We put her to bed at 10 pm and get up at 6 am. She always barks around 2:30 and again at 5. Last night she barked a third time. I take her out and put her immediately back in the crate with no play time. Shouldn't she at 6 months (27 weeks) be over this? I am a teacher so I can sleep in, but school starts next week. I don't want to be sleep deprived.
We have similar issues with our pup who is 6 months next week. He'll wake during the night and bark in his crate. Usually once or twice in the wee hours which we don't respond to, then wake properly anywhere from 5 to 6am and won't stop until someone goes down to him. We've tried a number of things to combat this, a comfier bed (frequently his crate mat would be bundled up in the corner) and a crate cover haven't really made much difference. Earlier this week he started @ 5:15, I went down and politely but firmly told him to be quiet and lie down, which he duly did and fell asleep again. I got up @ 6:30 and got him out as that's our target time and he wasn't making any noise. When we do get up, he'll sit with me on the couch and sleep for another hour at least before asking to go out to outside so his barking isn't toilet related. I think we have inadvertently reinforced the crate barking and now need to figure out how to make it extinct. I've posted about this before and had advice about setting earlier alarms to beat him to the bark and then extend slowly from there but it's so random that it's difficult to do that consistently. I'm hoping that darker mornings will have an effect and hopefully being consistent around the 6:30am freedom time will start to pay off. Good luck!
Our pup is 4 months old and we have a similar problem. He is waking early (also inconsistent times) and making a fuss, whining and barking. I know he is not needing to potty and I don't think he's hungry (other than usual lab hungry) as he's happy to wait for his breakfast. I take him out earlier in the night with no fuss and he returns to his crate good as gold. We have tried ignoring him but he just does not quit until he hears my feet on the stairs. Pretty sure it's not separation anxiety as we have no issues any other time. I have tried setting an alarm to try to get him to realise the alarm means we are getting up but it's not worked so far. The clocks changing only made things worse as he now wakes an hour earlier! As soon as I let him out the crate he greets me and then goes back in and goes to sleep. We have also tried comfy bedding, covering the crate etc. Would appreciate any advice as I do not function well on too little sleep and hubby is muttering it's him or me.
I've been away from the forums for ages just happened to pop my head in and this was top of the page. So our crate/sleeping habits are much improved. We have a fairly reliable 7-7:30 wake up time and that's after the clock change. It's difficult to say what's made a difference and I think it's a number of things. If he barks before target time then we go out on lead for a pee, no talking or interacting then straight back to bed. If he barks after that then he gets a firm (not shouted) "Go back to sleep" and doesn't get out. One thing that is noteworthy...we were on holiday for a long weekend a few weeks ago staying in B&Bs with him in his crate in our room. The morning of the clocks going back he slept until 8 (which was actually 9!) so it appears he's just after the company. Would it be possible to move your pup into your room for a bit then gradually move him farther out until he's in his desired sleeping location?
Hi Stew. I call that inspired timing. It is encouraging to know things can and will get better - this is our first dog. 7am would be bliss! Your suggestion is interesting because last night out of desperation when he started up again (it always seems to be about an hour after his wee) I waited for a break in the noise and then got the cushions off the settee and a blanket and laid on the floor next to his crate. I didn't speak to him at all. Within a few moments he settled and was soon asleep and slept til 8am and now having had his breakfast is back asleep at 8.30am while I type this! (I didn't sleep but at least I was relatively comfortable and didn't have to listen to his pitiful noises). So I think you are right - he does want the company. I am just concerned that he will now always want me to sleep next to him. I will try moving my 'bed' further away from his each night although sleeping half way up the stairs will be interesting! Can I ask a question - what time is your 'target' time? Other than the sleep issue Paddie is a lovely pup and training is coming on well although I find it hard to know how we will manage normal life again - so good to hear you got to stay in a B&B successfully. I just need to get him a bigger crate - the 36inch one is not going to last must longer! Thank you so much for checking the forum and bothering to reply - it is much appreciated.
I just realised that I did not quote your comment - don't know if that makes a difference or not. Anyway - thanks again.
This one is very simple, folks. You are reinforcing your puppy for barking. The puppy gets released from the crate and contact with you, when the puppy barks. If you don't want the puppy to bark in the crate, it's really simple: Don't respond to it. It really is that simple. And yes, after weeks or months of being responded to, the puppy is going to make even more noise at first - that is called an extinction burst. If you can wait that out and ignore it, the puppy WILL be quiet. Put headphones on, read a book, do whatever - but do not respond. Why reinforce behaviour you don't like?? This assumes the pup doesn't need to toilet. By 4-6 months the puppy should not need to toilet during the night. But if you think there is a chance the pup needs to toilet, then you must set your alarms for BEFORE the barking has started and you MUST pre-empt it. There is no way around it - barking never works. It never gets the result the puppy wants. It gets no attention. It results in nothing desirable. There is no point to it.
7:30 would be ideal. He’s never awake before 7. Most days it’s around 7:15 which is a world away from 6:30! Good luck, he sounds like a lovely boy!
