Hi, I'm new to this forum and a first time dog owner at 62. My dog is a 7 1/2 month old lab/pointer mix rescue out of GA. Her name is Xena and she is really close to being fully house broken. However, in the past recent weeks she's has gotten in the habit of waking us up at 3 AM to be let out. This time of morning is unacceptable when have to wake up at 5 AM to get ready for work. Currently we remove her water between 7 and 8 PM. Let her out around 10 PM for the last time before bed. We know she can hold her bladder for 8 hours because we crate her during the day without accidents. The past couple of nights we started crating her at night as well and she has made it to 5 AM. She does like her crate and enters it without having to be forced. But I hate to keep crating her. Is this normal at night ? Does anybody have any suggestions ? I'm thinking the night crating is only temporary until she gets a clue she needs to hold it longer. What's an average time table on crating ? Thanks
Hi @Marc eight hours is the absolute maximum for one stretch in a crate. That figure applies though to an adult dog. You're dog has not reached that stage. The rough rule for holding her bladder is 1 hour for each month of age. You are almost there. The figure she can hold her bladder is different when she sleeps at night and her muscles relax and the hours she can hold her bladder while active. Think of yourself. You can hold your bladder longer at night than during the day while you're active. You say she can hold for 8 hours during the day. That suggests that you have allowed her to play outside at night by her making a noise. Not a drama. Just go back to letting her out once during the night. Ideally wake her up. Put her back in the crate. Then when she makes a noise you know she is just wanting to play. Ignore her. During the day I wouldn't crate her for 8 hours during the day. She needs mental and physical stimulation.
Goodness, you are crating her for 8 hours during the day and then again all night (at the moment)?? That is way too long. What sort of life is that, for a dog? The absolute maximum amount of time to crate a dog on a regular basis during the day, is 4 hours. If you have to crate her for longer, I strongly recommend looking into a dog walker to break the day up for her - or a daycare facility. I bet this would solve everything in one go - a decent day's mental and physical stimulation and she will easily sleep through the night...
AS of Wednesday night we stopped crating Xena during the day. She does have a puppy safe room that is roughly 22 x 12 feet. So she should be fine during the day. I realize that dog walkers and day care centers are great options but I can't afford either. Once we get home she gets put on a 60' runner outside and has plenty of room to play. I also take her for 30 minutes walk in the morning and night. Hopefully we are on our way. I also passed our plan on crating passed our vet and trainer and both agreed that in the short run we should be fine.
Hi @Marc I understand the fiscal problem. The run is a real improvement over crating during the day. If you have not done so, please consider stretching the dollars to get some toys that will mentally stimulate her during the day. Put a new toy out and collect the day old toy rather than leaving all the toys out at once.
Does this mean a really long staked out line or a run, as Michael says? A run would be a huge improvement on what you have at the moment, along with loads of interactive toys. A line which is staked in the ground, I really don't recommend for multiple reasons - safety being a big one.
The line is up roughly 15 feet off the ground and runs 60 feet between 2 trees. The line off of that runs roughly 25 to 30 feet so she can cover allot of ground. I have been giving her stimulating toys but not picking up the older ones. I'll pick those up. What are your thoughts on marrow bones
Hi @Marc i agree with Jo. A line is not really safe. It is too easy for the dog to get the rope tied around a leg or throat. Even if you use a harness, the straps are likely to create sore points. If I lived near you I would help you make a run. Please create a safe area for your dog..
Yeah, it's not really safe for multiple reasons. Another dog could come on your property and she won't be able to get away from it. She can drop toys frustratingly just out of reach. It's basically a life of temptation and tortuously never being able to reach the thing you want... She can get caught up and so on.... I think if you're leaving her home alone regularly, invest in a good run or kennel - that's until she can be safely trust to be left loose in the house with enrichment toys.
Good morning, just wanted to update. Xena is finally housebroken and is no longer being crated. We hated to crate her both at night and during the day. However, after just two weeks she is holding her bladder and asking us to go out whenever she needs to go potty. Both our vet and trainer told us it would be a short crating process. She stays in her puppy safe room during the day while we are at work. She seems quite content with the room and goes to it when its time for us to go to work. Otherwise she is outside and as run of the house.
Hi @Marc good to hear Make sure she has plenty of puzzles to solve during the day such as Kongs filled with goodies. There are also puzzle toys, such as balls that she can move around which result in a treat falling out.
