My dog does not sleep at NIGHT!

[Megan]

*sigh* Why oh why did I let my doodle sleep in our bed? He was doing fine in his crate at night but it was oh so fun to have him in the bed. Now, not so much. I'm not even sure what to do about this now because there is no way in hell he'll go back in that crate!

He is nocturnal. He sleeps all day and cannot get comfortable at night. He is up on the bed, down on the floor, up in the bed in our face panting and licking, flopping down on the bathroom floor. As soon as I get up in the morning, he is up on the bed laying in my spot snoozing away with my hubby....ughhh!

I even try to wear him out at night. We play and play until dark, but honestly my hubby and I both work full-time so we give him as much time as we can.

He was doing verrrry well at night sleeping on the cool bathroom floor, but lately..the bed is where it is at. I feel bad..but I'm getting frustrated with him. I know he just wants to find a place to lay down, but the bed is just not big enough for all three unless he lays at our feet.

I'm mainly venting and mad that I allowed this to happen, but would offer any thoughts, tips or ideas! Thanks!

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Try and retrain him for the crate....make him go in it and stay in it for a while when your home...than increase the time..just as when he was a pup and you trained him...
Can you do doggy daycare...even if its a few xs a week it will help him get out energy during the day, not at night.
Can you have a pet sitter come in and walk him a few xs a week...this will also help get his energy out during the day.
What does he do when your at work..is he home alone with freedom of the house...is he toy motivated...

[Megan]

I totally wish there was doggy daycare near me...that would work! It seems like its related to all his new found freedom. We recently have been leaving him out of his crate more during the day AND at night..so maybe we should consider putting him back in his crate during parts of the day. My husband does a lot of work from home, but when he's gone..I think we should crate him again. He's also nearing the 1 year mark and starting to rebel a little bit...not sure what the heck is going on.

Yes, he stays out in our great room..that's the only room he has access to....he's more treat motivated, but loves toys too.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Since he is out when you are away I seen this really neat toy motivator or something that can occupy a dog who needs distractions...you put a new toy in it for like every two or three hours..and it will despense it automatically for them...so you can fill like Kongs with PB, or cheese and meats (Freeze them)...or whatever and every so many hours it will fling one out in the room to him to play with, keeping him busy. So if you leave with his first treat being given at like 8:00a.m...set it for 11:00 and 2:00 and he should be busy till you get home. They are called Kong Time Toy Dispensers for dogs, it also works great on keeping them out of trouble. If you check out PSI....a pet sitter who could come and walk him for you during the day to get rid of some of the energy he is building up during the day... check out www.petsit.com do a search and it should bring up pet sitters in your area. Walking might be a great way to get out all this energy he is penting up during the day..and if you walk him at night it might also help.

[Gail H. Nolan]

Hi,
I'm relatively new to doodlekisses, but would like to add some thoughts.
Beca too was mostly in the crate at night, but then I just LOVED having her
in bed. Mostly she stays in bed, but also likes the cool tile floor in the bathroom.
She rarely wakes me up. I attribute this to a couple of things.
1. Once I tell her something eg., "all done playtime" - that's it. I never pick the toy
back up and if (rare) she seems to push it, the toy just goes to the top of a dresser.
or eg. bedtime "nite-nite, shhh", there's no more hugs and kisses or petting.
2. The crate - she does still use it occasionally. It's always a reward to "go crate". I save the
BEST treats, the Liver biscuits for "going crate". Once in, I do NO eye contact!
She settles right down.
Although I don't use the crate a lot, there are times when I just need her (and our other dog) crated
for convenience/sanity.
I think it's just a matter of re-training with the crate also. If you don't want to hear little cries, leave the house
shortly after putting him in w/his treat.It had also been suggested to me to NOT come home and open the crate immediately. They get used to that too easily. So, I can come home, put some groceries away (or whatever) and
then happily let her out!
Hope this helps.

[Megan]

Great ideas as well, Gail. I think more crate time for Brooks is needed...and LOVE the idea of night night time..not kisses, playing...!! Thanks.

[Karen & Lucy]

I would definately go back to the crate. You will have to retain him to go into it with treats, toys, just plan fun things until he likes it again. I don't know how old he is, but if this is happening then you need to have him crated at night so he and you all get your rest. Lucy likes her crate, but would rather be out of it, but if I want her in it she goes willingly. There are times when it is necessary. She knows now what time we go to bed and she is ready. When I tell her "we're going to bed", she goes right to her spot and she is there all night. It is going to take some doing , but I think you need to get him back in it. Good Luck.

[Adina P]

I'm probably not much help as one husband is all I need to have in bed with me at any given time =)

All our three dogs sleep on the floor on dog beds in our room. And they are not allowed on furniture including the bed (except on rare occasions). I let Thule up on the bed to sleep with me when Clark was gone one weekend and by 4am she got kicked off never to be invited again ... she took up the whole bed with her little body somehow. I'm far too light a sleeper and there was just no way she'd be allowed to ruin my sleep.

So....my solution is to make the bed off limits for now, continually reinforcing this any time he gets up on the bed (tell him "off" and help him do it). Then with time, you can start letting him sleep outside the crate again once he learns the bed is a "no-no" for him and later you can start teaching him that he is only allowed up by invitation (perhaps for morning cuddles or taking a quick nap with you).

[Doris]

We recently let Bodi out of the crate - for good. At first he was a real pest in our bed. Then when the warmer weather hit, he decided it was too hot to sleep with us and he moved to the bedroom or bathroom floor. It took awhile, but now he does very well. He usually comes into bed around 5:30. I let him cuddle next to me and he goes back to sleep for another 1/2 hour or so.

I must say that my doodle is SMALL. Only 27 pounds - so if I had a bigger doodle, I would rethink the crate!

Good luck!

[Megan]

Yeah, I hear you...I thoroughly enjoy sleeping and get mad when Brooksy ruins it! :) He is only 30 lbs, but he sprawls out all over the place and is sighing, panting and kissing! UGH! I love him, but commmmon! If it were just me, he'd be perfect..cuz he sleeps and doesn't pace up and down the bed!