Comments on: How can I get y Golden Retriever to sleep through the night?

By: dorothy s

dorothy s — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:14:28 +0000

Perhaps you are unwittingly rewarding him when he wakes you up. The first time you possibly told him that he was a good boy. Next time he does it let him out, don’t rebuke him or speak to him and this may help.

If he does not understand the command bed, teach him this command by saying “bed” when he goes into his bed and telling him that he is a good boy when he does this. Eventually when he wakes you up just say bed, don’t make a lot of fuss just say “good dog.

By: Voelven

Voelven — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 15:19:55 +0000

Have something changed in your routine? Is something outside waking him up? Is he getting enough exercise during the day?

If it’s none of the above, then my guess is that he’s probably bored. He might have woken you up the first time either to try it out or because he really had to go. Then he probably thought it was quite nice with a little nightly outing, and started waking you up to go out again. By getting up and letting him out, you have then unknowingly been re-enforcing the behaviour.

If he’s waking you up because he’s bored or just feels like going out, the way to make him go back to sleep is to ignore him when he wants to go out in the middle of the night.

By: aida

aida — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 17:17:45 +0000

Hey! I think that 32 hours a week is fine to be alone. We have a lab x kelpie puppy which is 3 1/2 months old. We leave her in the laundry now for about 6-7 hours – 5 days a week. She is fine. We provide plenty of toys such as kongs (useful but sometimes quite disgusting after the dogs got it), empty bottle’s with biscuits in them, a slipper and teddy’s and stuff. Of course you need the obvious water. If you leave in the morning it is best to give them there breakfast as your leaving. We have this toy, which for some reason she loves, it is a dog which barks if you press it – of course she is amused by the sound but its not a squeaky toy going off every few seconds.

Walk it around before you leave to let out all its energy – an actually walk would be good but if you cant walk them around the yard. slowly teach them to go on newspaper when they go to the toilet or have a doggy door (can u get one that big but then it could be un safe because a person could fit through).

Give them lots of love and attention as you said and this will keep you through (if your getting a puppy) the tough first year of chewing and everything – “The first year of there life can be tough, the rest is the best”.

Oh and BTW would you be leaving it inside or out? Because by the sound of it you have a nice size back yard and if you do you wouldn’t have to teach them the newspaper toilet. But ‘dog-proof’ your yard first. Chicken wire on places that you don’t want them digging or they could get out at. Also on your pool fence if you have large gaps between them. There are also other tips for ‘keeping your puppy amused’. Ask around, maybe other people you know have invented ideas that work for them.

It’s probably not a good idea to take a week off or get them in the holidays because when you leave for work they will have a harder time and may forget all you have taught them and may get extremely stressed. That happened to someone in our puppy class

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 12:14:50 +0000

maybe the house is to hot for him. and he wants to get out in the fresh air, open your window a little and clear a place for him to sleep under it. that might help. the older a dog gets the more they want the freedom of being out in the open air.

By: jihnken

jihnken — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:47:27 +0000

If he doesn’t need to pee and is getting up for no reason, then I would crate him in a room other then the one that you sleep in. This will only work if he is crate trained. You will probably only have to do it one or two times. Let him start out loose in the same room as you or however the sleeping arrangements are. Then when he asks to go out take him out then when he comes back in put him in the crate and you go back to bed. He will learn to wait til morning to go out. This technique works really well on dogs that love to be with you at night, they learn quickly to only wake you up if they really need to go out. If they only wake you up occasionally or you know the dog has to go then do not use this strategy

By: Paulina V

Paulina V — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:09:19 +0000

Did you have time recently to take him out in the park for an hour or two? Did you use to spend more time with him? I think the reason for this is that the whole day he is at home and he’s not very tired in the night. Or maybe he just wants your attention. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU!

By: deltadawn

deltadawn — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 17:09:07 +0000

Are you positive it’s NOT to go pee or poo?
Is there something or someone out there at that time? Like a neighbor perhaps coming home fr. shift work?

If no to all, then take him for a nightly walk before bedtime or play with him to tire him out some.
I hope this works.
Gd. luck.

By: mv72

mv72 — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 09:21:34 +0000

if he’s not wanting out to go potty, give him a benadryl………crazy, but it works

By: originalkippyj

originalkippyj — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 05:04:00 +0000

When they’re puppies you put a hot water bottle and a ticking alarm clock in their beds. It reminds them of their mothers. You could try that. A three-year-old retriever is like a teenage child, though. He’s probably just acting like one. If you’re really concerned, give your vet a call.

By: yothunn

yothunn — Mon, 02 Jan 2006 04:11:21 +0000

walk him before going to bed he shouldnt wake u during the night and if he does just ignore it its gonna be hard but he will nver learn

to the lady below me a 3 year old dog is not a teenage child thats an adult dog a 1 or 2 year old dog could be in teenage years not a 3 year old