Barking early morning

[Rita and Fazzy]

HI all - TGIF....

So, our 4 year old labradoodle, Fazzy, has always been really great at sleeping all night, unless he had an upset tummy and then he would bark to ask to be taken out during the night to potty.  In the past month or so, he has gotten into the habit of barking to go out almost every night....he'll bark once and wait a minute or so to see if we're going to get up, if not then another single bark, wait, bark....on and on.  Initially we'd get up and let him out assuming that he needed to potty, but we have come to the conclusion that most of the time he's just bored and wants to wander around the yard - probably looking for "visitors" (raccoons, cats, possum, etc) and eventually come back in when he see's nothing is out there, settle back down and back to sleep. 

About a week ago we decided that we're tired of it and decided to ignore him.  A few of the nights he would go thru his routine for awhile then give up.  The last two nights, at least 90 minutes of this....at 2, 3 in the morning.  This morning apparently he decided that we must not hear him and came up to the bedroom and barked....I had him get up on the bed and we all went back to sleep.  About an hour later, back at it downstairs.  He was at the vet earlier this week, we didn't talk about this, but he had a great exam, nothing wrong. 

So...question is...how do we break him of doing this.  It's totally messing with our sleep...and then of course, he gets to sleep all day while I work.  Today he's at daycare, but who knows if he'll sleep all night tonight.

Help!!  :-)

Thanks

Rita

[Erin]

Following because although my dog is a puppy he barks and doesn't want to go out when I let him out of the crate. Of course, I run to him in the early hours because I don't want him waking my young toddler!

[Sue Ryzdynski]

Dear Rita,

If ignoring him does not bring consistant results, then, I hate to say it, but, you'll have to severely restrict his sleeping area! Dogs will NOT pee or poop in their sleeping area.  

First teach him 'go to bed' (or he'll just follow you to bed.) then you'll need to train him to go to his sleep AREA (use treats, clicker training etc)

Set up a smaller 'pen' as his sleep area, like a playpen sort of, put his 'bed' in there (or use a crate - that's a training thing of it's own), close the gate, like a little playpen enclosure.

When he then barks, ignore him. they're smart, he'll learn not to bother his people.  Then, at least if he decides *(unlikely) to soil his 'bed', it'll be contained and he'll learn that's not real pleasant.

Sue, Mark and Tess

[Marybeth & Yankee]

Our 9 month old Yankee does the same thing to us. He has been doing this since he was 12 weeks old, but at that age I had him on a strict regimen of going out due to potty training and was proud when he barked to go out, It's a bad habit now. He gets me up usually once a night and I've come to the conclusion he wants me up to be his company for a while. He hasn't been crated for months and he will come to bed with us but then he gets up and lays elsewhere. I Think like you said he is bored, wants your company, or perhaps does need to potty. I'd rather get up and let him take care of business than ignore him.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

It sounds like a bad habit to me, but IF you think he needs to potty, take him out, Have no interaction with him other than to say your potty command ONCE when he is outside.  You also might put his leash on him and physically take him out so he can't wander around the yard.  If he doesn't go potty right away, he doesn't have to go.

[Marybeth & Yankee]

That's exactly what I do for the 3 am wake up call. He goes out on leash, does his business and back to bed we go.