Q&A for How to Stop Your Dog from Waking You Up at Night

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Question

Where should I put my dog when it's time to go to bed?

Beverly Ulbrich
Dog Behaviorist & Trainer
Beverly Ulbrich is a Dog Behaviorist and Trainer and the Founder of The Pooch Coach, a private dog training business based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a Certified CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Evaluator by the American Kennel Club and has served on the Board of Directors for the American Humane Association and Rocket Dog Rescue. She has been voted the best private dog trainer in the San Francisco Bay Area 4 times by SF Chronicle and by Bay Woof, and she has won 4 "Top Dog Blog" awards. She has also been featured on TV as a dog behavior expert. Beverly has over 18 years of dog behavior training experience and specializes in dog aggression and anxiety training. She has a Master of Business Administration from Santa Clara University and a BS from Rutgers University.

Beverly Ulbrich

Dog Behaviorist & Trainer

Expert Answer

It's really up to you! You can put them in a crate or on a bed, or you can put them in a specific room. Just make sure to always take them to that space so that they know they can sleep and don't need to wander around the house.

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Question

I have a 7-year-old beagle and she whines every night waking me up. She only does this when she is sleeping with me, not any other person in my house. How can I make her stop?

Community Answer

Ignore her. You will lose sleep for a while, but completely ignore her. Assuming she doesn't need to pee, when you wake up, say "no" firmly. If she continues, completely ignore her. If the only person she is doing this to is you, it means she knows you will do something (pet her, sweet-talk her, etc.) that she enjoys. If she receives either no attention or only negative attention (i.e., the word "no" or a scruff shake if she tries to jump on your bed), she'll stop. It'll likely take a week or two to stop the problem if you're consistent. Consistency is key.

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Question

My dog is fully awake at night, and has to relieve herself. Then, she barks and goes to sleep. What should I do?

Bleaky

Community Answer

Try working on better bathroom habits for your dog, and take her outside before her bedtime, so that she won't have to relieve herself at night. Pertaining to the barking, this may be out of boredom and frustration, so take your dog for a nice, long walk every day and see if the barking situation improves or goes away completely. Or, if you can't manage just one long walk, try to go for a couple short walks. If it's not possible to get out at all, a treadmill can be a good help.

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Question

When we let our 7-month-old spaniel off the lead, she runs off. We call her back, but she runs past us then stops. What can we do?

Community Answer

You'll find some good advice in wikiHow article Train Your Dog to Not Run Away .

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Question

What do I do if my dog wakes me up to go to the bathroom?

Community Answer

If your dog truly needs to go to the bathroom, take them out. After they go to the bathroom, take them back inside to their sleeping spot and calm them down by giving them a command, such as "lay down." If your dog didn’t genuinely want to go outside to go to the bathroom, take them back inside and try to go back to sleep so as to not reward their behavior.

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Question

My dog needs to go out during the night to relieve herself. What can I do?

Community Answer

Give her a training mat. Then, at night, she can just go on that and you can sleep well all night.

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Question

My dog wakes me up several times a night - about every two hours. He is not needing to go to the bathroom, as the few times I have let him out, he just gets out and sits by his crate. What is going on?

Community Answer

He doesn't want to be in the crate, or he is bored, and he wants you to let him out. Don't fall for it. Eventually he will stop trying.

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Question

My dog wakes my up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water, then needs to go outside, but he still pees inside. Would a pee pad work?

Community Answer

Probably, but your dog won't just automatically start using the pad if you put it on the floor. You will need to train him with praise and treats. If he is already trained to go outside, and he pees inside because he can't get out, maybe consider getting a doggy door?

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Question

My 13 month old greyhound has to empty her bladder and her bowels six times every day. Is that typical for that breed?

Tasha P.

Community Answer

That should be normal as 6 to 7 times a day to empty bowels is good, but if she is pooping more than twice a day, then take her to see her vet.

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Question

What would cause an older dog to wake up during the night?

Jenn Mccauley

Community Answer

Many reasons. They are at the age in life where their bodies may start to ache, they may need to move around to stretch out. They also may need to use the bathroom more often. Similar to humans who age, things become more difficult for us as we age. Bear with them. If it gets to often, maybe contact the vet.

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Question

Should I stop my dog's water intake early in the evening so that they don't wake me up to pee at night?

Community Answer

Yes, you should stop your dog’s water intake at around two hours before they go to bed. Only do this if necessary and make sure they have had a lot to drink beforehand.

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Question

What do I do if my dog is waking me up crying and won't calm down?

Community Answer

Does she need to relieve herself? If so, take her out for a quick walk and bring her back in. If she didn't go, then just ignore her. You might lose sleep, but she'll get nothing and she'll eventually have to go back to sleep. If she does this every night, talk to your vet to figure out any possible health issues.

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