Dog wakes up to early - help!!

gettingready

If I lock my bedroom door, Zara goes to sleep [pretty much anywhere but the cats..... No way, easier to keep the door open.

Teddy ALWAYS sleeps with me, Macius and Fred come for cuddle now and again, George never comes on my bed when I am there. BUT if I shut the door - total utter panic and they all want in IMMEDIATELY. If I shut the door with them inside - same thing but about the need to go out IMMEDIATELY.

But then, cat is always on the wrong side of the door that happens to be shut

krlyr

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

Whats a kong? is it a dog chew?

Yes, it's a rubber toy that's hollow inside, to stuff with food
http://www.medicanimal.com/Dogs/Accessories/Toys/Exercise/Kong-Toy-Original-Red/p/I0005894

I've built up the difficulty with mine and they now tend to have it frozen so it takes them longer to empty.

Person_one

PlymouthMaid wrote: »

My dog must be a right lazy eejit as he will kip from midnight to 9.30 and beyond given the chance (we are not early birds at the weekend). He sleeps with us upstairs so maybe that makes a difference. He does walk about a bit at night and occasionally asks to go out at night.

It does make a difference. I think dogs tend to sleep for as long as their owner does if they're sleeping in the same room. Mine love a lie-in and are clearly annoyed on the days I have to wake them up at 5am to go to work!

Sarahdol75

My puppy is 7 months old, and goes to bed when we do, usually around 10.30 - 11pm. He goes out for a walk around 7- 8pm, has around 10 wees on his walk, then will not go out again until the morning, no matter how many times I put him out in the garden before we go to bed he will not have a wee.

He wakes up around 6,30 - 7am, when we get up and lies flat out on the kitchen floor for about an hour, then goes out for a wee. He has such good bladder control for a puppy.

74jax

Wow, I feel so lucky. Or pooch goes out for a wee about half 10 at night, then we let him out whenever we get up, normal half seven weekdays but could be eight till nine on weekends. Weekend he tends to dart up the stairs to the bedroom for a cuddle and we have to beg him to go back downstairs for a wee.

xsjw

elsien wrote: »

I'd be getting up to let him out with the minimum of fuss so he doesn't think it's proper waking up time. Out for a quick wee or whatever then back in the crate while I go back to bed for an hour. Then breakfast, proper hellos, playtime etc.
And slowly bring the time forward. Gitdog was on the 7 o'clock complaints when I got him. He now stays asleep later if his last wee is midnight but 9 hours is his limit. Although we did manage 10am last weekend, I suspect that was a one off.
Also, although he knows you it's a new environment. He'll calm down and learn new routines in time. A week is really very short. Some of it is probably due to being stressed and uncertain about the changes and needing to be reassured. When I got gitdog, even if he wasn't whinging he'd be wide awake and waiting expectantly for me to come and say hello. A year down the line because he's far more relaxed, he doesn't bother opening his eyes and I have to drag him out.
I suppose the other option is to have the crate closer to you. I've never been keen on dogs upstairs, but it works for some people.

I've been trying to follow what you suggested this week but I haven't managed it so far as he keeps waking up earlier than my alarm!! I set it for 6.15, he got up at 6.09 so I set it at 6 and he got up at 5.25 😫 I am so sleep deprived at the moment it's crazy but I will try and persevere with it as I know a week is a really short time to expect him to change as he's almost five years old now. I just wanted some advice on what to do to try and help him change his routine so thank you for helping! I've never had a dog like this before!

xsjw

gettingready wrote: »

Interesting - never thought about it as Zara woke me up probably no more than 5 times in her 8 years - only because she had upset tummy.

I take her for a pee around 11pm and then around 7 am. On weekends I get up around 10am and still - she does not wake me up. Ever. Does not seem desperate for a pee in the mornings either.

Take the dog for a pee (only for a pee) as late as possible - you say you work lates sometimes so take the dog for a pee just before you go to sleep

We do exactly what you've suggested! He goes for a walk at 10.30 and then let out in the garden at 11 and does like 5 weed on the walk and one in the garden and he still gets up at 5.30-6.30. This morning he wouldn't even go for a wee when I let him out at 5.30 so I know he's not waking because he needs the toilet - he's waking up because he wants to see us and I have no idea how to stop that as I really don't want him sleeping in our bedroom.

xsjw

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Maisie does this - she woofs ..... I panic and come rushing downstairs thinking she needs out - to be greeted by an upside down, wiggling black monkey!

Have you asked his previous owners what their routine at night / morning was?

Maisie sometimes doesn't go for another wee after her dinner / evening walk (can be 7pm) and manages fine until I get up at 5:30 (and sometimes longer at weekends)

I've come to the conclusion with her, it's because she wakes up and is alone & wants company ....

The previous owner walked him like twice a week, let him out on the garden for a wee before bed at 10 and he would wake up at 12, 2, 4, 5 and then 5.30am - so I thank god he is not doing that here so I know things could be worse but I just don't really know what to do to help him stay quiet for longer downstairs in the morning....

xsjw

Eton_Rifle wrote: »

If it's the dawn that's triggering it, make sure the room is dark perhaps with blackout curtains.

See if a particular noise is responsible that's alerting a pre-existing association in the dog's mind.

We were told he had sleep problems so we installed blackout curtains before he arrived so the room he sleeps in is pitch black - he woke up this morning at 5.25 and it was still dark outside!!! I have tried to see if anything in particular is waking him up but none of our neighbours work early and we live in an area where there's no road noise. I think it's because his previous owner woke up between 5.30-6.30 when he started woofing so he's got into a habit but I don't know how to break that habit.

xsjw

Update: today he woke up at 5.25am and I am so tired!! I let him out for a wee but he wouldn't do one, just kept running around, and it was still dark outside. I left him downstairs with the curtains drawn but left the crate door open. He then woofed again at 6am but we ignored him and he settled and woofed again at 7am and we ignored him until our alarm went off at 7.15 as he has started to learn that the alarm noise means we're coming downstairs as I've heard him wagging his tail. When I did get up at 7.15 he still wouldn't do a wee until his walk at 7.45. So I know he is not getting up because he wants the toilet - he's five years old and his last owner woke up between 5.30-6.30 when the dogs woke up so I know that it is habit and he's waking up because he wants attention. I tried setting the alarm for before he wakes up but he keeps waking up earlier each night - the first night I set it for 6.15 and he woke up at 6.09 so I set it for 6 the next night and he woke up at 5.25. I can't hear any neighbours making noises and we have no road or pedestrian noise by our house due to where we live. I have blackout curtains in the room and we've got him into a routine of walk, quiet in the living room whilst we sort things out, in the crate and then a biscuit (which he gets v excited over) and then lights out. He is not that interested in food in the mornings either so I know it's not because he's hungry. Any other suggestions before I email cesar Milan?! Lol