my 5 month old puppy has recently started waking up at 3.45am

my puppy was the same. but youve made it so much worse by lettin him sleep in your bed and going down to him when he cries. with mine I was strict from the start.. I laid newspaper down for her so she could pee in the night when she needed to. I took her water away 2 hres before bed time to stop her needing to go so much during the night. she had a radio on a talkinging station all night (just quietly) to keep her company. I put a tshirt of mine in her cage to calm her. she cried for about 3 weeks when we first got her and it drove me mad plus I was shattered and very teary :( but if you stick to a routine… keep the dog in its own room or space. play and fun for a good hour before bed time to knoacker him out… long walk maybe with a ball or frisby. thats what I do with my 2 dogs. long walk with lots of running then dinner.. garden before bed zzz 2 very conked out dogs lol! could you maybe put the crate in a penn? then he can leave the crait and have a play but not leave the penn? I leave mine in the utlity room with the cage door open and all her toys areound and a chew bone so she can come out and plant and go back to her bed. mine is 7 months ols and she held her bladder at 5 months… try leaving him to cry.. apologies to next door but I recoon maybe after 3 days he will stop :).

I’ve got 2 puppies so need any extra advice just ask :)

Mine held his bladder at a few months, and since yours had been previously holding it in, I would guess he can too. Either he has some kind of infection and is letting you know something is physically wrong, or this is simply a behavioral problem and you’ve reinforced bad behavior. Now I dont really get the whole concept of locking a dog up in a cage, but I suppose that is besides the point, if there isnt a physical problem, then you need to go back to tolerating the crying (again this would probably be solved if you wouldnt lock the dog in a cage but just let it sleep on the floor by your bed). Buy some ear plugs. You need to start all over again. And this isnt your dogs fault. I know its tough to stay firm, but if you give in, even a little, you let the dog know that you’ll give in again, and so the dog keeps pushing it. This is more about your training than his (behavioral training is always toughest for the person who has to instill it, just ask parents dealing with behavioral problems!)

Thank you 4 your advice. My confusion is that he can hold his bladder through the night as he had done for the previous month (or possibly longer) as he would go to bed between 10.30-11.30pm and sleep through til 6.30-7 the next morning. Its only last night and the night before that he has began waking so much earlier. He used to have all the things like a ticking clock, a hot water bottle, the telly on low etc and we gradually took each of them away and for 3-4 weeks he has slept with just his blanket and a couple of chew toys all night.

It just seems like he has gone back over as he was doing so well. When I got him he cried loads when he was put to bed and early in the morning and during the night. Its really getting me down as I cant go through all the crying like I did in the beginning, and my partner is not very tolerante to the crying.

Again thank you for your responses. Last night he woke me up at 3am, I tried just leaving him to cry for nearly 30mins but it was getting louder and louder and I had to go down to him in the end as he had woken my neighbours. I let him have a wee then tried puttin him back in his create (which I must say he likes and is very happy in there) which resulted I more crying. After 15-20 mins I went and got him and allowed him to sleep on the floor in our bedroom- which took about 20 minutes to stop him from jumping up to try and get on the bed. As I have said many times im confused by the whole situation as it just came out of the blue as he had been settled during the night for at least a month, and never woke me up at this time.

He’s plenty old enough to hold his urine at 5 months. You’re re-enforcing the behavior, by letting him stay up and then both of you sleeping on the couch…I would have gotten up with him, just like you…thinking that he had to go potty…that’s fine and good for you!!…BUT, once he’s been outside, and done his business, it’s back to bed…period, end of story.

Everytime you allow him to keep you up…You’re going to have to let him cry it out for a night after you’ve brought him back in…He’s attempting to set his own schedule…and that’s not going to work…

p

dogs are pack animals. it doesn’t surprise me that he wants to be with you - especially at his age. I would put his crate in your bedroom. eventually seperate him into another room. it might all be too much for him to understand or accomplish all at once. take puppy steps.