We've only had our 8wk old toy poodle pup for a few days, and getting her to settle has been an absolute nightmare. She would basically be nodding off in my arms only to kick off an apocalyptic whining tantrum the instant I zipped the crate shut.
Enter the heartbeat toy, which is basically a stuffed animal (almost twice the size of our pup in our case) that you place with them in their crate. As the name implies, it contains a small electric device in the stuffing that simulates a natural heartbeat, essentially 'tricking' your pup into thinking he or she is not alone (their evolutionary fear).
I bought it on a whim when I asked a pet store staffer for some advice and it's making a WORLD of difference. As soon as I feel our pup's head drop or notice her stretching for a place to rest her head, I lower her into the crate and she basically drops her head onto the toy.
In terms of keeping her asleep it's also been transformative. Whilst she previously couldn't sleep for more than 30 minutes in a row or so, she now whimpers maybe once or twice when she switches sleeping phases and is lulled back to sleep almost instantly by the rhythm of the toy.
It's not a cure all since well… We're dealing with an 8 week baby and sometimes she’s just fussy, but so far this has been a major game changer for us. Just thought I'd share the win – hopefully it will help others who are struggling!
submitted by /u/tresslessone
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