Whining

[WeWantAMackerelNotASprat]

Any tips on stopping a dog whining? It gets to 5.30am and our sprocker wines and wines. It's not always because he needs a wee either. I think he just wants to be fed and get up!

What time does he go to sleep and have his last meal? Could he be waking because he's hungry or feels like he's had enough sleep? If so, maybe try pushing both back.

Also, if it's connected to the lighter mornings, is there anything you can do to make his sleeping area darker? When ours was a puppy in mid summer, we used to tin foil the windows to make him sleep later and it seemed to work.

Is it to do with the sunrise? My girl was waking at 4:45 for a while and I tried closing the blinds and curtains in the living room (where she sleeps) and she is now sleeping until 6:10-6:30 every morning.

If you don’t think he’s ill or in need of the toilet I would just ignore it in the hope that in a few days he’ll realise whining doesn’t get him anything and stop

Our sprocker gets very "chatty" in the evening. It can mean anything from make a fuss of me to wanting to go out for a wee. Sometimes he just seems to be wittering awsy. It can take ages to work out what. Bloody annoying.

Timed feeder ig it's because he's hungry? I think they're about £15 on amazon

If*

Hunger? What time is his last meal?

I walk a sprocker who wakes at 5am too - maybe it's a breed thing

Mmm maybe hunger. Couldn't do the timer for food as have two dogs and I think it could cause issues!!

Maybe I'll try a snack before bed!!

Spaniels are v chatty aren't they - I had honestly forgotten that about them. When our cocker wants something, he makes bloody sure he's telling us!

If it's completely new whining and out of character and not sorted by a snack before bed, I'd probably get the vet to have a quick check over of him in case there's something bothering him (sometimes they get sore joints after sleep etc).

I do think some dogs need a bedtime snack to stop them waking up completely starving/feeling sick so that might fix it!