Our new puppy Bentley is almost 10 weeks and have had almost 2 weeks with him. We were told from the breeder what the puppies schedule was which was bedtime 9:30, woke about 2:30 for a potty then woke for the day between 5 and 5:3. He stuck to that pretty well the first night the second night was horrible which we let him cry in his crate then the next 5 days he was going down about 9:45 and waking at 5:30. Which let me tell you was great. Then all of a sudden he started waking around 4 or 4:30. At first I let him fuss for about 10 min but I laid there wondering if he really needed to go so I got up, he did go, I put him back in his crate and he was quiet until about 5:30. He has been doing this since then, do I stop getting taking him out at that waking time? I mean he obviously was able to go until 5:30 for a whole week, we have changed nothing so should I just let him fuss at that time?
Hi there Trial and error. If they really need to go to the toilet they will cry none stop. If they don’t need it, they will stop. Sometimes if you go too soon to see them when they cry they will see this as a sign of how to get your attention. Luna is 2 now and she cries at 6am most mornings but she needs the toilet. Hope this helps.
Maybe go back to setting an alarm for around 3 and take him out. You will then know at 4-5 that he doesn’t need to go. If you are in the Uk he may be being woken by the birds at that time. x
Thanks, it seems he's waking anywhere between 5:30 and 5:50 now but more at the 5:35 to be exact for past week, for awhile he was going until 6 -6:15. I don't get up right away I've been trying to wait a little longer every few days before going to him and wait until he isn't barking anymore, but when I take him out he does hurry and go, no dilly dallying at all. So if I got up say around 3:30 and took him out potty, in hopes he sleeps in later will he start just waking at that time and start a new habit with waking at that time to need out?
You will need to lift the water bowl so that he isn't drinking too much before bed, possibly about 8pm. If you are setting alarms to get up with him start with 3.30 for a couple of days, then change to 3.45 and ease it out gradually. This way you should always be up before he needs and he will learn that he gets out to the toilet and will start holding it. At 10 weeks I am sure that puppies need to go out every 3.5-4hours during the night.
I have a lab alarm at 3:25 am!!! Sully is 11 weeks. Our schedule: Stop feeding 4:30pm (4 hour before bed) Water (2-1 hours before bed). Bedtime 8pm Potty time - carry him out (10am) back to crate 2:30am (potty time). Then Sully wants out by 3:25am (he was able to go for 5-5:30am) Oh gosh he puts up a fuss (cries, whines and barks non stop). I am in an apartment and I can't have him doing that early. Normally he settles nicely. He just started this yesterday. I don't understand why all of a sudden. Following your post for support. I am thinking of 10pm bedtime tonight to see if I can push it later for him in the am?
I feel for you Sully, because Bentley started doing that today, he woke and 5 am and barked. He eats dinner at 5:30 and water bowl is taken away at 7. He goes to bed between 9:30 -10 and always goes out before either time. He is so all over the board. He can definitely hold it I and know until 5:40am because that has been is consistent time of waking up the last couple weeks, 5:39 am to be exact, some how he knows lol. However this morning he started barking at 5 am so I thought I would see what happens if I take him out and then put him right back in his crate, I did and he was quiet until I am not kidding 5:39am, so I knew he was fine so we let him bark, but our other dog went out there and Bentley stopped barking until about 6 when Oakley came back in our room. When I took him out at 5 he peed and pooped then when we got up at 6:10 as we let him bark a bit he peed and pooped again. Is that normal? He gets tons of exercise during the day. We play classical music for him but the volume on my computer isn't that much so I'm wondering if he hears birds or something. When Oakley was a puppy we played it fairly loud and he slept great, so we may try finding something to play it louder. Any suggestions? Maybe waking him earlier than 5?
Honestly I am in the same boat as you. Sully woke up at 1:35am today!! Holy smokes! I did take him out because he was stirring so I quickly got him to go potty. He did!! After he went back to the crate (being uneventful) he was NOT having it. He cried and whine. Fell asleep for half hour and then was sitting up and ready to come out. I decided to give him a kong at 2:30am. He settled somewhat. Took him a while. By 3am he fell asleep after whining and crying (semi noisily) not barking. He slept until 6:30am. Which was fine for me. I could not for the life of me get back to sleep. I am like a zombie and dragging today. I need a nap! Walks may refresh pups or get them tired. Maybe giving a warm bath? But not washing him? Lol I don't know what is with the bewitching hours of 1-3am but it is NOT magical!! @pippa@labforumHQ Can you help us?
It has been a full moon recently and this does affect some dogs - don't ask me how but it does. @mom2labs I would suggest setting an alarm before 5 and take him out during the night. that way when he goes back to his crate then he will be able to have a 'sound' sleep instead of a wee nap. Luna is 10 months used to be able to hold it from about 9.30/10 unitl 6 but this last 2 weeks she has been waking up any time between 4-5.30. I can usually say for her to lie down if its 4am and she will settle until 5/5.30. Just to say Luna isn't crate trained and sleeps in the bedroom with me.
Do you think I should sleep with Sully? Would that help? I had another trainer tell me that today. I go by Pippa and Dr. Sophia Yin's protocols. I don't want ti create more work for myself in the future if he is allowed in my bed with me.
Hello, you seem to be having tough time at night ! Our Gwenni has always slept in a crate in our bedroom and still does, she’s an only dog and I think it’s natural for her to sleep with company. She comes to bed for a cuddle in bed in the morning after toilet break when we get up. Where does your pup sleep, from what you are saying sounds like in the same room as you too ? I’m no expert but it just seems to me the less you can do at night the better, even thinking about how much you say to your pup at potty break keeping it as low key as possible? I also remember Gwenni going through a phase of a little play at around 9pm before settling, which was just at the time good things were on TV lol! Maybe bed at 8 is too early as you are wondering? Little pups are certainly hard work, hope you get some sleep! It will get better as his bladder control improves!
I sleep in the livingroom and he can see me. His crate is facing me. I don't say a word lol at night. Trust me we keep it very uneventful. Maybe I will try at 9pm to put him to bed? Lastnight was better atleast I had 5 hours of sleep lol
Glad you got more sleep! They can be quite persistent these little Labs can’t they. Let’s hope you get more sleep again tonight!
It depends on if you are planning on letting him into bed with you when he is older? Luna hated being separated from us and as soon as she wasn't in the crate she settled instantly. We then ended up using the crate as a time out to calm her down if she was biting too much. Because she didn't like the crate this helped her learn it quite quick as she didn't want to go in! When Luna was about Sullys age she would pretty much sleep from about 8 in the evening but we stayed up for the last potty break at 11 and she would go until about 4/5. I too slept in the living room with her until I was happy she wouldnt hurt herself getting up and off the bed.
This helps. Thank you so much. We realized the culprit was his shots. He slept in again until 5:30am today.
Only if you want a permanent Lab bed companion. We are going to go from a Queen size to a King because of Cooper. My SO let her come back to bed with us after we took her out about 6:00am. She has become a permanent feature. Not all Labs will want to be bed buddies, but some will.
I'm so sorry sullybear, I don't have it quite as bad as you. Bentley sleeps peacefully until the 5 or 5:40am, the last 2 mornings we have taken him out and he potties and put him right back in crate and he stays quiet until 6 so we have been trying to let him bark until 6:30. I think I will try the earlier waking before he wakes up and needs to go and see if that helps.
I go a superking end of last year and the other morning I woke to find myself practically balancing on the edge ... Luna was sparkled out diagonally across the bed on her back. She had managed to ease me out the way with her back legs. Little monkey!
