I have a 6 month old Scotty Dog. He sleeps in his crate in my bedroom and goes to bed about 11pm but wakes up every night with out fail at 430am. Crying and barking. Leaving him making the noises really is not an option as the neighbours have complained already. We try telling him off but it continues. He has at least walk a day and his tea is about 4pm. Totally stuck for ideas!1 Help!

Take him out at 430 let him use the bathroom. Do not talk to Jim in a playful manner be firm and serious. Put him back in the crate when you come back inside. If he continues to cry and bark leave him in the crate. If you pay any attention to him it will become a pattern

Some puppies need companionship. Try putting a piece of your clothing in with him or try letting him sleep with you in your bed at night. If the problem stops then you know that he has separation anxiety.

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Originally Posted by worried_mama

Some puppies need companionship. Try putting a peice of your clothing in with him or try letting him sleep with you in your bed at night. If the problem stops then you know that he has seperation anxiety.

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Do not let him sleep with you in your bed, you'll be starting a whole other set of issues. He's crate trained, and he should remain in the crate. You can't go back and forth. Consistency.

Sadly the same consistency that can help, is also what's causing this issue, but that doesn't mean that you give up on the training you already have in place. He's got a set pattern now, and that pattern is getting up at 4:30am. You have to break this pattern.

Ignoring the barking would be best, but I understand that you have neighbors, and that you really don't want to go through days of sleepless nights getting him to learn. But that really would be the ideal solution. If you continue to get up when he barks he's learning that this is acceptable behavior. He's also learning that his barks will get you to respond to him.

The first poster had a good solution, take him out, let him pee, then back in the crate. Do not talk to him, do not praise him, do not make eye contact with him. Just out, pee, and back in. Hopefully after a while, when he realizes that he's not getting your attention by doing this, he'll give up.

Also, make sure that his water dish is put up at least 2 hours before bed, and that you take him for a long walk before you settle in for the night. Give him plenty of chances to pee and poo before bed.

He's old enough to hold his bladder all night. At this point it sounds like a learned behavior. Not his fault, but not yours either. We often teach our dogs bad behaviors without even knowing how we did it. :)

Last but not least, a checkup is not a bad thing to consider. Just to rule out a bladder infection or anything else that might be going on that's not allowing him to sleep through the night.

Good luck. I hope that your rude awakenings are quickly put to an end. :)

Follow Alty's advice, best so far. This is a learned behavior and may not be easy to stop. Getting up with him or allowing in your bed will just compound the problems you already have.