[rootbeerlove]

Harriet is a year old now, and for about 2 weeks has been getting up every morning at 4:30am!!! We like to let her sleep with us in bed, but if she gets up on her own that early, she goes and pees on the carpet. UGH. If we put her in her crate when she gets up, she goes back to sleep for a while, but then starts crying. If we take her out, she decides she is up for the day, and tears around the house, we can't sleep. I feel like we've tried everything! Unless she's been playing with another dog ALL DAY, she doesn't sleep in. We tire her out playing in the evening, but she's still up before dawn the next morning!!! HELP!!!

 

[Boomer's Mom]

How much water is she drinking in the evening, and what time does she go out for the last potty call before bed?

 

[rootbeerlove]

She doesn't drink much, and we go out for last potty when we go to bed, usually 10 or 11...

 

[LY909]

Maybe you can try a water schedule (I had house breaking problems). My Porter used to pee at random hours until we put him on a water schedule so he didn't pee so late at night or too early in the morning. And it seems to work well. He pees around 9pm at night and wakes up at 6am (weekdays) or 7:30am (weekends)

 

[Boomer's Mom]

Has your schedule at all changed or has something happened that might have upset her normal schedule?

 

[rootbeerlove]

She did stay over at my sister-in-law's a few weeks ago, for a week with her dog, but she was normal for a week before this started. I just don't know what to do.

 

[Mikey T]

Take her out on leash to one spot. Don't allow her to run around sniff etc. once she goes take her back in the house and to here crate. If you do not do so covering the crate so the dog can not see out aften helps. But keep in mind that you have already probably rewarded the crying with atttention so it will take a bit of patience and ignoring to change the behaviaor

see Creating a Night time Ritual
It is no different for an adult dog than a puppy.

 

[TulipRose]

we have had some of these same nighttime issues with our basset (and now with the one we are fostering). now, the dogs do not get water after 7:30/8:00 at night and have a nice long romp in the yard before bed every single night. we have been on this schedule for a while and it has significantly cut down on middle of the night whining to go out. as long as there isn't a medical reason that they need to get up and out, i would make sure to stick to a consistent bedtime/wake-up routine and ignore the whining. they will be quite adamant they need you to take them out at all hours of the night for a few days, but if your little one is anything like ours they will settle back down in under 5 minutes. it just seems like forever when you are laying in bed listening to it.

 

[duder]

I have the same problem, but they don't wake me up to go outside. I guess I made the mistake of getting up with them a few times, taking them outside, and instead of going back to bed I just crashed on the couch with them for a couple of hours until I had to get ready for work.

Now, every morning between 4:30 and 5:30am I awake to two bassets pawing and crying at our bed. So I get up, go to the couch and they both hop on top of me and we sleep until I have to get ready for work.

I have been very well trained.

 

[rootbeerlove]

I think I'll try taking the water up, maybe that will help. I'm a sucker and though this is making me mad, I don't want to crate her overnight.

 

[Mikey T]

I'm a sucker and though this is making me mad, I don't want to crate her overnight

Don't know your living situation so it may not be possible but by far the easiest solution is a dog door so you don't have to get up in the first place.