Ruthie doesn't like me sleeping well....

[JennieS]

I need some advice. Since we have had Ruthie most nights she gets up between 12 - 3AM and has to go out to potty. It's driving me insane even though this has been going on for years with her. I'm not a good sleeper to begin with so when I have to get up in the middle of the night it's worse. She's on a very tight potty schedule, house trained, etc. I even changed her meals around hoping that would make her not have to potty at night. She even goes before we go to bed. I honestly don't know if she's even going to the bathroom out there cause I go lay on our lounge and wait for her to come back and bark to be let in. I purposely try to wear her out at night, we play, walk, play more hoping that she will sleep through the night. There are days she does sleep through the night but that is maybe once a week. I'm not sure what to do. How do I stop this? I'm just TIRED lol. She does sleep with me and my husband. She is very stubborn about going potty during the day, and she mostly goes every time she's supposed to but at night it seems like a free for all. Anyone have anything to help me out? I forgot to add that even if I tell her NO, she sits there and growls at me until she gets her way and at 3AM, I'm very quick to give in.

 

[Manydogs]

It sounds like she may have you trained. I would suggest that (even though it's a pain) you leash her and take her out-or go out with her, bring a flash light, and see if she DOES go. Try this for a few nights. If she does NOT go-she has YOU trained-under her control. If she does go,then you might try limiting her drinking a few hours before bedtime. As long as you are sure she has no medical problem symptoms-this might be HER "power trip!" THEN perhaps you will have to decide WHO is the alpha dog in your home!Perhaps someone with more knowledge may have a better idea?

 

[dolphin]

Awwwe the joys of having a Bully. No matter what I've tried Buster still gets up in the wee hours of the morning when normal people are to do his thing.

 

[JennieS]

It sounds like she may have you trained. I would suggest that (even though it's a pain) you leash her and take her out-or go out with her, bring a flash light, and see if she DOES go. Try this for a few nights. If she does NOT go-she has YOU trained-under her control. If she does go,then you might try limiting her drinking a few hours before bedtime. As long as you are sure she has no medical problem symptoms-this might be HER "power trip!" THEN perhaps you will have to decide WHO is the alpha dog in your home!Perhaps someone with more knowledge may have a better idea?

Oh she has me trained there is no mistaking that..LOL. Your comment about the water makes TOTAL sense though. She drinks A TON of water in the evening because we play so much and we go walking. She doesn't drink much at all during the day. I will try limiting her water..THANKS!

- - - Updated - - -

Awwwe the joys of having a Bully. No matter what I've tried Buster still gets up in the wee hours of the morning when normal people are to do his thing.

hahahahahaha...glad I'm not alone.

 

[Petra]

I know exactly how you feel, my Boeboe does the same to me EVERY night the same thing, usually between 01:00 and 03:00AM. I've tried to change her food schedule, to keep her inside and only let her out before bed, to stand with her outside till I'm sure she goes and the list goes on and on... Usually what she does when I let her out is firstly to go drink, then the pees and poops, so she doesn't drag me up for nothing. I've noticed that if I'm up late... say I let them out to potty after 11PM, then she might sleep through the night. She does this in periods... now it's been going on since April I think, which is longer than normal

I hope someone have some great advise, cos it is really exhausting

 

[BrooklynStar]

We briefly had to deal with this when we first got Dozer. This is how we beat it:

Kitchen is closed at 7PM. We still keep a bit of water out just in case though.

At around 10PM-ish we go for a nice walk, and DO NOT go back in until he did all his business. At first, these walks lasted closed to an hour, but slowly, the time began to shrink. The end result was a 10 minute pre-bedtime walk where he poops and pees and that's it until the next morning. The faster you correct this the faster your bully will adapt to what YOU want.

 

[JennieS]

I know exactly how you feel, my Boeboe does the same to me EVERY night the same thing, usually between 01:00 and 03:00AM. I've tried to change her food schedule, to keep her inside and only let her out before bed, to stand with her outside till I'm sure she goes and the list goes on and on... Usually what she does when I let her out is firstly to go drink, then the pees and poops, so she doesn't drag me up for nothing. I've noticed that if I'm up late... say I let them out to potty after 11PM, then she might sleep through the night. She does this in periods... now it's been going on since April I think, which is longer than normal

I hope someone have some great advise, cos it is really exhausting

Ruthie does the same thing....drinks then goes out. I'll assume she goes because I do have to wipe her butt before she goes back to bed but I don't turn the lights on so maybe i'm wiping for nothing. I guess i'm going to have to turn on the lights

 

[JennieS]

We briefly had to deal with this when we first got Dozer. This is how we beat it:

Kitchen is closed at 7PM. We still keep a bit of water out just in case though.

At around 10PM-ish we go for a nice walk, and DO NOT go back in until he did all his business. At first, these walks lasted closed to an hour, but slowly, the time began to shrink. The end result was a 10 minute pre-bedtime walk where he poops and pees and that's it until the next morning. The faster you correct this the faster your bully will adapt to what YOU want.

We did this last night and she did both, then we played "toys" and went to bed, she still got up. I'll try again tonight..thanks!

 

[Vikinggirl]

You got great advice from everyone above. We take our two guys out for their final walk between 10:30 and 11:00 pm, whenever we go to bed, and we take away their water at 8 pm. We go for a long walk around the block or to the park, in the early evening after dinner, around 7 pm, and they drink water after their walk. They go in their crates when we go to bed, and will sleep until the morning when we take them out at 6:00 am, and then they eat breakfast when they get back at around 6:30 am.

 

[BrooklynStar]

We did this last night and she did both, then we played "toys" and went to bed, she still got up. I'll try again tonight..thanks!

Dogs are creatures of habit. It will take a couple of weeks or even a month but eventually they all "get it". Goodluck!

 

[JennieS]

Dogs are creatures of habit. It will take a couple of weeks or even a month but eventually they all "get it". Goodluck!

Thank you! I'm going to have to be a bit stricter with her in the evenings.

 

[Sheena]

Have you thought about putting her in a crate at night? I know its not fun. But she wont be able to come get you to go outside. Just like everyone said, they are creatures of habit. If you put her in another room and crate her, you wont be able to hear her crying or growling for you to take her out. It sounds like you guys have fun play time at night and that should wear her out so she will sleep through the night. Hopefully anyways lol

 

[JennieS]

Have you thought about putting her in a crate at night? I know its not fun. But she wont be able to come get you to go outside. Just like everyone said, they are creatures of habit. If you put her in another room and crate her, you wont be able to hear her crying or growling for you to take her out. It sounds like you guys have fun play time at night and that should wear her out so she will sleep through the night. Hopefully anyways lol

If I put her in her crate who am I supposed to snuggle with? LOL.

 

[JennieS]

Have you thought about putting her in a crate at night? I know its not fun. But she wont be able to come get you to go outside. Just like everyone said, they are creatures of habit. If you put her in another room and crate her, you wont be able to hear her crying or growling for you to take her out. It sounds like you guys have fun play time at night and that should wear her out so she will sleep through the night. Hopefully anyways lol

We do have fun playtime. We played toss, badminton and "hose" last night. She got up again, but our air conditioner is out and it was uncomfortable for all of us. I might have to toss around the option of crating her at night, it's in the room across the hall and I'll still hear her and I'm a very light sleeper. I'm just going to have to try and sit her down and have a talk with her, she seems like a reasonable dog(hahahahahahaha, I'm sorry, I crack myself up).

 

[Sheena]

We do have fun playtime. We played toss, badminton and "hose" last night. She got up again, but our air conditioner is out and it was uncomfortable for all of us. I might have to toss around the option of crating her at night, it's in the room across the hall and I'll still hear her and I'm a very light sleeper. I'm just going to have to try and sit her down and have a talk with her, she seems like a reasonable dog(hahahahahahaha, I'm sorry, I crack myself up).

hmmmmm I dunno bout the cuddle buddy thing then lol

But who knows she may be like , oh ya mom I totally understand you... Ill get right on that... .. I swear these dogs are so intelligent. They know exactly what they are doing... They def keep us entertained