Sleep Schedule

[Karla and Lincoln]

Every morning, Lincoln (6 months) wakes up and barks like a maniac at 5:30 am like clockwork. I am pretty sure it is because he is ready for breakfast. I usually just let him bark and wait until 6 (breakfast time). I let him out to pee, and then he gets breakfast, Then out again to potty, and then back in the crate so I can go back to sleep. Then, he is quiet and sleeps. I know that it isn't to go to the bathroom initially because sometimes when I get home late, and he wakes up, I'll let him out to pee in the middle of the night. And still, like clockwork he wakes at 5:30. I tried pushing his dinner to 6:00 instead of 5, but this did nothing. Does anyone else have an early riser pup? Any tips on how to get them to sleep in?

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Try a pre bedtime snack of 1/4 cup of kibble reserved from his evening meal.  Riley was waking early around 5 and that fixed it.

[Stacy]

I haven't gotten to sleep in for the last year and a half. If you figure out how to fix it I want to know too! I think maybe they'll grow up and sleep better eventually. I hope so at least.

[Laura and Angus]

Our doodle woke up really early for the first year or so and then eventually he started to sleep in later. Now some days we have to bribe him to get him up before work. He got reeeeally lazy. But if you want, you can try to break that 5:30am habit by getting your puppy up before 5:30 like 5:15 for a week or so and then slowly get him up 15 min later at a time - you could see if that helps train him to get up when you are ready. He may also just grow out of it naturally...