So, here I am again, wondering what I am doing wrong. For the past few weeks or so Maisie (nearly 7 months) has been waking up between 5am - 5.30am. A while back I thought things were settling down, and we were moving to waking up at about 6.30, but we seem to have gone backwards again. Here's an example of what's happening: This morning at 4.50am there was an urgent bark (the "let me out I need to go out for a wee" bark!) and she went out and immediately did a poo. Put her back to bed, but 10 minutes later whining and barking starts. I left her barking for about 15 mins and then shouted down to her to be quiet...quiet lasted for about 20 mins and then it all started again. I gave up at 6am! Made myself a cuppa, ignored her, and sat down in the lounge. She jumped on the other end of the settee and settled down to sleep! She gets lots of exercise and opportunity to wear off any energy, Yesterday evening we went to a dog show for Mcmillan. Before the event I took her for a 45 minute off lead walk with two other puppies in the woods and then she had the show for 1.5hrs. She was very tired when she got home after all the excitement, I was hoping that she would sleep through to 7am, maybe??! My OH took her out at 11.30 for a last wee. I seem to be going round in circles with this. A while back I had a similar few weeks of early waking and she eventually settled back to sleeping through between 6am and 7am. I'm so tired. I know she is capable of sleeping through to a reasonable hour. I'm not sure there is an answer to this, and perhaps I just have to be patient and hope that as she gets older she will sleep in a little longer? sorry to go on, I suppose it helps to write things down.
Re: Lack of sleep - again! What time does she have her last meal Debs ? I noticed you said that she had a last wee at 11.30 p.m. , when does she do her last poo ? My last Lab used to have to be encouraged to do a poo late evenings, but once she did get into the habit of doing one late, she slept for longer . I know all about those early puppy mornings, no joke are they ? x
Re: Lack of sleep - again! Hi Kate, last meal is about 5pm ish. So she usually has a poo before she goes to bed. In the week she goes out at about 10.30pm and usually does poo, but she is still getting up early. Some mornings she doesn't want to go out and desperately tries to get upstairs onto my bed! Perhaps she is just after company. At the moment she is still asleep in the lounge (had breakfastat 7am)!
Re: Lack of sleep - again! [quote author=Debs link=topic=8022.msg113026#msg113026 date=1411802620] Put her back to bed, but 10 minutes later whining and barking starts. I left her barking for about 15 mins and then shouted down to her to be quiet...quiet lasted for about 20 mins and then it all started again. I gave up at 6am! Made myself a cuppa, ignored her, and sat down in the lounge. She jumped on the other end of the settee and settled down to sleep! [/quote] If she needs a poo, I guess she needs a poo. After that though, it sounds like she is training you to get up and keep her company.
Re: Lack of sleep - again! i have had this for the last 10 months she just wants company as soon as i get up she goes back to sleep when i sit in the lounge with her we have now given up the idea of her sleeping downstairs as nothing stopped the noise from 4am onwards and we went away last week and she slept in our room and went through the night now in season which means she needs much more often wees
Re: Lack of sleep - again! How firm are her poos? You might find a half scoop of pro-fibre in every meal helps. Tatze goes to bed at 10pm, I get her up at 7am and she doesn't wee or poo until after breakfast! I put it down to nice firm poos. She has a little pro-fibre in every meal. Then, if that works, you will be able to ignore all barks. Gypsy, 18 weeks, is now able to hold it 'till 7am. So if she barks before that (which she still does sometimes) I ignore her. No accidents yet - but I would rather have the occasional accident than a dog who shouts for me to get up!
Re: Lack of sleep - again! Mags, does Gypsy have her last trip out at 10 as well? My spaniel was kennelled up to 9 weeks and he's doing very well. We're up at 12 and 5 tho, once we've got that consistent for a few days we'll start to stretch it
Re: Lack of sleep - again! Have you considered letting her out for whatever urgent business she has to do, then putting her back to bed with a Kong. Julie suggested it for me and it worked a treat. I'd get a whole extra hour of peace.
Re: Lack of sleep - again! [quote author=JulieT link=topic=8022.msg113048#msg113048 date=1411807880] If she needs a poo, I guess she needs a poo. After that though, it sounds like she is training you to get up and keep her company. [/quote] Debs I agree with Julie...especially when you say she went back to sleep on the end of the couch...little monkey!a toilet break is a toilet break ,is that what is always waking her up though?does she always need the loO?is there something like the heating clicking on or a neighbours car leaving that is waking her ?Dexter used to bark when he heard the maintenance vehicles from the golf club ...I think you've just got to go through the pain of some barking for a little while longer...don't go down to her when she is making noise.....
Re: Lack of sleep - again! [quote author=bbrown link=topic=8022.msg113086#msg113086 date=1411822336] Mags, does Gypsy have her last trip out at 10 as well? [/quote] Yes she does
Re: Lack of sleep - again! [quote author=Boogie link=topic=8022.msg113093#msg113093 date=1411823626] [quote author=bbrown link=topic=8022.msg113086#msg113086 date=1411822336] Mags, does Gypsy have her last trip out at 10 as well? [/quote] Yes she does [/quote] Jealous! lol ;D
Re: Lack of sleep - again! Thanks all. She doesn't always need to go out and her poos are firm. I don't go down to her when she's barking and I leave her for quite along time before going down to her. In fact I've tried every bit of advice that I been given! The only think I haven't tried is a kong, so I'll give that a go tonight. You never know it might me the answer!
Re: Lack of sleep - again! I would keep leaving her until normal get-up time for you and hope she gets the message! Does she have something to chew if bored? I leave Giant nylabones with mine.
Re: Lack of sleep - again! [quote author=Boogie link=topic=8022.msg113101#msg113101 date=1411825793] I would keep leaving her until normal get-up time for you and hope she gets the message! Does she have something to chew if bored? I leave Giant nylabones with mine. [/quote] Thanks Mags, I think you are right....it seems to be the only option! I have given her things to chew before but she's not interested in them. I bought a giant nylabone and she hasn't touched it! Contrary dog : !
Re: Lack of sleep - again! [quote author=Debs link=topic=8022.msg113102#msg113102 date=1411826103] I bought a giant nylabone and she hasn't touched it! Contrary dog : ! [/quote] So ungrateful try rubbing a bit of sardine oil over it....i do that on Dexters if he's in the garden with us and has finished his kong and starts looking for mischief!
Re: Lack of sleep - again! [quote author=Dexter link=topic=8022.msg113104#msg113104 date=1411826313] [quote author=Debs link=topic=8022.msg113102#msg113102 date=1411826103] I bought a giant nylabone and she hasn't touched it! Contrary dog : ! [/quote] So ungrateful try rubbing a bit of sardine oil over it....i do that on Dexters if he's in the garden with us and has finished his kong and starts looking for mischief! [/quote] Oooh, good idea! Thank you.
Re: Lack of sleep - again! Lemmy has a Kong stuffed with his kibble allowance then plugged with bit of roast chicken or fish or cream cheese. We also put a dentastix and hide a few bits of kibble in bedding. I go to bed about one and by then he's ready and takes himself to his bed after last mooch in garden. I get up at seven and he's normally in bed but all treats are gone. He goes out in morning but takes him a while to wake up enough to perform then he has breakfast before playing for an hour. Seems he likes something to nibble to settle him for sleep or being left we never have crying or anything. Hope you get some rest soon .
Re: Lack of sleep - again! Hi Debs, sorry to hear you are tired again. Chepi doesn't go to bed until about now 11.30 or around 11 to 11.30, then I set my alarm for 6.15 and we both get up then. I keep it 6.15 as for 3 days a week I need to be up then to get ready for work. I will usually be happy if she had a poo after 10 but will always take her for a wee around 11 then bed not too long after. I wish you luck, just popping her to bed now
Re: Lack of sleep - again! So, I have to admit to giving in and letting Miss Maisie sleep upstairs with us. And guess what, she slept through until 7am! She went to bed with me at 9.30 (I know, I'm a lightweight ;D), tried to jump on the bed at 1am, but after being popped back in her bed I didn't hear from her again until 7am. So it looks like this is where she is going to be from now on and my bags under the eyes may start to disappear!! I just need to get used to the night time noises of scratching, licking, moving around, etc (and that's not the OH for a change!!!!) : :
Re: Lack of sleep - again! You must feel better for a good night's sleep. I would have done the same.
