Good morning.

I'm looking for some advice.  I have a 19 week labrador pup that is barking very early in the morning.  Although I don't mind this too much myself, I have thin walls between us and my neighbours and I'd really like to try and deal with the barking as I'm really uncomfortable with disturbing them so much!

She usually has her last toilet visit between 10 - 11pm, and the time that she starts barking in the morning really can vary although it's usually around 5am.  This morning it was at 4.20 which is the reason why I'm starting to worry about disturbing the neighbours!  For this reason, I can't leave her to bark until I'm ready to get up.  She isn't allowed upstairs for a couple of reasons, so that's not an option.  I've also been trying the alarm clock training the last few mornings although this is proving difficult as her wake up times vary so much that she woken up before the alarm a couple of times.  If I get up whenever she barks to minimise barking then I'm concerned that this will train her to bark for attention at whatever time in the morning that she wants it. 

So currently I'm getting up at 5 - if she barks earlier as she did this morning then I leave her to bark until 5 - and then take her out to the garden for a toilet visit.  I don't make a fuss when she gets out of her crate and we come straight back in as soon as she has been to the toilet.  I was putting her back in the crate and going back to bed but she would then continually bark so I had to stop doing that.  Although I'm happy to have less sleep while she is a puppy I was getting quite tired so I found that the way I could get the most sleep was to give her some breakfast after her 5am toilet trip and then she would go straight back to sleep until half 6/7.  But now she has woken up before 5 a couple of times and I fear that I have made the situation worse with the early breakfast!

Ive added blackout lining to the the curtains and tried feeding her late at night, and walking her late in the evening.  She has two walks a day and then between these walks I keep her stimulated with training and games.  I don't think that she has separation anxiety as although I'm around most of the time, I try to go out every day at some point without her so she doesn't get reliant on my company.  She doesn't bark much during the day and if I leave the room she rarely barks or whines.  She also goes happily into her crate at bedtime without a fuss.  I'd be grateful for any advice and thank you very much for any thoughts you might have!

This young I would not leave her to bark, as this is young for full bladder  control.

By taking her straight out with minimal interaction, quick pee and back to bed.

If you leave her to bark she will be more awake/upset so less likely  to settle back down.

Hi - thanks for your reply!  I have tried this for several mornings but she doesn't settle when I put her back to bed unfortunately!

Can you not push your bedtime wee forward an hour or two ?

You can always nap in the evening / morning to catch up.

Does she still bark if let out of her crate after her 5 am wee ? I found with mine she woulld settle better out of.her crate after a nights sleep. .Maybe going to bed an hour.later might help Otherwise I would get up when she does.and slowly just like kids they learn to sleep longer. Mine  who are adults wake about 7 when.the neighbours take their.dog out not much chance of sleep after that

Thanks for the replies.  A later last toilet trip hasn't helped and I'm a bit nervous about letting her sleep out of the crate as I'll be worrying about the mischief that she might be causing downstairs.  Plus I don't think she will settle as the cat is pretty active around that time!  I think I might just have to do as you suggest, furriefriends, and get up with her.  I think that perhaps we'll be having a few nice sunrise walks!

I can understand ur concern especially  with a cat to play with lol . I know u said upstairs wasn't possible but u had one like this and eventually well gave in amd she slept upstairs with us and the other two.nit a peep after that.she is still a velcro dog without separation anxiety and is now 5 years old.  Would it be possible for her to have a night time crate by your bed ?

Thanks furriefriends.  Having her upstairs is the last option really so I think getting up with her will have to be the way forward!

Good luck seems like u are doing a very good job . I must admit it was my last thought to,every other dog I had settled well in their crates but this one had different ideas. But then she has continued  to be different !! Also a gundog but an fcr

Thanks!  She's fab otherwise - really pleased with her. A fcr - lovely

When my girl was a pup I'd get up at about 6 take her out to the toilet bring her in and do her first feed then I'd lay on the sofa and go back to sleep. Normaly she would want to come up on the sofa with me and would settle down and sleep (well after a little bit of lets eat my owner). Or if not I'd dangle a toy on the floor while I half slept
You could try things like a radio on quietly, a puppy pen with a treat ball if you wanted to go back to bed.

Great - thanks.  This is my first pup so I'm nervous about leaving her unsupervised, but perhaps I need to be a bit braver!