Hi , I have rescued Charlie. A lovable 11 month old Choc Lab. He is typically boisterous and fun loving . To start with, as he was quite destructive if left alone, we purchased a large crate for him to sleep in. We have covered it over and placed a Vet bed inside it to make him cozy. He has no issues at night going into it to sleep. We feed him around 18:00. He goes to bed around 22:00 (although sleeps a lot in the evening) but then we hear him whining around 4-5 am . We reluctantly go down and let him out and he normally has a pooh or tinkle....he then plays for a bit and then goes back off to sleep but wont go in his cage. I end up on the sofa having to go a few hours later. We have tried giving him food later in the hope he may stretch it out until 6-7 am but no. His body clock seems set on 4-5 am.....Any suggestions??
Hello, and a very warm welcome to the forum. Your boy sounds fabulous, I hope you have many happy years with him. An 11 month old boy should easily make it through the night, particularly if you take him out last thing before bed. It sounds like he wakes up, would quite like some company and...great!....a human appears to take him to the garden, have a little play and keep him company downstairs. Sounds like a good deal, to me. I'd try ignoring the whining. It's bit difficult if you think he really needs to go to the toilet though, so I'd try a walk round the block last thing at night (or whatever will make him have a pee and a poo if possible), so you can be sure you put him to bed 'empty', and see how it goes. Best of luck with it.
Hi and welcome to you and Charlie (our second Chocolate Charlie on the forum! ). I wouldn't worry too much, with time he'll fit in better with your timing. Just wait a couple of minutes longer each morning before you go down to him. My guess is, this will cure the problem.
Welcome to you! I would try putting his evening meal earlier so that you know for sure he's 'empty' before bed. If his poos are nice and firm he should easily last all night. I would set an alarm (in his room) for a decent hour and stick to it, be sure you are up and ready so that the alarm = you appearing.. Then the alarm will signal 'up time' not anything else - like it getting light, birds outside etc. My friend's dog, Zaba. stays with us a lot and he was an early waker. We did the alarm thing and also took him for a 10pm wander round the block reading all the peemails to be sure he was properly empty - I think he saves wee for this very purpose and the last wee in the garden left him half full! It worked well
It sounds like he's got into the habit of getting up this early as he now associates it with you coming down to see him and then he gets play time etc and his day has begun! At 11 months old he should be able to go all night without needing the toilet so unless you've had other housetraining issues I wouldn't have thought he's waking up because he needs the toilet. He needs to learn that 4-5am is still night time. So if you do go to him to let him out for the toilet then I would make sure you do not interact with him at all - simply let him out for the loo and put him straight back to bed and then go back to bed yourself. When he wakes in the early morning does he cry or whine to get you up? It's important not to go to him if he is making a noise as he will learn that this gets him attention. Try and wait for a break in the whining and only go to him when he is quiet. Also try and wait ten minutes longer each morning before going to him and you will gradually be able to move his wake up time later. Have you tried putting him to bed later in the evening? It may be that 10pm is too early for him and he's simply getting bored during the night.
That's the thing with boys. Charlie has to be practically bribed to squeeze the smallest drop out in the garden. Take him round the block and he seems to produce gallons of the stuff, enough to water every last lamppost. "Why waste a good pee?" says Charlie.....
