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"How can I keep my new puppy from getting me up at night or having
accidents in his crate?" Here's what we do with pups that don't make it through the night without accidents or crying to go out during the night... We feed 3 meals:
Feeding the pup late at night makes sure that he goes to bed with a full stomach and is more likely to sleep through the night. If you feed him his dinner at 5:00 pm, then by 2:00 am he wakes up hungry and he's gotta go so he wakes you up or messes his crate. If you feed at 9:00 pm or even 10:00 pm, then take him out once more to relieve himself successfully before he goes to bed, he much more likely to sleep until morning. :-) We also soak all of their kibble for 10 minutes then pour off all the excess water from the bowl. This means that they will not be drinking so much water throughout the day at odd intervals. A majority of their food/water will go through their system in three distinct batches. Think of it as a long garden hose with three tennis balls pushed through it at regular intervals. It's easier to figure out your dog's pattern of when he eliminates if you can control the way the puppy eats his meals. If your pup eats dry kibble and drinks all of his water separately throughout the day, that would be the equivalent of the three tennis balls and many ping-pong balls going through the hose at various intervals - the result is a pup that will have to go to the bathroom more frequently. Young puppies just don't have the bladder/bowel control of an adult dog, so when they gotta go, they go. <grin> We never limit the amount of water the dogs get. Many dogs will eat their entire food bowl as soon as you put it down - they will often do the same thing if you limit their water. If you only give them water a few times a day they will often drink more than they would if you left the bowl of water on the floor all day for them, because they know it's going to be taken away in a minute. They will often automatically take a big drink whether or not they are thirsty, out of habit. Since they do it with their food bowl they start to think that they are 'supposed' to do it with their water too. This means that they will often consume more water than is really necessary. Limiting water (in the summer especially) can be dangerous to the dog also. No two dogs are the same and one may need more water than another just to stay healthy. I would never limit their water because you think that they have had enough. Who is to say how much is enough for that particular dog? Especially in the heat and with varying amounts of exercise. Not enough water in hot weather can lead to dehydration and heat stroke. It can also cause very serious urinary tract and digestive problems. I often ask the family to write down every time the dog eats and goes to the bathroom for the first 3 days that they have their new puppy. You will start to see a distinct pattern. Usually within an hour of eating each of their meals, every time they've had a lot of exercise, every time they wake up from a nap... If you pay careful attention you can get them on a schedule where you are expecting and ready to take them outside to relieve themselves as soon as they start to give you their 'signal' that they've got to go. Every time a puppy has an accident in the house or crate, it reinforces the idea that they are allowed to do it there. If you can prevent the accidents, they get the idea that whenever they have to go - they need to go outside first. Keep in mind that a pup that gets a lot of attention from you at 3am when you take him out of the crate, learns quickly that barking will get you to come play with him. Bathroom breaks at night should be quiet - take the pup outside, stand still and don't talk to him until he's done his business, then a bit of quiet praise and quietly back to bed. If he gets a lot of attention, petting, praise at 3am he'll want to do it every night. If it's quick and businesslike he'll be more likely to not bark and pester you. You'll also get the hang of learning his different cries - the one for "I GOTTA GO OUT RIGHT NOW!!!" vs. the "I'm bored come play with me now!" If he just wants attention, ignore him until he quiets down - this is important both during the day and at night. If he's in his crate and is demanding that you take him out because HE wants you to play, ignore him until he settles, then let him out. If it's his 'bathroom' cry... I'd get him outside quick. <grin> Another thing to consider if you don't see an improvement within a few weeks is to have him tested for parasites or infections. Both could cause him to have to go to the bathroom more frequently. - Debbie Knatz |
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