Hi, we've had a puppy Cockerspanial now for about 3 weeks. She consistently wakes up at 8:30 in the morning and whines and scratches at the kennel. I've figured out that it is because she's alone, but she is so loud that it wakes us up so ignoring it is not an option. I'm desprete from some help! Were going nuts!

Hi Melo,
Where is she sleeping at the moment (living room, laundry etc)?

When I get a new puppy I always keep them in the bedroom with me in a crate until they are used to their new home.

When I got my new pup a few months ago I had his crate in the corner of our bedroom, he cried ALL night.
So the next night I removed my bedside table and out his crate right next to the bed.
He didn't make a sound all night until we were ready to get up.
After a few weeks I moved him back into the corner with little fuss.

I always give mine a treat when they go in their crates at night that they ONLY get at bed time.
This helps teach them that a) they get rewarded for being in the crate and b) that it is bed time.

As for waking up early, that can just take time to adjust.
My partner and I work crazy hours so we often stay up at night (he is a baker) and sleep until noon. The pup adjusted fine after a few weeks.

Covering the crate over with a blanket can help as well, as it blocks out light and 'tricks' them into thinking it is still night time.

Maybe he has to use the bathroom?

How old is she and when do you put her to bed?

Thanks for the replys all. I'll start at the top! Lol
Shaz- As of a couple days ago she sleeps downstairs, but when we first got her she slept upstairs with us in our room. We have had zero problem going to sleep except of course the first few nights she would cry for about 20 minutes and then be out like a light. Its just in the morning when she gets up. I will how ever start covering the cage at night.. cause you might be right... the back door is right there so I does give light into the basement.
Aurora- right from the start we've stopped feeding her at about 6.. so she would not have an accident in the kennel, and we let her out before we go to bed. We stay up quiet late so she shouldn't need to go out.
Cat- she is 4 months now and she basically starts falling alseep around 9 -10. After that... Trying to keep her awake is pointless... she just turns over and go back to sleep within 30 secs lol... we try waking her before we go to sleep so she can go out to use the bathroom. But sometime she just won't move... stand her up... she lays down right away.

Update: She slept till 9:30 this morning... yay! I felt like I slept in for once lol.

That's great Melo! Hopefully she continues to let you get a much needed sleep in!

Do you think the blanket over her crate helped at all?

So basically she is sleeping for 10 hours? Saying she goes to bed at 10 and wakes up at 8am?

That's a long time for a puppy to go without using the bathroom. I know I can't hold it that long. I have two older dogs, 5 and 10, and sometimes even they can’t hold it that long. Just a thought 

Does she get all day access to fresh water? Does she get crated during the day while you are away as well?

Why is your puppy sleeping in the basement? Dogs are pack animals. They really do need to be around other dogs or people. If you don't have another dog, then you really do need to spend time with this puppy! Having the pup sleep in a basement, away from everyone is not a healthy choice either.

Does she maybe need to go potty?

If the dog absolutely cannot sleep in your bedroom, maybe keep a radio on for her. A talk radio show is very relaxing... its as if a person is in the room with the dog! My brood of rescue dogs love to listen to Rush Limbough! (dont ask!) lol. That may be a solution for you.

You could always try and correct the problem before it gets worse. Sometimes ignoring the issue Doesn't solve anything, and more drastic measures need to be made. Have a vinegar spray bottle handy. The min. she starts whining, spray her in the face with a very stern "no". She'll get the connection. Soon after, you may not even need the aid. Because it's a puppy, you may want to start with just water. If she doesn't seem to listen to a water spray in the face, put in a few drops of vinegar. The vinegar won't do anything to her, it just smells very bad!

You could also try citronella. Citronella collars are very humane and don't emitt any type of shock to the dog. Citronella is like doggie mase! They hate it! The citronella collars are very sensitive and will go off with whinning.

Please don't push puppy too far away. Even though they display annoying behaviors, you need to correct it, otherwise it'll just get worse. I think you can handle a few early mornings :)

Yes auro she sleeps that long.. be we do get her up and let her out at around 1am before we go to bed. Haven't done the blanket thing yet.. that is tonights try lol.
Lucky she's in the basement because we are down here most the time as we work from home... so she's most confertable down here. There is 2 other cats that come and go around her so no worries there. I'm just trying different ways... I've read online that the best way was to ignor her whining when you know there's nothing wrong so she get the hint. Which is fine I can do... I hope... and spraying doesn't really work either because she only does it in the morning... she stops as soon as we get out of bed... so by the time were down here.. shes got no clue why were spraying her. Also its more then a few early mornings which is why I'm asking for ideas... this is week 5 now of her crying... and most the mornings she doesn't even want out lol

After reading through this thread there's one glaring conclusion to be reached: The puppy doesn't like waking up alone. Cats don't count, they make it worse on the instinctive level.

The suggestion of a radio has merit. Puppy will hear people talking and not feel so alone. You'll have taken it too far if you hear Larry King say "sit" and she does.

You should be so lucky that your pup sleeps in until 8. When my pittie was a baby, she woke up at 5 or 6 for a potty break. Shed sleep again, but awake again at 9 to eat and what not. Sometimes earlier.

I am going to suggest that you set an alarm and get up earlier than she does. You wake her up so that she doesn't keep the idea that whining is what gets attention. Gradually make wake up time later and later until she is on the same schedule that you are on.

She should be starting teething soon if she hasn't already and that may have her wanting more attention too.

Well tried the blanket and the radio last night... no luck. Still screamin at 9:30. Catsmine - she was in our room where she could see us and it didn't matter.. she still whined.

Oh and its sooo not to go to the bathroom... she just purely wants out of the kennel. And she won't go back to sleep after being let out.

Well most dogs (animals), are ready to start their day after a 10 hour sleep.

Ahh the joys of pet owning.

I wouldn't want to be cramped up in a kennel for 10 hours... just sayin' :)

Do you have a backyard? Is it secure? If so, why not stick her out back?

I do that sometimes with my dogs when they're being buggy at 7am. They kicked out back and I go back to bed.

You're puppy is calling the shots. She's telling you when to get up and entertain her. So, get up, stick her out back, and leave her.

If all else fails, you could invest in the citronella bark collar. She'd be correcting her own behaviors without you having to physically correct her.

It may be an option that works good for you

Lucky, the pup is being locked up for 10+ hours at a time! I don't think a citronella collar is the best idea, I think the pup needs to get out and stretch it's legs.

Back yard is a good idea for sure.

P.s Love the new avi Lucky!

When she is a bit older that would be a good idea, but personally I would leave a small puppy outside on their own.

Even my adult poodles are never outside unless we are close by (not asleep)

I agree that 10 hours is pretty much the maximum a puppy will sleep for.
My pup goes to bed at about 4am and we get up at 12pm. She will get into a routine eventually, you might just have to work on getting her to stay up later.

You might try adjusting her schedule. Feeding a little later, playing a little later, potty breaks a little later (although 1am should be fine) until her sleep schedule is similar to yours.

Last night she was up till 2 and went out to pee and poop... still this morning wanting out of her kennel

Have you considered building a run? Indoor doghouse with a doggie-door to a fenced in outside area?

What are you doing for exercise?

I think reality is starting to settle in. She is a four month old puppy of an active breed.

Out of curiosity, how late do you want her to stay in her crate?

I am beginning to think you weren't quite ready for the lifestyle changes a puppy brings.

This is what I've been saying!

Ok.. time to say something.

I'm going to be very blunt with you. I apologize if I sound rude, that is not my intention.. but here goes.

This puppy is definitely putting a kink in your lifestyle. Sleeping in until 8:30/9 am.. seriously, you're lucky you get that much!

This puppy is like a brand new baby. This puppy is whinning because it needs something. It needs attention, food, potty... something. You're ignoring it. You're putting the puppy further away from you because it whines in the morning. Seriously, get over it. Get up, take puppy outside for potty, feed him, play with him.. TIRE HIM OUT.

This puppy is also bored. The whinning is a displacement behavior. This is a 4 month old baby. This puppy is equal to a small child. Would you honestly ignore your baby crying because its hungry? It went potty? Needs mom? No, you wouldn't. At least I hope you wouldn't. You would tend to that baby's needs. You would get up with that baby in the middle of the night with no grumbles. Itd be late to bed and early to rise. This puppy is no different.

You're speaking to people who will get up in the middle of the night, stand outside in the cold to let a puppy go potty. Its just part of owning a dog. If you're not willing to do that, you have no business owning a dog, let alone a puppy.

You're creating separation anxiety. This puppy needs something, you're not providing it. The puppy is getting worse. Sometimes, ignoring the behavior only makes it worse. Sometimes you need to CORRECT the behavior instead of ignore it.

Ok, puppy whines at 8:30am. Big deal. My puppy, when I first got her, woke me up at 3am, 5am and then again at 7am. I got up each time. I tended to her needs. As she got older, the less she woke up. I gradually got her onto my schedule. My dogs don't wake up until 9am. I had to teach my puppy that. It did no happen over night. It did not happen within a week. It took a very long time.

The puppy is spending too much time in the crate. Once again, this is a baby! Babies do not do well in small crates for long periods. This puppy is in a crate longer than you have it out playing with you. You don't find that wrong?

If this puppy is so annoying and so disruptive of your lifestyle, then get rid of it. Don't ruin a good dog by being lazy.

Also, make that puppy tired at night. I'm sure the puppy sits at home while you are working twiddling its thumbs. I'm sure when you're done working, you're tired. You don't want to play with that puppy because you're tired. But guess what... That puppys day just begun the minute you came home. Take the puppy out for a walk. Play with the puppy in the backyard or living room. Whatever you do DO.NOT.IGNORE.HIM. That is the absolute worse thing you could do.. . And I'm sorry, but putting the puppy in the BASEMENT is a form of ignoring. Too many stories have I heard of the dog being locked in the basement because the dog was to disruptive and annoying. The basement is only going to make those disruptive, annoying behaviors only worse.

This is a very young dog. Ever issue that you are having problems with are fixable. But its not going to be fixed on its own. You need to put an effort towards it. And if that means you need to wake up at 8:30am *God forbid!* then that's what you need to do. Stop whinning. Start doing.

If you do have any questions, concerns or seem to get stuck, you can always ask. Everyone here is eager to help! But first thing is first... decide on whether you truly want this dog and are ready for the long, hard road ahead of you.

I used to have to get up at 5 am EVERY morning with Max. This puppy is definitely bored. I mean it's being crated for 10+ hours.

If this continues you are going to have a very hyper, anxious, puppy, with more problems than him getting up at 8:30.

OK first off this isn't my first puppy. So cramping my lifestyle is not the case here. Maybe I haven't been clear but I'm trying to adjust the dogs lifestyle to mine and having difficulties. Yes we take her out during the day for walks.yes we play with her all the time during the day. All I'm trying to do is adjust the schedule so that she is awake when we are awake for the most part. No a dog run is not a option. We have cats a doggie door is easy escape then for them so that can't happen. I'm sorry if your all frustrated and thinking this isn't what I want. But clearly your not understanding what I'm asking for then.

ok first off this isn't my first puppy. so cramping my lifestyle is not the case here. maybe i haven't been clear but i'm trying to adjust the dogs lifestyle to mine and having difficulties. yes we take her out during the day for walks.yes we play with her all the time during the day. All i'm trying to do is ajust the schedule so that she is awake when we are awake for the most part. no a dog run is not a option. we have cats a doggie door is easy escape then for them so that can't happen. i'm sorry if your all frustrated and thinking this isn't what i want. but clearly your not understanding what i'm asking for then.

I'm just trying to offer options and techniques. They keep getting shot down. One question got asked that I missed the answer to. How late do you want to sleep? Everybody seemed to hang up on 8:30 when you posted that. That seems very late to most of us.

ok first off this isn't my first puppy. so cramping my lifestyle is not the case here. maybe i haven't been clear but i'm trying to adjust the dogs lifestyle to mine and having difficulties. yes we take her out during the day for walks.yes we play with her all the time during the day. All i'm trying to do is ajust the schedule so that she is awake when we are awake for the most part. no a dog run is not a option. we have cats a doggie door is easy escape then for them so that can't happen. i'm sorry if your all frustrated and thinking this isn't what i want. but clearly your not understanding what i'm asking for then.

What are you asking for then? I'm confused. You say the dog whines loudly after being in a crate for however many hours at night.

What is you're schedule for the day? What is you're schedule that you want the dog on?

Maybe more explination as to what you want this pup to do would help.

And who does this puppy belong to?