I can't take anymore
This waking up at 4 every morning is KILLING me. I have under-active thyroid & am really struggling to stay awake at work, driving home is getting scary. What should we do? Even if I arrange dad or Greg to get up for him at 4 every day, the noise would still wake me. Should we ignore Ru until dad gets up at 5? I've had a heated discussion with dad, he says it would be cruel to leave him in his crate for an hour because he needs the toilet, thats why he is barking. BUT he USED to sleep until 7.30. We think he is demanding attention more than anything else & want to re-train him to get up when we do by ignoring him for an hour. Would that be cruel? I have posted a note through the next doors' house to apologise for the barking & explained that we are hoping to re-train him over the next few weeks which might mean even more noise for a while. I feel terrible. We are moving out on our own this year & can't wait to get back to our routine. Rufus is 6 months old.  |
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Wear ear plugs.  If he was sleeping... I would leave him hopefully he will go back to his regualr schedule. I know if my hub gets up or kids for that matter and waders the house at nite... they have to put out the dogs if they get up and IT ID usually our 7 month oes that gets up. |
| I'm sorry about your tough situation. If Rufus used to be able to wait until 7:30, and you haven't suddenly started giving him water late at night, he should be able to wait it out. (Assuming no medical problems with the dog.)
Can you put his crate somewhere away from where you father is moving around? Or could you put a blanket over the crate so he doesn't see your dad moving around? (If it's a wire crate, I mean, since they're open all around.) I would say to ignore him at 4am if the house was quiet, but if he sees people up and about I'm not sure that that would work. 
Worst case scenario, ask your family to let him out and get yourself some ear plugs! (I sleep in them every night) |
| Nah, he can wait an hour. He's only barking because now he knows someone will come. Just be firm with the routine and go back to what works for you. If your dad disagrees that strongly, let him get up at 4! Seriously though, if he was fine until 7:30 before, he'll be fine for an extra hour now until 5. He's just being demanding. |
| I would bring him upstars and let him sleep in my bedroom. |
| I have a long commute, so I get up pretty early, get ready for work quickly and leave. The routine has been for my husband to take the dogs out in the morning since he has a later start time and a very short commute. Plus, sometimes I have to go in extra early. Unless someone seems really needy, I just ignore the dogs and let them wait until 6:30 or 7 when hubby gets up. They notice me walking around, but don't pester to go out unless it truly is an emergency and someone is a bit under the weather. Note: If my husband is out of town, they know it and are ready to go out as soon as I'm up and about--which is what we do. Also, they usually will let us sleep in on weekends, unless they hear us up. Then, they absolutely need to go out, be fed, and walked. Or say they do.
So, yes, I think that your pup can easily get used to the idea that just because one human is an early riser, it doesn't mean his day gets to start at 4 or 5 am if that doesn't work for you. Dogs truly are creatures of habit. I have found that mine are accustomed to long afternoon naps, which is generally a time when no one is at home. So if I am home during their nap time, they pretty much ignore me and even look at me like I'm crazy if I ask if they want to go outside with me. On the other hand, if it's near their walk time, they are absolutely glued to me. At night, they sleep in the family room while we watch tv, but as soon as that television goes off, they pop up instantly and are ready for their late night around the block last call. |
| The night I posted this, he started barking at 2AM!! He barked for an hour, then settled & barked again from 4. I went down at 5 just before dad got up, so I could clean up any mess & he just wanted water!! He didn't even need a wee straight away.
We ignored him this morning until 5 again, Greg says he didn't need the loo that bad, he wanted to play more than anything, so we will continue to ignore him. We tried moving the crate into our room a few weeks ago, but he woke up when he heard dad get up & the barking in the same room was worse so we put him back downstairs. We tried covering the crate too, but the problem is he hears dad moving about. I think the problem seems alot worse because dad almost convinced me I was being cruel. If Greg & I had been living alone, I would't have thought twice about ignoring him 
I hope he learns soon, I'm really exhausted  |
Hint of Mischief wrote: I hope he learns soon, I'm really exhausted
He is a puppy so he is not settled yet. I would bring his crate to where the rest of family is - sheepdogs love to be around people. Puppies are a real challenge - keep the faith and remember he will be an adult one day. |
Sheepie2 wrote: I would bring his crate to where the rest of family is - sheepdogs love to be around people.
This really helped when we got Stella last Spring. We moved her crate into our bedroom with us and Sadie. We also bought some earplugs. Both helped. Good luck. |
| Maybe some earplugs for Rufus?
But seriously I would keep his crate in the your bedroom at night. Longer than one night. Also ask Dad if he could possibly be a bit quieter in the morning, like pretend there is a baby he wouldn't want to wake up. |
| Have you tried toys in the crate? He might just be bored and knows that barking will bring somebody around to entertain him. Also, maybe you could put on some music in his crate room?? I have found that this seems to help with anxious behavior in my hound dog. |
| When I first brought Barkley home, she would cry as soon as she couldn't see me... so the first night I slept on the floor beside her crate (first time puppy owner - the crying broke my heart!), the second night I slept on the couch beside her crate (in the living room) and the third night I finally got to sneak back to bed once she settled down.. and now she sleeps until about 8:15 when I get up in the morning - even when my husband has to get up at 5 to go to work... as long as he's quiet, otherwise he has to let her out and put her back in her crate.
For the first couple weeks I left the radio on a "spa sounds" station - it really seemed to settle her. Now she's fine and doesn't need the radio but I still leave a couple toys and a big stuffed dog for her to cuddle with in her crate to keep her company. |
| My 5 year old OES came with my husband. He would also bark at 6 am because someone always got up with him. I decided that he would have to work with my schedule, rather than the other way around. He was also used to being the dominant family member, which has changed drastically since I moved in. What I learned about sheepdogs is that they are easily trained, if not always obedient and are sometimes downright stubborn. Waldo knows what to do, but puts up a fuss "just because" sometimes. My husband was also afraid to let him "bark" or ignore him. What he has learned through my dealings with the dog is that he can sleep as late as the rest of us, if he goes out right before bed and has no water once crated. Second, he is SO attached to me and has to be stuck to my side at all times, BECAUSE I discipline him and treat him as a dog! A spoiled one, albeit, but still he has rules. Just keep in mind these guys are very hearty and tough. My guy is much better now that he has consistency, discipline and affection. |
| Thank you for the replies, he is still barking at 4, today he continued until 6, with occasional barks until 8 when we got up. He barked about once every 2 seconds from 4-6
When we let him out of his crate at 8 he just stood there wagging. How long should it be before he learns?? It's been ages (or feels like it) |
| Just a suggestion but George barked through the night like this so we decided not to crate him at night. We let him in our room and the landing but nowhere else. he was 14 weeks old when we let him out
He came into our room lay on his up bed with a toy and went to sleep from that day he never barked through the night again! He sometimes came to the bed to paw us to tell us he wanted to be out and of course he had a few accidents but he never did any damage or barked again. Might be worth a try as long as you don't have anything he can chew??? |
| I haven't noticed if you have put him in your room with you? This could really help as other where saing.
Also you will also know when the really need to go out. Last night I heard the freight train (her breathing heavy) that is always a sign she needs to go poo bad. She will also scratch the door but sometimes that is because she wants to check what the cats are up too. I tell her to go back to sleep. she does. But you start to hear the signs when the really need out. |
| I have to say I am glad I do not have the barking. But I so get the nose on my back OR a nice big lick on the face, usually 15mins before I have to get up. Thank god. |
| We tried puting him in our room (crated) but it was worse, he hates his crate if we are in the same room he barks constantly.
We could try him in the same room uncrated but it's dad getting up that wakes him, so we would have to let him out of our room at 5 anyway which would defeat the object. Also there is so much he could ruin.. and we have an en-suite with a push-door so we would prob end up with tissue everywhere
Maybe we could leave him in his room uncrated but I want him crate trained for when we move to a small house this year. |
| I'm never liked the crates, and my son and hub would take them out. So I always wonder who was the bigger baby's. But I do know if David had to get up a 5 am my dogs would to. My Daughter gets up at 6:30 thou and they do nothing thou, so I am not sure what they would do? What does your dad do in the morning.... lots of banging or quite. Big fluffy slippers... pre pack lunch???? I bet you can not wait to be on your own. |
Hint of Mischief wrote: We could try him in the same room uncrated but it's dad getting up that wakes him, so we would have to let him out of our room at 5 anyway which would defeat the object. Also there is so much he could ruin.. and we have an en-suite with a push-door so we would prob end up with tissue everywhere
George NEVER destroyed anything during the night. Are you moving again? |
| Mum & Dad are getting back together so we gotta sell the house
Anyways, Dad is very quiet, but Ru always hears him anyway. I'm thinking about getting one of those ultrasonic things to stop him barking. |
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