Toby's having fun, but I'm not!

[Sandy]

About a week ago Toby got up uncharacteristically early - 6:15 a.m. He woke me whining, which he never does. He sleeps in a crate in our room. I let him out and he raced outside. He did pee, but more than that just seemed to want to tear around the yard. He was hyper! Usually Toby is quite sedate in the mornings, so this was unusual for him. Flash forward ahead to last night. I was woken at 2 a.m. by scuffling around, noises etc. Again I took him out - figured he'd forgotten to pee before bed or something. He went out and did his thing, ran around the yard, and came in. I put him back in his crate. He did not settle. I took him out again. He peed again (probably because he knew I'd expect it), and had a b.m. Then all he wanted to do was play. I ended up sleeping (sort of) on the couch, with him on a leash beside me so he wouldn't wake the household. He slept well after that.

I truly hope this is just some sort of Spring Fever thing, because otherwise I'm stymied. Is it possible he's tired of sleeping in a crate? If so, I don't know what I'd do, because if I left him loose, he would for sure jump onto our bed, and we don't want that. He's too big!

Oh boy - I am TIRED today.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Luca is 2 now.Recently he decided to not go out with Calla for the last late evening P & P opportunity. Then after I shut the light around 1AM he'd whimper to go out.We did this routine for a few times but when he go out he was not in any great hurry to go. I decided to refuse to take him out in the middle of the night unless I had some good reason to think his need was genuine. Lo and behold he goes out with Calla and settles in for a night. Sometimes you have to not let the get into habits, or manipulate you, because they do test limits and they have no way of realizing what's reasonable.

[Sandy]

Toby is over a year and a half, so I thought we had the whole sleep pattern thing worked out. Apparently not. I'm afraid to tell him to just be quiet, in case he really does have to go to the bathroom. All I know is, I'd better get more sleep tonight. :(

[Christine & Shelby]

Allyson... how old was Peri when you started letting her sleep on her bed at night rather than in her crate?

[Christine & Shelby]

Sandy... I am so sorry to hear about your sleep deprived nights.

I just recently started having the same problem with my Shelby - not the racing around the yard, but not settling in at night. Monday - woke up at 3:00am... let her out to potty on the leash (that is what I always to for middle of the night potty breaks). Back in to the crate, she whined and barked for 15 minutes... let her out again, she pooped... back in the crate - same thing wouldn't settle down. I finally wondered if maybe she wasn't feeling well. I let her out of her crate and laid down next to her on her giant pillow (her doggie bed) and she dozed off to sleep. This morning she woke up much earlier as well - this time 5:00am.... this time, I just let her doze on her big pillow the rest of the morning and we slept until 8:15 (I am home sick from work). I have been toying with the idea of letting her sleep on her big pillow bed in my bedroom at night rather than in her crate. She turned 5 months yesterday and I have periodically let her do that for a few hours here and there and she hasn't gotten in to any troubles at all. Although I don't have the problem of Shelby trying to jump on my bed... it is quite high and she hasn't even figured out she can jump on the couch yet. I haven't let her on the furniture.... and plan not to, but I know that that may change.

I hope you get a chance to catch up on sleep soon!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

It is the weather change.
By the way, we have had success training Peri to go to HER bed at night (on floor by our bed). We trained her by giving her treats every time she set foot on her bed (after we pointed and said "go to your bed"). They get the hang pretty fast. She will jump on our bed while we are getting ready. As soon as we get in bed we say "go to your bed" and she hops onto her bed.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Well then, I can't be any help at all. Maybe it really is Spring Fever. What would happen if you took him out on the leash to pee so he couldn't race around and then brought him right back in and returned him to the crate? That might help him to understand that even though the weather is beautiful, night is for sleeping, not playing,

[Sandy]

Nope, no changes. No changes in routine, food, water, timing of things....nothing. Except for the fact that the weather is suddenly gorgeous, nothing.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Has anything changed with Toby's daytime routine?