Bailey - the midnight pee-er

[Jill]

:scratch:

For a long long time Bailey would sleep through the entire night not getting up to pee. Ocassionally he would get up, but for the past few weeks, he's been getting up every few nights or so.

We keep a gate across our bedroom door and he'll get up and start crying at the gate until I get up. As soon as I take the gate down, he runs downstairs and we go out and he does a quick pee and back to bed. It's great that he's crying to let me know he needs to go out, but in the middle of the night? :confused: He always pees right before bed. Last night it was 2:15am.

It's not really a problem, when you gotta go, you gotta go, I guess it's more like a, why you starting this now kid type deal.

[quavec]

How old is he? could it be that his bladder is like ours as we get older? I used to be able to hold it forever...now, when I gotta go, I gotta go. At least once per night and during the day it's crazy! Could he be the same way? Just getting weak bladder muscles as he ages?

[Jill]

How old is he?

He's only a year and a half. I just think he's like, well, I am up, I should go. Brat. Sometimes I think he just wants a midnight snack.

[Laurie' s Dachshunds]

DO you let him drink water at night? I limit mine, no water after 6pm. and they sleep all night until they all get up at 5:30 am to go out.

[Jen]

I wonder why he's changed to having to go again. Definitely no fun for the humans.

Tasha gets us up a few nights a week, not to pee, but because she's snuffling and chasing something...we may have another mouse....

[Nancy]

DO you let him drink water at night? I limit mine, no water after 6pm. and they sleep all night until they all get up at 5:30 am to go out.

I agree. No water after a certain hour. I did it with my Schipperkes and have continued to do it with Molly the Mauler.

[alfina]

Sofie is my night peer. She always was that way. Sometimes at 2am sometimes as 3am. Two others could wait all night. Sometimes she does #2 as well. I feel like I have another baby now. Natasha was the same way. She never slept through the night.

I think for Sofie it is more of a habit. I also give her benadril when she gets up and it is wrapped in cheese. So, partially it is my fault.

[Courtney]

NAPOLEON HAS STARTED DOING THE SAME THING!! And it drives me crazy. He is the same age as Bailey and same deal, he used to sleep till noon with me if I wanted. I am happy that he lets me know he has to go, but good lord, I need my sleep. He sometimes also will want to drink water in the middle of the night. With his BUN a little up my vet and I are a little concerned but more and more I think it might be the season. I wake up thirsty and with dry mouth every morning too. We are in the same house but sleep in a different room than last winter, and the room upstairs heats up really fast and gets dry.

[Alex's Mom]

I agree. No water after a certain hour. I did it with my Schipperkes and have continued to do it with Molly the Mauler.
Me too...dealing with Alex's leaky bladder is bad enough during the day! She drinks as much as she needs to up until about 7, and then no more until she eats at 6 the next morning. Before we discovered the cancer, she was up at least once, and sometimes 3 or 4 times during the night with diarrhea ... for 9 months!!!! She kinda got into the habit, but fortunately, the habit got broken when she spent the week in hospital after her cancer surgery .Then there was the year and a half of throwing up at 2 in the morning..... not a good habit to let him start! Could it be a bladder infection, I wonder?

[Mama S.]

I didn't stop to think that maybe it is the heat in the house - hmmmmm. Sam is my night pee'r. Never fails that I wake up to him leaving me a puddle in the bathroom. I took up the water in the bedroom - no water after a certain time - I'm getting better at sleeping through him going down the ramp and back up again!
Sandi

[Anatresia]

Rigby is also about a year and a half and she does the same thing!!! She started in September- every single night at any point between one and six, she gets down off of the bed. If you don't catch her, she'll pee on the floor- she doesn't even care that it's wrong! So we're always racing her to the back door!

It's so annoying! For us, it's because she sleeps too much during the day, so she doesn't get that deep sleep at night. It's impossible, however, to tire her out- you can play fetch for hours and she's always ready to play more!

Good luck! It's terribly annoying!

[jennie_c_d]

Mine do that. Emma has bladder issues. She's mildly incontinent. I'd rather take her out at 3 am then wake up to wet pajamas, or crate her and make her sleep in her own pee... So now, Teenie has the habit, too. Oh, well. I can now make it up the steps, out the door, open the sliding glass door, wait for the dogs to come back in, and get back under the covers in total darkness, without tripping on either dog. Why can't I do that fully awake????

[isobelsmom]

Isobel regressed a couple years ago for no apparent reason. She just turned 8 on Feb. 2nd and with her now, I think it's a combo of dry house (we're all drinking more) and loss of bladder muscle control. Kasey has that now too as she is 9, but she's on meds and they work great. Isobel will be starting them.

Tip I use for Maia when she wants to go in the middle of the night or too early in the morning. When she alerts me, I tell her to quiet and when I hear her settle, I then get up and let her out. Her nose gets out of joint, but it's better than having her try to control me that way. I usually wait only a minute or so and we are out the door.

Tip with Isobel, if there is anything in her crate like a blankie or pee pad, she'll pee and clean it up with what's on hand. It's amazing how she can hold it when there is just her and nothing else in her crate but a kong. She understands that if she pees, she gets to sit in it as the crate is just big enough to hold her laying flat. Her other crate was too big and afforded her room to "hide" from the pee. Not any longer.

I refuse to feel guilty for this as she has been checked out at the vet about 5 times and all is well. She just refuses to remain housetrained. She will begin to wander and I know that slinky stride, so I call her on it. Funny again how she can hold it when I bring it to her attention. :scratch:

When a dog wakes you in the night, say nothing to them and no treats should be given. This is just cementing the behavior. It's difficult, I know, but it is for the best in the long run. And always have a check-up at the vet. Most times a UTI or bladder infection will cause this...as well as loss of muscle control as they age. But, if all checks out in young dogs, pull up the water early (a couple hours before bed time) and if you have to take them out, NO snackies or conversation. Make it unpleasant and they may get the point sooner or later.

Isobel is much better since I began this with her. She knows I am not happy and will do her best to avoid a cranky mama. L J, Maia (who clunks me when she's ingested something funky, snuck water outside or I have overslept--and she is still young) and Kasey can't help it, but I still do not talk to any of them---just let them out and in and back to bed or begin my day.