Delta has been sleeping in the crate since the first night. I got her at 7 weeks, and she will be 10 weeks old on Friday. The vet recommended feeding her 1/3 cup three times a day. We have been doing that, with an added 1/3 cup spread throughout the day with clicker training. She is a ravenous eater. Last week she slept all night long for one night. Other than that, she usually gets up once in the night to potty. Now for another random fact, when I take her out (day or night) she pees immediately, but usually takes her time to poop. She sleeps in a crate in our bedroom, because I like to hear her stir, and try to take her out before she starts whining or barking. 2 nights ago, I heard her stirring at 3:30am. I got her out of the crate, and she was WIDE awake. I took her out and she peed immediately and then ran up to my side. I brought her back in and put her in her kennel. She started barking. At this point, I was unsure if she had to poop (from being a slow pooper), was hungry, or was up for the morning. I decided to leave her in the crate, but had to move the crate to our closet and close the door. At this point, it is around 4:30. She fell asleep, and I got her out at 5:00 which is our usual wake time. We had another wake up call at 3:30 this morning (no whining but could hear her moving around) . Took her out and she peed immediately. Back in crate, barking/whining.i felt bad so i waited for hero stop barking, took her out if crate and took her outside. She pooped. Back inside, more barking. Moved crate into closet, closed the door, and set my alarm for 5:30 ( I just needed to try and get a little more sleep). She still barked/whined a little more. 1. I know that I need to start click for quiet. 2. My wife thinks that she may be hungry. She wants to feed her later in the night. But maybe we should still feed her at 4:30 or 5p, but just a little more? 3. Since she is consistantly getting up at 3:30, should I move her to another room (so we can get some sleep) and just set an alarm for 3 am to take her out? Could this cause any other problems? Would I b training her to get up a 3 every morning?
Hi there, she seems a little young to me to be having three meals a day; I would try giving her a bit more food later in the evening, maybe around 7pm. How does she look to you, does she seem too thin or just right? With the getting up at night, you just need to be as uninteresting as possible in the middle of the night. Out for a pee if necessary, then back into the crate with as little interaction as possible. What time do you take her out for her last pee in the evening? Perhaps you need to take her out a bit later, and make sure she has no access to water after around 8pm. I would have thought she should be able to manage from about 11 pm until 5 am without too much trouble. You'll crack this, but I know it is very disheartening having to get up at such an unearthly time!
I agree with Karen , I think she may well be hungry . I gave four meals a day at this age up to around four months, then gradually dropped to three and then at around 7 months , I dropped to two meals . Even then, my dog was mortified at losing lunch, so he still had a small one ( still does ) .
Generally, I am giving her last meal at 4:30 to 5:00. Last water around 7pm. Taking her out around 9:00 to 9:20 (I just can't stay up any later than that, I am exhausted!) I could definitely add another meal around 7:00. She does not seem too thin, but she acts super hungry all of the time.
I`m afraid that a young pups bladder just isn't able to hold on for more than six hours as the most so if his last pee is at 9-9.30 , then 3 a.m.ish is going to be his wake up call of duty . I usually go to bed at around 10ish , so my husband would always do the last pee duty at around 11ish , and I would happily do the early morning one . Regarding hunger , Lab pups are always hungry and for most of them , they stay this way for life , mine certainly is and he is coming up for five years old now, still a dustbin
I have no problem getting up at 3:30, I just can't start the day at 3:30. That is why I was thinking about putting the dog in a separate room in her crate. Then setting an alarm for about a half hour before this new wake up time. The plan would be to let her out before the howling/barking (because I could not hear he stirring at that distance) and then put her back in that separate room after the potty break. That way I could get some sleep if she started barking again (it would not be as loud). Could this work?
I agree with Kate and Karen, your pup is very young to be on just 3 meals a day. Her tum is not very big so she needs little and often to fuel the massive growth spurt she is going through. How much food are you giving her? When they are very young you need to increase the amount they eat almost every week. The amount should be on the packet. Molly was on 60gams of food x 4 times a day when I got her at eight weeks.
The risk you are taking if you follow this routine is that you will be setting a pattern which could be hard to break when she is older . Having her in a separate room may help , but first try the increased food with the last meal being more like 7.p.m. good luck .
10-4, will do. Probably better to try one variable at a time anyway. I will add the extra feeding and go from there. Thanks!
We feed little ones 7:30am, 11am, 4pm and 7:30pm. We go to bed as late as possible and up at 6am until their bladders are a bit stronger (about 14 weeks). .
So you don't feed them as soon as you get up? I have been, and can see how that can be contributing to the problem
No - I feed to set times, it works for us. Also, when I know there isn't going to be a puddle I don't get them out of the pen either - I potter around for a few minutes, putting the washing on etc. This way they become far less demanding, I find My brother lives with us three days a week and goes to work at silly O'clock (5:30am ). The dogs stay asleep as he has his brew then leaves - I put this down to our 'no fuss' mornings. .
Well apparently you guys and girls know what you are talking about. I added another feeding at 7:30 last night, and stayed up as late as I could (9:30), and she slept through the night! My alarm went off at 5:00 am, but I held off feeding her until 5:30 (I think that eventually I will push it back to 6:00am). To kill time, I took her out to potty, and started a little clicker training with the placeboard (I have shaped sit, paired cue with action, and have started using cue before the action.) Now I will get her to do all of that on placeboard and then work on stay. I have read some of the articles, and re-read the Happy Puppy Handbook concerning click for quiet. I have done it a little, but plan to really do in Sat morning when I have more time. Thank you very much for the insight!
Click to quiet seems to be working. I really was unsure if it was going to work, I guess that the pup is smarter than I give her credit for. I have done click for quiet on about 10 different occasions. First starting at C&T at 3 seconds, then 5 seconds, then 7 seconds, etc. Yesterday, I worked up to 3 1/2 minutes in the morning, and then that afternoon, she fell asleep in her kennel at 5 minutes. On days that I work, mornings are always difficult. I have to take a shower and usually she cannot go for that long of a stretch without barking, and I cannot stop to click and treat. But I just do the best that I can in this situation. This morning we made it through an entire shower without barking! I also mixed in a few potty breaks and a quick placeboard training session before I left for work. When I did leave, everyone else was still asleep. So I put her back in the crate with a stuffed frozen kong. Delta did not bark until my oldest daughter woke up and walked by her crate. Still have a ways to go, but progress is progress!
So pleased to hear that you are making progress. Take each day as it comes and expect to take two steps forward and one backwards at times but you will succeed with the training and patience - or and the odd treat and stuffed kong
Hello....just wanted to add my two cents re night feeding.....my puppy was throwing up bile in the mornings when he woke up and vet asked how late at night was I feeding him.....6PM....she said he needs something in his tummy when he goes to bed....it was too long for his tummy from 6PM to 7AM.....and that I should give him 1/2 cup of kibble before he went to sleep. I do this every night and he is fine.....actually, looks forward to it, of course! He is now 24 months and I still give him a small amount for lunch, which he also expects! so I divide his total day into those amounts. When they are puppies they need the four meals a day. As to sleeping through the night.....it takes time, but it does finally happen. As someone said, their bladders are very small when they are puppies....and they don't have control. She seems to be doing what all normal lab puppies do!!! And, yes, I totally understand exhaustion.....it does get better,though!!
