Honey=Randomly Crying in the Night--Me=Going Insane!

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#1
I have no idea what is going on with Honey but it needs to stop or I am going to go insane. Sunday (7/27) she got a bath so I let her out potty before the bath at like 8pm and then didn't put her back out again as I didn't want her rolling in the dirt. So in the middle of the night (2am or so) she started crying to go potty. Ok I totally understood as generally she gets to go around 11pm and is good until morning--so I let her out--she went both #1 and #2--put her back in her crate (which is on the opposite side of the house)--no problems.

Monday night she cried again around 2am--let her out potty she went--I thought maybe her schedule was just off.

Tuesday my husband had a rock show so we didn't get home until 2am--we let the dogs out and Honey again cried around 4am--this time my husband got up and let her out--and she would not go potty.

Ever since then it has been every night--and it is no longer a potty cry--she will cry non stop for hours and nothing deters it---I have tried moving her crate out to the garage (as this tactic worked with our other dog)--but she just cries louder. I have tried a spritz of water to the face---45 minutes later right back to crying. We have tried to ignore but endless hours of crying are ridiculous. Last night it got so bad we ended up putting her in my car in the garage with the window open....she still cried but at least it was quiet enough to get some sleep!

I can't take it anymore! She isn't sick as she is eating, pooping, peeing and playing during the day fine. She is acting normal except for this crying bit. Maybe some anxiety meds (although I think I need them now too!) She has never done this before and we have had her for a year and a half.

Any advice? Please!
 

Ilyena

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#2
Get some earplugs and let her cry it out. If you give her any attention, even if it's just yelling at her to be quiet, it's still attention which is what she wants. If she needs to go potty, you should try to take her out keeping it very low-key and uninteresting before she starts crying or once she's quiet and calm. Once you've given her that chance, put her back in the crate and ignore her.

Does she get any exercise just before bedtime? It might help to give her a longer walk, training session or something else to get her really tired. That worked miraculously with my pup when he started waking up at odd hours during the night.
 

lizzybeth727

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#3
^^^^^Agreed. Ear plugs are a must-have training tool.

Unfortunately she learned that crying gets her to go outside. I know there was nothing you could've done to change those one or two instances, but that's apparently all it took to teach her that crying gets her good stuff.
 

Giny

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#4
Are you sure it isn't a health issue?

I'm just asking because this is what my dog, Boomer, did a while before he was diagnosed with is illness. He acted ok during the day but had me getting up a few times every night to go potty. He also did the same when he had a UTI. I think getting Honey checkout by the vet wouldn't be a bad idea, just to be on the safe side.

If this would have been a puppy beginning with training then I might agree with trying to ignore it, but this was a trained dog who just started a new behavior.
 
R

RedyreRottweilers

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#6
I would DEFINITELY have her checked for a UTI right away!!!

If you have ever had one, you will know they are VERY PAINFUL, and cause you to have to urinate much more frequently.
 
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#7
If a UTI was suspected wouldn't she need to go potty more often? She hasn't been having any accidents or asking to go out any more often during the day--also the one time I actually heard her cry for 3 hours straight she didn't have any accidents. I'm not that isn't what it is but it seem strange that it is just crying at night and it doesn't seem to be happening when she actually has to potty or during the day.

Part of the problem is that I am a very light sleeper--even on the complete other side of the house and with the door closed and fan on I can still hear the slightest peep....
 

Giny

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#9
With Boomer's UTI asking to go out at night was the only indication notifying me that he had a problem. He didn't show any noticeable signs during the day.
 

lizzybeth727

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#11
Yeah, I'm not sure it is a UTI, but it would be a good idea to rule that out anyway. A lot of vets will let you bring in a urine sample you "collect" yourself and test it without you having to actually bring your dog in, saving the office visit fees.... and hassles. Shouldn't cost much, and it's worth the peace of mind.
 

Sch3Dana

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#12
I would also worry about a possible health issue so it's always safe to get her looked over at the vet. How old is she? Another likely scenario is that her exercise needs have increased as she grows up (I'm assuming she's youngish) and she is still getting little puppy exercise throughout the day. When this happens, the maturing puppy all of the sudden has too much pent up energy to sleep well at night. You might try a long exercise session in the evening to see if this helps, too.

Also, have you made any other changes that may have upset her routine- new schedule, new food, new crate, new visitor, etc. Some dogs are pretty sensitive to change so you may want to think a bit about this.
 
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#13
Well the crying seems to have mostly stopped--we decided to take a new tactic two nights ago. I gave her one of her stressed small dog treats (they are to relax with herbs)--gave her a pair of my worn shorts to sleep with and put her bed back in (which I hadn't been doing due to thinking she was going to have accidents.
That night--nothing!
Last night she just got her bed--and no problems!

Maybe she really missed her bed however there have been many nights when she hasn't gotten it as generally if she didn't go potty at the last out I wouldn't give it to her (as sometimes she used to potty on it in the night. She's been pretty good lately though.

bubbatd-no dogs in the bed ever for us--that was a rule we made form the getgo of having dogs and have stuck to it. I want one place in my house to be fur free, warm body free--and quite frankly dog free.
 

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