[JaniceH]

Just after I got my puppy at 7 1/2 weeks, I became very poorly. I lived on my own and had no one to help me. She slept with me for the first couple of nights, but when I tried to leave her in her crate, Teazle really did howl, cry, bark, whimper all night and the fact that I got no sleep really did debilitate me, so I know how you must be feeling. I used DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheremones) which releases the scent of a lactating bitches pheromones into the air when plugged in. I didn't want to use it as I felt such a failure, but the difference it made was amazing. Teazle slept all through the first night and has done ever since. I stopped using it after a while.

And please don't beat yourself up about having to leave your pup. Your daily regime sounds fine. I work full time too, and was fortunate enough to be able to arrange for someone to come in at lunch time to let her out and play with her. Teazle is now nearly 16 months and is left on her own without anyone coming in now. However, once at home she has all my love and attention until we go to bed. I do feel guilty when she is left, but although I can't give her 100% quantity of time, I do give her quality. Where I go, she goes, even if it just walking to the shops in the village to buy something.

And she still sleeps like a log until I get up in the morning !