Getting up earlier and earlier . . .

[Inkling]

Tosh is getting up earlier and earlier, and I'm at my wit's end. Usually I get up at 6, but he's been trying to get me up at 5.45 or 5.30 and this morning, he started whining etc. at 4.45. I am exhausted. I've tried not responding, but he just redoubles his efforts and eventually I can't stand it any more and give in (also I'm afraid he'll wake my mom).

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Yorkiekids]

Sounds like you have a pup on your hands. The only thing I can suggest is taking him out later at night, and playing with him till he exhausted, so he'll sleep. If I don't give Penny a good workout before bed time she'd be up with the roosters.

[FirstYorkie]

Yorkiekids suggestions are good. If those don't work, here is something else to try but it takes more effort.

Try setting your alarm for slightly earlier than when your pup wakes you up. Get up then and take him out whether he seems ready or not. Then, very very gradually set the alarm for later and later. This way, he thinks that the sound of the alarm controls when he goes out rather than thinking that he or you control it. Eventually, you should be able to get him to wait until the time you want to get up. I've heard that this method is quite effective.

Good luck!

[Patti]

I know how you feel. Pixie when I first got her 7 months ago was 13 months and she would get me up at 6. She doesn't need to go out as she is pad trained and there is food and water in my bedroom for them. But shortly after getting her she stated waking me up at 5 am! I am not working anymore and donot have to get up early for once in my life and she insists on 5 am. She then gets the other 2 wound up and they bark and jump all over me. SO I get up give them their wet food and a milk bone and then we all go back to bed. Pixie is the first to go lay down after eating. I am also interestd in how people have gotten their babies to sleep later.

[nvnvgirl]

I had (have) the same problem with Max. But what I finally started doing was telling him "NO...it's not time to get up yet"....and I put him back under the covers (which is where he sleeps at night). It took a few days to get him to realize that we weren't going to get up at 4 am, and now he's pretty good until about 6 am....

I know that it's hard especially when someone else is in the house and you want them to be quiet so they don't disturb them, but unless you can refuse to get up at that time, they'll keep insisting.

Max gets up early b/c he gets fed IMMEDIATELY when we get up in the morning. And then, as soon as he's done eating (about a minute later ) he runs outside to go potty....so he's not getting up early b/c he has to go; he just wants to be fed. If the case is that your dog has to go to the bathroom, then it might be harder to get them to sleep in later. But I think a few days of telling them "no", even though you don't get anymore sleep b/c you're trying to keep them in bed and not whining or barking, might help. Eventually you'd be able to sleep a little later. Sometimes Max still gets up too early for me, but when I just can't get him to go back to sleep, I give in and get up and feed him, let him out and then we can go back to bed. Luckily, those days are few and far between now