Pup started waking in night... Help please

[Goawayangryman]

Well, wasn't I feeling smug. Dpup is 5.5 months old, female golden retriever. She has always slept pretty well at night, usually last wee at 9 or 10 and goes through to around 7.

On Monday I forgot to close the stairgate and she snuck up and discovered we have an upstairs and she could go up there.

Every night since she has woken up in the night and grumbled then barked till I get up to let her out for a middle of the night poo and wee. 1am some nights, then 6 am again... 4am last night then 6 am again. Bah.

I'm knackered as I frequently can't fall back to sleep easily. On my own and kids too young to help during night.

How do I go about sorting this? She sleeps downstairs alone, always has. Was in a pen till about 2 to 3 weeks ago and now has run of (same) middle room at night. I don't think it's the pen going, but the fact she has clocked the existence of another floor of the house where her people go.

Otherwise well, well-excercised, eats plenty etc.

And she is not coming into my bedroom. I need some alone time, I sleep badly, and we have worked really really hard at her being alone now and then.

I’d try introducing the pen again to be honest. She might feel more secure in it and sleep better.

If you sleep badly a dog curled up against your back or legs is very soothing .... just saying ....

As the temperature has dropped do you think she might be feeling the cold on a night? One of mine happily sleeps downstairs but lately has been coming up in the small hours to use me as a hot water bottle. Maybe give her a small duvet or something she can make a nest out of/bury into?

If bring back the own and give her a warm blanket to snuggle into. Even if the pen isn't directly connected it might help reset her brain and give her a sense of security again. The duvet will stop her waking up from cold.

*I'd bring back the pen, sorry!

I think you may all be right and the pen needs to come back. Hopefully not forever as it is quite large! And bizarrely she will not go in there in the day ever, at all.

@Goawayangryman ours sleeps in a crate and goes in one when we are out (4 yr old rescue) but she never goes in their by choice except for when she is waiting for dinner (she's fed in there). She still likes it and is much happier in it than being left to roam the house. I think sometimes the space is too big for them? In sure yours will grow out of it, perhaps look at it as you've moved forwards, but a little too fast (accidentally) so you're just going a step back to get on an even keel again. You'll be able to move forward again, just at a slower pace. At 5 months she's still a baby.

Unfortunately you will have to start again.
I am a life long Goldie owner and while they are generally pretty chilled if they set their mind on something they can be very very stubborn.
We took the stair gate away when Ddog was about 2 and 3 years later he shows no interest in going upstairs - apart from last week when he followed DS and his ham sandwich up there. I think Ddog was a bit surprised when he found out what had happened and woofed until we escorted him down

You are right @Hoppinggreen you've basically described my dog. She is chilled but eh, she can really hold out if something isn't to her liking.

Righto, pen it is, and interesting that your dog is similar @Keladrythesaviour.

I did think, why am I doing this, if it ain't broke etc etc, when I removed it. But I wanted to give her more access to the house when we are out because I don't like the idea of her being cooped up and she likes to pootle. Also, I needed something to fence of the xmas tree! All bad reasons....

She is definitely not cold, will often choose to sleep on cold hard floor despite an abundance of lovely beds.

I think,not having the crate anymore together with the very exciting upstairs discovery has unsettled her.does the barking disturb any neighbours?because you have given into her demand and let her out during night,you have created a problem.I would put her in crate for a few nights and see if she sleeps without barking in the middle of the night.if she is ok, I would try without crate and if she barks,you completely ignore it.of course you can only do this,if you are sure nobody else will be waking up(neighbours).you have to have the patience and resilience,but normally a dog will stop a behaviour quite quickly,if there is no "reward" (eg.letting her out in garden ).

Yep probably right @Thatldo.

Back to the crate it is. Luckily my neighbour is deaf.

Not sure about retriever’s but we have a 7 month old ESS & we had the same issue although not at 5 months earlier on. We used compressed air when he used to whine at bed time & it literally took a week & now he takes himself off to bed & we don’t hear a peep until we get up next morning

Compressed air, the noisy thing?? Probably won't try that as I'm just not in to the aversive stuff but thanks for the suggestion.

It’s not particularly noisy more of a distraction; it really works though for all manor of unwanted behaviours and works fast

Compressed air is an aversive and really not to be recommended, I'm really glad to read you wouldn't use that @Goawayangryman :)

I would definitely try her in the pen again - many dogs feel more secure in a smaller space as they feel they don't have to be as alert that way.

icedcoffees
How would you know it’s not to be recommended, you mean not by you. All 3 of my dog trainers recommended it & it works and we have exceptionally well behaved dogs. Your opinion isn’t fact, dogs are pets not children & they need to have bad behaviours nipped in the bud early.

@Funmum34

icedcoffees How would you know it’s not to be recommended, you mean not by you. All 3 of my dog trainers recommended it & it works and we have exceptionally well behaved dogs. Your opinion isn’t fact, dogs are pets not children & they need to have bad behaviours nipped in the bud early.

Yes, and you don't need to spray them with compressed air to teach them how to behave.

I'm also not just giving a random opinion - I work with dogs and have qualifications in dog behaviour - aversive treatments like compressed air are no longer recommended by most trainers.

@Goawayangryman

Yep probably right *@Thatldo*.

Back to the crate it is. Luckily my neighbour is deaf.

Thats good news,your neighbour is deaf.when you try her out of the crate again,you just have to be absolutely determined not to react to her barking.And when she manages the first night without barking,you praise her like hell.I am sure,you both will soon get a relaxed sleep.

We used compressed air when he used to whine at bed time & it literally took a week & now he takes himself off to bed & we don’t hear a peep until we get up next morning

Horrible way to teach a dog not to make a fuss.

Compressed air. Ffs. That poster doesn’t deserve dogs.

Pupper is back in her pen. I'm putting in ear plugs now ;)

Slept all night no bother. You were right about the pen. Let's see if it lasts.

@Goawayangryman

Slept all night no bother. You were right about the pen. Let's see if it lasts.

Well done puppy

Great news
And you didn’t even need to terrify her with compressed air!!