4Am Wake Up, We Are Exhausted

[Guest WendiandKat]

We have a 9-year-old former racer, Kat, who has started waking me (not my husband) up at 4am every single day. Two vet visits later and the best response is "she's old, this is going to happen". We have tried feeding her earlier at night and taking her out later. We've tried composure cookies and rewarding good behavior. But nothing is working. I'm awake at 4am every single day. I'm exhausted. I love our goofy girl but I'm so tired all the time now. We live in an apartment, so if I don't get up with her she will continue barking at increasing pitches and loudness.

 

Any suggestions?

[PrairieProf]

Are you 100% sure the waking is a need to pee, not hunger? You may well be right, but a bedtime snack would be an easy thing to try if you haven't.

[Batmom]

Does she have to pee really bad? Did she have a urinalysis at the vet?

 

 

If urinalysis and bloodwork was good and she isn't absolutely bursting to pee, another thing to try is to set the alarm for 5 minutes before you think she'll wake you, and gradually move it later (e.g., 3:55 for 3 days, then 4:10, then 4:20, etc.). Best luck!

[greysmom]

It sounds like she's not sleeping in the same room as you? Something as simple as moving a bed in where you are could help her settle back down when she wakes. The other thought is that she's getting cold, that wakes her up, and then she has to go out. Try putting some jammies or a light coat on her at bedtime.

 

If she abruptly started this new behavior recently, I would look into what might be waking her outside of your living environment - a new garbage truck schedule, new neighbors getting up, a loud bus or truck on a new route close by, even the building AC/heat coming on could do it. Sometimes a white noise machine can help cover those types of interruptions. Again, moving her sleeping area could also solve it.

 

Otherwise, Batmom's suggestion of stealthily moving back the alarm time usually works. That or trade off weeks getting up with her with your husband, because you shouldn't be the only one taking care of this!

[Guest WendiandKat]

Are you 100% sure the waking is a need to pee, not hunger? You may well be right, but a bedtime snack would be an easy thing to try if you haven't.

 

When I take her out she pees and poops.

Does she have to pee really bad? Did she have a urinalysis at the vet?

 

 

If urinalysis and bloodwork was good and she isn't absolutely bursting to pee, another thing to try is to set the alarm for 5 minutes before you think she'll wake you, and gradually move it later (e.g., 3:55 for 3 days, then 4:10, then 4:20, etc.). Best luck!

Her tests came back just fine. The vet is certain it's because she's "older". I can try the alarm and see what happens.

It sounds like she's not sleeping in the same room as you? Something as simple as moving a bed in where you are could help her settle back down when she wakes. The other thought is that she's getting cold, that wakes her up, and then she has to go out. Try putting some jammies or a light coat on her at bedtime.

 

If she abruptly started this new behavior recently, I would look into what might be waking her outside of your living environment - a new garbage truck schedule, new neighbors getting up, a loud bus or truck on a new route close by, even the building AC/heat coming on could do it. Sometimes a white noise machine can help cover those types of interruptions. Again, moving her sleeping area could also solve it.

 

Otherwise, Batmom's suggestion of stealthily moving back the alarm time usually works. That or trade off weeks getting up with her with your husband, because you shouldn't be the only one taking care of this!

She sleeps on the floor next to me. Always has. The behavior started when my husband and I were on Christmas break. Her schedule always gets mixed up because we have a week and a half off. That's when this started. She's done this in the past but always bounced back into routine after a couple of weeks.

 

I think I will try to settle her down and see if that works. I'm nervous about disturbing our neighbors so early in the ,owning if I don't respond to her immediately, which just reinforces the whole thing.

Something I forgot to mention that is important (I am sleep deprived) is that if my husband is home with her all day she won't need to go out for almost 12 hours. When I'm home alone with her its every four. She has definite attachment issues - I can't take a nap with our bedroom door shut because she starts whining and rooing. We have been trying composure cookies but that doesn't stop her ear.y morning rising.

[PrairieProf]

When I take her out she pees and poops.

 

Of course she does, mine would too if taken out then. That does not prove a need to potty is what is causing her behavior.

[cleptogrey]

try letting her out twice at night. say your normal time is 11pm. then let her out at 10:50 or 10:45 then 11 or a quarter after the hour. one of mine was doing this to me, i made sure he emptied his badder well- twice and he slept to the normal-7am. also, try a large dog biscuit as a bed time treat. are the shades drawn tight in the room your dog sleeps in? that does make a difference. during the winter i double up on drapes and the dogs are covered and sleep to 8am since it's pitch black in their room. are the birds also waking up? your dog may heard them.

[Guest WendiandKat]

Of course she does, mine would too if taken out then. That does not prove a need to potty is what is causing her behavior.

 

I appreciate your honesty but that was certainly blunt and unhelpful.

[Guest julesjasin]

I am having the same problem as you right now. I contacted the adoption organization that we got him from and asked if he had previously done this ? Of course not! We were feeding around 5:30-6 pm, then I kept moving it back to earlier. Like 5:15, 5, 4:30. Finally after doing the 1st suggestion which was a blanket and that didn't help. I called again today. The previous foster mom was feeding around 7pm. So they suggested feeding around then because of there digestive system. So maybe try feeding later? That's what I'm trying tonight. Or they also suggested a short walk a little before bedtime as well. Hope something helps! I know how you feel!

[FiveRoooooers]

I wonder if she is simply trying to get into bed with you. Not kidding. I had one who would stare at me until I woke up and when I moved over to make room, he hopped in and settled right down.

[XTRAWLD]

I wonder if she is simply trying to get into bed with you. Not kidding. I had one who would stare at me until I woke up and when I moved over to make room, he hopped in and settled right down.

I always feel like, somebody's watching me........

[Guest Argymom]

We had to finally let Argos sleep in bed with us! He had been waking up at 4am for a month and we were totally exhausted. He had been sleeping in his crate and my husband had tried to sleep on the sofa next to him....still didn't work. Finally we decided to give the family bed thing a try. It's great!

The only problem is that I have to make sure I get in bed first so he doesn't lie all over it and take up the whole thing. It's impossible to move him. The benefits to us are more sleep and he keeps my feet warm!

[dixidoll]

Some old dogs I have had, not all old dogs, wander at night. It is a old dog mind, brain thing. In the middle of the night they walk around like they are confused, or don't know what time it is and that they should be sleeping. They are fine during the day. One almost 16 years old, did it every night, I finally put a crate on our bedroom, covered her up and she slept every night. It ended the confusion. I now have a old girl 2 months from 15 years old that is wandering around 4 or 5 in morning. She will be crated soon. They don't mind it, at least mine, it gives them direction. Ends the confusion.

[Guest Tony]

my grey will do this, if i don't get out of bed he will bring in a squeaky toy and parade about. the only solution i have found is feed them like its thanks giving at dinner time when ever he gets slightly under fed its WAKE UP at 4-5am. so he gets 1/3 his feed at breakfast, a zogoflex [its like a kong] full of kibble when i go to work and then at dinner time i give him what ever is left [i measure out his food in the morning the rescue perhaps encouraged me to over feed him a bit so i have been slowly reducing his intake on not so active days] also worms tends to set off the schedule too.

[GeorgeofNE]

It sounds to me as if she knows perfectly well that you're an easy mark!

 

Clearly your husband does NOT feel compelled to give in to her every desire if he doesn't take her out AT ALL during the day but you take her out every four hours!

 

So have you tried the VOG (voice of God) and just telling her to go back to sleep? Sure, if you take her out, she'll go. Doesn't mean she HAS to go out. Means she's awake, and if she makes noise "Mom" will get up and take her out.

 

Have you tried sternly telling her to hush?

 

This behavior is extremely common with newly adopted dogs. It is a big curious that it started now, but until you TRY not giving her what she wants, you won't find out if it's truly urgent or she is just training you very well!