Whining dogs at night

puppylove44 · 08-09-2007, 02:57 PM

Hello...I have two dogs, a year old male boxer and a 2 year old male black lab. They are neurotic about wanting to be inside at night and we just cant allow it with our 4 year old daughter as they tend to get ahold of her small toys and we dont want them to choke on them. They should be used to sleeping outside since we've raised them both as pups, but they whine and scratch constantly at the door until they simply fall asleep...and start up again as soon as they wake up, usually around 5am. Its been something that has been trying on me these last few months and im at my wits end...Any help or advise woudl be so helpful...I adore my dogs....Hate this behavior! HELP!!

Durbkat · 08-09-2007, 06:49 PM

Crate train them, that way they can be kept in the crate inside at night and won't get into things. Or perhaps just close the door to your daughters room. lol

They may just be hot and want to cool off.

BoxMeIn21 · 08-09-2007, 10:29 PM

Absolutely! Your dogs want to be with their family, not shoved outside. Pick up your daughters toys and/or either crate them or confine them to a room that's inside.

Durbkat · 08-09-2007, 11:19 PM

Even though Snoopy has free run of a sectioned off part of my room he will put his front paws on a container that is in front of my bed to support him when he stands up and he will stare at me in bed and bark till I wake up to feed him. lol Dogs want to be with their pack (family). They probably don't understand why they can be inside during the day and have to be outside at night.

poodleholic · 08-10-2007, 02:06 AM

Dogs are part of the family, and not meant to be left outside, so you might want to ask yourself why you wanted to have dogs in the first place. These are living, feeling creatures, with a need to be with their pack, meaning your family.

Pick up your daughter's toys, or better yet, teach her to do this, and put them in the toybox. She's more than old enough to be taught this. My dogs put their toys away! Otherwise, crate the dogs to keep them safe.

I don't know where you live, but you're telling us that you keep those dogs outside all the time, so they're outside in the cold of winter and the heat of summer, and have been since they were puppies. I don't understand why you even want dogs in your life.

BoxMeIn21 · 08-10-2007, 08:10 AM

On top of that, Boxers are not outside dogs. The have short nasal passages which make it difficult to regulate their own body temperature during extreme temps - believe me, I know all about this, I just had a freak experience with heat stroke with one of my boxers - it's not fun.

Val · 08-10-2007, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poodleholic

I don't understand why you even want dogs in your life.

Last night my dog and I went to our first obedience class. At the end of class the instructor gave us a homework assignment. She said she wanted us to work just 20 minutes a day, minimum 5 days a week on what we'd been learning. She then said "20 minutes a day isn't that much really and if you don't have 20 minutes a day to spend with your dog, then you need to rethink why you have a dog." She said this to the whole class not one person.

Sometimes a broad paint brush is better for the job than a sharp number two pencil. Just a thought.

To Puppylove44 - I wasn't sure from your post so I have a few questions. Are you saying they have always been outside dogs since they were pups? Do they have comfy dog houses where they can go out of the weather? Do you let them come in during the day but put them out at night? If and when they are in the house, how do they act? Well behaved or not? Have you let them sleep in the house before and have just started putting them out for some reason? If so, what was the reason?

Val
(Pepper's mom)

BoxMeIn21 · 08-10-2007, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Val

Sometimes a broad paint brush is better for the job than a sharp number two pencil. Just a thought.

I think that has become my new mantra.

Mdawn · 08-10-2007, 11:13 AM

Crates are wondrous things...

puppylove44 · 08-10-2007, 12:12 PM

Wow, I clearly feel lectured... Let me clear the air... My dogs are a huge part of my life. We spend a lot of time with them. My lab is a competition dock diver so i devote a lot of weekends to him in competition and many nights after work with him on the dock. My boxer also gets plenty of love and play time as he comes with us everywhere we take the lab. My daughter is 4 years old...I dont know if any of you have kids that are judging my decisions (Poodleholic) but 4 year old little girls are prone to being scared of the dark and right now we can't shut her door(a whole different subject for another forum!), and even though she picks up her toys every evening, the dogs can still find a way in and chew up dolls and bouncy balls...Id rather not spend thousands at the vet to have Malibu Barbies head removed from my dogs tummy. Sorry. We''ve tried doggy gates to keep them out of her room but if youve ever owned a boxer then you know that they can jump vertically extremely high...He clears it with no problem. Yes, my husband I both work during the day so the dogs are outside during the day. They come in during the evening hours to spend time with us and go on walks and then go outside at night. They also have full run of the backyard (with a wading pool just for the pups!) and the garage so they are warm and dry during the winter and cool and shaded in the summer (we live in the valley in Oregon- temps hardly reach over 85 but we run fans in the garage during the day just in case). Im well aware of boxers overheating easily which is why we keep fans in the garage and a wading pool outside...it was the only solution when we got him as a STRAY and coudlnt bring ourselves to give him up. Even though we work all day so we have to keep them outside...I just wanted to clear this up for any of you who posted asking why my dogs sleep outside... Im not a bad person and I love my dogs...I was just asking what ya'll thought i might do...Crate training sounds like the most reasonable answer...SO thank you for anyone who offered a solution instead of judging..

.

Val · 08-10-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puppylove44

but 4 year old little girls are prone to being scared of the dark

I'm glad you detailed your problem a little more, very helpful. I do indeed know about little girls and night time problems. My granddaughter lives with us and she is 13 and still needs a night light

In your original post you said the behavior has been "trying on me these last few months". Did the Lab (whom I assume you had first) do this before you got the boxer? I think the crate is probably the best solution but what a big expense for 2 right off the bat. If you think one or another of the dogs is the main problem you could try crating just one (maybe start with the boxer) and then the other and see if that helps. Maybe try and pinpoint who the instigator is and work from there.

Val
(pepper's mom)

Mdawn · 08-10-2007, 01:17 PM

Crates are great. My Lab was a stray...although I hate saying that. He was really abandoned when he was between 3 and 4 months old. I didn't crate him. I confined him to the mud room at night. In hindsight, I don't think that was a great idea.

When we got our Mastiff puppy, I decided I wanted to try crate training and I am REALLY glad that I did. It's a safe environment for them and gives them a place all their own. In time, they start to enjoy being in their crate. At least my Mastiff does. Also, a crate helps them feel more secure because they can still see you, which makes them feel better. Crate training can be easy with some dogs but harder for others. Most dogs probably won't take to it right away. This is what I did when crate training my Mastiff.

*I gave him ALL of his meals in his crate. Including water at first.

*I NEVER let him take naps out of his crate. If he fell asleep on the floor, I'd wake him up and move him along into the crate.

*All of his toys were kept in the crate. So if he wanted one, he had to go inside the crate to get it. At which time, I'd give him a treat. Therefore, associating the crate as something "fun".

*This is the most vital part of crate training. Ignore them when they whine and bark. They most probably will do that at first. Just remember that they will stop eventually. The longest my Mastiff whined and barked was about 2 hours, I believe. But hey, they are whining and barking and scratching now anyway. If they are going to do it, they might as well learn something in the process, right?

This behavior only lasted for about a week in my case, with one incident later on that hasn't been repeated since.

*Finally, I didn't let him out of his crate until he was quiet. If I walked into the room and he started whining upon seeing and wanting out of the crate. I turned and walked right back out of the room. I would try again as soon as he calmed down again.

*Be patient and consistent. The whining will drive you crazy, but at least this whining is "working" toward something.

My Mastiff doesn't "fight" or anything when he has to go in his crate. He walks right in and goes to sleep most times.

Good luck!

puppylove44 · 08-10-2007, 01:36 PM

THANK YOU so much for the helpful hints on crate training. The lab has always had a bit of seperation anxiety and Im not sure why...he's always been with me and i got him at 8 weeks old. The boxer im pretty sure is still anxious from being a stray (we found him at around 3 months old) and is petrified that we'll leave him (and being around the lab doesnt help...Im sure they both add to each others stress). They have a wonderful relationship with one another and they truly are brothers. Im glad they have each other during the day while we are at work...I'll come home at lunch and find them curled up together and it just makes my heart soar...

Thanks again, i'll let you know how it goes

BoxMeIn21 · 08-10-2007, 03:49 PM

You've been given very good advice to go on. Good luck and keep us posted!

poodleholic · 08-13-2007, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puppylove44

Wow, I clearly feel lectured... Let me clear the air... My dogs are a huge part of my life. We spend a lot of time with them. My lab is a competition dock diver so i devote a lot of weekends to him in competition and many nights after work with him on the dock. My boxer also gets plenty of love and play time as he comes with us everywhere we take the lab. My daughter is 4 years old...I dont know if any of you have kids that are judging my decisions (Poodleholic) but 4 year old little girls are prone to being scared of the dark and right now we can't shut her door(a whole different subject for another forum!), and even though she picks up her toys every evening, the dogs can still find a way in and chew up dolls and bouncy balls...Id rather not spend thousands at the vet to have Malibu Barbies head removed from my dogs tummy. Sorry. We''ve tried doggy gates to keep them out of her room but if youve ever owned a boxer then you know that they can jump vertically extremely high...He clears it with no problem. Yes, my husband I both work during the day so the dogs are outside during the day. They come in during the evening hours to spend time with us and go on walks and then go outside at night. They also have full run of the backyard (with a wading pool just for the pups!) and the garage so they are warm and dry during the winter and cool and shaded in the summer (we live in the valley in Oregon- temps hardly reach over 85 but we run fans in the garage during the day just in case). Im well aware of boxers overheating easily which is why we keep fans in the garage and a wading pool outside...it was the only solution when we got him as a STRAY and coudlnt bring ourselves to give him up. Even though we work all day so we have to keep them outside...I just wanted to clear this up for any of you who posted asking why my dogs sleep outside... Im not a bad person and I love my dogs...I was just asking what ya'll thought i might do...Crate training sounds like the most reasonable answer...SO thank you for anyone who offered a solution instead of judging..

.

This is a much different picture than your original post painted. And perhaps I was a bit snappy in my reply, and yes, judgemental. I foster rescues, and do a lot of rehab work with dogs who have been confined to the back yard, or worse, making them very difficult to place in forever homes because of behavioral issues. So, I have just about zero tolerance for people who do this, for the reasons as stated in your first post. Your clarification puts a much different light on things, in particular your committment TO, and enjoyment of your dogs.

I raised two daughters, four years apart in age, and had dogs and cats from the time they were born. Believe me, I know all about dolls and toys and bouncy balls, as well as little girls! I now have two granddaughters, and two grandsons. (Boys have even more little toy parts than girls, if you can believe that!) My dogs' crates have always been kept in my bedroom, and I kept the door closed while they were puppies, and just learning. Once adults, my dogs stayed in my room until I got up, so no need to shut the door. As adults, they've not gotten into things that didn't belong to them, thanks to training. With that said, I also realize there are dogs who will get into things no matter what! These dogs require a certain amount of management (like the foster Shih Tzu who now lives with me permanently. He will shred toilet paper, and other items into teeny, tiny pieces! So, he's kept in his crate with the gate closed, until he's earned freedom of the house while I'm asleep and/or gone).

Getting crates for your dogs is a good choice. Do crate train gradually, especially since they're not babies, and you want them to associate only good things with being crated.

Best of luck to you!

puppylove44 · 08-14-2007, 12:34 PM

Thank you Poodleholic for your clarification as well

Mayhem · 08-15-2007, 10:58 PM

I too have a whining dog and any suggestions would be appreciated....
Generally my two dogs are fab and well behaved. My only problem is my younger black lab who is 9 months old keeps whining at the bottom of the stairs at night.
I'll go to bed and in the early hours she'll start to whine. Sometimes I ignore it because I don't want to reinforce this behaviour but other timesI go downstairs and let her out.Sometimes this is what she wanted but most of the time she seems to just want cuddles. This is fine at any other time than 5am when I'm a shift worker!!
She was originally crated when I first got her and she has my 3 1/2 year old huskyXlab for company with their own comfy beds. I would just like to know a) how can you tell the difference between a "I need the loo mum" whine and a "I want cuddles" whine?
b) what can I do to stop this behaviour?
any suggestions please?

poodleholic · 08-16-2007, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mayhem

I too have a whining dog and any suggestions would be appreciated....
Generally my two dogs are fab and well behaved. My only problem is my younger black lab who is 9 months old keeps whining at the bottom of the stairs at night.
I'll go to bed and in the early hours she'll start to whine. Sometimes I ignore it because I don't want to reinforce this behaviour but other timesI go downstairs and let her out.Sometimes this is what she wanted but most of the time she seems to just want cuddles. This is fine at any other time than 5am when I'm a shift worker!!
She was originally crated when I first got her and she has my 3 1/2 year old huskyXlab for company with their own comfy beds. I would just like to know a) how can you tell the difference between a "I need the loo mum" whine and a "I want cuddles" whine?
b) what can I do to stop this behaviour?
any suggestions please?

Dogs want to be with their people, and that means during the night, too. From day one with me, my dogs sleep in their crates in my bedroom. Some day I might have "real" nightstands! LOL Never had a problem with whining or fussing. Just as a new mom learns what her baby's cries mean, you learn what your dog needs/wants by observing body language, and making note of vocalizations. The simple act of being in the same room with you will likely stop the middle-of-the-night demands for attention.

A 9-month old Lab has a LOT of energy, and if he's not getting enough exercise, that pent-up energy is going to come out in ways you won't like or want. A tired dog is a good dog, as the saying goes!

With two or more dogs, it's important to provide one-on-one time with each dog away from the other. Establishing a daily routine with some structure is very useful and helpful as well. I live by myself with two Standard Poodles, a Shih Tzu, two cats, and frequently have foster dogs and other pets belonging to families fleeing domestic violence. My household would be chaos if I didn't have a daily routine, which helps make the new fosters feel more secure because they get to know what's going to happen. Right now I have 8 animals, 3 of which are fosters who have been w/me nearly 3 months. Just like my own, the fosters go into their crates as I'm getting ready to leave for work. No fuss, no whining, it's just the way it is, and they're comfortable with the routine. They've been provided with mental stimulation through games and/or brief training sessions throughout the day, and enough exercise to release all that energy. Otherwise, we'd all be whining! LOL

puppylove44 · 08-16-2007, 11:49 AM

As a side note- one thing that i've learned with my dogs is that they are VERY hungry in the early morning hours. As the whining got intesivly worse around 4:30 or 5:00am I decided that maybe the poor dears are just hungry...I know my tummy wakes me up when I didnt eat a proper dinner, or ate too early. So I decided to try an experiment. I used to feed the boys two big cups of food when i first woke up- 6:00am...They got used to that and figured if they could wake me up earlier then they would get fed earlier....Tricky little buggers...I'd also give them a cup of food when i got home from work after a walk and say hello to them with a game of fetch (or simply turn on the sprinklers for their own enjoyment!)...My new experiment was to feed them right before I went to bed, usually around 10:00 instead of after i got home from work at 4:00. They slept all night long and didnt wake up until I got in the shower! It worked like a charm! The food seemed to not only satisfy their hunger until later in the morning but also to make them comfy to sleep soundly all night. I'll see in the next few weeks whether this routine will continue to work or if i have just gotten lucky- so i'll keep all you sleep deprived parents updated!

Veltish · 08-16-2007, 12:29 PM

i havent had to try this becausem crating was successful almost instantly with my pups( GOT VERY LUCKY). but i had a TON of peopel tell me that when crating is a BIG problem and your dog hates it.. try associating it with them getting one of thier favorite things once they go in. a bunch of people said at night all they have to do is bring out the "special" toy or treat and the dog goes straight to the crate and lays down. and then they give it to them. and ONLY give them the "special" treat or toy at night.

some of the special things were of course..a kong filled with thier fav. goodies. or a special bone. one person even said they used a normal dog bone rolled in thier favorite treats smashed up into crumbs.

goodluck!