Does anyone else have to get up in the night ....

[woodlander]

Sorry bit of a long post coming up.  We seem to be going through a spate of Sweep (who is 2 and a bit) wanting to get up in the night to go out to the loo. 
We can trace this back to firework season.  Because it was so noisy she didn't want to spend any longer than necessary outside making herself comfortable at bedtime (usually has a good sniff etc).  Anyway that night she asked quite persistently to go out  and i being the idiot didn't make the connection (who would at 3am!)

Anyway the consequences of this were there for all to see the next morning.   Can't blame Sweep she did ask!

Now of course we get up when she asks to that we don't have anymore accidents.  I don't want her thinking we will ignore her and she can go anywhere in the house.  Its not every night although for the past 3 nights she has had us up at about 3am.  She then settles again and is good as gold.  She sleeps with us in bed.

When we were away at Christmas with family we slept with the bedroom door shut and had no problems at all - so I am confident she can go all night so tonight we are going to try with the bedroom door shut.

Does anyone else have this - we seem to be in a cycle which we want to break if possible but how to do it.....?  Does anyone else have this problem. Any wise cousel would be appreciated.

We have thought about putting her back in a crate but to be honest I think that will cause her to be distressed.

[Helen]

I think you'll have to go back to toilet training basics at her bedtime routine and make sure she 'goes' before she comes back in the house and use the treats again 

[Hurtwood Dogs]

I think you'll have to go back to toilet training basics at her bedtime routine and make sure she 'goes' before she comes back in the house and use the treats again 

Agree, my dogs generally sleep downstairs though which makes it easier to deal with anything like this - if she will do that, then I'd also be tempted to crate her or make her sleep in a smallish confined space for a few nights and leave her to it she probably doesn't actually need the loo as you say, it's just habit - she won't want to go where she is and if you ignore her asking for a few nights, it should break the habit. Good luck!

[supergirl]

Sorry to be specific, but you don't say whether she needs a pee or a poo (or both).

Roly had a similar problem (needing a poo in the very early hours), but I traced it to his food.  It was a good quality food (Burns), but it just made him need the loo quite a lot.  As soon as I changed his food he was fine within a few days, no more early morning calls.  Also at last bedtime toilet, he had to do both a wee and a poo before he could go to bed (however long it took) - he soon got the idea, and now its habit.

At the time he was sleeping downstairs and was under a year old - I was also getting up to let him out, and the one time I didn't he did a poo in his crate (the only time ever), so I felt very guilty because he did ask (howl) to out.

If she is needing a pee, you could try restricting her water after say, 7pm at night and feed her a bit earlier (mine are fed at about 4pm).

Just a matter of trying a few things along with a review of the housetraining - hopefully you will find a solution.

[Birdie Wife]

I quite often have to get up to let Cari out - she sleeps downstairs in her crate, and while she's capable of going through the night without needed to go, if she's woken up in the night (like when the cat comes in, or there's wildlife outside making noises) then her bladder tells her she needs to be up.  She makes a lot of noise and wakes us up.  Trouble is, when I'm woken, I find I invariably need the loo myself before I can get back to sleep, so I let her out too and she comes in, back into the crate and settles down no trouble.

[LurcherGirl]

You haven't by any chance changed her food? I found that our older pyrenees suddenly started asking to have to go out every night about 3 or 4 am. I put it down to him getting older (he's 10), but found that when I changed his diet it stopped completely!

Vera

[woodlander]

Thanks for your helpful comments - I think there are a couple of things we can work on.  Will encourage her to stay out a bit longer tonight to see if she will poo - she always has a wee.  Better get the coat ready!

She sometimes needs a wee and sometimes a poo as well.  She quite often drinks water at bedtime so we might take it up after say 8pm.

She is fed JWB and has been since a puppy at about 5pm or so. However, she is not a greedy dog and will graze.  We have always left her food down for her and she eats it throughout the evening and sometimes she is eating it at 10pm when we go to bed.  I think we may have to rethink this and perhaps take it up at the same time as the water or earlier. (Why didn't I think of this! Doh!)  She will soon learn I guess to eat when its there.

Thanks COLers for putting a different perspective on the problem - many heads are better than 2!

[baxterboy]

our wee chap has also stopped sleeping right thro.

we have put this down to being cold - and have now got up and say 4am and put a blanket over him and the heating on.

[heatherAnn]

We used to have to get up with Sam, about 4 am for him to do wee and sometimes poo.   But we
were having problems with his digestion.  Since changing him to Hills Science Plan and taking him
out at 8.30pm for a walk (20 mins) he now poos and wees and that's him until we are up at 6.
I agree this weather doesn't help.  And I know he would rather do his 'business' in the house rather
than go out in the cold. He has tried this regularly, but have caught him before it happens. 
I put him out in the garden and encourage him, but nothing!  Then within 2 minutes
of being back in he tries to do it! 
All trial and error at this stage.   
I feel sorry for winter puppies, it is harder on them, than say spring puppies.

[woodlander]

Well we tried our new regime last night with a bit of sucess I think

First Sweep had a poo at about 7.30pm so I knew she would be comfortable for the rest of the night in that respect.  We then lifted her food at about 8pm (with very puzzled looks I might add)

We went to bed normally after bedtime wees with the door shut.  Whilst she tried to get me up at 4am a firm but quiet NO was sufficent and she came back onto the bed and settled until we started to stir at about 6.30 (ususal wake -up time).  Then back to normal with quick morning wees and back to bed for cuddles with tea!

We have also decided to try her on two smaller meals a day breakfast and dinner. 

We shall see what happens tonight.......!

[heatherAnn]

Sam is just 5 months and he is still on 3 meals (vet recommended it) But once he reaches 6 months will down it
to 2.   Try and take him out for walkies about an hour after each meal and he usually performs!!
It is so frustrating though when you think  'hes got it' and then they do the opposite for a couple of days.
Oh the joys.