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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Night time waking... helllllp please

27 replies

pupcakes · 03/03/2022 17:26

Hi Doghouse. I am exhausted and need help.

Ddog is coming up to 2 and has never slept through the night. He wakes between 1-6 and tells us he needs to go out (if we try and ignore him he'll wake the whole house up). We then go out, but some of the times he doesn't even bother peeing, just has a sniff about before wandering back in. He goes straight back to sleep when we're back in bed.

Dpup (9 months) however has slept through from day 1! She will wander out with him if he wakes her, but has never woke us herself.

I don't know what to do. We've tried feeding him later and earlier. Tried giving him a snack before bed, and not. He's super walked and entertained and challenged, he is one spoilt dog!

Help please

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Original poster

pupcakes · 03/03/2022 17:26

Oh, and they're the same breed! (mini poodles) and sleep in our bed (which we're happy with).

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fairylightsandwaxmelts · 03/03/2022 18:25

What happens if you go out with him and make night-time waking super boring? So no chatting, no eye contact, no fuss - just straight out, toilet, back to bed?

Original poster

pupcakes · 03/03/2022 18:41

I do that, don't speak to him at all. (Easy to do when you're knackered and half dead!)

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Susu49 · 03/03/2022 18:45

When are you walking him?

Could it be mental stimulation he's lacking?

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 03/03/2022 19:05

@pupcakes

I do that, don't speak to him at all. (Easy to do when you're knackered and half dead!)

Bless you!

When's his final walk of the day? If he just goes out for sniffs, I wonder if he'd benefit from a quick walk around the block before bed?

Original poster

pupcakes · 03/03/2022 22:24

He has a morning walk and an evening walk too (and sometimes a lunch time walk!)

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fairylightsandwaxmelts · 04/03/2022 06:11

I would look into moving the timings of the walks around.

Some dogs find evening walks quite stimulating for example, so it's better that they go out earlier in the day. Others feel that need to sniff and benefit from a walk around the block just before bed.

I would also look at what you're doing on walks - off lead running can hype some dogs up and make them restless, for example.

yorkshireteaspoonie · 04/03/2022 06:17

Try them in the kitchen or wherever they sleep during the day when you're out. Sometimes mine sleep in the bed with me but when they do, they get up earlier and fidget in the night.

If they are in the kitchen they sleep much more soundly, mainly because they are not disturbed by us moving/ turning over in bed and don't interpret any slight movement from us as a signal that they can get up

Original poster

pupcakes · 04/03/2022 12:39

Ddog would be hysterical if we put him downstairs, he's a typical mini poo and has separation anxiety, he can't cope if we close him behind a stair gate while we open the front door!

He has an on lead walk in the evening, we tried dropping it to earlier and later for a few weeks and it hasn't made the slightest bit of difference, also dropped it entirely and that didn't affect it either.

He was up twice last night, I'm shattered

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Susu49 · 04/03/2022 20:47

They're such an intelligent breed, maybe it's mental stimulation he's lacking? I'd try introduce more into the day/evening.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 04/03/2022 20:51

I suspect if changing walks and mealtimes around isn't making a difference, that it's just a bad habit at this point. He gets what he wants (to go outside) so why would he change his behaviour when it works?

I know you say he barks if you ignore him - what technique do you use through the day for barking? Does he know "quiet" for example? Or what happens if you put him on a lead and just tether him?

Original poster

pupcakes · 05/03/2022 16:47

He is a horrific barker and we've had 2 (expensive) behaviourists in and made no progress! 'Quiet' has no impact even though we're very consistent. He hates all food, all treats, so can't be rewarded in any way.

We play with him all evening and he gets a walk, he really is so loved and spoilt by all of us, I genuinely don't know what else we could do!

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Original poster

pupcakes · 05/03/2022 16:47

I agree it could be a habit but how on earth do we break it

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NewYearCalavicci · 05/03/2022 17:02

I know you say he doesn't like treats but have you tried a Kong with something like peanut butter / meat paste / his normal wet food ?
My old dog was a pest at night when he was a pup so I kept a stuffed kong in the bedside cupboard and went he got restles I just had to stretch my arm out of bed and drop it on the floor for him.

Over time I put less and less in it until after about 6 weeks u just gave him a empty one and ignored him .

It took a while but he stopped asking for it and we all got a better night sleep

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 05/03/2022 17:08

'Quiet' has no impact even though we're very consistent.

It sounds backwards, but have you tried teaching him to bark on command first? So when he's barking, add the command (bark or speak) and reward him.

Then when you can get him barking on command, wait for him to stop (for a second or two) you can add the "quiet" command. Click to mark the behaviour you want (silence) and reward.

He hates all food, all treats, so can't be rewarded in any way.

But rewards don't need to be food - rewards can be praise, fuss, an ear scratch, a belly rub, a toy, a tug, a ball - all sorts of things. Food does work for some dogs but not all, so you just have to find what motivates your dog. If he enjoys play, use his toys as a reward instead.

We play with him all evening and he gets a walk, he really is so loved and spoilt by all of us, I genuinely don't know what else we could do!

Lots of play and high energy activity in the evening could be unsettling him and making him too excite to sleep properly. I would personally be focusing on lots of calming activity in the evenings, not play.

Original poster

pupcakes · 05/03/2022 21:02

I know you say he doesn't like treats but have you tried a Kong with something like peanut butter / meat paste / his normal wet food ?

He doesn't like any food, any treat, of any kind. We have tried literally everything under the sun- the vet says just to keep offering him twice a day and we do and sometimes he eats, sometimes he doesn't. He won't eat any treats, chews, pastes, etc. The only thing he likes is chicken BUT he's a devil, he'll rip your hand off one day then tun his nose up in disgust the new few times you offer!

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Original poster

pupcakes · 05/03/2022 21:04

He doesn't like toys either, he is not motivated by food, toys or praise. He loves affection but only when he wants it! He's a funny little thing! His sister is so easy in comparison and loves all treats, toys, and will do anything for a 'good girl'. He however couldn't care less!

We play early evening then he tends to settle and snooze while bed/bath etc routine is happening and while we watch a bit of tv before bed.

Dpup has the exact same life as him, yet she sleeps through and always has.

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Original poster

pupcakes · 06/03/2022 12:11

Morning bump from a desperate pup mum

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CSPS2019 · 06/03/2022 18:02

Hey OP. We have a 3 year old Bichon who sounds very similar to your Ddog.

She’s never slept through the night and always woken sometime between 1am and 3am to go out for a wee/sniff.We’ve tried all the same tactics changing walks/food/toilet times/ignoring it with no luck (the barking gets louder and louder until she’s let out!) but had a bit of a break through about 4 weeks ago.

Sounds really simple/obvious so not sure why we’ve never thought of it before but we started closing our bedroom door at night (she also sleeps on our bed). Normally we would leave it open and she would go downstairs and wake us up to go out by barking at the back door. The first couple of nights with the bedroom door closed she whined at the door to be let out to go downstairs but instead of opening it we just brought her back into the bed and gave her a cuddle to settle her back down and so far so good it seems to be working - by night 3 she seemed to have broken the habit and slept right through with no problem.

In the last 4 weeks since the above there’s been maybe 1 or 2 nights where she’s needed to go out but 9 times out of 10 she’s sleeping all night, whereas before it was Every. Single. Night!

Not sure it’s of any use, but just thought I’d let you know what worked for us as know how hard it is

Original poster

pupcakes · 06/03/2022 19:41

@CSPS2019 well that's that sorted, bedroom door shut tonight! He goes to the stargate and bashes it til we wake up, I expect he'll do the same with the bedroom door but we'll see. Thank you and sorry you've been through the sleep deprivation hell too!

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Original poster

pupcakes · 14/03/2022 20:34

BUMPING in desperation!

Closed bedroom having limited success, he twice he has given up and gone back to bed but the other times he just scratches at the door til we let him out (and he has weed when we've gone in the garden).

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stillherenow · 14/03/2022 20:39

Can you go to him but just sit with him and not take him out?
Mine did this for a while and I figured he didn't need to toilet, mine sleeps downstairs so I just went and lay on the sofa and completely ignored him and he resettled. After a week he stopped waking me . For him I think it was part attention part hunt instinct

stillherenow · 14/03/2022 20:40

Although I'm not sure how you do that with him in your room - but do you think it js a toilet need?

PollyRoulllson · 14/03/2022 20:52

I would start with a vet check (my usual comment!) however we need to rule out pain issues, urine issues and other physical issues. I would possibly push for full boods. I expect it to come back all ok but physical reasons do need to be ruled out.

What breed is he?

Where does he sleep in the day?

Does he follow you around in the day or will he stay where he is if you walk in and out of the room?

Original poster

pupcakes · 16/03/2022 15:53

He is a miniature poodle with typical poodle clinginess so wanders around the house snoozing wherever any of us are during the day!

He's fine, he had a vet check very recently, no bloods but no need to, he's a happy chilled dog.

He pees maybe... 70% of the time?

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