[Vampiric Conure]

I grew up with sighthounds, so I rarely had to deal with barking. Myrrh is my first non sighthound dog, being a mix of everything under the sun. She's 11 weeks old and a real cutie. She's getting better with her play biting... except when I'm in the bedroom, trying to sleep. She launches herself at the bed and snaps at whatever she can get her teeth on. Feet, fingers, and on occasion, my, errr, chest. The play biting I can handle. It's the barking that annoys me, especially since I live in an apartment. She seems to initiate play biting only in the bedroom and tends to bark while doing it... at 3 am.

I would kennel her, but she screams when in it, so she is allowed in the bedroom with me. We're working on kennel training. It's a painfully slow process but she's getting better at being in it.

What am I doing wrong? Ideas? Suggestions? Will she grow out of the barking? (Please God, say yes, LOL!). She is a good dog. Just young

 

[Lillith]

Most likely, yes, she will grow out of it. But the only suggestion I have is kenneling her...her barking is most likely demand barking to get you to get up and play. And I imagine the combination of biting you and barking is successful in waking you up and getting you to interact with her on some level.

I suggest ear plugs, putting her in her crate, and ignoring her. You can move the crate into the bedroom temporarily if you think it will help (it sounded like your crate is outside the bedroom). Yes, it will be loud and annoying but that's just part of having a puppy. It will get worse before it gets better, but she has to learn that sleep time is not play time, and she can't expect you to get up.

 

[Bluemoods]

I agree, night time is crate time. Of course as a puppy, she will need to potty during the night but, that's out to the potty place and back in the crate, no play time. Also stop playing with her when you are in bed, she has to learn that when her human is in that bed, her human will not play or pay attention to her for any reason other than to take her potty.

During the day, crate or leashed to you PERIOD, it helps with both crate and potty training and, tires the puppy out a bit since they have to follow you everywhere while you're home. The idea is that by bed time, she has had it with following you, she's ready for some down time and, happy to rest in her crate until she needs to potty.

You'll be surprised how fast the crate becomes her den, her place to go relax when she doesn't want to be bothered, her safe haven.

 

[Vampiric Conure]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I will move the crate to the bedroom then and crate her during the night. My hands and feet thank you for it