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Guest Mollysmom10

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Guest Mollysmom10

We got our new dog Fortissimo on Saturday, fresh off the farm. We have never fostered and so it's been interesting. I am a morning person w/ two small kids, so I am up early - but holy cow, Fort is a "in the dark" morning dog - as in 3:15 and 5:30 a.m. for the past 3 nights. He doesn't necessarily need to go, he just wants to go out and whines in his crate. When we've let him out at those times, he wanders around the backyard and comes back in. I have been getting him out of his crate after 6 to walk him - you would think his bladder was about to burst the way he whines, but he takes his sweet time doing his business - usually a couple blocks into our walk. I know he must be use to being turned out at 5:30, but any tips on changing his routine? Thanks.

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Well, considering it's been THREE DAYS I wouldn't be too concerned just yet!

 

I would also not just let him out; I would get up very quietly with no fuss, take him out on his leash, come back in, again, no fuss, put him in the crate, and say, "go back to sleep."

 

He'll adjust, but it's going to take a bit longer. George got me up at 4:30 for about a month until I realized he didn't actually have to go. Then I just started to tell him to be quite, and he gave up after a few days.


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Susan,  Hamish,  Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck

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Guest 4dogscrazy

It might comfort you to know they all pretty much start that way. Think of it like this, before, someone else let him know when it was time to go out. Now, he is responsible for reading his own bladder cues, AND telling you! This is a big change in his life! Think how much you worry about if you might have to go to the bathroom if you go somewhere and there isn't a bathroom (think driving through New York City) THAT alone makes me have to pee! :) And not saying they put that much thought into it, but...you understand :lol They all adjust. I give them a couple weeks, then I start telling them to go lay down. I will use the voice of god for persistant buggers, like my boy! I also never encourage night time potty breaks, so you had better have a tummy upset if you are waking me at 2 am in my house. Getting me up at 2 am is NO fun, and they know it here. Now, I must mention mine are young, and often older greys (and all dogs really) need to go outside in the middle of the night, so that would be expected. But he will stop doing that and become more in tune with the rest of the family. I also think they hear the birds, and that wakes them up and tells them it's time for turnout. We are used to it, and don't even hear them at all anymore! Congrats on your new foster!

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Congrats on your first foster. We all (& especially Fort) thanks you. Patience, patience, patience. I'll bet this is only the first of who-knows-how-many

interesting situations. He's in a whole new world, & must be perplexed. Let us know how it goes.

Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.

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Guest manders4

When we brought Daisy home, she whined in her crate at night. When we put a bed for her in our bedroom, the whining stopped. This might not be an option for you, but it worked for us!

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it took a while to change all of my dogs rising habbits, but it can be done. do take the advise of keeping him on lead, as soon as he releives himself, back into the house and crate. go back to bed. yeah, you will be exhaused for a while, but he will learn to sleep. some faster than others. power naps and going to be by 10 are the answer until his clock re-adjusts.

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Guest Mollysmom10

Thanks for the suggestions -- things are getting better already, today he only whined at 5:30, which was awesome. I know that it has only been a few days, I guess I needed the reassurance and pep talk, just like Fort. Some times lack of sleep makes me a little cranky... :colgate

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O.K. this is one thing I am a sucker for :blink: ,,, I usually run a tight ship here,,, but even at 3:30a.m. if one of mine comes to get me up to go out,,, I or DH are up and down to the back door to let them out,,, if one gets up,,,, then I put them all out,,, I have a long standing thought here,,, "it's better to get up than clean up" living with a dog with long term IBS,,,, I trust when he has to go out,,, and it is usually him,,, so I guess it's just get to know the dog,,,, before rolling over to go back to sleep JMHO :)

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Guest Stripeyfan

O.K. this is one thing I am a sucker for :blink: ,,, I usually run a tight ship here,,, but even at 3:30a.m. if one of mine comes to get me up to go out,,, I or DH are up and down to the back door to let them out,,, if one gets up,,,, then I put them all out,,, I have a long standing thought here,,, "it's better to get up than clean up" living with a dog with long term IBS,,,, I trust when he has to go out,,, and it is usually him,,, so I guess it's just get to know the dog,,,, before rolling over to go back to sleep JMHO :)

 

Same here... Kelly yelps and whines if he needs to go out in the night, then always wants a fuss when I stumble downstairs in the dark to let him out... but I always think it's better to have a cuddle than a puddle!

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Guest duckbilled

Yes, just stay with it. He will adjust to your schedule. I have been at home during the day for the past year and our Ike doesn't wake up until noon now (No, I don't sleep until noon but he does).

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What time do you feed dinner? odd question, but... my father used to feed dinner around 4 in the afternoon, so 12 hrs later guess what, he had to go out. Not fun. So while I had him away on vacation, I shifted his dinner to 5:30 - 6pm. No need to go out predawn anymore.

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Nancy and

Grace - Andicot 2/1/07

Solo - Flying Han Solo 3/20/11

Missing: Murphy, Shine, Kim, Sprite, Red Dog, Lottie & Harry

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