Dog wakes up to early - help!!

Sarahdol75

sheramber wrote: »

I don't see what breed he is but I am inclined to think he needs mental stimupation to tire his brain out.

Playing with other dogs, walks and toys are all physiacl exercise but do not tire the brain.

My dalmatains could walk/run about all day but fifteen minutes clicker training and they slept for hours.

Do you have any training classes you could go to?

Could you do some agility training in the garden- there are suggestions on the internet of how to make garden eqipment but a broom over a couple of bricks can be used as a jump. A hula hoop to jump through. A few canes stuck in the gorund to make a weave.

These exercises make him use his brain as well as his muscles.

Clicker training is very useful as the dog has to think things out. There are videos on youtube explaining how to do it. Kikopup's videos are good.

He is a labradoodle, we go to puppy classes at the minute, and that is a thursday evening, and still barking that night. He is absolutely knackered when we get back at gone 9pm, but still come 1am up barking.

We have had foxes in the garden over a week ago, probably around when this started, I just hope they move on and I can get my sleep back.

krlyr wrote: »

Have you tried having him sleep up with you, temporarily? If not, he may be worsening due to feeling stressed being left downstairs - having him up with you may resolve this in the short-term and you can work towards moving him downstairs, at a pace he can manage.

OH would not let that happen, at all.

sheramber

Labradoodles are very active dogs.

Remeber you are battling against a behaviour that he has practiced for 5 years . It is not going to resolve in a few days or weeks.


When you get up during the night what does he want to do?

If it is play then he needs more stimulation during the day/evening to tire his brain and he needs that every day.

.

krlyr

Sarahdol75 wrote: »

OH would not let that happen, at all.

If the dog is barking in the night due to anxiety about being alone, trying to tackle this whils leaving him alone every night is a bit like trying to bail water out of a sinking boat with a hole in it. Bailing the water out is only treating the symptom, when you need to ideally block the leak.

Having him upstairs, even if you put a time limit on it (but a reasonable one - one night won't fix the issue, but a fortnight may give you a bit of a headstart, a month probably even better), may ou then give him the chance to 'detox' from the stress he may be experiencing every night, and you can then teach him from scratch to cope with being left alone overnight.

You could try some calmative products to take the edge of the behaviour, and that might be enough to help you tackle it whilst leaving the dog downstairs, but all dogs react differently so you may have to try a few products to find one that works. I'd start with something like Zylkene or Calmex, an Adaptil spray, collar or plug-in, things like that. If they don't work, your vet could prescribe something a bit stronger if needed - but do be careful, sedatives like ACP can sedate the dog physically but not mentally, meaning they're still stressed but unable to show it.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4453515 was a similar post from last year - some of the replies may help.

(Sorry, just realised you're not the OP of the thread - if he's still only young then it may be a bit easier to deal with, you could try some of the methods recommended to OP like just offering a pee break and leaving him with a Kong, for example)

Sarahdol75

sheramber wrote: »

Labradoodles are very active dogs.

Remeber you are battling against a behaviour that he has practiced for 5 years . It is not going to resolve in a few days or weeks.


When you get up during the night what does he want to do?

If it is play then he needs more stimulation during the day/evening to tire his brain and he needs that every day.

.

I never said he was 5 years old, he is 7 months old.

He doesnt want to play at night when he gets up, just goes under the trampoline and goes to sleep.

I think its a fox that is in the garden at nightime, that is disturbing him, as found poo in the garden.

sheramber

Sarahdol75 wrote: »

I never said he was 5 years old, he is 7 months old.

He doesnt want to play at night when he gets up, just goes under the trampoline and goes to sleep.

I think its a fox that is in the garden at nightime, that is disturbing him, as found poo in the garden.

I was replying to OP.

You would be better staring your own thread rather than mixing it with another.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

krlyr wrote: »

Moving him to the bedroom wouldn't have to be a permanent solution. It would possibly fix the issue in the immediate term, then once he's settled down a bit, you can slowly move him out - move his bed closer to your door, then out in the hallway (using a babygate across the doorway if needed) etc. before moving the bed back downstairs if that's your longterm goal.

I did this - many years ago my pup (now nearly six) would not settle for love nor money. Eventually, out of desperation I moved her crate to our bedroom. Blissful peace. She graduated from the crate and gained a doggy brother and they both stayed in our room for about 4 years (through choice) until we redecorated and moved them out onto the landing.

They settled there quite happily (after a bit of light whining), although they will still try and get into my son's room as they do prefer a proper bed!

Point is, moving her to the bedroom worked and we could have moved her out earlier if we'd wanted to.