CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => Puppies => Topic started by: Murphys Law on February 13, 2014, 10:21:30 AM
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Sleeping has never come naturally to Murphy :005: I am sure if he could he would stay awake 24 hours.
He sleeps in a crate in our bedroom and when we first got him he would sleep straight through to 8am. Unfortunately, this hasn't lasted.
He has started waking us up earlier and earlier to the point where this morning it was 5.30am >:( I am pretty sure there aren't any health issues. The first thing he wants to do is play with his new found love, his tennis balls. Toileting isn't the issue. Sometimes he won't ask to go out for ages after getting up.
We have tried taking him out for a long walk before bed. Feeding more/less earlier and later. Nothing makes any difference. Last night I even switched the central heating off in case the sound of it was waking him up.
Because I work shifts my wife prefers him in the bedroom with her but things can't go on like this. I am starting to feel ill as my shift pattern means I can't really have an early night to make up for getting up soo early.
I am thinking of letting him sleep in the kitchen but as he has slept in our bedroom for four months I can't see this being well received.
How can we get more sleep :dunno:
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Archie has been waking up between 4.30-5.30am recently too, not sure if it's because it's getting lighter on a morning. It doesn't help that we've no curtains up either...... Not sure what to suggest. He comes up onto our bed ph34r at that point and he then sleeps till 6.45am when I get up.
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Could it be the sun coming up thats waking him? Jamie is awake from whenever the sun shines through the windows :005: it is still possible for you to get him used to sleeping in the kitchen :) just start bit by bit, lots of treats when he settles down in there. does he sleep in a crate? could he sleep in a crate in the bedroom with the door closed? then if he wakes you up, give him a kong to quieten him down if he doesn't need to go out so you can get another half hour sleep.
I get up when Jamie does and i let him out, then i go back to bed for another half hour/hour before his breakfast at 8am sometimes he can be awake as early as 6 so being able to go back to bed and not have him disturb me is brilliant! some days though he does pester me so i just shut him out the bedroom and ignore his whines and he soon settles downstairs on the sofa :)
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Could it be the sun coming up thats waking him?
Firstly i'd like to clarify that the sun is not yet anywhere near 'up' at 5:30am (I walk my dogs at this time and it's definitely still dark :005:)
I get up when Jamie does and i let him out, then i go back to bed for another half hour/hour before his breakfast at 8am sometimes he can be awake as early as 6 so being able to go back to bed and not have him disturb me is brilliant! some days though he does pester me so i just shut him out the bedroom and ignore his whines and he soon settles downstairs on the sofa :)
I do this with mine on weekend mornings when I like to stay in bed past 5:30am. Pip wakes around 7, they all get let out, Pip has his breakfast, and then straight back to bed. No games, no fuss. And Pip goes straight back into his crate (by choice).
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It's pitch black in our bedroom so it is definitely not the light. He sleeps in a crate with the door locked but when he wakes up he starts whining which builds up to a high pitched bark and because I don't want to wake up our neighbours I have to let him out.
If he comes on our bed he just wants to play and it won't be long until he legs it downstairs with a sock or my wifes slippers >:D
I will try a kong but they are not really his thing.
As I type this he is asleep in the sun in our hallway. Try sleeping at night Murphy >:( :005:
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If he comes on our bed he just wants to play and it won't be long until he legs it downstairs with a sock or my wifes slippers >:D
He's simply just not tired. if he wants to play and you don't, tell him. take his toys or anything that resembles a toy to him and put it somewhere he can't get it. teach him a 'settle down' command then use it in the mornings when he wakes up. he thinks that mornings are the best thing ever because its time to wake up and play, well mornings can still be the best thing ever but its not time to play just yet. its time to settle. after he's settled down and you've had some more sleep then play with him as a reward for being quiet :)
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Lacie is now 19 months but last year when she was 7/8 months she was doing the same thing waking at 5- 5.30 am every morning.
She was in a crate in the kitchen, after trying all I could think of I would let her out sit in the chair so se could play and I would doze. After a week of this I tried letting her out when she woke putting her back into the cage without a treat and covering the crate with a large towel or blanket and taking no notice of her eventually she got the message but I was at my wits end as I was so tired I really feel for you but they just try it on.
Now when I go away and she is in a strange place she tries it on again so Now I shout at her and she knows she is just trying it on as I am sure she wants to be TOP dog
Best of luck you will get there I know at the moment it doesn't feel like it
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The settle command is something I need to work on, definitely.
Just a thought after watching Murphy sunbathing in the hall. Is it possible he is getting cold at night? He sleeps in his crate on a dog bed but nothing else in with him.
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Gemma sleeps with us and poppy. she can be a fidget but we learnt her to "settle" and she does. I can now sleep and say "settle" at the same time :005:
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I have just spoken to my son who looked after Murphy for 3 days whilst we were away. I asked him what time Murphy was getting up in the morning and his answer was "when I got up" He is 20 so it CERTAINLY wouldn't have been 5.30am :shades:
"Did he bark to wake you up?" "no didn't hear a peep from him"
Murphy slept in his usual spot in our bedroom while my son slept in his bedroom with the door shut. The earliest he got up was 7.30am when we got back from the airport, the rest of the time was 10am or later :dunno:
Something for me to think about.
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i think it can be very difficult when they get into a new routine. we cover pepper's crate which is actually downstairs. it can be chilly at night so has has blankets as well as his bed in his crate. it is very cosy and he is sleeping in batter since we covered the crate.good luck , these spells can be exhausting.
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I woke up this morning around the time Archie has been stirring and the moon (it's fairly full atm) was shining right in my window so maybe that is the problem with him!
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Is he being disturbed by you do you think? (Turning over, snoring maybe!) He obviously can stay asleep. They learn very quickly how to press our buttons. I would say you need to get him out of your room but it will be tricky. Could he go on the landing? A cuddly fleece or towel to lie on might help him if you think he is cold.
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Is he being disturbed by you do you think? (Turning over, snoring maybe!) He obviously can stay asleep. They learn very quickly how to press our buttons. I would say you need to get him out of your room but it will be tricky. Could he go on the landing? A cuddly fleece or towel to lie on might help him if you think he is cold.
it will be my wife snoring >:D :005:
The landing is his next port of call. I will see how that goes. Might have to close our bedroom door so he can't hear my OH snore ahem.
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If me and hubby are in bed together and the dogs are with us. Bella is a pain in the butt and wakes at 6ish demanding
If I'm on my own in bed with them I end up waking them, last time it was 9am
If hubby's on his own with them Bella wakes him at 6ish
I put this down to hubby's work day starting at 6am everyday. Whereas with me I do nights / shifts etc so they are used to me sleeping at funny times. They rarely wake me even then it's only gentle like one lick on my face or sitting staring at me. With hubby it's launch themselves at him, snog him until he can take no more.
They now mostly sleep in the kitchen, it's only when I'm on my own they sleep with me.
I'm a bit strict with toys
No toys are allowed in the bedroom or lounge these are relaxing rooms not for playing in. Balls of any kind are for outdoor use only. And 'dummies' are for walks only
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Lack of sleep must be driving you potty!
Jinley sleeps on our bed at night (my OH not me >:D) but from a puppy when she slept downstairs she would not stir until we came down.
Could it be that you are listening out for him and that if you didnt hear him get a bit restless he would settle down again? Maybe thats why your son didnt hear him if he was in a different room? Have you tried just ignoring him?
I also wouldnt let him have his ball before bedtime, could he be over excited before settling down for the night?
Jinley winds down from about 7pm, either just pottering or snoozing, there is no playing and only calm interaction. Then at about 10pm she goes out for her "last wee" and has a couple of biscuits in the bedroom. There she stays (albeit like a hippo on the bed) until about 9 am or until I get up (she would stay later)
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I totally sympathise, our pup wakes up at least once anytime between 2am-4am, then always at 5.30am, been doing that for 8 wks, its exhausting to say the least!!!
Then I sleep with her on the couch until 7sh, as Im not willing to be up at 5.30am!!
We have tried everything, it is difficult to let her cry for long as one of our sons will go to her.
We pray she grows out of it SOON!!
Only thing I can suggest is you try a hot water bottle in the crate, you get special pet ones, they stay warm for over 12hrs.
Good luck.
Elaine
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Are his tennis balls insight when he wakes?
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There are no toys in sight and are bedroom is very dark so it is not light waking him up.
I have started waking up at 5am and listening for him :doh: and noticed on Saturday morning that that when my wife stirred and turned over he awoke and started to cry. Then on Sunday morning he did exactly the same thing but if was me who woke him up.
This morning he was up again at 5.30am and we tried to ignore him but in the end my wife just got up and went to work an hour early (she is going to be grumpy this evening :shades:) so I left him and he did eventually settle down. Then my wifes alarm went off and he started all over again, settling down after about 20 minutes.
This morning I have placed his crate on the landing and he is in there now after his walk and settled down straight away so I think this will be the tactic. Thing is, I am on nights this week so it will be my wife who will suffer if he won't sleep.
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Hi there, this pooch is totally ruling the house >:D you've done the best thing by having him out the room. Every morning leave him in there an extra 15 mins until you get to the time you want to wake. You can't carry on like this u both need your rest and this pup knows he gets let out when HE wants!!
We are very strict with crate and bedtimes and have never had a problem. Be tough let him cry he will soon learn, your the owners remember :005:
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You're spot on about him ruling the house when it comes to waking time. Things are going to change starting tonight.
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Last night on the landing was a huge success. Murphy was out of his crate at 7.15am but that was because my wife came down stairs at that time. He would have stayed in longer.
This weekend I am aiming for the heady heights of at least 7.30am.
Thanks everybody, we now seem to be heading in the right direction.
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I must admit, I never even entertained the idea of having a puppy in our room. He's downstairs in kitchen. Baby gate and then breakfast door closed. Not a peep from 10pm until we get up.
Start as you mean to go on. Hope things get easier because lack of sleep is a form of torture. After having 2 kids there was no way i was going to compromised sleep ever again. When you don't sleep, it's harder to cope with things!
Good luck
:D
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Rusty our cavalier slept on our bed and he was no problem at all. It was really nice for my wife when I work nights to have him with her. He didn't affect our sleep at all.
Cockers are a different kettle of fish though :shades:
I haven't slept past 6am for at least 2 months and I am beginning to feel it. Something needed to change.
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How is Murphy getting on? Suddenly out of nowhere, Hudson has started waking up at 4- 4.30am where previously he slept til at least 6 or he heard our alarm going off. Now he sits and cries at the bottom of the stairs until we get up (for 2 and a half hours... >:( ) I don't want to start letting him out for the toilet at this time so it becomes habit becausei know he can hold it!! We've had to start closing the door of his pen which we haven't done in months. Though he still cries. Determined to ignore him until he stops but then noone gets any sleep and its driving me to distraction!!
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Much better now he is on the landing. Weekdays there is always somebody up by 7am so we sleep with the bedroom door open. He gets up when we get up. At the weekend we shut our door and he will sleep through to 8am which is more than good enough for me. We have made his crate much cosier and covered it with a blanket so this might have helped too.
Thanks for asking.
Murphy just wanted to play when he was up, maybe Hudson is the same. I think you are doing the right thing ignoring him. That is what I wanted to do but I would get grief from everyone so I would bite the bullet and get up.
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Hooray! Glad Murphy is better on the landing! :lol2:
I have had sleep deprivation with two kids too, and was not going to suffer it with my dog >:D so Blue has slept in his crate downstairs from day one. He's perfectly happy and so are we :005:
It's lovely to cuddle up on the sofa with him, but the bed is for me and my OH and I think there would be divorce proceedings if I let the dog sleep upstairs! :o
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Much better now he is on the landing. Weekdays there is always somebody up by 7am so we sleep with the bedroom door open. He gets up when we get up. At the weekend we shut our door and he will sleep through to 8am which is more than good enough for me. We have made his crate much cosier and covered it with a blanket so this might have helped too.
Thanks for asking.
Murphy just wanted to play when he was up, maybe Hudson is the same. I think you are doing the right thing ignoring him. That is what I wanted to do but I would get grief from everyone so I would bite the bullet and get up.
I know what he wants and that is to be upstairs in bed with us! >:( He will sleep until the end of time in our bed!! >:D Will have to invest in some earplugs I guess.... :-(