# My Puppy Won't Sleep At Night



## RamonaQ (Mar 7, 2016)

Hello, I have an 11 week puppy named Ramona who is a darling golden retriever. We have had her since she was 8 weeks and started crate training right off the bat. The first night or two she definitely howled but we ignored it and things seemed to be getting a lot better. Now she whines once to get up (usually around 2:30-3:30am) and does her business outside then we come back in and go back to bed (I give her a Kong with a little peanut butter to lure her back in) the problem is that she wakes up again at 4:30am and whines for about an hour on and off until 6am (which is when I get up to feed her in the morning). This has only been happening for the last few days, but I'm worried that she's getting worse in her crate. I understand that she needs to get up in the evening to go outside, but why is she so vocal now, when she wasn't before? 

My boyfriend and I are so sleep deprived. We don't know what to do. Other people we have talked to with dogs don't seem to have this problem. Please help! 

(Also I need to note that she will fall asleep around 6:45 or 7am. Once she has eaten some breakfast and played a bit, so I know she is tired!)


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## bixx (Sep 8, 2015)

Does she potty when she wakes up at 4:30am? Some young pups can only sleep through for about 4 hours but this eventually lengthens.


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

My first 6 weeks or so I had many nights of Jonah waking up twice and needing to go potty. In a few months this will be over but you will have sleep deprivation in the meantime. Remember that it is so worth it!


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## Lise123 (Jan 1, 2014)

I'm not an expert, but my guess is the Kong with peanut butter to lure her in might be contributing. Look at it from her point of view: she cries at 2:30, she gets your company, and then she gets a nice treat. By 4:30, she may just be lonely or want another treat. Or possibly she's thirsty from the peanut butter.

I would try taking her out at night without any talking or petting, rewarding her for pottying, and then putting her back in the crate without any special treatment. She will quickly learn that waking you up at night will get her a bathroom break but no additional incentives like treats, petting, etc.

FWIW, my puppy went through a few different jags of weird wake-up times until he was about six months old. He was quite capable of going through the night without peeing by nine weeks or so, but he seemed to like getting up at 5:30 for the day. Sometimes, he would bark in his crate at midnight for no apparent reason. But now, at 2.5, he goes to bed around 11 and sleeps till 8:30, the blessed boy! So hang in there... it will get better soon.


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## Max209 (Mar 25, 2016)

I was having similar issues with my 10 weeker. Initially he was OK in the crate at night after a little whining. I would take him out twice during the night for a quick potty break - no treats or playing; just a quick potty break and back in the crate, lights out. His whining has gotten more persistent and distressing. I sort of gave in, in that I have a kitchen area gated off for him and he seems fine being left in the kitchen, rather than the crate. He still does OK in the crate when going for a ride in the car. So far, he has not pottied in the kitchen even though the space he has is arguable too big (about 7 ft X 7 ft). During the day, when I'm at home, but just not able to monitor him every second, I'll put him on a 6 ft leash in the living room teathered to a chair. He seems happy to be out of the crate and not upset about being tied up. He stays safe and content with a toy or 2. If I'm not home, he's in the crate or the kitchen, but just for a few hours max. The other potential factor is that I've been using a plastic crate, whereas a metal cage type structure could potentially feel more open and less anxiety provoking to the dog (100% speculation on that one).

Also important to make sure she gets a whole lotta exercise during the day, so that she's tired and wants to sleep at night. Insufficient exercise leads to lots of emotional and behavioral problems, imho.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

What kind of schedule is your puppy on? When are you all gone, she is alone and sleeping in her crate? What time does she eat meals and how many and when do you all typically go out and then go to bed at night? She needs to be done eating her evening meal about 5 hours before bedtime to make sure she has had every opportunity to potty.

Try to do an honest assessment of how long she sleeps in her crate over a 24 hour period, how many play sessions and training sessions and for how long - you build in to her schedule. Is she napping a lot in the evening?

If you honestly feel she is getting enough activity and playtime during normal waking hours and you're not letting her sleep in the evenings a lot before bedtime, you might consider taking up her water a couple hours before bedtime and toughing it out overnight. She is old enough that she should be able to go 7 hours overnight. Get some ear plugs and a small floor fan or white noise machine to put by her crate, make sure the room is cool enough and let her fuss. You might try keeping a pad of paper on the kitchen counter and keep track of her potty schedule and eating schedule to try to see a pattern that is normal for her. If everything appears in line, she is old enough that you need to let her fuss at night. You and your boyfriend might also try "double teaming" her. He stays up later and keeps her up until 11 p.m. while you go to bed at 9. He puts her in bed and sleeps a little later (maybe in the guest room till you get through this) and then you get her up at 5:30 or 6. If you all are strong, it should only be a couple nights till you work through it.


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## GoldenFocus (Feb 28, 2016)

Lise123 makes a good point on the treats. My boy goes outside every evening at about 9:00. He goes potty then goes up the hill and lies under the Almond tree, facing he house. He will not come back into the house when I call him. I have to go get the box of biscuits and shake it, which sends him at full speed into the house.

The moral of the story is that he found a way to train me, knowing that I am about to go to bed and am vulnerable to his tricks at that point. These dogs are very smart and treats are real focus.

Most folks would probably find a smart way to get him back into the house on command but I guess I consider it the cost of business.....


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

RamonaQ said:


> Hello, I have an 11 week puppy named Ramona who is a darling golden retriever. We have had her since she was 8 weeks and started crate training right off the bat. The first night or two she definitely howled but we ignored it and things seemed to be getting a lot better. Now she whines once to get up (usually around 2:30-3:30am) and does her business outside then we come back in and go back to bed (I give her a Kong with a little peanut butter to lure her back in) the problem is that she wakes up again at 4:30am and whines for about an hour on and off until 6am (which is when I get up to feed her in the morning). This has only been happening for the last few days, but I'm worried that she's getting worse in her crate. I understand that she needs to get up in the evening to go outside, but why is she so vocal now, when she wasn't before?
> 
> My boyfriend and I are so sleep deprived. We don't know what to do. Other people we have talked to with dogs don't seem to have this problem. Please help!
> 
> (Also I need to note that she will fall asleep around 6:45 or 7am. Once she has eaten some breakfast and played a bit, so I know she is tired!)


I agree with others: don't give her the Kong, and try toughing it out. At 11 weeks she's well able to sleep through the night; my pup stopped getting me up during the night at 9 weeks. My guess is that she's only waking you up to get the Kong. She might be noisy for a couple of nights. If it takes longer than that, you might try putting the crate somewhere where you can't hear her. Once she knows you're not going to give her anything, she should settle and sleep.

Good luck, sleep deprivation is horrible.


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