# Dog barking at 4-4.30am



## MrPotato (Sep 20, 2013)

We have a new Labrador 2.5 years who has come from another family we have now had him for a week. Every morning he wakes up at 4-4.30 am and starts to whimper and bark this goes on for about half an hour sometimes longer. Can anyone think what may be wrong and how to treat it.

Additional info:
- He gets 2 hours minimum of exercise every day
- He sleeps during the whole day so is obviously tired
- As part of his two hours of exercise a day he gets a short walk at 6am and a longer one 1pm and 9pm before he goes to bed.
- I do not give him water at night so he doesn't need to go to the toilet - does anyone thing giving him water may help?


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## Mumtomaddog (Sep 17, 2013)

It could just be that he is awake and that is his getting up time.. do you know what time the other family used to get up at?
I get up at 5 am every morning and Max isnt really used to that time as yet, but no doubt he will be, given time, i'm sure in kennels he was able to sleep longer.

I would make sure that he has some water for during the night.. maybe not a big bowl full, but something just in case he is thirsty. Is he desperate to get out to the toilet when he wakes up? or maybe desperate for a drink?
It could just be that he is used to getting up at that time and will need to get used to a new routine... If he is desperate to get out, and depending on what time you usually get up, try letting him out for the loo then bed him back down for an hour or so? 
Its very difficult to know what to say as i dont really know the reason for his whimpering and barking and what you actually do when he wakes.


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## DoodlesRule (Jul 7, 2011)

My previous dog suddenly started waking around that time, turned out neighbour was working a different shift and leaving for work round then so thats what was waking him


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## labradrk (Dec 10, 2012)

What time is he last fed?


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## MrPotato (Sep 20, 2013)

He gets fed at 7.30am and 5.30pm


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## LinznMilly (Jun 24, 2011)

MrPotato said:


> He gets fed at 7.30am and 5.30pm


And what time do you take his water away for the night?

Could just be me, but I don't like the idea of leaving a dog without water all night.


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## MrPotato (Sep 20, 2013)

We were concerned that he would need to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, we are first time dog owners so we are all new to this and I will start giving him water from now on. Thanks for the advice!

Any other suggestions?


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## SleepyBones (Apr 17, 2011)

> - I do not give him water at night so he doesn't need to go to the toilet


Good heavens, I never thought I would read anything such as that.

*He needs fresh water available to him at all times he is in the home!*
.


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## SleepyBones (Apr 17, 2011)

Are you feeding him dry food?
.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Can he see or hear what may be going on outside at this time? Birds start waking, other animals may be about and if he hears/sees them, wants to go out and investigate.

I make sure my dog can't get into my conservatory at night or if I have to leave him at home alone, cos he can see "beasties" on the terrace and wants to go out and "hunt" or chase etc.

Have you tried getting up and taking him out to see if he DOES need a wee? Just because he has not had water for a while, doesn't mean he doesn't need a wee. If you have only had him a week, it may take a bit longer for him to settle.

Maybe he just wakes, and wants company - especially if he is in a new environment.

My dog will wake, then come up and do a quick head count and then go back to bed.


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## MrPotato (Sep 20, 2013)

yes he is fed dry food


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## Dubuss (Nov 14, 2012)

Our dog sleeps in the hallway downstairs. We found that as we moved from Spring into summer he was waking up earlier and earlier and couldn't work out why. Obviously it was getting lighter and he thought it was time to get up! We put up curtains to cover the front door to fool him into thinking its still dark. This also blocks out more noise as he likes to bark at night if he can hear things. Also, better for heating as it keeps the warmth in! Although its not light that early, it may be something quite silly that is waking him!

I suspect he either got up at that time in the past and is still in his old routine, or can hear someone going to work. Perhaps feed him a little later to see if this will help him sleep longer- his belly may be rumbling by 4am!


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## HappyWag (Aug 25, 2012)

Maybe setting an alarm might work. Set it for 4.00am first and second night and get up, then gradually set the alarm for later, every couple of nights say by approx 5-10 mins. Until you are getting up at a reasonable time. Your dog may quickly learn that the alarm is is wakeup call.
remember the clocks are going backward soon


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

MrPotato said:


> We have a new Labrador 2.5 years who has come from another family we have now had him for a week. Every morning he wakes up at 4-4.30 am and starts to whimper and bark this goes on for about half an hour sometimes longer. Can anyone think what may be wrong and how to treat it.
> 
> Additional info:
> - He gets 2 hours minimum of exercise every day
> ...


Do you know anything about the other owners routines and work/ shift patterns, any chance maybe someone got up that time in the morning for shifts or were returning home about that time. Its possible it may have something to do with that and routines and patterns that he has become used too.

Anything you can think of that may be disturbing him at that time, if you have put your heating on things like heating starting up or the click of a boiler, if its something he isn't used to then that may be waking him especially if its something he isn't used too.

If you have foxes then it could even be foxes, I get problems from time to time when foxes are in the garden and/or passing through often it seems to be at set times and around that time 4/5 am seems one of the times. Even though it seems to be silent as far as Im concerned, mine seem to know instinctively when its about and will be up and whining or barking.

Dogs should always have access to water, in the main unless its a really hot or humid night mine don't tend to really drink once they have settled for the night, and apart from the foxes still sleep through after toileting last thing before bed.
Water should however, always be accessible especially if fed dry in case they are thirsty and do need to drink. Just the same as us if we do wake and should be thirsty and need a drink.


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## Picklelily (Jan 2, 2013)

Just a thought is he actually awake?

Dogs, bark and whimper when they are dreaming my collie used to wake the house if he was dreaming of I assume a rabbit chase as he whimpered, barked and his legs made running movements all while he was fast asleep while lying on his side.

If he is awake and barking and then settles without a puddle he obviously doesn't need the toilet. 
I would suggest he either:
He needs a drink, 
he is being disturbed by an outside noise or light
He is used to getting up at this time with his previous family.

If it were me I would check there are no ****** of light where he is sleeping.
He is in a warm comfortable bed,
He has access to water dogs fed on dry food drink quite a lot my dogs have always drunk most at night,
Have a look outside or listen if something is disturbing him. My neighbour used to let his cat out at 4am the cat then used to head straight to my doorstep to wind up the dog. The solution was to move the room the dog slept in.

As others have said he may just be used to getting up at that time and will gradually adjust. I would go down check on the dog without saying anything to him, check all is quiet and return to bed hopefully he will settle.


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## smokeybear (Oct 19, 2011)

Is your heating on? Do you have mercury switches that trigger the hot water system? These make a whistling sound, not detectable by the human ear but by dogs.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

I'm glad that you're going to leave water down from now on. Dry fed dogs HAVE to have access to water, not doing so is bad for their kidneys as well as other organs because water will be taken from elsewhere, as the body tries to compensate for the moisture needed in dry food. 

I think 5.30 for a bedtime meal is rather early too, I'd space it to around 7pm making the gap between both meals more even and him contented with a full belly on going to bed, I presume a couple of hours later. He could be hungry as well as thirsty when he wakes but my main concern would be his possible thirst. 
I feed raw but last week gave mine kibble for a couple of days and could not believe how thirsty they were and how often I had to refil their water bowls (of which they have access to five in all) which they drank dry on a few occasions, so I know how desperate they were to drink when on that food. It didn't make them pee more because the water is used by the body, like I said earlier. At your boys age he should be able to drink and not need to toilet in the night because he's not a pup who hasn't gained bladder control. 

Personally I'd make his last meal a little later (at his age he shouldn't need a poo in the night either  if that's also a concern) and leave water available and see if he improves. If he's contented and not hungry he should sleep better, just like we do and none more so than babies.


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## nickmcmechan (Aug 1, 2009)

MrPotato said:


> We have a new Labrador 2.5 years who has come from another family we have now had him for a week. Every morning he wakes up at 4-4.30 am and starts to whimper and bark this goes on for about half an hour sometimes longer. Can anyone think what may be wrong and how to treat it.
> 
> Additional info:
> - He gets 2 hours minimum of exercise every day
> ...


Never ever remove a dogs access to water


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