4am / 5am / 6am barking!

[Parkmama]

My 5 monfh old Labrador pup is barking intermittently every hour or so from 4am and it's driving us mad. She doesn't need the toilet (runs away from the back door when I open it!) and will settle if I call down to her "back to bed" from upstairs but within an hour she's at it again. We did try crating her but the barking was worse, she was much happier roaming free and snuggling next to her older sister (never barks and sleeps all night!) if I try to bring her upstairs to be closer to us she seems to get spooked and aways does an accident on the carpet so we don't really bring her upstairs. I'm soooo tired. What can we do? I think she just wants attention / reassurance that we're there. Help!

What about leaving a radio on all night. In case there are some noises spooking her?

I suspect the cold or noises from outside are waking her up. Does she have plenty of blankets to cuddle in if she wants? What about a radio or white noise machine?

What time is her last meal - is she waking up hungry?

Last meal at 6pm, big handful of kibble around 10ish, lots of beds and blankets to keep warm in and it's still quite mild at the moment. We used to leave the radio on, will try that again. Reluctant to ignore the barking but maybe we should go cold turkey. Haven't tried one of those plug in diffuser thingies, anyone had success with those?

It is mild - but as she's only five months old, she won't be used to cooler evenings and nights yet.

@mountainsunsets true and not sure her winter coat has grown yet, I'll try tucking her in tonight and see if that helps.

Ticking clock wrapped in a blanket

Do you have neighbours who she may be disturbing as well?

@BodenCardiganNot we do, one of them sleeps on the other side of the wall to where she is. No complaining yet but it's another reason I don't want to let her bark it out. However I think my responding to her each time isn't helping.

No harm in popping a note through the door to the neighbours apologising. I think most people are quite understanding of things when it’s acknowledged. They may be none the wiser though.

Has your heating started coming on or something that has recently started/changed? Just wondering if there is a new noise that she is hearing that is disturbing her and making her bark.

Barking is communication so it's not wise to ignore it - she's telling you something.

Cold?
Lonely?
Scared?
Hungry?
Thirsty?
Needs the toilet? (Put her on a lead and try taking her out instead of just letting her out)
Wide awake and wants to play?
Something has disturbed her?
Habit?
Pain?

It'll be something, it's just a matter of figuring out what!

@LunaLoveFood no heating yet, potentially something is bothering her but it's almost like clockwork at the same times each night. Yes I might chat to the neighbours and ask for their patience!

My Border used to do this occasionally, he'd usually stop after a week or two. One time a plug in night light from Wilkos stopped it and other times he was just checking we were still there. We did at times have to proper shout at him and use the dreaded "bad dog" so he knew he was being naughty.

TBH I think they all go through phases of it. Not that that's helping you right now. Puppies are t**ts!!

I get you want to quieten her down but even you shouting down to her is giving her attention, which is rewarding her bark.

Does she have access to look out of a back door or window? Our dog was hearing and seeing foxes in the garden and these would make her bark, but the regularity of your dog's barking makes me think it's just becoming habit for her now.

She’s probably cold. A heated dog bed will keep her cosy for longer.

She definitely doesn't need to toilet, she would go on the front door mat if she needed to (is house trained but now and then leaves a present!) is also trained to use the back door bells to let us know when she wants to go outside, and refuses to go when I try to take her at 4am. She's always hungry (Labrador) so it could be that I suppose. Can't be thirsty as has access to plenty of water. Might be disturbed by something outside but the regularity of it suggests no. Might be chilly so will think about making her cosy (although she did this during the heatwave too). So I am left feeling like it's a habit and she wants reassurance we're still there. Which I call out to let her know we are but that's not really sustainable! Thank you for your ideas / suggestions. Puppies are indeed pests!!!

what time does your boiler come on, things like that?

mine used to always bark at about 3am, I slept downstairs with him one night and heard my neighbour start wandering around and flushing the loo. Moved the dog to another room and he slept through fine ever since

@SarahSissions it's a good point that something might be disturbing her, trouble is she is so random with her waking up and barking that it's hard to know. Last night I left the radio playing and plugged a night light in and she didn't bark until 6:40am which felt amazing!! Fingers crossed this might help for a bit

Dogs are like children, they get effected in their sleep by the same things. Start with the basics.

Routine. Stop faffing about with this dog sleeps here etc. They have a bed and they sleep in it, same place, same time.

Black out blinds/curtains. Either put them in a room less effected by light and sound or do everything you can to give them peace.

Others in the household keep the noise down.

If they do start barking, you take them to the door, dont mess around talking to them, settling them etc. Thats attention and reward for them barking. In fact, if its raining outside, drag the dog out for 5 mins in the cold wet back garden anyhow. As soon as you are back in tell dog to get into bed and no extra attention.

Hopefully they will soon enjoy a peaceful nights sleep.