Morning!

I picked up my lovely chunky lab puppy this weekend :-D  (still not 100% on a name yet, awful I know, but he responds very well to 'puppy'!).  He is on the whole, a wonderful fun loving, laid back little man.  I've been using a crate for him overnight.  He's been getting used to it in small doses and happily goes in there at night (even of his own accord when he needs a snooze).  He's been sleeping through from about 11pm until 5am, which is fabulous... far better than expected.  When he wakes at 5, he makes a bit of a grumble and I've been rushing downstairs to let him outside to do his business.  It seems only fair, if he goes 6 hours without an accident, I feel I really should respond asap when he wakes up. 

I've never had a pup who is this good at sleeping through and staying clean.  My other 2 have slept for short amounts of time, made terrible messes... and lay in until 8 or later.  So after he's done his business at 5, i've been making a small fuss of him (as a congratulations), then popping him back in his crate as I feel 5am is a little too early to start the day.  However he has other ideas and SCREAMS (this is no whining like I've heard before!) - today for 2.5 hours, almost non-stop!!!!  I really don't know how is best to handle this situation.... once he starts screaming, I am reluctant to come downstairs until he stops.

So here are my questions:
Should I play with him and spoil him after his 5am toileting?  Then pop him back in his crate when he's sleepy again?
Should I just get up and assume he'll grow out of these early starts?
Should I perhaps feed him at this time, hoping he doesn't then expect 5am feeds for the rest of his life?
Or should I carry on... and buy some good earplugs?

One other thing too... he has the attention span of a lemon when he's playing, so how on earth can he focus on screaming for 2.5hours!!!!!!? 

Still think he's lovely though... honest :-o

> (still not 100% on a name yet, awful I know, but he responds very well to 'puppy'!)

My Mum has a 16 year old Puppy - be careful, it might stick!!

At his age your boy is doing very well to get through til 5am.  Over the next few weeks you'll find that his timings will shift as he adjusts to his new surroundings and routine so whatever you plan may well be different by this time next week.

I wouldn't leave him shouting that long but your choices are governed by personal preference and circumstances.  Do you work?  If not, you can stay up with him for a while and then you can both go back to bed later if it suits.  Another option if you really want to get back to bed is to anticipate him waking and get up 30 minutes before.  If you catch him whilst he's still sleepy he is more likely to go back to bed after his morning wee.

The truth of it is that he is ready to get up - he's had a long enough sleep and wants to get out and play.  As he gets older he'll sleep longer but for now it's probably worth adjusting a little to his timings.  My youngest was nearly 6 months before we could get him past 6am.  I would take him out for a wee, do a few training exercises such as sit and walking to heel then we'd go back in.  I'd sleep on the sofa for a while with him tucked behind my knees.  That way I'd get some sleep, he'd get some comfort BUT I could react immediately if he stirred.  When you're tired you do whatever you need to to get some extra sleep!!

Good luck

Thanks for your reply.  I do have a short list of 'real' names, so I'm hopeful he won't be 'puppy' forever.

I don't mind getting up with him at 5am.... if that's what he needs.  I just thought that it may stick, and I'll spend the rest of my life getting up at 5!  Also, I wasn't happy about letting him scream for so long... it was awful... but once he started, I didn't feel I could reward that by giving in? 

I guess it'll just take some adjustment as my other two really aren't morning dogs!!!

You will find that you will develop your routine over the next few weeks so just go with the flow and see how you both fit in to it !

So what is the short list now for names ?

I hope so!!

As for the names... initially we tried Cyril, but I found it quite difficult to get my mouth round for some reason (I developed a temporary lisp, and that thing where you can't pronounce 'r' properly!  so ended up calling 'thiwill')... so that was certainly no good.  The past 2 days he's been Melvin (as I came across a few too many called Cosmo).  He really does seem like a Melvin.  But someone yesterday suggested Angus which I think is brilliant... he is a Scottish pup after all :-D  I hope he doesn't have an identity crisis...

Angus sounds good ! Thiwill ! RFLOL !

I love Angus.

I have always wanted a dog called Hamish but it doesn't suit a Papillon.
I may have to buy a Westie or Scottie in years to come!

Angus is a great name! :-)

Don't worry about the early mornings - he will grow out of it. My 12 week old flatcoat woke this morning at 5.20, went out for a wee and poo, had his breakfast then played until 6.30 while I lay on the settee. Then we went back up to bed, popped him in his crate and we slept until 8.30 (lucky that I don't have to go to work or else I would be exhausted!).

His older 'brother' who is 1 year old next week was the same, up at 5.30 every morning and would scream if put back in his crate, so I just had to lie downstairs until he went back to sleep. He now sleeps until whatever time we get up, so they do grow out of it. It doesn't help that OH's alarm goes off at about 5.10 - the older dogs don't bother but it wakes the puppy up and once he's awake that's it! However at weekends we might have a lie in until 7 and the dogs (including puppy if he's had a toilet break in the night) will sleep until we get up. It does also help if they're still sleepy, and if it's still dark - if he grumbles at about 4 and I take him out, he will go back to sleep. I now know the difference between his 'I need the toilet' noises and his 'I'm bored now and want to get up and run around' noises! ;-)

So in answer to your questions :
yes - play with him and wait until he's ready to back to sleep
yes - he will grow out of it
yes - he may be hungry and will sleep instead of scream if he's been fed (my older one doesn't have breakfast until 8ish now but was the same)
no - don't leave him to scream for 2.5 hours, it's not helping, you, him, or your neighbours!

Good luck and enjoy Puppy - I too had a list of names but we finally settled on Quincy :-)

I would try feeding Thiwill (sorry, but that name is now forged  lol)

While puppies are still at home with mum, usually the routine is as follows...

Mum goes out for widdles and poo, then pups go to meet and greet, widdle, poo and a little play... then all pups go back into playpen for breakfast.. this is regardless of time... it may be that he is expecting his breakfast..

I would place a little of his breakfast into his crate with him, just to settle him down, (saving a most of breakfast for later) .. this may help with the transition stage..

He will of course, be missing his litter mates..

Angus is a great name, I think you should go with that.  Sounds like you have a lovely puppy  & he's doing so well already, keep up the good work!

I had a small cage in my bedroom, once puppy had woken up in the morning and been out for the toilet I would take him to bed with me and put him in the small cage next to my bed he seemed to settle down ok after that.  Either that or breakfast stuffed in a kong keeps them amused :)

know how you are feeling , I have a litter of 4 6wk old puppies waking up at around 2ish so I give them a drink of lactol to tide them over they have a play then usually back to sleep until around 5.45 I hang on as long as I can then give them another little drink turn out the light and plug my ears as all I can hear is them ripping newspaper and wrestling (I sleep in the same room) they eventually fall back asleep getting up for breakfast around 7-8 depending on them.

Only thing I would say is dont play or talk with him for his toilet break as it wakes them up.

Angus is a brilliant name!!

> I had a small cage in my bedroom, once puppy had woken up in the morning and been out for the toilet I would take him to bed with me and put him in the small cage next to my bed he seemed to settle down ok after that.  Either that or breakfast stuffed in a kong keeps them amused

OH goes to work at this time and at 3 years my boy still likes to sneak a cuddle at 5am....and I let him!
It was a crate, then the matress, now it is, (oh  bad mistress), my bed he climbs up and I pretend not to notice!!!

I love Angus as well, very manly!

I was wondering if he was used to getting a morning feed at about that sort of time with the breeder. :-D

Scottie lovely Fergus is good or Hamish. Our first dog (I was 5) was a scottie dog called Sweepie we used to have to take her for a drag, she was 100% my Mum's so we dragged her up the road and she then ran all the way home to Mum!!! Beautiful dog though a brindle.

Hi,
I have Tarn's litter brother so a 12 week old flatcoat, he wakes between 5 and 6, I take him out then fill his kong with half his breakfast and put him back in his crate with that. He usually settles back for 1-2 hrs depending on whether its a work day or not. We have his crate in the living room so I usually lay on the settee sshing him till I lull myself back to sleep!

I was wondering if he was used to getting a morning feed at about that sort of time with the breeder. :-D

so are you saying I should just blame the breeder!? :-D :-D :-D 

Thanks for the advice everyone... guess I just need to give him time to adjust before settling into a routine. 

> I was wondering if he was used to getting a morning feed at about that sort of time with the breeder. :-D
>
> so are you saying I should just blame the breeder!? :-D :-D :-D 
>
>

Definitely. ;-) :-D

>> I was wondering if he was used to getting a morning feed at about that sort of time with the breeder. :-D
>>
>> so are you saying I should just blame the breeder!? :-D :-D :-D 
>>
>>
> Definitely. ;-) :-D

Huh!!!... thats Munrogirl struck off my Christmas card list lol...

Pst.. CVL... she also wore earplugs on her weekend stay a few weeks ago.. ;-)   so don't listen to her :-P

> Pst.. CVL... she also wore earplugs on her weekend stay a few weeks ago.. ;-)   so don't listen to her :-p

I'm an earplug fanatic. :-p

Tell you what - much quieter than the kids and yapping Yorkie next door to me. :-D

Just had a thought - DAP doesn't work for everyone - or should I say every dog :-D - but might be worth a try. Personally I use the spray on the bedding, not the plug in or collars. :-)

oooh didn't know it came in a spray, that's not a bad idea.  can you get it in your usual pet shops? 

bit of an update though... for the past four nights he's been sleeping until 6.20am!!!  I feel normal again... it's amazing the difference an hour and a bit makes :-D  can't believe how predictable his body clock is though... unless someone's making a noise outside...

I don't know about pet shops - possibly - but you can certainly order it online. I got mine here:

http://www.vet-medic.com/pd_DAP+Spray+60ml_DAPS1.htm

Glad he's letting you sleep a bit longer - what a kind puppy. :-D

I have a one year old lab,poppy.We got her at 6 weeks and was told the best thing was to leave her at night even if she screamed.I just couldn't do it,after all she'd been used to companionship and warmth all day and night.She didn't have a crate then and was probably disorientated by the strange smells and so on of her new home.When she went into her bed for the night and started screaming,i waited a couple of minutes and then went in but ignored her and walked about the kitchen so she knew i was there and went out and shut the door.Next time i waited a bit longer and repeated the excercise.She settled down well that night,sleeping til about 4 o'clock and crying loudly again.I took her to the garden for a wee and then straight back to bed keeping quiet but a little strroke on her ear.Second night ,more or less the same.Third night,silence.I couldn't believe it,i lay awake all night nearly waiting for her to cry out and she didn't ,bless her and hasn't since.We got a crate for her to help with house training and when she was chewing,but she's stopped that since her teeth all came through and settled in.