Guest Samantha Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 I need some advice. Maddison is 'asking to go outside', I don't mind letting her out to play or doze in the garden during the day, but during the night when she's waggin her tail and nudging me trying to get attention. I let her out (thinking she needs to potty) then she lies down in the garden at silly o'clock in the morning and refuses to move!!. The only way I can get her in from the garden at anytime is with treats, and i don't really want to do this as its re enforcing behaviour I don't want, But at 4am when you need your sleep, you aren't left with much choice but bribery!. Any advice or ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scfilby Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 It sounds to me like she knows if she bugs you during the night, she will get what she wants. I would try to make sure she goes to bed tired by maybe doing a long walk before bed, and be prepared to not give in (and likely loose some sleep) if she wakes you. I would stop the treat bribes, and go get her (on leash if needed) if she refuses to come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BooBooMama Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 It will be hard but you are going to have to 'play asleep' and ignore her. I have gone through this with BooBoo when she first came home and now my little Houdini has started the same behavior. I kept thinking she had to 'go' but she just loves the sounds and smells of 4 AM!!!! I DO walk her right before I go to bed to ensure that she does not have a real need to go out. It is not easy to pull the covers over my head and ignore that cute plaintive little whine but after about 20 minutes she stops. Of course I am wide awake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 (edited) Oh, the treat stuff has to stop, when I was housebreaking our last pup, DH would get up and let him out in the middle of the night, and give him a "cookie" as he did a "good job", well guess what he learn, yes, you got it, so he trained us, and your pup has you trained, when she won't come in, I would get a lead, go out and get her, I must admit, I hate to ignore a requested to go out at night, I would rather "get up, than clean up" Edited May 8, 2010 by kydie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Samantha Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 It sounds to me like she knows if she bugs you during the night, she will get what she wants. I would try to make sure she goes to bed tired by maybe doing a long walk before bed, and be prepared to not give in (and likely loose some sleep) if she wakes you. I would stop the treat bribes, and go get her (on leash if needed) if she refuses to come in. At the moment we can't go for walks as she is in heat, maybe when we get back to normal when she has to walk to school and back with me and my son twice a day she might sleep better!. If you go out with the leash she either runs away in the garden or you get it on and she becomes a dead weight and won't move. She's so manipulative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 If she asks to go out, put the leash on and take her out to the garden on the leash. Don't let her loose. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerlinsMum Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 Oh dear! What a little princess! :lol I understand completely. Merlin woofs at me (not quite a full bark) or tries to whine when he wants me to get up (generally at the weekend, when I let myself sleep in a little). I used to get up and say "No!", now I just give ignore him. Eventually he lies down or goes back to bed and waits. I don't even say No, because that's still feedback. However, 6am at the weekend is one thing, 4am on a weekday or every day is quite another! You've been given some good advice above. I too think you should put a leash on her before you take her out. Give her a few minutes, then take her back inside. Don't let her resist, just act calmly but firmly like you're going in, period, before she tries to 'statue' (obviously don't pull if it's going to hurt her neck). If that doesn't work, do start off by doing a little circle so that she follows you willingly and then quickly keep up the momentum by running back inside with her. No more bribes. It will be hard for a day or two, and you will lose sleep, and it will be a PITA and probably get a little worse before it gets better (the "extinction burst"), but eventually she will learn that she is not going to get anywhere and will lie back down. Good luck! Quote Kerry with Lupin in beautiful coastal Maine. Missing Pippin, my best friend and sweet little heart-healer 2013-2023 Also missing the best wizard in the world, Merlin, and my sweet 80lb limpet, Sagan, every single day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Samantha Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 If she asks to go out, put the leash on and take her out to the garden on the leash. Don't let her loose. Good idea! I didn't think of that. I will try that tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.