I can honestly say that my other dog, Cariad, was an absolutely fantastic help. We delivered all the puppies together, Lona gave birth and broke the cord, Cariad took the puppy and cleaned it, I was then allowed to dry it, and then Lona took it back and got it feeding. Cariad was there helping, sometimes she was a bloody nuisance, and there were a couple of squabbles between the girls as to whose puppies they actually were, but as they grew up Cariad played with them and took over whenever she was needed. I couldn't wish for a better pair of girls, I really can't praise them too highly for the team effort, and I doubt it would have gone so well if they hadn't pulled out all the stops.

That's a lovely story. Bless their little cottons!!

What lovely pics! Can't offer any advice on weeing in crate as my dogs never did that. I never shut the door on their crates at night though and did the old moving of the puppy pads gradually to the back door stylie. During the day I was around to pop them outside every half hour and make a big fuss of 'wee wees' outside so they were house trained really quickly. Good luck!

I am having the same problem, over the weekend we have been 99% dry then last night he pood and wee'd in his crate 3 times, i let him out just before bed then took him up, he doesnt whine to go out just bashes the cage, i was still awake the first time and he made no attempt to get out! Now neither of us has had much sleep, he is sulking now because he is in his crate with no bed but he has used 3 towels and his bed already so they are all washed and drying! I just dont know what to do now.

Have you got newspapers and/or puppy pads. If not get some. Then cover half the crate with newspaper with pads on top preferably, if you see him go on his bedding move him over to the paper/pads. He thinks he should go on his bedding that is all. He is still very young and you getting cross with him is confusing him even more. Keep him confined to the kitchen and put the paper with the pads on top near the door, every time he goes somewhere else either put him on the pads or if it isn't raining pop him outside, once he associates going on the pads rather than the bedding then you can move on a stage.

I was getting up in the night to take my pup out so she didn't need to poo in her crate. A poo covered pup is not a good look! If your pup has regressed slightly it might be worth considering. It won't be for long and it's better than standing there thinking "OMG where do I start to clear this mess up!"

If its any consolation I stretched it out by 15 minutes per night, and now at 14 weeks she goes from 10pm to 7 am.

Thats why i was so frustrated, i do get up with himusually only twice and like you say it is much better than getting up to lots of poo! I have ordered a new bed so the scent has gone, i hope last night was a bit of a blip! Did you get yourself up or did you wait for your dog to let you know?

I set an alarm and gradually stretched it out. With my current pup I started at 4am and within 5 weeks got to 7am. My last pup was twice at 2am and then 6am and it went on for longer.

All pups are different so it makes no difference what anyone else's dog does. My current pup has barked to go out every night since her first day home, sometimes twice a night and she goes immediately she is let out and goes straight back to bed. My previous pup who's around 18 months now has been treated in exactly the same way and yet has never asked to go out day or night and seems to expect me to be telepathic. Now she's older she can hold it between me letting her out last thing at night and early morning etc but until she could hold it she pee'd in her bed every single night whether I let her out or not in the middle of the night. Chill they do grow out of it.