[calidog77]

Hi Everyone,

My 20 week old GSD puppy has a pretty set sleep schedule from 10pm-6am. I really need to change this, but don't know how to go about it.

I live with my mom, and we have very different schedules. She's up at 5:30 every morning, and Leo is used to this and it has become his wakeup time. I don't start work until later in the day, so I am usually up around 9.

How can I get Leo to sleep in later so that he can also wake up at 9 like I do? My mom says that she lets him out because she is afraid of him having a potty accident in the morning (we have been doing well with housebreaking and don't want to go backwards) but then she is stuck up with him from 6-8.

I didn't crate-train Leo. Instead he is "ex-pen trained" if that is a thing. He sleeps in his ex-pen at night.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[secrets0stolen]

Hi Everyone,

My 20 week old GSD puppy has a pretty set sleep schedule from 10pm-6am. I really need to change this, but don't know how to go about it.

I live with my mom, and we have very different schedules. She's up at 5:30 every morning, and Leo is used to this and it has become his wakeup time. I don't start work until later in the day, so I am usually up around 9.

How can I get Leo to sleep in later so that he can also wake up at 9 like I do? My mom says that she lets him out because she is afraid of him having a potty accident in the morning (we have been doing well with housebreaking and don't want to go backwards) but then she is stuck up with him from 6-8.

I didn't crate-train Leo. Instead he is "ex-pen trained" if that is a thing. He sleeps in his ex-pen at night.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Hey. Puppies have small bladders and it wouldnt be wise to make him hold it longer. If you want to sleep longer you need to take him out around midnight before sleepy time.
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[calidog77]

So should I try to keep him up until midnight then? That wouldn't be a problem.

 

[amaryllis]

Owning a dog doesn't make for late mornings. You're going to have to get up early, take him out to pee and then go back to sleep.

 

[PoppyKenna]

I agree with @amaryllis. You could either get up with him and then go back to bed, or have your mother get up, take him out, and then return him to your room.

If he has trouble settling down after he goes out, freeze a kong for him to work on while you're sleeping.

 

[Dawnben]

How can I get Leo to sleep in later so that he can also wake up at 9 like I do? My mom says that she lets him out because she is afraid of him having a potty accident in the morning (we have been doing well with housebreaking and don't want to go backwards) but then she is stuck up with him from 6-8.

Cant she just put him back in the pen until you wake up?

 

[calidog77]

I don't have a problem with the potty break early in the morning, the main issue is that after going potty he has TONS of energy and wants to play play play at 6am in the morning. I don't want to disturb my neighbors either, so playing with him this early in the morning is difficult.

If she does put him back in the exercise pen right after a potty break, he will continue barking until someone lets him out. I think he has got in the habit of playing this early in the morning.

 

[PoppyKenna]

That's where a kong will help you out. Instead of pestering you to play, he can be in or next to your bed and quietly play with his treat

 

[calidog77]

Okay, I will give the frozen kong a try and let you all know how it goes.

One quick question, Leo frequently gets frustrated with kongs and gives up because he has a difficult time getting things out. He has a medium sized one, do I need to get one with a bigger opening so things are easier to reach for him?

 

[PoppyKenna]

What do you put in there? My dogs sometimes get frustrated trying to get bugger treats out, but I've had success with peanut butter or plain Greek yogurt (or both!) and then freezing it. It's more like a popsicle that way, so instead of him fighting to get goodies out, he just licks at it for awhile.

Good luck!

 

[calidog77]

Hi all,
I've been trying to change Leo's schedule all week with not much success. He will wake up around 5:30/6, my mom takes him potty and then will give him a frozen kong or treat to play with. I usually freeze yogurt or pb in the kong.

He gets bored of the kong in about ten minutes and begins barking and whining and just making a ruckus until she lets him out of the cage to play. The problem isn't him going to the bathroom early, it's that after we take him potty he wants to play play play instead of going back to sleep. Do I just let him bark in the morning and ignore it? Pottying at 6 is fine, but a two hour playtime at 6 isn't.

 

[Naira]

Edit sorry, wrong thread