11 month old lab - Morning barking

[killerz298]

So my 11 month old lab used to be a pleasure at night as he would be put in his crate at night and he would be silent until we came down in the morning (at whatever time). However for the last 3-4 weeks he has been a serious pain in the ass. He starts barking and whining around 4:45-5 in the morning and will not stop until I go down there and even if I do as soon as I go back up he starts up again. I tried ignoring him but I get up at 6:30 for work and he will keep it up until that time.

Any suggestions as to the cause and how to get him to stop this? I tried feeding him later at night to see if maybe he was hungry in the morning but that didn't help. It doesn't matter what time he is taken out at night sometimes even at 1:30 AM he still does it.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

what level of exercise is he getting? He is still young--and labs really need to run down their energy levels.

 

[Charliesmommy]

Sounds like he has you trained very well. He barks, you come.

If you are sure he is just barking for attention, and not because he needs to go out, ignore him. You will have a few sleepless mornings but he will soon figure out that his barking is not going to get him out of the crate.

Do NOT let him out while he is barking. Wait until he is quiet and then let him out.

 

[killerz298]

Sounds like he has you trained very well. He barks, you come.

If you are sure he is just barking for attention, and not because he needs to go out, ignore him. You will have a few sleepless mornings but he will soon figure out that his barking is not going to get him out of the crate.

Do NOT let him out while he is barking. Wait until he is quiet and then let him out.

I am certain it is because he wants attention and not for any other pressing need. As I said, I tried ignoring him but he will go straight through 4:45-6:30 am when I get up to go to work so ignoring him past that point isn't really an option. As for the exercise, he isn't getting as much as he should but he is getting more now than he was a few months ago when he wasn't doing this. Besides giving him more exercise (which isn't possible currently) what else can I try?

 

[squirtsmom]

Are you sure the dog do esn't have to potty in the morning when he/she does this?

 

[killerz298]

Are you sure the dog do esn't have to potty in the morning when he/she does this?

He might WANT to go but he certainly doesn't HAVE to go. Even if I take him out and then go back upstairs he will start up again 45 mins to an hour later. It is absolutely that he wants attention.

 

[2dogmom]

Is there any possibility that one of your neighbors is out and about at that early hour? I know someone who is utterly embarrassed over the fact that she gets up to go to work at 5 AM and hears her neighbor dogs barking even though they are out in the country and far away.

 

[killerz298]

Is there any possibility that one of your neighbors is out and about at that early hour? I know someone who is utterly embarrassed over the fact that she gets up to go to work at 5 AM and hears her neighbor dogs barking even though they are out in the country and far away.

We thought he could be hearing something outside or maybe the cats. But I don't see why he has to continue to bark though. We are going to try leaving a radio on or something and see if that helps.

 

[T&D's Mum]

One of my pups started doing this and eventually we got him the citronella collar which seems to be working. Unfortunately, we have neighbours who are very close by and I can't afford to allow barking for go on for a long time.

 

[Fran27]

My dogs used to do the same thing in the morning. Can't you let him sleep out of his crate? As long as he's housetrained it's best, IMO... for you and him.

I stopped crating my two at night when they were 6 months old, haven't regretted it once since.

 

[girlbuffalo1]

Is there anywhere where you can put him that the barking won't drive you mad? Wrigley tried to pull this stunt a few times as a pup and when I had figured out it wasn't for potty. I would get up not look at him or talk to him and pick up his crate and put it in the far corner of the garage--which is as physically far as he could get and still be in the house--and pitch black. Not suprisingly I only had to do this about 2-3 times and he never whined in his crate again........

 

[killerz298]

My dogs used to do the same thing in the morning. Can't you let him sleep out of his crate? As long as he's housetrained it's best, IMO... for you and him.

I stopped crating my two at night when they were 6 months old, haven't regretted it once since.

We have started leaving him out of his crate and so far he hasn't been making noise until 6:30 (prob when he hears me get up). I will give it a little longer and see what happens.

 

[killerz298]

Well he seems to be behaving himself now. He isn't barking at all or not at least until 6:30ish which is fine. He also hasn't destroyed anything so I am very happy about his progress. We now leave him out of the crate (still confined to the kitchen) at all times.

 

[Baxter'smybaby]

congrats to you!! I hope he continues to behave himself!!

 

[killerz298]

congrats to you!! I hope he continues to behave himself!!

Unfortunately this week he has suffered some setbacks. The past two days he decided he would snack on some molding and this morning he decided he would help himself to a cantaloupe. He ate half the cantaloupe rind and all and cleaned out all the seeds in the middle. He ws fine until about 30 mins ago when he threw some of it up. His stomach will prob bother him for a day or two.

 

[bubbatd]

Sounds to me like he's ready for free rein of the house ! He wants to sleep with you !

 

[killerz298]

Sounds to me like he's ready for free rein of the house ! He wants to sleep with you !

There is NO WAY this guy can be trusted around things in range yet (socks, shoes, remotes, etc...) The limit to his behavior is when there is nothing in his reach. :lol-sign:

 

[kidsanddogs]

Is there any way you can put the crate with you in the bedroom? I find that my dogs feel much more secure next to my bed, in or out of crates, and always let us sleep well into the normal hours of the morning.