My 8 month old (bitch) has always had issues sleeping through the night. We tend to walk her 3 times a day, usually the last walk being around 7/8pm and try make sure she relieves herself before putting her to bed between 930/1030pm. I'd say since getting her at 12 weeks she's probably only slept through for 2 weeks in total. She paws the crate (she is crate trained) anywhere between 1-3am. When we do let her out more often than not she just sits/lays on the floor outside her crate, it's not like she's in a mad rush to go outside (very well toilet trained so she knows where to go). The crate is in a separate, dark room so she's not going to have any distractions in there. Wondering if there's something I should be trying?
It sounds like you have maybe made a mistake that in letting her out each time she paws etc. She now knows if she does this, she will get out. Have you tried ignoring her?
I ignore Sophie (11 weeks) when she wines in her crate. Right now, the only time she whines is when she actually needs to go potty bad in the middle of the night. I made her crate fun, and I have a Snuggle Buddy with the heartbeart turned on in there. She loves sleeping on it. I also make it fun to "go to bed" - We make a little schedule out of it, and I put 2 of her special treats in there each night. She knows the schedule now and when I start turning the TV off and the lights, she gets excited because she knows we are going to bed. Honestly the snuggle buddy really helps -it's a stuffed dog the same size as her. It has my scent on it. And I always praise her for being quiet in there from Day 1. Maybe try restting how she thinks about the crate and reward for quiet. It will get better. Sophie is getting better and better at this every day.
Yeah, not the best of ideas, figured it was better than coming back to a messed bed/dog fur initially. Now maybe I'll try ignoring her, she's never messed the best apart from once as a young pup, house trained from 2 weeks after getting her. It's just the noise more than anything, metal crate, neighbours. I'll try ignore
She does have a fairly solid routine on an evening, like you say, TV off, take her into the garden for 5-10 minutes, give her treats for going into bed which she does on command. I'm not sure if like above we've made a bit of a rod for our own back by going to her in the earlier months thinking she might be desperate for the toilet knowing full well now....she isn't. Think ignorance is coming for her, see if that stops her pawing!
I struggled with that too - wondering - is she whining for attention or because she really needs to go out? I can kind of tell the difference now. I ignore her but if she really needs to go out, she doesn't stop and gets louder and more agitated. I think twice she woke me and when we went outside she had no interest in pottying so I quickly scooped her up in my arms, carried her back to bed, and fun was over. I still struggle even in her playpen knowing which whines are real for outside and which are just a spoiled puppy cry. LOL
Yeah I think she's just needy, break the habit and ignoring her might be the best approach. Sometimes I can let her out and put a blanket on the floor of her crate and she will happily go back in and sleep for the next 3-4 hours. I didn't expect her to be that picky to be honest ha!
My puppy was in the kennel (with his litter) from 5.5 weeks to 8 weeks. When the rest of the litter went home, I brought him inside. For the first couple of nights, I got up at 6 to let him out. I normally get up at 7ish anyway, but he has happily gone through from 10pm to 8am from 8.5 weeks (he is now 12 weeks). I appreciate that boys are much easier, but by 8 months old, there is no reason/need to be letting her out through the night.
You could make the crate more den like with a crate cover, maybe some teddies if you think she will be okay with them.
