Nighttime waking

[Littleindiangirl]

Hi, please can you possibly advise me ? I have a 13.5 week old cocker spaniel who sleeps in a crate next to our bed. She wakes up pretty consistently at about 2ish and we take her out. She does a wee but can hold a poo until 6 am. My worry is that rather than her really needing to do a wee its now becoming more of a habit. How would anyone suggest I try to break it without having any accidents? TIA.

Why do you think it's a habit? She's only 13.5 weeks old- that sounds about right for still waking in the night to wee.

It's just that an hour later she whines without fail and we put her on our bed. I'm wondering what wakes her up a second time?

Cold? If you put her on your bed maybe she’s whining so you do that??

@Littleindiangirl

It's just that an hour later she whines without fail and we put her on our bed. I'm wondering what wakes her up a second time?

If you put her on the bed when she whines in the middle of the night, no wonder she keeps doing it, lol.

A 2am waking sounds very normal for a 13 week old, though, and I would expect it continue for a good month or so yet, at least.

Ok thanks, we will address the putting her on the bed!

We set the alarm and then extended the alarm by 15 mins every night, until eventually she went until the morning. If you extend and she’s already had an accident then leave it longer before extending the alarm-ours never did though.

So what time shall I set gor tonight? I'll go out at 10 pm for last wee.

Don't you then run the risk of waking her unnecessarily though? I agree with PP that she probably likes getting on the bed nice an early as she wants to be with you. if you don't want that just comfort her in the crate our cuddle her back to sleep in bed and then put her back in the crate.
She'll sleep through eventually.
I'll admit we let ours on the bed which was the best way to get a full nights sleep. When he was reliably sleeping through we started opening the bedroom door and then he started sleeping on the landing so we put his bed there. He still comes in for cuddles in the morning but I don't mind that.

@Littleindiangirl

So what time shall I set gor tonight? I'll go out at 10 pm for last wee.

We followed the guidance in the happy puppy handbook from when we brought puppy home. I’m sure it said to start it for 3-4 hours after you last take them out, so 2am would be about right. Then the next night 2.15 and so on. Don’t speak to them or make them think it’s playtime. Just lift them out quietly, take them out, then bring back in a put straight back in bed. I presume the idea is it’s teaching them gradually to be able to hold the toilet in.

I don’t still have the book or I’d double check it. It’s a fab book though, loads of good stuff in it!

We had her in our room for the first five nights or so and then moved her downstairs. We last took her out about 11 so it only took a few weeks til we could leave her and she’d just keep it in all night until morning.