The Buck Stops Here.

[Guest Liz_in_PA]

Bonnie periodically wants out at 3 and I know that jammies really help her. Last night was a 3 am night. Okay. But the cat decides she has to race outside. It was 10 degrees. I can't leave her out. I stomp over and find my shoes. Stomp over and find a flashlight, grumble. Go back to the door: there's the kitty desperately wanting in because Hey! 10 degrees isn't as fun outside as she thought it would be. Awake for an hour with random thoughts. Stoopid kitteh.

[Remolacha]

I had a problem with Fletcher last year waking me up during the night, and I have a dog door, so I know if he had to go, he didn't need to wake me up! Someone suggested maybe he was cold, and that was it! So, you might want see if it's that.

 

OTOH, Molly will whine for me to get up 4:30-5, and I know now, she just thinks its time to get up

 

I guess what I'm saying is, you need to figure out why she's getting you up

[Guest Swifthounds]

 

She woke me up at 1am. It's been raining since about 5pm last night, leaving our backyard a lake. So I REALLY didn't want to take her out. I led her back to bed and get this. SHE WENT BACK TO BED. I didn't have to get up again.

 

 

YAY! In fairness to her, once it became routine for her to rouse you in the middle of the night, she was trained to do it. Now she understands that midnight potty romps are discouraged. With a bit of practice, sleeping through the night, except for emergencies, will become your new routine.

[BootsyCollins]

This sounds a lot like a mommy's board discussion about sleep training their babies.

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

Glad to see that you had at least two good night's sleep!

 

 

Spud did this to us for a year and a half. So every night one of us would get up at 3 a.m. to let him out. We had to keep him baby gated in the bedroom with us because he'd pee in the house otherwise.

 

We got a dog door and problem solved. We never have to get up and let them out and he doesn't pee in the house anymore.

 

This was when he was 3/4 and nothing I did made any difference. He had to pee. It was our choice. He'd pee in the backyard or the back of the couch.

[cleptogrey]

glad to read that someone else has slept w/ a squirt bottle!!! it works and YOU are not the bad guy!

i agree that the pups might be getting cold, as i sit here awaken by 3 chilly dogs....a foster and 2 boarders who are not used to my nip house, they were up at some ungodly hour and had been sleeping in to 7-7:30 when they were snug and warm-that darn north wind. so, lots of coats, squirt bottles and let your pup continue to read the posts so he will sleep in! good luck.

[Ragsysmum]

I'd be looking for reasons for the behaviour myself. Is he waking up and wanting to move around because he is cold,is hungry, has heard a new noise in the neighbourhood, or maybe he is just bored and not had anough exercise and company in the evening after being in a crate for 10 hours during the day.

[Guest 4dogscrazy]

I agree that it's a learned behaviour. When I first get a new dog, they are allowed to go out whenever they want, and I have no problem getting up to let them out. But after a few months I start night training. I just tell them to go lay down, and usually don't have a problem. I like the idea of sleeping with a squit bottle, I use mine all the time and it would work really well for that! I also make sure they are not cold, a cold greyhound is a pita! I really can't have mine going out at 3 am every night, when one goes they all go, and the boy barks his fool head off at the girls trying to get them to play no matter what time it is! I also hate to have to deal with half dead rabbits in the middle of the night, so...no potty breaks at 3am in my house.

[Guest lanielovesgreys]

Well, she can hold it all day when we're gone (at most 10 hours).

Does she have access to water during the day?

 

Yes, she's muzzled, but I've seen her drink with her muzzle on before.

 

I have NOT woken up at 3am since I started 'trying'. I haven't had to take her out since I decided and started this thread. Man, that was much easier than I thought.

 

I'd be looking for reasons for the behaviour myself. Is he waking up and wanting to move around because he is cold,is hungry, has heard a new noise in the neighbourhood, or maybe he is just bored and not had anough exercise and company in the evening after being in a crate for 10 hours during the day.

 

She (not he) is not crated all day. I work 3 days a week and she's home with free roam of the house for about 6 hours a day (usually). At most it's 10 but those days are few and far between.

[Guest mpportraits]

These replies have me laughing LOUD! My husband is in the same boat! We go to sleep and close our door because miss phoebe will go downstairs and pee somewhere. Well, she wakes up around 2-3 am EVERY night and has for the last 3 years. My hubby gets up with her because she'll bark and he's afraid she'll wake up our 2 boys. He's going to read these responses when they go to bed tonight. HYSTERICAL!!! We're there with ya buddy, can't wait to hear what works...we're going to try the squirt bottle.

[Wonder]

I think I got up 4-5 times last night to let them out potty

yawn!

[Guest 4dogscrazy]

OMG 4-5 times? Mommy MUST sleep! I tell them if they want me to keep my job, in order to buy them things...like food haha...mommy HAS to sleep at night! Are you sure there is not a medical problem?

[Guest Swifthounds]

OMG 4-5 times? Mommy MUST sleep! I tell them if they want me to keep my job, in order to buy them things...like food haha...mommy HAS to sleep at night! Are you sure there is not a medical problem?

 

My hounds know that if they wake me, they had better be really in need. Not that with three seniors I haven't had occasions where medical issues had me up multiple times, but if it was behavioral, they had better be circling ads in the employment section because somebody else'll have to work.