Dog barking in the early hours

[holmessweetholmes]

Sorry - this is going to be a bit long!

We have a lovely 5 month old German Shorthaired Pointer. In most respects he is a delightful dog, but he's still waking in the night and we are knackered! I've posted about this before, but I think he wasn't old enough to go through the night then.

Sometimes he goes through until 6 / 6:30 but he very often wakes at 4. I let him out for a wee, then put him back in his crate. He is generally quiet for maybe 20 mins, then barks and barks on and off until I go and let him out about 6:00.

The thing is, I know he is capable of going through the night without a wee because he does it fairly often, but he does always seem very keen to do an immediate wee when he barks at 4. So do I just stop going to him when he barks at 4?

Am also tempted to stop crating him and just shut him in the kitchen - he's shown no real destructive tendencies and maybe he'd be happier? Plus we wouldn't be able to hear him as loudly (his crate is in the dining room as it won't fit in the kitchen, and our house is pretty open plan!

Also...

Have just bought him a thick comfy bed/crate mattress (not arrived yet) as I thought maybe that might help.

He has as much exercise as he's allowed for his age.

He doesn't dislike his crate - goes in there very happily at bed time and when we leave him to go out during the day.

He is VERY sleepy in the evenings. He ran around a lot on his walks yesterday and dozed for much of the evening. I guess this is partly why he wakes early, but it's hard to keep him awake when he's dozy! Do you think this is in fact the main cause? Should I be making a supreme effort to keep him awake?

I'm desperate to get this sorted - dh keeps muttering darkly about sending him back (he wouldn't really, he adores him, but the broken sleep is getting to him). I'm also wary of mucking about with his routine and sleeping arrangements too much in case the lack of consistency makes him worse!

Very grateful for any advice...

[holmessweetholmes]

Oh I meant to say - once he's up at 6, although he's bouncy and keen to play at first, he usually only lasts an hour or so before having a short nap! Which makes me think he really could have done with a longer night's sleep!

The answer I'm kind of dreading is that, because GSPs are nicknamed 'velcro dogs', he'll only sleep really well if he's in bed with us! I might be tempted if it meant a good night's sleep, but it would be over dh's dead body!

[holmessweetholmes]

A bleary - eyed bump!

[SinclairSpectrum]

Could you compromise and put his new bed on your bedroom floor?
I know its a risk that the dog could then bother you all night but we found it worked really well.
He is content to be with us so sleeps soundly, has never been on our bed and doesn't get up during the night.
Good luck!

[holmessweetholmes]

We could... Actually we have guests tomorrow for a few days and we are going to have the downstairs bedroom so they can be upstairs near their kids. We could try having him in with us then and see how it goes.

[SinclairSpectrum]

Excellent, don't forget to post results!

[holmessweetholmes]

Will do! We are going to try and keep him awake more in the evening too. Thanks for responding btw!

[SinclairSpectrum]

No problem, I was at my wits end with our pup - hated crate, wouldn't settle at night, dh muttering darkly about returning him, me in tears.
Out of shear desperation, and much to the disapproval of friends and relatives, we put his bed in our room and have never looked back.
Dog now curls up, gazes at us with adoration and falls fast asleep till morning.

[holmessweetholmes]

Well, fingers crossed that Strudel will do the same tonight! We are trialling it before our guests arrive tomorrow.

[holmessweetholmes]

Best night's sleep we've had in a long time! He went happily to sleep by the foot of our bed, woke up briefly at 4 and came and nosed me gently in the leg. I was about to go and let him out for a wee, but he wandered back to his bed and went straight back to sleep. He woke for the morning at 7, which is an hour later than usual and is the time we would get up anyway! Thanks again for convincing me!

[SinclairSpectrum]

Yay!!
Something quite lovely having them close, so pleased it worked out.

[holmessweetholmes]

I woke up before him! It was lovely to wake up gently, not be woken by loud barking. The whole morning routine is feeling more relaxed today!