Night Time Training & Toileting

[A-B-C]

Hi all

I have recently rescued China, a Bull Arab x girl who is approx 6 - 7 months of age. She is settling in really well thankfully.

The last few nights China has woken up quite early (5.30ish) and carried on wanting to get out. China is pretty good re toileting outside etc, and I am thinking that when she wakes up at this time and carries on it might possibly to go out to the loo. I have ignored her carry on til she has calmed etc.

So the question is, if I was to get up and let her out when she wakes is that rewarding the 'negative' behaviour or should I be happy that she is wanting to go out (if that is what she is wanting of course).

This morning I did get up to her and let her out then put her back to bed. China was more settled but didn't settle completely.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

Edited November 19, 2008 by Alyssa

[MolassesLass]

My dogs wake me up if the need to pee (or vomit) at night. But they've learnt that it's only ok for these situations, I've never had them wake me up just to play or anything. I'd rather be woken for a few minutes than have the dog have an accident I have to clean or do damage from holding on when busting.

I would be ok with just taking her outside when she wakes me and if she doesn't immediately go to the toilet, go straight back to bed. I don't really interact with them (no talking or eye contact really) so that there isn't really a reward for waking me.

I don't know the training implications of it, but that's what I do.

[A-B-C]

Thanks mollasseslass. May I ask how old your dogs are? Did you train them regarding this from a young age?

I am the same, I would prefer she woke me if she needed to go out. I am just worried about reinforcing the behaviour inadvertantly.

Bronson (who is 4) only wakes me if he needs to go out and I am more than fine with that.

[MolassesLass]

I have two 16 month olds, a 3.5 year old and a 6 year old.

I never trained the behaviour, Duke the Bullmastiff just did it. He was always a very clean boy though, only once did he pee inside and never pooped, right from 8 weeks old - even though I was told it can be really hard to house train male BMs. He was about 2 when the dogs started sleeping inside and he would quietly huff in your ear until you woke up. I could see he didn't want to play so took him outside and sure enough he toiletted then headed back inside.

The two youngsters I guess learnt from him or were just naturally like that also. One of them jumps up and licks my face. There were probably a few times when they were younger when they woke me for something other than toiletting. I guess since they got no reward (no play or interaction) if they asked to go out for no reason, they stopped it.

Edited November 19, 2008 by molasseslass

[A-B-C]

Bronson is a Bullmastiff too. He is soooo clean. I recon he would be mortified if he ever had a misshap.

Did you ever crate or contain the youngsters or have they always been able to access you to wake you? China is locked in the laundry of a night at the moment.

China is a pretty clean girl too tbh, which is why I wonder whether her carry on is due to her wanting to go out. (especially last night as it was raining and she didn't want to 'go').

[Blue Fox 001]

We are crate training our little boy at the moment and it is going extremely well (ohh I have probably jinxed us now ) We do the same thing if he cries we take him straight out for toileting, he gets 5 minutes (OK sometimes 10) and if he doesn't go then it's back upstairs and into his crate. I don't talk to him, except to encourage him to come down the stairs gently, and once we're outside to his designated spot I just stand there and wait (usually with my arms folded to keep the cold out ) Once he is actually going to the toilet I say "do wees" in an attempt to get him to one day do so on command.

I would never just ignore him cause he is only a baby at 5 months and I can't stand to think he might need to go to the toilet and I have left him in his crate. He has never had an accident in his crate and almost always does go to the toilet when taken outside, I think only may be twice he hasn't.

[PandaGirl]

My girl is 6-7 months old and starts carrying on at 6am to be let out of her crate. So she gets let outside for wees then it's straight back to bed until 6.30 when my parents (and their dog) get up. She sulks and huffs for that half an hour but she's learning there's no use in crying because it gets ignored.

[percyk]

at that age id let her out

i once ignored a crated dog's whining and he wee'd in the crate

now the minute he whines im up and listening- if it escalates then i let him out

he does drink quite a bit and i dont deprive him of water as some recommend cos he tears around at the odd hour so id rather get up at 4am for a couple of minutes than have him go drying himself out - once he actually wanted a drink so i let him - hed not have settled otherwise

usually he sleeps through til 7 am or so

the older dogs are fine - they can hang on while i have a shower if need be but i usually get them all out and then go shower