# Getting through the night



## suem56 (Nov 23, 2015)

Hi - I'm looking for some advice re my 14 week old puppy Dexter, who has been doing really well with his toilet training but has had a set-back. I know 14 weeks is still young, but I didn't want to let bad habits set in if it's something that should be nipped in the bud, so to speak.
He's been fairly reliably using the bells for a few weeks now to let me know when he needs to go out, so hardly any accidents during the day. We had been putting him to bed after a last toilet around 10.30pm, and giving him a wee break around 3am, but a couple of weeks ago tried letting him go through the night, and just going down when he wakes (which is usually 6.15 - 6.40 ish - at least that's when we hear him yap). And that worked fine for over a week. He didn't even want to wee straight away. Once he'd calmed down (always goes totally bananas when we go down to let him out of his crate) and we take him outside, he was having a poo but not a wee. But about 5 days ago we came down and he'd weed in his crate, and he did this for the next 3 nights. No sign of anything different during the day to indicate a problem with control. We then tried a 4am wee break, and came down to a dry crate - and next night left him to go through again, but he weed again. So it's as though after more than a week he's just lost the capacity to hold it overnight. Pretty sure he's weeing straight away on waking instead of barking and then waiting for us to let him out. He doesn't seem to mind sitting in it 
:-(
I should mention that he's never been all that happy in his crate. We followed all the advice to acclimatise him, and he will happily go in there during the day for a nap - but hates it as soon as we close the door. I've tried the gradual separation advice but he really can't bear being left alone and still follows me from room to room.
My concern with re-introducing the wee break and gradually making it later and later is that once it gets past, say 5am, he won't go back to sleep - and because he'd go nuts if we locked him in his crate again, we'll then be forced to stay up! If we could crack the crate and separation issues then I wouldn't mind getting up at 5 as long as I could go back to bed!
Am i just expecting too much at 14 weeks?


----------



## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

Yes I would say you are expecting too much at 14 weeks and if he hates the crate so much can you get a puppy pen or move the crate upstairs so he is with you in which case he might be happier in the crate. 

Otherwise I think he still needs breaks overnight at the moment I am afraid - he is still very much a baby though


----------



## suem56 (Nov 23, 2015)

Thanks for that. 
Hubby doesn't want him in the bedroom, and also I'm trying to prepare for longer term when we will need to leave him alone for short periods and want him to be content. Being happy in the crate will be really useful when we take him away from home too.
I could use the utility room instead of the crate - but I think it's the being locked up alone that's the issue rather than the crate per se, as he will nap in there and will also settle in there at night no probs. It's just when he wakes that he wants out. 
Re the bladder control, I did think that as he'd been fine for 8 consecutive nights, and wasn't even keen to go straight out when we got up, that he must be ok now - but I guess that was over-optimistic. If he's happy to wee in his crate though, not sure how we'll know when he is able to hold it, as why would he bother? We'll go back to the wee breaks for now and try again in a few weeks.


----------



## 2ndhandgal (Aug 29, 2011)

i don't think it is as much happy to wee in the crate - more needed to wee and was in a crate so had no choice which puts quite a different spin on it


----------

