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Riley is my alarm clock most mornings at 5-6am. Help!


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babybluegirl

Hi there,

So, hopefully someone has some advice/words of wisdom for me please :)

I picked up Riley on Monday 18 August and from Monday to Friday the sleeping at night and the barking early in the morning was a nightmare. I've heard about tough love and not to go down when you hear the whining/barking, so we've been really strict from Day One and have not done this at night, but when he's barking at 5am, I have gone down to him and have been greeted with him jumping up at me, excited to see me etc and I've taken him out of the house to have a walk so that my husband can get an hours non-barking/uninterrupted sleep.

So, things changed on Saturday (23 August) once we washed all his bedding/toys in a good way. The first two nights (Saturday and Sunday) we were just woken up once during the night with him barking, which we ignored. But he tends to wake us up every morning around 6am - he's our alarm clock! How can we stop this from happening? Or can't we?

Since Monday 25 - Thurday 28 August he's been amazing - brilliant!!! Down for bed at 9:30pm and no barking all night until 6am-ish. So, that's real progress from Day Two when he barked constantly for 8 hours! Anyway, my point is, Friday night (29 Aug) we went down at 9:30pm (which is our routine) and he barked at 2:45am. I didn't know if this time, the bark was because he wanted to go out to the toilet (even though he could do it on the newspaper by the door), but I went down and took him out. Nothing, all he did was sit on the patio watching me, then eating grass etc, so I knew he didn't need to go and we went back inside. He then barked at 5:50am so again, I got up, took him out and nothing. Took him back in and he slept until 7am. (This is feeling like The Boy Who Cried Wolf). This Friday night, was unusual, and a first for me of geting him out during the night for a toilet break. Should I have done this? Or should I have ignored his barking during the night? I'm so confused what I'm meant to do? How do you know when to do the "tough love" and when to know he wants to go out for a toilet?

On a positive note, Riley went to bed again at 9:30am last night and I crept downstairs at 7:10am this morning as I had heard nothing from him and he was sitting by the door looking at me - quiet as can be!!! WOW: Why is he like this, yet most other days, barking away at 5/6am as our alarm clock?

Looking forward to your replies :)

babybluegirl

10:04am

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Vicky & Pebbles

I didn't hear Pebbles bark until she was 10 months and still she only barks when she gets really excited playing with other dogs BUT she used to whine like someone was pulling her nails.

From what you describe, all he wants is your attention so as long as Barking=Human Comes I think it will continue.

I used the pennies in a can for a little while and that seemed to help, it just needs to be done properly. I didn't let Pebbles see me when I did it because I thought that just was the same thing as giving her attention, just with a little noise.

This is what I did (in no way I claim it to be the right way, just what gave me results): Pebbles would start that god awful whine, I would get my can, shake it up and down once to get her attention and stop. If she stopped the whining for a minute, I would go in the room with praises and kisses while leaving her in her "puppy apartment". If she started crying again, I would shake the can and leave the room. When she grew quiet again, I would wait 2 minutes and go back in the room. Then I would increase times until she got used to being alone.

So to her Whining=Ugly Noise + Human Leaves

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After decades in dogs, I can sleep through pretty much anything, although in my prime I could hurl a "magic can" to hit a crate in the dark accurately from about 20 feet. My DH has a harder time so I got him some earplugs. Problem solved. The dogs know THEY don't get up until WE get up. BUT...we have all the dogs in playpens with 1" heavy-duty-epoxy grid floors with either a blankie or a bed (some will pee on one, some on the other) and that floor is raised about 3" over a PVC liner pan covered with pee pads that are changed daily if necessary. So, if they HAVE to go, they just jump out on the wire and do their "business", then get back to the soft spot until we get up. Most of them easily hold it from bedtime to morning.

Yes, I do a lot of dog laundry!

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For the first couple weeks I would bring Mr. T out a couple times a night if he whined in his crate, but usually he would just lay in the grass and want to go back to sleep, so I figured he didn't have to go that badly and that often in the middle of the night, so I cut it down to one nighttime pee. If he whined I would take him out, but only once a night. He just turned 17 weeks yesterday and I've cut out the nighttime potty break completely now and he has been doing well.

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babybluegirl

babnaw: Sounds just like Riley, getting me out of bed, but not doing anything once outside!

Vicky & Pebbbles: So, I understand that "Barking = Human comes".

So, you think maybe to ignore the barking during the night time as he can just toilet inside on the newspaper by the door? (Previously he's been down for 9-10 hours and not toileted once).

Luna: The dogs know THEY don't get up until WE get up. How do you train a dog to do this? I would love that Riley doesn't bark and doesn't get up till WE get up! lol. Is there something you're doing that I need to learn/do?

Looking forward to your advice.

babybluegirl

11:54am

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Sophie's Haven

No one stirs at my house until I make the first move out of bed.........it just happen for me. I never had a problem with any of my guys with sleeping thru the night. When I first got Sophie, she started out good the first night until around midnight and she let out this horrible howl and I had to go to work the next day so I just picked her up and placed her on a thick towel on our bed and that was the end of that, she curled up and went to sleep. I have been very lucky when it comes to going to bed with all of them. Winnie once in awhile will get a surge and want to play with her squeeky toy but , all I have to say is LITES OUT.... BEDTIME and it works. They get a lot of fresh air and play time later in the day so that when it is bedtime once they hit the bed they are down for the count. I have two that do get up durning the night to potty but they use the potty pads that are layed out in the laundry room and they come back to bed and are good until morning when I get up. The funny thing is the hubby gets up and no one moves, it is only when I get up that they know it is time to get going. Now my guys are either in the big bed or in their bed but we are in the same room so they do have human contact, you could crate train him and have him in your room. My guys like music, maybe find a radio station that plays easy listenting and have it on for him at night to help settle him if not having him in your room is an option,......he will give up sooner or later, sounds like it is going to be later than sooner.

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babybluegirl

Sophie's Haven: Thank you for your reply :) Yes, Riley is left in the dining room at night time with his house (Pet Carrier) and a cosy bed with cushion/fleece blanket etc. so he has both options. We leave a night light on in the room, a radio station on (talk station) and we close the curtains. We give him a warm water bottle, a Snuggle Puppy (with heart beat beating inside) and my jumper. He has plenty of toys in his house too.

It's difficult to know when to do tough love and not go down at his barking, when to go down because he wants to go to the toilet. Normally he goes down, does a little barking for say 20mins, (we don't see to him), then he just sleeps till 5-6am-ish. But Friday night, Sunday night and last night he was barking around 10pm-ish and when we went down, he had already gone toilet on the newspaper. I'm not sure whether to ignore his barks or not?!? Both times we've gone down, he's already had a wee, so he doesn't need letting out again or does nothing when we have let him out.

Any advice? Do I just ignore his barking and let him wee on the newspaper? And just go down to him in the morning as normal?

babybluegirl

9:26am

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Sophie's Haven

IMO as long as you know he is okay I would just let him bark.....he will give up sooner or later. My suggestion with the radio is to find an easy listening station, our talk radio here has a lot of loud noisy commericals that consist of dogs barking or horns honking that set my guys off barking. When I leave the house I will turn on a music station for them or when they get groomed we listen to a Kenny G CD. It relaxes them. I also would take away the extra toys at night, just let him look forward to them durning the day. All our toys have to go in the toy box before bed, I do have a couple that have to take their buddy to bed with them but the rest know toys are off limits when lites are out. Just let him fuss, if he needs to potty the newspaper is fine, mine use potty pads at night other than my Bailey who will wake me up to let me know he has to go out......but that is rare!! Get some ear plugs!!

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Ignore, ignore, ignore. Once they figure out the barking isn't going to get them the attention they are looking for, they stop. Once a dog is trained this way, if he/she DOES start barking at an unusual time you will know it's important.

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babybluegirl

Thank you Sophie's Haven and Luna for your replies :)

I will try that. Putting his toys away, just leave him the Snuggle Puppy to sleep next to. I will find an easy listening/classical radio station for him too. I will ignore all his barking.

We went Puppy Training Class last night (2nd time), and he didn't spend the whole hour under our chair so that was progress! We got home around 9:20pm and went out with him in the garden, but no toilet. Went down to bed at 9:41pm and by 10pm he was barking. We ignored him and he soon stopped around 10pm-ish. Barked around 5:18am this morning, but again, tried to ignore him and then he eventually stopped and I woke up and went down at 6:30am and he came over to me so hopefully I can tell him when to get up, rather than the other way round :) We went straight out into the garden for toileting (hadn't done any all night), but it took a good 15mins or so to do a wee. His poo is normal (dark and firm), but one bit was a little light in colour and soft so I'm keeping a close eye on him today. (I know when dogs eat grass it's because they've got an upset stomach, but Riley eats it all the time?!?) Should he be doing this? Whenever we're in the garden and he comes out to join us, he's forever putting grass, soil/mud, dandelion flowers, moss, stones you name it, goes in his mouth! Loves to chew/play with the clean newspaper that's down for him by the patio door.

babybluegirl

9:58am

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Vicky & Pebbles

Sounds like he is understanding that barking will not accomplish anything!

If he's taking so long to wee in the mornings, try taking him out of his crate without talking to him and taking him straight to potty, use your cue word when he's going and use treats to celebrate when he does it.

I must've look like a complete maniac to my neighbors for a few months after getting Pebbles because I made a big deal out of it.

I know it's hard, went through it myself because the first thing you want to do is pick up that puppy and give him kisses but eventually he will want to go potty to get your approval and his reward.

Pebbles has never eaten grass but looks like it's part of his exploring if he's going after so many things. Just give him a firm no when you don't want him to chew at something. I laugh every time I disagree with something Pebbles is eating because she looks at me and them starts pushing with her tongue whatever she was eating while keeping eye contact until it falls on the floor with a face of "Oh, you saw that? Not my fault, it jumped in my mouth!"

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babybluegirl

Thanks Vicky & Pebbles :) Yes, we've had a few good nights recently where he's gone down at his usual bedtime for 9:30pm, might bark a little during the 1-4am period, but that's it till around 5-7am so getting there. We even slept in till 7:40am today so that was a nice lie in for us, although I'm sleeping lighter now, wondering when I'm going to be woken up by his barking.

Riley loves to get everything in his mouth! I was garden/de-weeding earlier today, and he hates to be away from us, so I let him into the front garden, but he wants to help and be in the soil/mud with me! Let's just say he'll need a bath later!

When we are outside in the front or back garden or on our way to the park or at the park and he does a toilet, I praise him big time (I must sound like a looney too, I get so excited for him, my husband looks at me strangely), and I give him two little treats to show how happy I am. Hopefully it's working, because we haven't had any accidents on the floor for a few days now :)

babybluegirl

12:52pm

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Vicky & Pebbles

Sounds like he's doing wonderfully!

I still celebrate Pebbles' potty but at a lower decibel. I still sing and dance for my niece whenever I'm around and she's going #2 because since she was a baby, pushing has been a struggle for her and she'll get constipated for days if she doesn't take miralax. ANYWAY, she's 6 now and I see it in her face that my idea of fun encouragement is not so funny anymore. (wao!I'm rambling)

Aww, now you have extra paws to help you in the garden! I can just imagine him helping you dig holes!

Pebbles didn't know how to dig until I showed her how to do it at a dog park when she was about 5 months. It was bunny how she followed my lead instantly. She ended up COVERED in sand!!

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Curvygurl73

I'm glad that Riley is finally settling into a night time routine for you! However, don't be discouraged when he has 2 or 3 nights where is crap again!! lol The moment I brag on how awesome my two are doing at night, or I get excited because they let us sleep in till 8am....they will then proceed to spend the next 2 nights waking us up multiple times a night!! UGH!!

I think dogs just eating grass if their tummies are upset is a myth!! Because my two LOVE GRASS!!! In fact, its so bad that I've threatened to make DH rake the cut grass after he mows. They will NOT go potty after he mows as they seem OBSESSED with the clippings all over the yard!! It is incredibly hysterical...yet frustrating as well. (especially right now as we have hit our rainy fall season!) They love to dig in the dirt (goodbye flowers!!) especially love dandelions, and pretty much put anything they can in their mouths!! I feel like a crazy lady as I look up and see them chewing on something, I run over...run my finger through their mouth, saying "mine", and then throwing it away. I also swear they have turned into little guinea pigs as I will run my finger in their mouths and find nothing...so I stand up and they start chewing again!! Repeat procedure, find nothing...stand up and they are chewing AGAIN!!! lol I don't know how they hide stuff in their little tiny mouths, but they are clever!! Such entertainment!!!

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babybluegirl

Thanks ladies for your replies :)

Curvygurl73: you made me laugh out loud when you were retelling your "mine" story - I have some Disney Pixar film in my head when some birds (seagulls?) kept saying "mine, mine, mine", not sure if you recall what movie I'm referring to?!? At the moment, our flowers in the flower beds are intact, but he does love to jump on them when they've just been watered!

So, these past few evenings/mornings, Riley's been really good. He's been going down at his usual time of 9:30pm and not barking in the morning!!! I've been creeping down there at about 6:50am and he's just sitting between the baby gate and the patio door in the dining room wagging his tail when he sees me (I love that sight) :)

babybluegirl

8:27am

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Curvygurl73

YES!!! Its Finding Nemo....love that movie!! And I do feel like the seagulls when I'm saying "mine"!! teehee... However, they have started (sometimes) dropping things when I say it. yesterday, Raven grabbed a beer cap from somewhere and was walking around with it sticking out of his mouth. He sat down (to probably start chewing on it) when I noticed, and I said a very emphatic "MINE" and started towards him!! (was worried that the sharp edge on the metal cap would cut him if he did chew). He dropped it and looked at me as if to say "what? it jumped into my mouth mom!" much like Vicky mentioned that Pebbles does!! so silly....

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babybluegirl

YES!!! Its Finding Nemo....love that movie!! And I do feel like the seagulls when I'm saying "mine"!! teehee... However, they have started (sometimes) dropping things when I say it. yesterday, Raven grabbed a beer cap from somewhere and was walking around with it sticking out of his mouth. He sat down (to probably start chewing on it) when I noticed, and I said a very emphatic "MINE" and started towards him!! (was worried that the sharp edge on the metal cap would cut him if he did chew). He dropped it and looked at me as if to say "what? it jumped into my mouth mom!" much like Vicky mentioned that Pebbles does!! so silly....

Ah, finally the penny is dropping with Raven! :) Let's hope it continues.

babybluegirl

4:06pm

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  • 4 weeks later...
babybluegirl

Just thought I'd update this thread and say that from memory, I can't remember the last time Riley woke US up early in the morning, i.e. 5-6am :) It's normally myself going down the stairs at 6:55am and creeping into the Dining Room to see him over the baby gate. He is normally sitting there wagging his tail waiting to greet me, but as of 19 September (since his abscess), he's not really been himself and does not look "happy/pleased" and excited to see me in the mornings :( Strange, but if anything, he's just lying there looking at me. I give him a bit of attention, but as soon as that's over, he starts licking himself clean and then he goes back to his house/bed to carry on sleeping/resting.

But huge progress that he's not my alarm clock anymore (at the moment anyway).

babybluegirl

11:14am

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Missysmom

Glad To hear Riley is sleeping better that's great news!

Interesting though that he still isn't acting quite himself, wonder if he's still not feeling well? Hope he's to his old self soon!

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babybluegirl

Yeah, it's strange. When my husband greets Riley, his tail is wagging! Must be me! lol.

This afternoon we went over the park as the sun finally came out. We met a lady with a 3 year old Shih Tzu and they played so lovely together :) We had a good chat about Shih Tzus etc as I don't often see other Shih Tzus/owners over the park where I go to.

Aww, she loved Riley though and was commenting that as they were playing so nicely together, it makes her want a second one! lol. It was so nice to see Riley play with hers, they were chasing each other and generally having lots of fun which was lovely to see, seeing as Riley's been cooped up all day indoors because it has been heavily raining outside.

Hopefully we'll go out for our last walk about 6:30pm as it's getting darker so early now :(

babybluegirl

5:17pm

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Missysmom

AHhhh sounds like Riley knows who won't let him into the bedroom so he's trying to butter up Dad!! He's a smart one there! ;)

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babybluegirl

AHhhh sounds like Riley knows who won't let him into the bedroom so he's trying to butter up Dad!! He's a smart one there! ;)

ha ha ha! Good point ;)

I went down at 6:58am this morning and there were no sign of Riley! He's getting to be a lazy one, these days, lol. I dread to think what will happen when the clocks go back later this month, it will be darker for even longer in the mornings... he'll never get out of bed!

babybluegirl

9:09am

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Missysmom

Oh no- I know I'm dreading the time change too I have no idea how Missy is going to react..

My husband keeps telling me it won't affect her as the change is on both ends- meaning (to him anyway) that the amount of time like between meals will be the same.. I mean really? It affects me so I know it will affect her- I Really just don't understand men's logic.. ;)

Let's just hope they adjust quickly to the changes!

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  • 1 month later...
babybluegirl

Just another update to say that we no longer have an alarm clock, aka Riley!!! I can't even remember the last time Riley has woken us up in the middle of the night (bar: Wed 19 Nov because of his operation - but that's a one off). We never hear him in the morning at 5-6 silly o'clock barking away!

I always go down earliest at 7am and Riley's never there waiting between the baby gates and the patio door like he used to. If anything, for quite some time now, he's normally lying down on his vet bed or he's curled up in his Pet Carrier or bed. I go over to him and give him strokes and talk to him whilst I turn off the night lights and open up the curtains. So finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel... I can't believe this day has finally arrived as back in August/September I thought this was it!!! lol. No lie ins ever again.

babybluegirl

2:38pm

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Congratulations on losing your Alarm Clock!

As they do grow up, they do tend to get better in all aspects. At about a year and a half they become much more mellow and turn into little dogs instead of puppies!

Lots to look forward too and lots to look back on!

Take LOTS of pictures!

Vicki

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