To muzzle the dogs mouth shut?

[MollyHopps]

DISCLAIMER: I would never actually do something like this to my Dog. I love him

BUT. At 5am, every morning, without fail he starts howling and whining for no reason. I have tried everything, including letting him roam the kitchen at night, going down to let him out (he won't go), knackering him out at night and just going to see him. He will howl for about 5 minutes and then he stops, but it has started disturbing our neighbours and I don't want a complaint (Landlord owns both houses).

Any ideas?

So as not to drip feed, and although this isn't relevant, the neighbours are frequent drinkers and cause their own noise disturbances, waking us up at 2am screaming at each other and slamming doors at all hours (but that's a whole other thread).

How about setting an alarm for 5?? .
Next day 5.15, see if he has barked or waits for the alarm!!
Next day 5.30 etc until it's an acceptable time!
Or just gaffer tape his nose. .

Put a camera in the room and see if you can find out what starts the howling? Maybe there is a 5am alarm elsewhere in the street that startles pooch and you could white noise over it?

Muzzles don't shut mouths btw, they just put a fence between teeth and the world so wouldn't solve noise issues anyway.

As pp said there might be something happening at that time every morning that sets him off. We live quite near some kennels and the dogs start barking early every morning and it used to set my dog off until she got used it.

Bring his crate into your bedroom?

Dogs often wake in the middle of the night if they're cold. Potentially unlikely as it's the middle of Summer but is your house particularly draughty or cold at night and, if so, could you put the heating timer on to come on from 4am - 6am or something? I wouldn't use a house coat at this time of year for fear of the dog overheating, but perhaps an extra blanket in the dog bed or timed heating? Similarly are the curtains pulled shut so the light doesn't wake him up?

Alternatively I would wonder where he is a rescue dog or have you moved relatively recently? Dogs who have gone through a period of unsettlement might wake up and have a bit of a "where am I" moment in the middle of the night. Moving the bed somewhere closer to the rest of the "pack" or leaving a radio on downstairs very very quietly might make him feel a bit less alone.

Dogs often wake in the middle of the night if they're cold. Potentially unlikely as it's the middle of Summer but is your house particularly draughty or cold at night and, if so, could you put the heating timer on to come on from 4am - 6am or something? I wouldn't use a house coat at this time of year for fear of the dog overheating, but perhaps an extra blanket in the dog bed or timed heating? Similarly are the curtains pulled shut so the light doesn't wake him up?

Alternatively I would wonder where he is a rescue dog or have you moved relatively recently? Dogs who have gone through a period of unsettlement might wake up and have a bit of a "where am I" moment in the middle of the night. Moving the bed somewhere closer to the rest of the "pack" or leaving a radio on downstairs very very quietly might make him feel a bit less alone.

Dogs often wake in the middle of the night if they're cold. Potentially unlikely as it's the middle of Summer but is your house particularly draughty or cold at night and, if so, could you put the heating timer on to come on from 4am - 6am or something? I wouldn't use a house coat at this time of year for fear of the dog overheating, but perhaps an extra blanket in the dog bed or timed heating? Similarly are the curtains pulled shut so the light doesn't wake him up?

Alternatively I would wonder where he is a rescue dog or have you moved relatively recently? Dogs who have gone through a period of unsettlement might wake up and have a bit of a "where am I" moment in the middle of the night. Moving the bed somewhere closer to the rest of the "pack" or leaving a radio on downstairs very very quietly might make him feel a bit less alone.

Seems a bit.... cruel.

I like the alarm idea.

Otherwise I don't know what to suggest, and am really glad I don't have a dog!

runs and hides.

Ours does the same at that time. I think he wakes up and starts feeling lonely.
I've started to leave the doors slightly ajar. That way he quietly finds his way upstairs for a cuddle rather than barking for us to come to him.