Barking and howling in the morning

Hiya, we have a 6 month old working cocker spaniel puppy. She's doing pretty well with most of her training, and we've crate trained her from little which has been great. She will very happily go to bed when told during the day or evening, in fact she will quite often take herself off to bed in the evening when she's ready without being asked.

Our problem comes in the morning. As soon as she wakes up she starts barking and howling until one of us gets downstairs. It can start anytime between 6-7.30. The time isn't too bad, I don't mind getting up then at all, but it would be nice not to wake up to persistent barking every morning.

I thought it might be that she needs the toilet, but quite often in the morning she's not interested in going outside, she's often not even that desperate to get out of bed. Once we get downstairs she will stop barking instantly and often just lie down again, so I think somehow we have managed to teach her that in order for us to get up she has to barking constantly. We have tried ignoring it, but she just keeps going and going, and unfortunately at some point we do have to get up. I don't let her out unless she's quiet and I don't instantly acknowledge her when I go downstairs, but I'm not really sure what else to do.

If we put her in her crate during the day she wont usually make and noise at all, when we get home she wont bark to get out so I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for us?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks very much

It s a pup......chances are that when it wakes up.....it needs to empty......

Its true that your puppy probably just needs to be taken outside. I have found it useful to also teach your dog a word like 'quiet' so they know when not to make noise.

Hi, wow that sounds like a bit of a waking nightmare Poor you! It sounds like you're doing all the things you need to be doing to discourage the behaviour, but probably because your pup has been practicing the behaviour for a while, it has turned into a bit of a bad habit that's going to be tricky to kick.

You could try getting up as soon as you hear the howling, take your pup out to go to the toilet, whether she needs to go or not, then bring her back inside, put her back inside the crate and leave the room again. If you do this consistently without acknowledging her in any way whatsoever except to let her out to go to the toilet, hen she will hopefully quickly learn that howling means she will be taken outside to relieve herself, and she will realise that it doesn't mean the whole family has to get up now. If she starts howling again as soon as you put her back in the crate and leave the room, just repeat. She won't get it immediately, but dogs aren't stupid and they learn by repetition. Be persistent. Don't get upset or frustrated. Just be very matter of fact - act dumb - Oh the dog's howling she must need the loo I'll take her out - Oh she's not going to the loo, I'll put her back in and go back to bed - Oh she's howling again she must need the loo. It's simple association re-conditioning. If you start associating her howl with what you want it to mean, she will soon follow your lead and that howl will become her way of telling you to let her out to pee.

I hope that is of some use to you? You can visit my website and blog for more dog owner tips, stories insights and other things. Oh, and I'd love it if you would join my mailing list

Thanks a lot for your puppy love & support!

Zara M.

http://londonpuppysitter.com