Hi, please can I have some support or reassurance. I have 6month choc lab who has been sleeping really well. For some reason Monday 5.30am Tues 4.25am and today 3.25am and desperate for toilet. No fuss given,out he goes but then I struggle to get him back in crate Today it took me 20 minutes I'm so tired. Why he is waking goes out 11pm ish and why won't he just go in crate. Do throw a treat or chew but this is getting harder to persuade him please someone
Hi , is this for a wee or poo ? If its for a wee then I would be thinking it could possibly be a UTI , as these can make them need to go more frequently , so maybe a word with the Vet , and try to catch a few drops for testing .
In regard to not wanting ti get on the crate, unless he is feeling not himself(urine infection)- that aside, he could be just being a teenager and becoming independent... I have one of those (my girl is 8mths). Yes I reckon throwing in some treats... After last toilet visit, I get Pearl to wait, then realise her and she has a few nibble waiting or I throw some in for her. Maybe make it sound exciting...ready ok! as you let him go in. I took on advise from somewhere about taking a step back from training when they reach I think its the 6mth stage...as in making things easier to achieve. Feel a bit weird for this particular case - in giving advise with these more experienced people around...I'm new to having a dog.
Maisy stopped wanting to go in her crate at about this time and I was at the end of my tether, just wanting to get to bed, I tried all different treats to persuade her, in the end she went wild for a slice of ham so I now stuff a kong with one slice and lure her in with another slice. Maybe this will work for you, can't advise you with the waking though, maybe feed or give water a bit earlier than you are doing now so the 11pm toilet will be the last.
Do you not worry that giving a treat to get back in crate in small hours might be creating a problem? Dogs don't sleep soundly for 7-8 hours through the night like we do; they get up turn around, lie awake for a bit etc. We credit them with intelligence in associating a reward with a desirable behaviour ...I am not criticizing, just checking. I have had the exact same problem with Caspar, now 11 weeks. At the moment he is sleeping through, but he was waking in the small hours, going out to toilet, and then not wanting to go back into the crate. I was spending 20-25mins of precious sleeping time getting him back in, but I did not treat/reward/lure, just crouched by the crate, having shut all doors out of utility room where it is situated, and gently tapped the crate until he got back in. I have no confidence that we will not be back to this at some point, so I am really concerned about making anything at all interesting happen that will make him feel that summoning me is more fun than lying here. I would be interested in all opinions, having not had this issue at all with our last Lab, who was quite happy to stay in his bed until I showed up.
Thank you I think he is becoming a teenager! It's just a little frustrating and tiring when I try and he just sits there. He is going but it's taking a while! Thank you for your advise it's useful and I will try anything as I'm getting so tired
I'm sorry to hear this it's not a nice stage is it? Maybe I will lure him in with chicken Great idea thank you! I could give that a go but he is usually asleep!
Thanks, I do a little bit but maybe I could try your way and see what he does. Could be in for a long wait!
