed.
3) put also by your bed some treats, a good water spray bottle, and a magazine you have rolled up and taped.
4) make SURE she is tired and has an empty bladder before you go to bed.
5) As SOON as she makes ANY noise in the crate, take the magazine, and whack the crate hard enough to startle her into silence. IMMEDIATELY say QUIET, good girl and give her a treat. If you are using a WIRE crate, use the spray bottle instead. Aim for the nose.

The key is to find SOMETHING to interrupt her behavior and startle her into silence, and to then IMMEDIATELY reward her silence, and give it a name. QUIET.

She must NOT hear the word quiet unless she IS quiet, as you are MARKING this behavior for her by namingi and rewarding it.

It will take some time, and some FIRMNESS on your part since you have allowed her to control your sleeping patterns up until now.

IMO this is nonsense, and I would not allow it to continue.

JMO of course, some may have other suggestions for you.

[LuvmyMal]

Thanks I will try it. Will let you guys know, some nights she sleeps all night and others well you know how they go. I am going to get something to put in the bottom of her crate also that is body heat activated or something cool, she loves to lie on Tonka's cooler bed.

[LuvmyMal]

Red, I wish you lived closer to me I would gladly pay someone to help train her, we start puppy obedience on Tuesday, she does well with sit and sometimes down and knows leave.  She is way more stubborn than Tonka was but I am sure we can make it through the crate training phase.   

[RedyreRottweilers]

Are you using a wire crate or a sky kennel?

She might indeed be getting hot.

You might consider getting one of those tiny little fans for her, or a cooling mat for her to sleep on.

[LuvmyMal]

It is wire, we keep a fan on both of the dogs at night plus we try to keep it 70 during the night here. It has to be cold for me also. Thanks, I am willing to try anything at this moment.

[LuvmyMal]

Thanks to everyone that helped me out. Red, they spray bottle works wonders, I did not have to use treats,  just a quick squirt on the nose and quiet worked for her. Also I did cover the crate and  moved tonka's coolerbed to directly infront of the crate with it being beside my bed. I have not had to get up in the middle of the night except to squirt and actually fell asleep with the waterbottle last night.
Thank You, thank you, thank you!
Tasha and Brandon

[LuvmyMal]

Thanks, I thought I would never be able to sleep and honestly if it was not for advice I received on here, who knows.