No Sleep!!!

[Payton]

Someone please help...my Yorkies 3 years and the other 9 months, have deceided that they want to wake up at 2 a.m. and 5 a.m to eat. (EVERY MORNING) Trust me..they get more than thier share before bedtime. I am loosing my wits end with them, can someone tell me how to break them of this habit? I am loosing sleep because I don't fall back asleep right away....they are KILLING me....

[Morkie4]

Originally Posted by Payton

Someone please help...my Yorkies 3 years and the other 9 months, have deceided that they want to wake up at 2 a.m. and 5 a.m to eat. (EVERY MORNING) Trust me..they get more than thier share before bedtime. I am loosing my wits end with them, can someone tell me how to break them of this habit? I am loosing sleep because I don't fall back asleep right away....they are KILLING me....

Don't leave any food out for them to eat! ..........take them for a short walk and get them tired before going to bed. Just some suggestions.

[MIZBROWN]

I think Morkie4 had some good suggestions. I'd say just let them play more before bedtime, and maybe that can help tire them out and definately dont free feed. You should set their eating times, not vice versa... Good luck

[Payton]

I don't leave food out at all...they wake me up by jumping and doing laps on my body....arghhhhh =(

[anthroboi]

Let them jump and move around and ignore them...if you feed them, then you're just reinforcing their behaviour. They'll still do it for a few days and then they'll realize that it won't work and will probably stop. Otherwise, start putting them in a crate at night. Not a quick fix, but nothing ever is with dogs

[MIZBROWN]

Ok... gotcha... well, I mean do you tell them no. Meka sometimes gets up at tries to jump on my bed, but I tell her no, night-night time (lol) and she goes back to her bed and waits until the fam gets up. She has access to water and her pad during the night... but she has two feedings, one for breakfast and one for dinner and nowhere in between except for snacks or a treat for doing good... so I guess Im a little confused on why they do that

[Felina]

I take mine for a long walk after dinner then don't let them catnap before bedtime in the evening. One last potty break before getting in their sleeping crates and they should be tired enough to sleep through till morning. At least that's what works with my guys.

[Mere_de_Jambo]

Aside from scheduled feedings, you should crate or have them in a blocked off area during sleep times. I prefer to not lock the door of my dog's crate though there is nothing wrong with this. He is confined in the kitchen area with gates with his toys, bed, and litter box during sleep time. You have two, so they should be quite content playing with each other if they are not sleepy in their designated area. I am sure they will not like this at first but they will get it that when lights are out this is where they need to be. I saw an episode of "It's Me or the Dog" on Animal Planet where the Yorkie ruled the house. The Yorkie slept next to the woman and her husband had to sleep on the couch because the Yorkie would get very aggressive and would not allow anyone else next to the woman on the bed. To solve the problem, the trainer put a gate at the bedroom door and the Yorkie had a bed right outside. She suggested not closing the bedroom door so the dog would see that his mommy was there. He barked and cried for a while but eventually got that his place was his bed outside the gate. Hmmm to think of it, I'm not sure what they did when the couple wanted alone time but any way this type of thing may be for you so you can get some sleep.

[Payton]

Thanks for all the reply's...I let my fur babies sleep with me, so I will try the walk thing, and make sure they do not sleep too much during the day. Its something they started doing about a month ago when I got back from overseas...